How to Market Your Healthcare Practice in Your Lobby

Most healthcare practice owners, partners, and administrators are familiar with the most common marketing strategies: social media ads, email marketing, billboards, and so on. Did you know, though, that you could be missing out on a fantastic and cost-effective marketing opportunity that’s right in front of you? That opportunity is your own lobby and waiting room. In truth, there are many ways to reap the benefits of internal marketing, and your just lobby is one of them, but it’s a helpful place to start.

Your lobby is an ideal place to use a technique called internal marketing: marketing to your existing patients. The goal is to educate your patients about your services and then encourage them to take advantage of additional services in addition to expanding your relationship with them so they become more loyal long-term patients. While internal marketing is a complex technique, there are a few elements that are essential in your lobby.

Specials and Events Flyers

If you’re offering specials or events in your practice, these should be widely visible to your existing patients. On top of sending those announcements and promotions to your patients using email marketing, display your specials and events on flyers within your lobby. They’ll catch patients’ eyes while they’re waiting for their appointments, but it’s best for your front desk staff to point out the specials too. Or, better yet, have your front desk staff hand a flyer to each patient when they check in.

Educational Slideshow

As much as you strive to maintain a consistent and prompt schedule, some patients will come early for their appointments or will have waiting time for other reasons. You want to supply them with plenty of reading material during that time. A great way to do this is to create a slideshow that educates patients about your services and treatment options, and to have this slideshow playing on a continuous loop on a television or monitor in your lobby.

Strategic Signage

For most healthcare practices, there are certain services or products you want to prioritize in your business strategy. These might include new treatments, services that are particularly profitable, or products that have recently declined. One way to boost your sales for these items through internal marketing is to display signage in your lobby to bring added attention to them. Eye-catching visuals like before and after photos are ideal for these types of pieces.

Media Handouts

As wonderful as it is that a person has decided to become a patient of your practice, this doesn’t guarantee that they will remain a patient forever. A great way to build stronger, more loyal and long-lasting relationships with your patients is to connect with them on multiple platforms.

Ideally, you want each patient to be on your email list, subscribe to your YouTube channel, and follow you on each social media platform you use. You can encourage this by having handouts in your lobby that list each of those ways to connect. This way, patients can take them home and follow or subscribe at their convenience.

Knowledgeable Front Desk Staff

Your front desk staff is the most critical asset you have in your internal marketing. They are the first point of contact for patients, and if a patient has questions about your services or treatments, the front desk is often the first place they go. Your front desk team (and each member of your staff, for that matter) must be knowledgeable about the treatments you offer as well as your current specials and upcoming events. If you worry that your staff doesn’t have the expertise to thoroughly answer patients’ questions, our team is here to help with customized employee re-training for healthcare practices.

Your lobby has tremendous potential to grow your practice’s financial strength and to build a deeper, more long-term relationship with your patient base. For a more comprehensive look into internal marketing and a hands-on strategy to make the most of your existing patient base, contact McCauley Marketing Services today. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more healthcare marketing tips, and stay tuned for future internal marketing tips too.