신환이 우리치과를 찾도록 차별화 하는 방법은 무엇인가?
#1. 자신만의 브랜드를 만들어라
병원의 아이덴티티는 로고나 시각적 이미지 등 일반인에게 자신만의 치과 이미지를 전달할 수 있는 개성을 부여한다. 아이덴티티는 브랜드를 그저 ‘보여주는 것’을 넘어 ‘느끼게 해주는 것’이다. 마치 친구나 가족에게 기꺼이 추천해 줄 수 있고, 환자 자신도 예약하고픈 병원 브랜드이다.
#2. 충실하고 프로다운 홈페이지를 만든다
홈페이지를 평균수준이 아니라 아주 잘 만들 필요가 있다. 홈페이지는 온라인상 e마케팅 파워를 보여줄 수 있는 곳이다. 홈페이지는 24시간 연중무휴로 운영된다. 트위터 등 SNS를 하더라도 홈페이지는 이들의 실질적인 방문처가 된다. 전문병원의 이미지뿐 아니라 환자의 경험담도 소개하면 효과적이다(국내 의료광고 심의확인은 필수다-편집자 주).
#3. 마케팅 예산을 책정하라
마케팅 예산은 정말 중요하다. 치과내 모든 비용을 감당할 수 있도록 해주는 환자를 불러오는 예산이 바로 마케팅 비용이다. 마케팅 투자 예산은 어느 정도가 적정한가? 초창기나 성장기가 가파른 경우 매출목표의 6~10%를, 어느 정도 안정화된 병원의 경우에는 3~4%가 적정하다.
마케팅은 성공을 위한 투자다.
Three Marketing Must-Haves for Every Practice
How do new patients come to choose your practice over another? What separates your practice from the one down the street? Until the time in which they need a dentist, new patients aren’t giving you or your practice much thought. But when they do begin their search, will they find you quickly and easily? How will your practice penetrate the noise generated by every other practice in your area?
Although there are multiple components to effective new patient marketing, I consider these three to be essential to a solid marketing foundation.
#1 Consider your Brand
This is the identity of the practice. It is the logo or visual image that is unique to your office. It conveys to the public that this is your dental practice. Along with the logo and name for your office are the other fundamentals that will be consistently used as part of its image, including the colors and fonts that are chosen as part of the name and logo. The objective is to design a look and use it consistently. But beyond the “look” of your brand is the feel. How do current patients feel about your practice? Is it a place they happily refer friends and family to, or do they have reservations? Is your “brand” excellent or average?
#2 Practice Website
You must have a good practice website - not just any practice website. This is the foundation for establishing and building a marketing presence online or eMarketing. A website works for your practice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Before you can be trending on Twitter, you must have a virtual storefront. Many consumers will visit your website prior to calling your office, so you should have a website that not only looks professional, but also provides a good user experience.
#3 Make Marketing Part of your Budget
Marketing dollars are as important, if not more important, than many other practice expenditures because they bring in the patients that pay for everything else. High-tech equipment alone will not bring in patients, unless they know that the dentist has it. And that requires marketing. A beautiful office will not be seen by very many people unless those in the community know that this is a beautiful state-of-the-art office, and that requires marketing. You may use the very best equipment and materials; you may be among the few to offer specific services, but that won’t bring patients to your door. It is marketing that brings in the patients. And it is patients that keep the practice going.
Marketing can be thought of as an invitation to a party. No matter how great a party is, if no one knows about it, it will be a bust. Successful dentists realize the great return on investment that marketing can yield, and they budget significant funds to invest in marketing. How much is enough? For startup practices or practices wanting to market and grow aggressively, 6-10% of projected production should be allocated for marketing. For established practices, 3-4% for marketing maintenance and 6-10% for growth of projected production should be allocated.
Marketing is an investment in the success of your practice. If you cut the marketing budget or have an insufficient budget, you are cutting the flow of patients to your practice. Without patients there is no practice, plain and simple.
