The healthcare market has become completely saturated with providers. With all of the changes in insurance coverage and healthcare parameters there has been a power shift, putting the “consumer” or patient in control of his or her healthcare options. So how do you rise above the noise of all the other providers and “win the business” of the consumer or patient? It starts with building a relationship with them.
Video marketing is a great option to win over those prospective patients and can be a valuable resource for retaining and educating current patients. At NOW Marketing, we stress over and over again that to be relevant you must provide something of value. In other words, solve a problem for your “audience.” In this case your audience are those new patients you are trying to obtain to grow your practice, as well as retaining your current patients. Currently, video accounts for 50-60% of internet traffic and marketing analysts predict it to rise to 90% in the next few years. Why not be a part of that momentum?
What type of videos am I talking about?
Video marketing comes in all shapes, sizes and price-points. There really is no one-size-fits-all model when it comes to videos. Here are a couple ideas to get you started.
Virtual Tours
Why not give those prospective patients a glimpse into your practice? A virtual tour can ease anxieties if a new patient is coming in for a procedure. It also gives you the opportunity to introduce patients to staff and physicians.
How-to’s, tips, “did you knows?”
We live in an instant gratification world. When people have a question, concern, symptom or ailment, they often turn to the internet to find answers immediately. Why not be the solution? Creating short, 30-second videos with healthy living tips or what to do if XYZ emergency happens, etc. will establish you as an expert in the eyes of those who use them. Now that you have built an audience who knows and trusts you, when a patient has a need for a physician or a provider they already know and trust you and are likely to look to you to be their new physician.
Patient or Employee Testimonials
There is no stronger marketing than that of a positive review from a patient. Hearing about personal, relatable experiences can help educate others and will help to build trust prior to a prospective new patient even setting foot in your facility.
Often healthcare providers get a bad rap as being cold, viewing patients as a number or a “bed,” just pushing them through the process to get office “numbers” up. Your patient and employee testimonials can fight those stereotypes and show the compassion and care you give to those you treat, as well as those you rely on day-to-day within your practice.
Be Informative or Educational
Clinical trials are a great way to utilize video. During the length of the trial, you can document your findings, discuss the treatments, hear from those patients participating and create a formal, educational resource to help market your new treatment.
In-office “commercials”
What better way to occupy time in a waiting room or in a treatment room! Install small televisions or computer monitors in your waiting rooms or treatment rooms and loop your 30-second healthy tips, create and share a short introduction to new cutting edge procedures or offer a welcome message from treating physicians, hospital administration and the nursing staff. There is typically a wait time between processing insurance information and being called back to treatment rooms, or between the nurses’ intake evaluations and when the physician comes in to see the patient. Use this time to your benefit and share your messages while your audience is captive.
There are many ways to incorporate video into your marketing. It doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to a formal commercial aired on your local television stations. Be helpful, informative, and solution-based and your engagement will increase along with the potential to bring on new patients.
For more details on how you can successfully implement video marketing into your strategic plans, click the image below for a great white paper that outlines tips, analytics, and resources.
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