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webrehab -> RE: Marketing ideas (December 12, 2007 2:57:48 AM)
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Bill,
I currently help a bunch of practices across the nation with their marketing efforts so I have a bit of advice. Much of the previous advice has been stated and is great!
Short answer is:
Have a Vision ->Passion->Present an Exceptional Image to the community ->Differentiators (deserve the referrals by being the expert)->Communicate this to Key Referral sources -> Develop Relationships and strategic partnerships->Deliver exceptional service (clinical care and customer service) ->Communicate regularly with referral sources (in other words, get out of the office) ->repeat ->retain.
1. Have a vision. Set clear goals for yourself e.g. I want to develop 10 more referral relationships this year and each will send me 3 patients per month.
2. Differentiate yourself on your passion. Niche yourself in a few of your favorite areas! You won't burn out if you are treating patients you love to care for. If you love to treat TMJ patients, you will do great work with these patients and everyone will know. Deserve these patient by being the leader in delivering evidence based practice, understanding that only you can do it (no doctor can match what you do!), and having a Yes attitude that you are the leader and feeling confident about this when you go out to create relationships with the doctors.
3. Image - have a professional image (physical evidence) for your practice.
4. Communicate this to the community. Turn up the "noise level" about what you do by doing by using the web, email, inservices, free screenings, MD meetings (start with the MD assistant and do it first thing in the AM. They are the gatekeeper to the doctor), direct mailings, join BNI, Chamber of Commerce, etc. Network and build relationships (the key word relationships). Refer patients to MD's.
5. Develop relationships. You sell yourself every day. Learn how to do this by being friendly, relevant, empathetic, real. Identify your referring physicians' needs and fill them.
6. Deliver Exceptional Service. Start even before they come in to your practice! Take every opportunity to educate the patient about all that you do. This involves proper training for you and your staff. Customer service is simply forgotten by most.
7. Communicate with the referring physicians every opportunity you get. Call them! Most clinicians never pick up the phone and call a doctor.
8. Repeat your marketing processes regularly and measure your results.
9. Retain - you never discharge a patient! You are their family physical therapist and no one can do what you do as well as you when it comes to neuromusculoskeletal rehab!
Enjoy. Make sure you regularly step back and evaluate yourself. Make sure what you are doing fulfills you. Owning a practice can be a tough grind. You may ask yourself, "Why did I even do this?"
Here are a couple practical thoughts:
a. About 50% of all of your referrals will come from 5%, yes 5% of your referring physicians. My point? You may have to go out and bust your bottom, can't get past some gatekeepers, get the door shut in your face, etc. But, you only need a few good referring docs to fill your practice. Once that happens, you need to diversify your referral base so all your eggs aren't in the same basket. I don't know your demographics, but I am sure you can do it.
b. Go to your few best referral sources and write a letter of recommendation for yourself that they only need to sign. Tell them you really like their care philosophy and would like to meet 2-3 of their colleagues that think similarly. Take that letter of recommendation to those doctors. That will be 6-9 warm leads for you with a nice letter of recommendation.
Good luck. If I can be of more help, you can visit my website www.e-rehab.com and get my contact info there. I love to help along with the rest of this group.[:D]
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