When it comes to marketing, business owners understand how important it is to their growth but often struggle to find enough time to dedicate to it. Private practice owners are, after all, healthcare professionals first, business people second. We talked to some of our customers to find out what they’re doing to market their practices and what tips they have for other practice owners.
Taylor Parker, Owner of Concept by IOWA Hearing Aid Centers, believes the secret to success is in change. “You can’t be repetitive with your marketing. You have to be constantly analyzing what has and hasn’t worked to evolve in the way you market to consumers.”
Concept’s approach to marketing is based on 3 core principles:
- You have to be aggressive
- You have to be willing to change
- You focus on what you do best (i.e. working with the patient)
To that end, Concept is aggressive about going to their target customer. They attend local home and garden shows, the Iowa State Fair and even have a kiosk in a local grocery store. “We know that people with hearing loss are reluctant to seek help,” says Parker. “If we don’t get in front of these people in a non-threatening environment, they’re not going to pick up the phone and come to us. It’s our job to go to them and provide them with information about hearing loss and hearing aids. The more people we touch, the more chance we have of making a sale.”
Concept also offers a 50% trade-in to current customers for hearing aid upgrades. “Our customers can always upgrade to newer technology without cost being a barrier,” says Parker. “In the case of ReSound Alera, if our customers can afford it, they always take the upgrade.”
“Being consistent with marketing is extremely important,” says Tony Lombardo, Licensed Audiologist at The Hearing Shoppes. “One time marketing pieces don’t work. You need to be constantly building brand awareness, which requires continuous touch points with your target market.”
For The Hearing Shoppes, mining their own database is an effective tactic. Still a young business (less than 5 years), The Hearing Shoppes works hard to stay in contact with patients and nurture relationships. “We’re constantly looking for ways to stay in touch,” says Lombardo. “We mail out routine appointment reminders, hand-written Birthday cards, warranty notices and renewal options. We look closely at what technology a patient currently has and we mail out incentives for upgrading. Creating custom deals based on each patient’s needs continues to be an effective way of getting them to upgrade.”
“While we believe in all the marketing tactics we implement here, the fact remains that creating a positive experience for the patient is what really matters,” says Lombardo. “It drives referrals and doesn’t cost a thing!”