The office building I own, which serves as the headquarters for my internet marketing company, also host a number of tenants, such as Dr. Adam Harris, the proprietor of one of the fastest-growing wellness practices in the state of Colorado. On the surface, what he does and what I do are light-years apart — he’s a one-man operation while I have dozens of employees; he heals people while I bolster their ROI; he engages his clients one-on-one while I have hundreds of clients around the world I may never personally meet. But, it turns out, the secret to Adam’s seemingly “overnight” success is very similar to mine. The truth is, there is no secret, no magic bullet, no easy way. In today’s society, marketing yourself and your business is easily as much work as the business itself; almost like a second job. We sat down recently to compare notes, and here are the eight key concepts Dr. Harris swears by, in his own words. Just substitute “business” and “customer” where he says “clinic” and “patient” and you’ll see his advice applies to any local business.
1. Referrals
I know this seems like the most obvious thing, and yet can be the most difficult to master. I have found the best way to establish a referral-based clinic is to talk about referrals. Do not ask for referrals, but talk about them. If you truly care about something such as establishing a referral-based clinic, it will naturally be something you want to talk about. Start by asking new and prospective patients who referred them. When new patients come in, have your staff ask a few more times to really reiterate the referral mindset. Have a few referral reminders around the office, such as a small sign that says we appreciate your referrals. Have a TV running different slides and tickers about referrals; and the most important thing is to have a white board thanking people who have referred. If you want to establish a referral-based clinic, you must talk a lot about referrals!
2. Text messaging
I set up a Google number and provide it to my patients. I have found it to be a fantastic way to communicate with current and prospective patients. Now my patients feel connected to me at all times of the day and can ask questions and get answers any time they want. I probably do 80 percent of my scheduling from the convenience of text messaging. I have also established appointment reminders which are a fantastic history for my patients to see when they will be coming in for their…
