OPENING: Opening your own medical practice is a natural step in many people’s career paths, but it comes with many challenges. One of the most significant hurdles can simply be getting your name out there, and it can take time to build a decent patient list within your community. That’s why you can’t just sit around waiting for referrals. You need to get out there and market your new practice, ensuring that when people need your services, you’re the first place they think about. Here are some simple marketing tips for medical practices.

1ne: Hire a social media expert

Simply setting up a Facebook page isn’t enough for modern businesses; you need a strategy to attract patients, and you need to be able to engage with local people online. Around 37% of people use social media for recommendations, especially when it comes to finding local practitioners. 

Some ways you could use social media include:

Placing adverts and sponsored posts targeting certain demographics within the local area

Reaching out to people further afield who might need someone within your specialism

Engaging with the local community and becoming part of the local chamber of commerce

Creating giveaways or discount codes that boost your profile.

2wo: Get listed on all the relevant sites

Whether people are looking for a dentist, chiropodist, or a dermatologist in your local area, you want your website to be the first one they see. Make sure your listing on Google My Business is accurate, and get listed on Foursquare, Bing, and sites that specialize in listing doctors, so that wherever people go for recommendations, there you are.

3hree: Learn your own business and marketing techniques

If you’ve gotten to the stage in your career where you can start your own practice, then you no doubt have many years of experience in your field. However, what many medical practitioners lack is business skills as they’re something you don’t learn in medical school. You can do a Lean Six Sigma Certification Online with Global Six Sigma that’ll give you real-world, implementable business techniques, and help you get more involved in things like marketing. 

4our: Use seasonal marketing

While you may see patients year-round, there will be certain seasons where particular services are high in-demand, and you should focus your campaigns around them. Look out for awareness months, where you can offer low-cost checks, or send out mailshots for things like flu jabs just before fall. While these services may not make much profit, they can help you to boost your profile and find more patients. 

5ive: Get out and network

Networking is something that people in all professions can do, and when you start your own medical practice it is essential. This is because you can build a referral network, where other medical professionals can recommend your practice. While people like to get recommendations from friends and family for businesses, they’re more likely to trust one of your fellow doctors when they provide a referral, so these can be very valuable in the medical industry. Be sure to repay people who provide referrals in kind, and once you’re established, work with newer providers who open in your area, as you never know where these professional relationships can lead.