Marketing for doctors has never been more crucial. While the cost of healthcare in the US is continually in the news, less obvious to the general public is the rising cost of running your medical practice. The obvious solution is to increase profitable consults, and today practices increasingly rely on “on line” marketing to help them.
Marketing for doctors can be expensive. Does it work?
But online marketing is deceptively expensive: while Google research shows that 5% of all searches are health-related, digital spending to capitalize on it is increasing: the average cost for a healthcare “lead” is $286 (source: Hubspot). So what’s the answer?
Even though consumers search for answers online, they’re surprisingly traditional when it comes to taking the next step. In fact, 88% of healthcare appointments are scheduled by telephone. Prospective patients who do their research online prefer to call because healthcare is personal and private. And people booking healthcare appointments want to speak with a real human (Sequence). In fact, only 2.4% of appointments are scheduled online. (Accenture).
For specialists, nursing homes, physical therapists and chiropractors, consumers are most likely to search information and then call your practice. (LSA)
The evidence on marketing for doctors
The evidence shows that the most convenient and trusted way for consumers to contact healthcare providers is still the telephone. In fact phone callers convert 10-15x more revenue than internet leads. Calls are the most valuable source of patients you can have. (BIA/Kelsey)
So what can you do to win more patients, and book more consults? Treat your prospective patient right: 32% of consumers say phone calls “are the most frustrating customer service” type, and 65% of consumers will change a provider over a single poor customer service experience. (Digiday)
AT&T Research finds that more than 69% of business calls of all kind are place on hold for at least 45 seconds. These callers placed on hold get bored and frustrated. If left sitting in silence, 90% will hang up. But callers listening to information on hold will stay on the line…up to 3 minutes longer, and you can accomplish a lot in that time. In fact 1 in 5 consumers surveyed say that they have made a purchase or a decision based on the information they heard on hold.
What can you tell your callers on hold? Give them information that they want, and that you want them to have…about your practice, your specialties, and your approach to their health. Tell them about how you help patients, and what makes you unique.
The most cost effective marketing for doctors
How do you do it? Informer Messages on hold are custom written Practice Marketing messages, designed specifically to reach your callers. They’re planned with your goals and your patients in mind, and have a track record of success in your specialty.
How will they work for you? Why not book a free 15-minute consult to talk about your practice, your callers, and achieving your goals. To reach your Informer Medical Practice Specialist click here, or call (800) 862-8896.
