Making Your Practice Team Marketing Expediters
By Lynn Steffes, PT, DPT
Knowledge is power… Seeing someone completely enthusiastic about a product is one of the best selling tools.
As you generate excitement for the product, you remove any uncertainty the product may not be the best solution for that customer. The easiest way to become enthusiastic is to truly believe in the product. Remember, the first sale you make is yourself; the second sale is the product.1
Private practice marketing requires both designated marketing personnel and your entire practice team to understand and embrace product and practice knowledge along with brand messaging. Can your entire practice team answer key questions about your business in order to sell themselves on it first and then promote it to patients, physicians, and your community with true “practice knowledge”?
I would like to share some great information on key questions that your entire team and your marketing expediter should be able to answer as you strive to meet your growth goals for 2019.
Start the next quarter with a “Practice Knowledge Game Show” meeting. Set up mixed teams from your clinical and administrative staff to host a simulated “game show” called Who Knows More? At the end of the day, your entire team should hold the practice knowledge that not only gets them excited but also creates the excitement to sell your practice!
Priority Questions:
Who are the team members and what are one or two of their key skills and interests?
- Owners
- Leaders/Managers
- Practitioners
- Support Team
- Front Office
- Billing Team
What is your practice’s…
- Mission?
- Vision?
- Story/History?
What are the top five practice services and programs and to whom are they targeted? What social media platforms does your practice engage in?
- Website
- Yelp, Healthgrades, Google Ratings
- Blogging, Vlogging, Podcasts
- E-Newsletter, E-Books
- E-Blasts
- Other
What kind of practice collateral do you currently have and who should be receiving it?
- Referral Cards
- Brochure(s)
- Flyers/Sell Sheets
- Business Cards
- Giveaways
- Newsletters
- Other
Who are your top five competitors and how are you different/better than them?
- Convenience
- Access
- Experience
- Expertise
- Specialty Programs/Facility/Equipment
- Customer Service
- Relationships
- Reputation/Image
- Community Involvement
- More
Ultimately: Why should patients and referral sources choose you above all other choices?
References
1 www.thebalancesmb.com/benefits-of-product-knowledge-2890302. Accessed January 2019.
Lynn Steffes, PT, DPT, is president and consultant of Steffes & Associates, a national rehabilitation consulting group focused on marketing and program development for private practices nationwide. She is an instructor in five physical therapy programs and has actively presented, consulted, and taught in 40 states. She can be reached at steffbiz@gmail.com.