If your Marketing division wasn’t important to you before – it should be at the top of your priority list now.
Now is the time to revisit your marketing plans and strategy for the second half of the year, as there have been an incredible amount of changes both for your practice, and your public. It is important now more than ever to communicate effectively and build your relationships with your clients.
Whether your potential client discovered you in an organic Google search or through a trusted referral, almost always their first “contact” with you will be through your website and/or your presence on social media.
This can be best equated with window-shopping the storefront of a local boutique. What one sees as this first impression could very well determine the decision to continue to shop.
I don’t know about you, but as a customer I personally value a clean, clear, informative, and intuitive online experience.
Your website serves as a preliminary and crucial form of communication, so communicate and connect with your audience. This also applies to (and is the point of) establishing your social media presence.
A great way for you or your team to organize this interaction with your community is through the use of a content calendar or schedule. Check out our Marketing Campaign Sample to keep your team in the loop and able to plan upcoming engagements.
Now, this is where we must look at things with a fresh perspective.
Due to the events of COVID-19, your public will be looking for additional communication heading your website that clearly states how your practice is following the necessary precautions and guidelines.
This must include reference to your new business hours, virtual registration, sanitization regimen, mask requirements, etc.
Speaking of sanitization regimen… you MUST also visually show (with picture and video!) the reengineering steps that you’ve taken in your practice post-pandemic to adhere to the new safety regulations.
Another great tool for making your public feel safe returning to your clinic is by establishing credibility and validation from your existing patients that your clinic is a safe haven.
For Marketing purposes, ask your patients who you have been treating throughout the pandemic if they would be willing to share their positive experiences – communicating to others who might have had similar fears upon considering returning for therapy.
These are NOT TESTIMONIALS – instead, they are 30-second videos of the patients’ full experience, from start to finish, including their initial fears and then their personal outcomes/successes in the end. This is a great way to inspire confidence, security and reassurance for your public.
You should also have a 3-min (or less) introductory video on your website of you (the owner) personally walking your potential patient through your clinic so that they can virtually experience what they can expect from an office visit post-COVID.
This will provide your patients with a clear understanding of what the new experience in your practice will entail, before they even arrive.
Next, we can’t ignore the fact that the recent demand for Telehealth marks a pivotal shift in physical therapy operations.
It has been a hot topic for months: all over the web physical therapists have debated back and forth on “YES Telehealth” versus “NO Telehealth,” is Telehealth here to stay, or isn’t it?
While this continues to be a hot topic in the physical therapy world, the beauty of Telehealth is that it has allowed patients to continue to receive therapy in an effective and standard manner, all from the safety and comfort of their homes.
Bottom line, if your practice offers Telehealth (as it should have adapted to by now) then PROMOTE IT! Patients can’t take advantage of your services if they don’t know that they exist!
A great way to pitch Telehealth to your community (for those that may still be apprehensive) is to simply promote some of its many perks: convenience and accessibility. Remind your public that Telehealth is simple, standard, and SAFE.
Final thoughts: In your practice, you have to find the “recipe” of Marketing strategies that work for you. Where are you located in the country & how has your area been affected by the pandemic? Does your clientele engage with you on social media? Are they hesitant towards Telehealth?
The answers to these questions can inform how you drive your marketing strategies and campaigns. Moving forward in this new world, you must be more community-present than ever before. As group gatherings and events start to reopen, you must be there to show your support…. but until then, give your public your support through digital means!
Communication is key here: let your patients know of your efforts to keep them healthy and cared for. Keep your website clean, your message clear, and be there for your patients and community as you’ve always strived to.
