Medical practices often face challenges when advertising due to the many competitors in their industry and area. As a result, it can be challenging to stand out and find ways to differentiate your practice through your advertising. If you want to get the best results for your practice, there are some aspects to consider when developing your marketing campaign. Following are four tips, tactics, and best practices that can make your efforts far more effective.
1. Take Atlanta Laws Into Account
It’s necessary for medical practices to abide by specific laws when advertising based on the different items you need to disclose. For example, according to Georgia code, physicians cannot claim that they're certified or board-certified unless the ad discloses the certifying board’s full name. That board must also meet individual requirements to qualify as a valid certifying board.
Chapter II Article 9 of the state advertising laws also discusses certain restrictions pertaining to the advertising of pharmaceutical products in Georgia. Advertising certain medical remedies, for instance, is prohibited if they're unable to be sold or produced in Georgia. If your ads are in accordance with state and local laws, you'll be able to remain compliant without the risk of facing legal consequences. So do your homework before, during, and after your campaign launch to prevent any potential issues.
2. Showcase Your Doctors
People don't relate as well to models or actors promoting medical products or services. Instead, they want to connect with the people who will be performing their medical services. Potential patients are entrusting people with their health and wellbeing, which means there's a lot more at stake if these procedures don't meet their standards. Building trust among prospective patients requires a sense of authenticity, which you can instill by featuring real-life staff in your marketing. In the process, people will be able to put a face to the name in your ads.
Companies like Dove and Bumble have experienced plenty of success in connecting with their audiences by featuring real people instead of hired representatives of their brands. One study in the U.K. also found that 47.4% of respondents prefer real people in advertising, while only 17.2% liked seeing celebrities, and 7.1% preferred actors. Using real people can be even more effective for medical practices because patients often want to build a long-term relationship with the practice that they select.
3. Highlight Your Work
When people consider turning to a particular medical practice, they prefer to see what you can do for them. One of the best ways for consumers to make decisions on elective medical procedures is to see your past work. While you may be able to show the patient's past results, keep consent laws in mind and ensure that they agree to have their outcomes highlighted. Even if you make patients anonymous by displaying photos of "Mark M." or "Mr. Smith," you can run into certain legal troubles if you didn't get the original patient's consent.
However, if you can obtain patients' consent and exhibit your work in your ads, this can go a long way in building trust among prospects. Talking about the results you can provide is one thing, but visualizing them is another. You can appeal to new audiences by highlighting transformations in the form of "before" and "after" images. You should also consider seeing if patients would be willing to discuss their experiences in video testimonials. You can then include them in your ads or even dedicate a page on your website for prospects to visit.
4. Feature Your Office
Medical procedures, whether elective or not, can be stress-inducing and worrying. By showing off your office, you can make people feel more comfortable as they have a better idea of what to expect. Showcasing everything from the exterior to the reception areas and the back offices, you'll give people a window into your practice that further eases their worries. That level of transparency can help patients feel more comfortable, making them more likely to select your practice.
Besides, many people are understandably concerned about the risk of exposure to COVID-19, which is why you should also showcase what you're doing to keep patients and staff safe while in your office. You can briefly review safety protocols and dedicate a page on your website that discusses these measures more in-depth. If you're open and honest about the experience that visitors can expect when they step into your office, people will be much more at ease before they even make an appointment.
Work with a Media Partner to Get the Most from Your Medical Practice Advertising
When advertising your elective medical practice, you need to do what you can to stand apart from the competition. There are many steps involved, from compliance to determining what to include in your ads to win over new patients. If you want some help with advertising your business, consider working with an experienced media partner who can assist you with setting and meeting your goals, and break through the noise in your industry.
