"We were all set for our campaign to increase our new patients. We kicked it off with a screening, followed by Facebook posts, and then an email blast. We were so discouraged when only 1 person showed up to the new patient consult."
1 out of 3 Upper Cervical Doctors say finding new patients is their #1 issue
As a practice owner, there are few things as frustrating as spending time and money marketing only to get little to no results. If this is how you feel...you're not alone. Don't throw in the towel just yet. There are LOTS of people who still need your help, but they don't know you exist!
Maybe it's time to rethink your marketing strategy, but at least you should Avoid These 5 Common Chiropractic Marketing Mistakes.
Sure, if you discount your service, you'll probably get some more people to schedule a patient consultation. Although, a good portion of these people won't show up. And those that DO, are typically looking for a quick-fix-crack-my-back type of thing. So they'll be tough to get to commit or they drop out of care after a month or two. In short, for the most part, they won't be the RIGHT kind of new patient.
"If she's supposed to be a specialist, why are her prices so cheap?"
You’re an upper cervical specialist and the last thing you want is for people to see you as a commodity to be put on sale or view what you do as “common.”
We’re talking about the care of a person’s spine and overall wellness…why would you cheapen this?
A free initial consultation is one thing, but don’t fall into the trap of “selling” on price. It doesn’t work for the long game. Some docs actually see MORE people come in when they raise their rates. Perception matters.
How many people visited your website last month? Do you know the names or emails of those who have been checking you out online? You can't follow up with prospective new patients if you don't even know who these people are. Don't make this marketing mistake. Even just a few pieces of info like a name and email will aid you in your marketing strategy efforts.
TIP: Consider using call-to-action (CTA) buttons on your website, blog posts, Facebook ads, etc.
People can opt in to your content and services after providing a little info. A simple form or landing page will allow you to capture a name and email so you can nurture the lead and bring them closer to scheduling a new patient consult.
Have you ever stopped to consider the new patient journey? Sure, you want them to schedule a consultation, but before they ever step foot in your office, what steps typically take place? For example, did they read an eBook, watch a video, visit your website, or respond to an ad?
If you don’t take the time to strategize how you capture leads, then you are making a marketing mistake and missing out on a big opportunity. It's possible that a simple, but specific adjustment (no pun intended) to the new patient journey could help restore proper new patient flow.
Most people these days aren’t going to immediately jump on board with your UC care just because they saw one piece of your content or visited your website. Many of these people are not ready to become patients and need to be nurtured before making the decision to come into your practice.
TIP: It helps to use an email follow-up campaign that periodically sends related content to each specific type of patient. Customized, informative, and educational emails are effective for cultivating a relationship and building credibility.
Remember, no one will start care until they feel that they can trust you. Nurture your potential patient leads.
Another common marketing mistake to avoid is not equipping your office team to interact with the potential new patients. You can have everything dialed in, but your team fumbles the ball when they get a call. Does your team know how and when to follow up with the potential new patients? If you have a few people on your team, you'll want to make sure they are all on the same page with you.
TIP: Be intentional to go over key phrasing and follow up steps with your staff for phone calls, follow up emails, etc. You might not get a second chance…make it count!
For most people, there are a handful of specific questions they need answered before scheduling their first appointment. Want to know what these are? You can find these questions here along with a phone script to help you prep your team for when a potential new patient calls your office: Potential New Patient Phone Call Script.
Tracking results is what you and your team do EVERY day for your current patients. It's important to make sure that what you’re doing is having the desired impact, right? Well, the same goes for any chiropractic marketing strategy you use. If you send out a bulk email, be sure to find out how many people opened it. If you create and run a Facebook ad, how many clicked on the ad? When you put new content on your website, which pages are getting traffic? You get the idea.
Bottom line, you can find out what's working and what isn't in your marketing strategy if you take the time to track it.
TIP: Google analytics puts a ton of great info at your fingertips and is free for you to set up and use.
Obviously, there is more to implementing an online marketing strategy, but these are some of the big marketing mistakes to avoid (and how to have better success). Don't get overwhelmed with it all, just take it one step at a time. Plus, we're here for you if you have questions or run into some walls.
Remember, when online marketing strategy is done RIGHT, it will make you look great online and effectively reach out to your community. They need your help, but don’t know you exist!
Go team upper cervical!
