You’ve increased your marketing budget this year. You’ve just renewed your contact for your yellow pages ad. You’ve even spent money on Google Adwords. But sadly, the clinic phone isn’t going to be ringing off the hook anytime soon. Spending all this money on new marketing initiatives isn't going to convert your prospects into patients. What are you doing wrong? Why is your conversion rate not improving?
First and foremost, you need to have an attention-grabbing headline that STANDS OUT. It is the most important element of ALL your marketing literature. In this modern day and age, people have a very short attention span. If your headline is unappealing, your prospects will NOT read the rest of your ad and move on. In addition, you will also need to master the five persuasion secrets that can influence your prospect's attitude or behavior towards your services.
#1 Desperate Problem
There is the heart of your marketing strategy. You need to find a way to pull the emotional heart strings of your potential patients. Identify a desperate and real problem that your prospect is facing. The problem must involve a sense of hopelessness - a sense that the situation is so tough that it's impossible, or at the very least difficult, to overcome. Eg. “Is your back pain keeping you from enjoying life? Call us today, and we can show you how to take back control of your life again!”.
If you can determine a solution to this desperate problem, you will gain the trust and confidence of your prospects. In a nutshell, analyze your prospects. Go deep inside their minds. Identify the problem. Feel their pain and desperation. Tap into their insecurities. Resolve the problem.
#2 Unique Selling Proposition
There is the heart of your marketing strategy. You need to find a way to pull the emotional heart strings of your potential patients. Identify a desperate and real problem that your prospect is facing. The problem must involve a sense of hopelessness - a sense that the situation is so tough that it's impossible, or at the very least difficult, to overcome. Eg. “Is your back pain keeping you from enjoying life? Call us today, and we can show you how to take back control of your life again!”.
If you can determine a solution to this desperate problem, you will gain the trust and confidence of your prospects. In a nutshell, analyze your prospects. Go deep inside their minds. Identify the problem. Feel their pain and desperation. Tap into their insecurities. Resolve the problem.
#2 Unique Selling Proposition
Why should a patient choose your clinic over your competitors? How is your clinic different from your competitors? These questions are being asked each time a potential patient calls your clinic or sees your clinic’s advertisements. Many of these prospects will have difficulty deciding which clinic deserves their time, money and trust.
As a clinic owner, it is your job to create a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) that makes your clinic unique, different, and memorable. Discover what sets you apart from the other clinics. Does your USP make people stop in their tracks and question how in the world you did that? For example, imagine your competitor advertises “We have an effective post-surgery rehabilitation plan”. You can stand out from your competitor by offering a unique variation of the same promise “Just had surgery? We can get you back into your normal pre-surgery routine in just five sessions!”
#3 Overwhelming Proof
#3 Overwhelming Proof
How many clinics can get a post-surgery patient back into their pre-surgery routine in just five sessions? Really? Prove your clinic is awesome! Offer overwhelming evidence that you can deliver this unique promise to post-surgery patients. How do you do this? This is the time you need to brag a little about your clinic and its achievements in your marketing initiatives.Think about testimonials, case studies, scientific research, awards, degrees, media accolades, etc. All of these "proofs" need to be placed in a very conspicuous place that the prospects won’t miss. For example, don’t put your testimonials in the “about” section of your website. Instead, place all your testimonials down the side of each web page in your clinic website.
In addition, you could print out all your testimonials and make a "proof book" and place it alongside the magazines in the waiting room. Don’t hide the evidence. Nobody will believe your USP without seeing any proof.
#4 Irresistible Offers
#4 Irresistible Offers
Who doesn’t like good deals? How can you make an irresistible offer that your prospects won’t refuse? However, just because you are offering an irresistible deal, doesn’t necessarily mean that your phone is going to be ringing non-stop with new prospects. It is important that you provide a service that people want to buy. Then you need to market this service to the right people at the right time.
Before you develop a compelling pitch for this service, you need to keep a few things in mind:
What is the goal of the offer?
What will they receive?
Any bonuses they will receive?
What is the end goal of the prospect who buys your product or service?
What emotions does the use of your product or service bring to the buyer?
What is the right price?
Can you incorporate a premium service as an up-sell?
Why are you making this incredible offer?
#5 Reason to Act Now
What will they receive?
Any bonuses they will receive?
What is the end goal of the prospect who buys your product or service?
What emotions does the use of your product or service bring to the buyer?
What is the right price?
Can you incorporate a premium service as an up-sell?
Why are you making this incredible offer?
#5 Reason to Act Now
All your marketing mediums (website, email, ads, yellow pages, brochures) should urge the potential new patient to take an immediate call to action. How do you encourage the reader to fill in a contact form, sign up a newsletter or click on your blog? Words such as “Write now,” “Call Now”, “Get Free Consultation” encourage the reader to act.
Below are three approaches that can give the prospect a reason to act:
Below are three approaches that can give the prospect a reason to act:
Create a sense of urgency.
When an offer has a time limit attached, prospects feel the need to act now, so they don't miss out on the opportunity. This is essentialy FOMO - the "fear of missing out". Eg. “10% on all knee braces. Offer expires this Friday.” Scarcity of a product/service creates an artificial demand, thus motivating prospects to act. E.g. “We are 90% booked, call us today to reserve your spot for the sleeping beauty boot camp.”
Create an incentive to act now.
Offer a compelling reason as to why the prospect needs to act now (bonuses, price, terms, guarantee, etc.). What will they lose if they don’t act now?
E.g. “ Last day to receive 15% off on all therapeutic products"
Reinforce the prospect with a strong takeaway message.
When an offer has a time limit attached, prospects feel the need to act now, so they don't miss out on the opportunity. This is essentialy FOMO - the "fear of missing out". Eg. “10% on all knee braces. Offer expires this Friday.” Scarcity of a product/service creates an artificial demand, thus motivating prospects to act. E.g. “We are 90% booked, call us today to reserve your spot for the sleeping beauty boot camp.”
Create an incentive to act now.
Offer a compelling reason as to why the prospect needs to act now (bonuses, price, terms, guarantee, etc.). What will they lose if they don’t act now?
E.g. “ Last day to receive 15% off on all therapeutic products"
Reinforce the prospect with a strong takeaway message.
All your marketing initiatives should have a compelling takeaway message. A message that contains something of interest or value that the client will always remember after looking at the ad. Restate the benefits and what will happen if they don’t act on the given opportunity. Eg. “In pain? Can’t walk? Call us today for a free 10-minute consultation to see if you are walking correctly."
Related Articles
The 4-Hour Grow Your Clinic Challenge: What Would the Experts Do?
Avoid These 4 Deadly Sins That Ruin New Patient Phone Calls
Who Else Wants More New Patients Using my Google Review Process
How to Get Past the Gatekeeper in a Doctor's Office
How to Win Back Doctors Who Stop Referring
