The Value of Public Relations for Medical Practices
As marketing and public relations experts who specialize in serving the healthcare industry, we’ve noticed over the years that some medical professionals have hesitations about marketing and advertising. You chose healthcare because you want to help people, not sell to them, so some doctors and practice administrators worry that traditional marketing will make them seem more concerned about money than patient care.
The truth is that there are plenty of ways to make your practice more profitable while still putting patient care first. It all comes down to using the right techniques and the right messages, and this is why you need a healthcare-focused marketing team. Within that strategy, one way to avoid “sales-y” messaging is to put more emphasis on public relations instead.
What Does Public Relations Involve for Medical Practices?
Before we dig into the benefits, let’s get a clear understanding of what public relations is and what makes it different from marketing and advertising. Marketing involves advertising the positive aspects of your practice and your services in order to boost your revenue. Public relations is less direct. Its goal is to improve your relationship with your community.
Public relations can involve a wide variety of strategies, like producing press releases and getting interviews in the media. It can also involve other events or strategies that improve your public image, like hosting or sponsoring a charitable event.
How Your Healthcare Practice Can Benefit from Public Relations
Skillful public relations can benefit any business, but it’s particularly beneficial for medical practices in two key ways.
- Spreading Awareness
In many communities including our own metro Atlanta, the healthcare industry has heavy competition in nearly any specialty there is. If you want patients to choose you over other practices, they need to know who you are first. Public relations is a great way to get your name out into the community and familiarize them with your name.
- Connecting with Your Community
In the healthcare industry, more than in most other industries, it takes a high level of trust before someone becomes your patient. After all, by signing on as your patient, they’re trusting you with their health. Because of this, many patients will need to get to know you and feel a connection with you before they feel comfortable booking that first appointment.
Getting more involved and present in your community through public relations is a fantastic way to do this. When community members see you offering generosity and getting involved in the needs of your neighborhood, they learn how much you care for your neighbors and they feel more of a bond with you from the start. That’s a recipe for a growing patient list as well as long-term patient loyalty.
Hiring Healthcare Public Relations Experts for Your Medical Practice
Whether your medical practice has used public relations strategies in the past or you’re ready to try something new, the trick is to hire a specialized healthcare public relations expert. Our team has unique expertise in healthcare public relations and healthcare marketing, so we’ll work with you to develop an ideal plan to send the right message for your practice.
To get started, call McCauley Marketing Services to schedule a meeting. For more marketing and PR tips along the way, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.