The top of the funnel marketing approach involves more effort, but it will ultimately produce better leads, as well as better patients
For decades, marketing was very simple. It went in one direction, from the advertiser to the potential consumer, and basically consisted of a description of the item, its price, some features or selling points, and possibly a visual layout. Top of the funnel marketing was nary a thought.
In turn, the targeted consumer was expected to respond by purchasing the item. In some cases, the consumer might ask for additional information before buying, although most of these cases usually still ended in a purchase.
However, with the advent of the internet and digital marketing, this unidirectional flow of marketing from advertiser to customer changed. Today’s online consumers expect to be part of the marketing process, whether it is by providing feedback and reviews, or even simply doing independent research before purchasing something.
The same changes are happening in health care. Today’s patients are coming to see their health care providers after having done extensive online research into their health conditions and potential treatments.
So how does marketing to these patients account for that? One way to change up your digital marketing tactics for this new brand of chiropractic patient takes its cue from the broader world of general online marketing, known as funnel marketing. Read further to find out how you can lure in these savvy potential patients and with top of the funnel marketing and convert them into actual patients.
Top of the funnel marketing
As the name implies, top of the funnel marketing is designed to capture prospective consumers and guide them through a series of steps until they finally make a purchase. The first step, just like the top of a funnel, casts a wide net to attract interest and create awareness.
A timely blog entry or video on your site, such as nutritional supplements to boost the immune system during winter, is a great example of something to boost on your social media platforms. The goal is not to immediately try to get a booking, but generate traffic among those likely to move on to the next phase of your marketing campaign.
Middle of funnel
Now that you have garnered interest, your next step is to provide those who were engaged by your initial offering something more substantial to draw them in further. This offering could be a video series for stretches, a pdf collection of healthy recipes, or an audio meditation guide.
The goal here is to get email contact information, so that you can then move these prospective patients on to the final stage of your campaign.
Bottom of funnel
Now we have finally arrived at the bottom of the funnel. This is where you take those prospective patients, whom you have carefully nurtured through the top and middle parts of your funnel campaign, and finally convert them into actual patients.
At this stage, you should be confident that each email you have gathered represents somebody who has expressed more than casual interest in not just chiropractic, but you as a chiropractor and the services you provide. Take advantage of this by sending out a direct call to action.
For example, you can provide another offering, similar to what you sent out at the middle stage of your marketing campaign, but add a discount offer to entice them to make a new patient booking. The aim is to give prospective patients an even better offer than they received previously, but requires them to convert into an actual patient.
Play the long game
As you can see, a funnel marketing campaign is somewhat more complex than the older, more traditional one-way approach. Although the top of the funnel marketing approach involves more effort, it will ultimately produce better leads, as well as patients who are likely to be more invested in their wellness over the long term.
