How To Get More Patients As A New Doctor

Any new doctor faces a hurdle when first starting out. You need patients, but you don’t have the trust or reputation that others in the area have spent years building up. However, that doesn’t mean it has to take years for you to start seeing a change in those trends. With the right decisions and some savvy healthcare marketing, you can start bringing people through those doors in no time.

Opening your practice right

The opening of a new practice can attract a lot of attention and excitement, especially if it’s in a location that has been waiting for one for years. Nationwide, demand well outstrips supply, so it may not be too difficult to find a location that’s wanting of a practice. As well as choosing the right location, take the opportunity to spread the news of your opening. You can use the marketing methods described below, for one thing, but you should also get in touch with the local press and radio to get them to offer you a signal boost.

Digital healthcare marketing

What makes a good digital medical marketing strategy? There are a variety of disciplines, each with their own benefits, that are well worth considering. At the base of them all is a well-designed website that’s easy to navigate, describe all the services that you offer and any key information patients might need.

You can support this website with an informative blog that answers questions and demonstrates your expertise, as well as helpful emails that not only share your blog content, but remind patients of any seasonal health concerns and how you can help, such as flu vaccines. 

On the more technical side, you can look into social media marketing, building a digital audience that you can directly interact with at any time, whether it’s to answer their questions or to get feedback on your practice. Meanwhile, SEO (search engine optimization) can help make your website and your business easier to find and more visible through search engines like Google.

Nowadays, a comprehensive digital strategy is important, as most people will do their search online before approaching any new business.

Traditional marketing methods

Nowadays, it’s easy to assume that everything needs to be digital all the time. We all spend a lot more time in front of screens, that much is for certain. However, traditional marketing is still highly effective, especially for reaching potential patients of all ages. After all, your more elderly patients are a lot more likely to learn about your business through television, newspaper, and radio advertisements than on the internet.

Furthermore, traditional and digital healthcare marketing can work very well together. You can use advertisements, leaflets, and snail mail letters to people in the area to inform them of the practice and build their interest. If they’re tech savvy, they will then follow up on the internet, which is where your digital marketing helps to seal the deal.

Building your network

Building your place in the community and in the industry can help you develop links to professionals, institutions, and patients who are more than happy to refer others they know to you. Building your network is essential, so here are a few different parts of it to focus on.

Your professional network can be highly valuable. For instance, if you’re a specialist such as an ENT doctor or audiologist, then knowing general physicians can mean that when their patient has a problem that you have an expertise in, they’re more likely to refer to you. 

How deep a connection you forge with your patient community can help you build trust, good will, and an overall positive reputation. For instance, taking part in local charity events, making local radio and newspaper appearances, sponsoring events and sports leagues, and generally making an effort to connect with your community can all be greatly helpful.

Of course, great service and bedside manner will encourage your existing patients to spread positive word-of-mouth, bringing more through those doors, too.

Remember that marketing is part of the job as well

You would undoubtedly rather spend more of your time having quality interactions with your patients and helping them address all their health concerns, but it’s important to make time for your marketing efforts or, better yet, to work with a team that can take care of it for you.

Building a thriving practice is all about being consistent in winning new patients and retaining your existing ones. Hopefully, the tips above give you some ideas on how to do just that.