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By: Mike Milligan, President Legato Marketing & Communications
What is your hospital’s strongest asset?
While a few may beg to differ, most would say their physicians top the list. If you agree, you should be marketing your docs to the nth degree. Are you?
Keep in mind that it’s just as important to market a physician’s ‘human’ side as it is to highlight the high points of a doctor’s experience. That means putting consumers in touch with your physicians and vice versa. We all know that docs don’t have the time (not to mention the desire) to get out and press the flesh, so what’s a marketing professional to do? Think ‘personally’ – ‘virtually.’
Leverage your website to:
- Build trust in your physicians by promoting their professional experience and their passion for their careers. How? One idea is to stream videos of doctors in action to emphasize their capabilities and their love of their profession.
- Let consumers get to know your docs as ‘people’ — not just professionals. Feature a doctor of the week by including a personalized human interest story. For example, if a doc enjoys kayaking, capture his or her love of the outdoors with a photo essay. Introduce a doctor’s spouse and children, a family pet, a favorite recipe … Give consumers a glimpse into the ‘softer side’ of your physicians and you’ll create a greater level of comfort and confidence in your docs.
- Schedule live web chats that allow consumers to ask doctors questions – and get responses – in real-time. The ability to have two-way conversations like these can shoot your consumer trust and loyalty scores through the roof.
- Give patients the ability to email appointment requests. The more convenient the appointment process is, the more likely consumers are to use your clinic.
Today, patient trust and loyalty is critical to the success of every hospital. But in rural communities, the stakes may be even higher. Here, ‘Neighbors caring for neighbors’ isn’t just a cliché, it’s a way of life. It’s also an expectation – of your clinic, your hospital – and your doctors.
If you’re not marketing your biggest asset, the time has come. Do it well, and step up your market share, increase volume and build ever-important patient loyalty.
