Planning To Rock 2013? Take Some Time To Consider The Following
I am sure that you want 2013 to be a success for your Practice. Here are a couple of things you can do in order to weigh the year in your favour;
Take a long look at your KPIs from last year, use them to decide what areas you need to focus on for 2013. How is your cancellation rate? How is your initial test conversion rate? How is your retained customer rate? Where are you getting your customers from?
If you do not have a Practice Management software system, not talking Noah here, get one. Then make sure all your Patient data is entered into your Practice Management software.
Consider new referral routes to your Practice, think about associated medical professionals initially. Research them in your area and approach them to set up referral channels. Don’t stop at medical professionals, consider every business owner that has a cross over with our demographic. Only set up referral channels with businesses that you would do business with!
Assess your Patient Retention & Referral Strategy, is it working? Does it need changes? Is there something new that you can add that will deliver impact? Will that something give you good return on investment?
Take a look at your Patient journey, does it need tweaking? Is it delivering benefits to the Patient and the Practice? While you are at it assess whether your Patient communication strategy is working, is it being followed?
Survey your existing Patients, survey your staff, do they see opportunities? Do they see threats to your Practice? Are they happy? Is there something else you can do to ensure full buy in from them?
Check your Call Back letters, Hearing Test Reports, Test No Sales one month contact letter, Test No Sales Annual Test Call Back Letter etc.. etc.. Does the wording still stand up, is the formatting clean and professional? Is there anything missing from them that you need to add? Like your Facebook page address or your blog page address?
Re-paint your Practice, unless you have done it in the last ten months. Your Practice stands for who you are as a professional. If it is not painted yearly it looks tired, it looks sloppy and it probably looks dirty. Is that the first impression you want to give prospective Patients? While you are at it, the soft furnishings and the chairs, do they stand up? If not, replace them, otherwise I guarantee they will cost you money.
Remember last year, we decided that between every appointment you will take five minutes to clean your consultation room, tidying away cables, tubing boxes, cleaning equipment etc. from view? You still doing it? Didn’t think so, start doing it again.
I swear, if I come to your shop and you have a poster or point of sales displays that are more than three months old, I will set fire to them. 😈 If you have a shop window, when was the last time you took a really good look at it? Did you think about the acid etching of your logo on it?
You need to completely review your practice environs critically with the concept of brand presentation in mind, be honest and ruthless. If you do so and take steps to right the wrongs, you can be happy that your Practice is saying the right things about you.
Review your online healthcare marketing channels, what needs fixing, what needs changing and what is letting you down? This year actually leverage your website for campaign offers, educational use and to engage your prospective Patient. Remember your web presence can no longer be static, it needs to be dynamic.
Assess your healthcare marketing channels for efficacy, what exactly is return on investment on each channel.
Plan out four quarterly marketing campaigns that you can leverage across all your healthcare marketing channels. Make perhaps two of these campaigns special offer campaigns, the other two can be educational or seasonal. Think free summertime instrument check ups, free wintertime instrument check ups. Free International Diabetic Day hearing checks. Organise and distribute press releases around these educational campaigns.
As always, this list is not exhaustive, think up ten more things you need to do! When you have, mail them to me, I would like to see what you are thinking.
That should at least be a start for your New Year planning, sincere best wishes for success in the New Year. I mean it about the setting fire to the posters by the way.
Regards
Geoff
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Great tips Geoff. You’re absolutely right – and it comes down to ‘getting back to the basics.’ It re-energizes the excitement you had just before opening the door for business for the first time. I love the line – “that your Practice is saying the right things about you.” That puts ‘success’ in your future. Good post! Thanks Geoff! George
Thanks George, I really mean it about the posters! :))