Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/122157
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ + +++ Í MARKETING STRATEGIES + ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Doctors: Is Your Patient Acquisition Process Growing Your Practice? By Steve Arters T HE HEALTH CARE landscape continues to change almost daily and the ability to grow — or even maintain — your practice seems to be more and more challenging. At the same time, patients today begin searching for a physician or specialist online, then consult their trusted, extended circle of family and friends for recommendations before making a final choice. Whether the physician is in or out of network is not necessarily the primary deciding factor. So if you agree that attracting new patients is the lifeblood of your practice, why not go where potential patients are not only searching for information, but also clicking through to gather information on a physician or practice? Search engine optimization is an effective way to "capture" the searches when potential patients are "Googling" certain key words associated with a condition or disease or looking for physicians. However, more to the point of attracting and acquiring potential patients, what does your online presence say about you and your practice when they click on your website or landing page? One of the fastest growing trends in online (and health care) marketing is to develop an engaging video designed to highlight you and your practice's unique sales proposition or, in other words, describe what's truly exceptional about you, your practice or the medical services provided. It can be a spectacular way to highlight your practice, specialties, equipment, services and even location. Messages delivered within a video are seen as more trustworthy and credible because a person is delivering and explaining the message rather than reading through tedious website copy. In addition, it enables your existing patient base and colleagues to drive referrals about you. These referrals can be delivered simply in an introductory email with an embedded link that potential patients can select to watch a video. Conversion forms, mobile responsive design and web analytics systems are added to streamline and measure the engagement process. Results of an Internet Retailer magazine study showed a potential prospect who watches a product or services video is 85% more likely to make a purchase or become a customer than if he or she did not watch the video. The same is true for potential patients looking for a physician or medical service. Channel Performance can attest that this type of patient acquisition — and new customer acquisition for businesses and new student acquisition for universities — works extremely well, and is trackable and measureable because we are doing it every day. We work closely with practices or businesses to develop and write the script and storyboard, manage the shoot, produce the video and landing page (or website) and develop the metrics to measure the acquisition campaign. We call the process Funnel Stream because it's a way for you to increase your "funnel" for new patient acquisition and grow your practice. Steve Arters is a principal and co-founder of Channel Performance. He and his business partner, Jason Cronkhite, specialize in digital marketing and Funnel Stream as a new business (patient) acquisition process. Their collective expertise makes Channel Performance one of the most innovative marketing companies developing acquisition strategies. For questions about the patient acquisition process, contact Arters at (210) 240-9823, email the team at team@channelp.co or visit www.funnelstream.com. I MDNEWS.COM I MD NEWS San Antonio | 17