Health care professionals often have an "if we build it, they will come" attitude. Marketing is viewed as an unnecessary time-waster – until there are gaps in the appointment book. But there are ways of filling those unexpected gaps, decreasing patient attrition and attracting new patients, all with just a little sprucing up, online and off.

How Do Clinics Lose Patients?

In any business, getting new clients in the door is much more expensive than maintaining clients you already have. The first area to examine in any practice is patient attrition.

First Impressions

To evaluate the appearance of a clinic, enlist the aid of people who have never seen it before. Arrange for family, friends or, ideally, disinterested third parties to sit in your waiting room and evaluate the appearance and atmosphere of the clinic. Patient surveys are another great way to get anonymous comments on any aspect of a practice, including appearance.

"If the chairs are hard and the waiting area is cluttered or dusty, patients will leave the practice"

Once you have feedback, hire an interior designer to implement the suggestions. If your budget won’t stretch to a designer, implement as many ideas as you can using your own taste and preferences and perhaps getting free advice from building supply or design stores. But remember the basics: if the chairs are hard and the waiting area is cluttered or dusty, patients will leave the practice. Any improvement in the cleanliness and decor of the clinic will improve client retention.

Make Time for New Patients

In addition to any initial assessments you might do, new patients need extra time to get to know you and your staff, and to feel welcome in your practice. The more open and welcoming you are with new patients, the more likely they are to keep coming back [1].

Front Office

A study at the University of Pittsburgh [2] asked residents to take on front-office duties in order to better understand the pressures on their staff and the needs of the practice. This is a great example to follow: put yourself in the shoes of your staff for just a few minutes and you will better understand what needs to be done.You will also have a glimpse of how your staff deal with patients and what their standard practices are, allowing you to make improvements right away if there are any obvious issues. Patient feedback through surveys and email engagement will help in this area as well. The more valued your front-office staff feel in their day-to-day operations, the more likely they will be to treat your clients warmly and professionally.

Your Unique Selling Points

Your unique selling points are the things that make you stand out. Do you have certifications that others may not have? Does your office have longer hours than traditional practices? Take a few minutes to write down what you believe these unique selling points to be, and then have a look at your website. If you don’t list your unique selling points anywhere, make sure to do so in “About Us” and other relevant sections of your site.One local massage therapy centre offers appointments on Sundays. However, they do not mention this on their website. The Sunday appointments would be booked more quickly and further in advance if this unique feature were simply advertised on the website.

Online Image

If the same website design has been used for more than two years, it is time to evaluate it. The Internet changes rapidly, and changing with it increases the professionalism of your online image. Depending on your needs, a simple website redesign will cost $500 to $2,000 and will go a long way toward building client trust. Think about your own online journeys and bookmark sites that impress you; your own site can impress your clients with the touch of a professional designer.

While you are having your website redesigned, consider setting up an email newsletter service. (Dozens can be found online with a simple search.) This will allow you to stay in touch with your patients by email, which is a powerful tool to reinforce client trust.

Optimizing Your Website

Search engine optimization consultants are often inexpensive when compared to traditional marketing efforts. They help to optimize your online presence so your practice’s name comes up in searches related to your business. While any number of things can improve online presence, hiring an individual to handle your search engine optimization needs can ultimately be the most cost effective.To find such a specialist, look for “search engine optimization” or “web design” at any directory site. You will get the greatest value from someone local, who will put in face time with you and understand your business before trying to promote it online.

Appearance is Everything

Whether online or offline, the way your practice and office appear to a patient says everything about your practice. The actual services your clinic offers probably are not much different from your competitors’ because everyone in your profession does essentially the same thing. What can set you apart is your image, and a great image will make all the difference in keeping your current clients and getting new ones.