July marks the halfway point through the 2011 calendar. It is an important time of the year to pause and assess where you are as a medical practice with respect to your 2011 marketing goals and objectives. Are your numbers lower or higher than you are were hoping or are you in line with your projections? If you are lucky enough to be ahead, congratulations! If you are falling behind, now is the time to make some changes.

Marketing Overhaul

Medical marketing works best when it is tracked. This allows you to see what marketing initiatives are performing and remove those that are not. By performing a marketing overhaul, you can potentially reach your financial goals by simply stopping ineffective marketing.

At MindStream Creative, we know that what works in one medical practice, may not work in another. We also know that utilizing the Internet to gain access to new patients is one of the most cost effective and successful marketing initiatives presently available. Prospective patients won through the Internet cost 60% less than those won through traditional marketing (radio, direct mail, newspaper, etc.).

Practice Promotion

If numbers are low, a promotion or two throughout the remainder of the year may be just what the doctor ordered. Promotions can come in a variety of ways. If your practice is one that allows for a price reduction on products, procedures or services offered, it should be considered.

Contests are another fun way to generate the attention of your community, build brand awareness and increase patients. Reward programs are another excellent way to generate new patients. Implementing a referral rewards program allows existing patients to benefit from simply recommending your practice to someone they know. The new patient can also win by receiving a small discount on a product or service offered if applicable.

Once you have decided to initiate a promotion, let the world know. This can cost effectively be done through email campaigns. This is a great way to make the most of your contact list. We also recommend having professional flyers created that can be posted on a custom Facebook landing page, on your website and throughout your office. If you have a blog, write about your special promotion and publish it online!

Marketing is an ever evolving process that must be maintained to be effective. What works one year, may not work the next. It is important to keep track of your patient numbers and compare that with your goals. Don’t be scared to try something new. It can always be stopped if you find it to be ineffective.

If you need help meeting or exceeding your marketing growth goals, give MindStream Creative a call at 888-324-5559. We will provide a free marketing assessment to determine what areas need help and can work with you to implement any changes seamlessly. Our goal is to help medical practices learn to grow without spending a fortune on ineffective marketing.