September 2008

Marketing Budget

For this month of September, we are looking at the subject of Marketing and how to best use the precious resources of the Marketing budget to the best for the Practice.

“Many Practices make the mistake of reducing marketing expenditures once they feel their customer base was firmly established. However the customer base can begin to erode without some marketing input if the Practice is to continue to progress.

Therefore reassigning the marketing budget can be a useful exercise based on the following.

1. To survive this many Practices are stepping up their marketing efforts both internally and externally. Let your customers know you are still around
2. It will also depend on finding ways to bring excitement to this over-saturated market by adding personality to campaigns and interaction
3. An emerging trend is that customers are going on-line more and more for information and the web is the fastest growing market. However a website alone is not enough to compete these days as you need a site to capture potential patient's information from those who are not ready to make an appointment yet, but want more information
4. Make the commitment for the Practice to fund on-going marketing to survive this market successfully with a flow of new patients who will stay, pay, and refer
5. Keep the communication and personal touch open with your existing patients. By keeping your patient base educated in the newest techniques and advances you are able to maximize your marketing by word of mouth from existing patients who already know and trust you and your team.”