The great thing about marketing a Family Medicine practice is that there are so many options! Almost every person is a potential patient or referral service. All marketing either costs time or money. And, at different seasons, those may vary for each practice. So, we offer tactics for both! We’ll cover online identity, then outreach to the general public, medical community, and employers.
Online Identity
Family Medicine practices need a website, a social media presence, and accurate online profiles.
Website
On the website, if the budget is tight, create a simple site around five pages with information about the practice, the clinicians, and information patients need to know. If time allows, create a blog about everything patients ever ask. How do I manage allergies in Texas? Does oral collagen really work? Is hormone replacement therapy good or bad? When should I get a flu shot? When should back pain be managed at home versus calling my doctor? If budget allows, pay someone to build out extensive patient-facing content on these topics, as well as search engine optimization.
Social
Social media is huge for Family Practice because it’s such a direct-to-consumer service. Create a Facebook and Instagram on your own or through a company. Consider other platforms as your patient population dictates. If time is an option, create the content. If the budget is there, hire it out. Post useful information that people care about. Think about the questions patients ask. That’s what people are searching, so that’s what you want to post about. Don’t self-promote, except for really timely topics like school physicals and flu shots. FamilyDoctor.org is also a great spot for content!
Engage with Facebook groups to build your name in the community. Moms of <Insert City> Facebook pages are great places to engage!
And, if budget allows, consider pay per click advertising campaigns.
Profiles
Update individual clinician and practice information anywhere it can be found on the internet (think Yelp, Vitals, WebMD). Upload pictures and information that highlights the uniqueness of the practice. Ensure all the maps (Google My Business, Apple Maps, Mapquest, Waze) are set up for easy way finding. And, proactively respond to any reviews on all of these.
Press Release
Press releases are a hybrid online and print strategy. Having a press release out in the community starts to create proof that the practice is legitimate. And, when it gets picked up by print and online publications, it creates social proof that the practice is a good place to get care.
If time is more plentiful, send a press release to local papers and upload where possible announcing your practice (sites like Bubble Life and NextDoor).
If the budget allows, send it out through a press release service like EIN or PR News. This will widen your reach. It’s around $100. If there is an even bigger budget, perhaps hire a public relations pro to handle the whole thing and get the clinicians interviews with local media. And, consider advertisements in local magazines and newspapers mentioned same and next day availability.
Community Networking
Becoming a trusted resource in the community is huge for family medicine practices being successful. Community networking can be done with zero budget and is time intensive. But, a budget can help a lot with sponsorships and cutting to the front of the line!
If time is readily available, have clinicians and leadership get involved in their community church, kids’ school, gym, clubs, women’s groups, Rotary, Kiwanis, VFW, etc. Be friendly and what they do for a living will come up. When it does, share about the practice in a non-salesy way. Also, the providers can write health articles and the practice can share them the local publications, employers (for newsletters), and community groups (for newsletters) for free.
Get involved with the local Chamber of Commerce. Typically, folks can attend a few times without paying. If budget allows, join! Most Chambers will do a ribbon cutting for new member businesses. It’s a great way to get people in the door to the practice. Make it interactive and engaging!
Community-centered events like festivals and fun runs are great ways to get to know the community. The same goes for employer health fairs. If the budget allows, sponsor these events and take full advantage of the marketing potential. If budget is a concern, barter! Offer first aid or free screenings in lieu of a financial sponsorship.
Local schools can create strong connections to the community. School nurses are great resources and potential referral sources. If time is available, partner with them to offer training or support. If budget allows, sponsor their district meetings/trainings with lunch. Consider partnering with HOSA to have volunteers in the office and have providers do a talk for the students. Get to know the PTO/PTA and ask how the practice can help the school.
Medical Community
Are the providers on staff at a hospital? If so, most offer a free online listing and several other built-in marketing opportunities such as a Speaker’s Bureau, community events, and referral lines.
Go introduce yourself to any other providers that might be a potential referral source. You’d be amazed how many patients see a specialist and don’t have a primary care provider (PCP). Start with ObGyns. Lots of women use them as their PCP and I’m sure they’d love a Family Medicine provider to refer to for chronic conditions. Then, visit Pediatricians. While they may see you as competition, you are also a great option for when kiddos age out of the Pediatricians office. And, if you have time, visit the specialists near your office. They are definitely seeing patients without a PCP! And, they need you more than you need them, so it should be a very friendly visit.
Employers
Large employers in the area could be great targets for marketing a Family Medicine practice. Good contacts to get an “in” with employers typically are Human Resources, Employee Health, and Employee Safety Committees. Assisting them with “wellness” can go a long way, as employers know they need to offer wellness programs, but that aren’t sure how to get started. You can do health talks for them or provide articles on common health topics.
If time is plentiful, offer to do free health talks. Keep the talk to 20-30 minutes and allow time for questions. Give a topic handout with pearls of wisdom that has your contact information discreetly on there. And, make sure you are credentialed with the insurance that the employer offers.
If money is no object, hire someone to do all the employer outreach for you to set up speaking engagements and build a relationship. They can also develop handouts and presentations, although the pearls of wisdom should come from you!
