I presented this to the Young Ophthalmologists (aka "The YO's) at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting in New Orleans, 2013.
The message is simple. All doctors of today, but especially those just starting in practice need to understand the needs of their patients.
Marketing, communicating, engaging on the Internet and transparency are now required by the American public.
Viable medical practices must engage by maintaining a website, communicating digitally and be willing to exhibit both personal transparency and a willingness to operate a transparent small business.
You Are What You Market: Young Ophthalmologists, AAO By Randall Wong, M.D.
1. You Are What You Market:
Marketing 101
2013 YO Program:
It’s YO World – Jumpstart Your Career
AAO 2013
New Orleans, LA
Randall V. Wong, M.D.
Medical Marketing Enterprises, LLC
2. Financial Disclosure
I have the following financial interests or relationships to disclose:
Co-Founder:
Medical Marketing Enterprises, LLC
3. What is Marketing?
Not a synonym for advertising or promotion
“Business function that identifies unfulfilled needs and wants…..”
Understanding the problems of your customer
Problem: Customers want credible health information
Solution: Become a source of information
5. 3 Types of Websites
1.
Resource
2.
Marketing (appears on Google Rankings)
3.
Engagement (attracts and engages patients)
6. Scarcity Marketing is Over
Doctors no longer sole source of information
Doctors no longer as “special”
Learn to compete by distinguishing ourselves
We are knowledgeable
Transparency
“People Who are Doctors”
7. Starting Now
Start your own website…now
Build trust with Google
Establish your own web presence
Gives you versatility, unique marketing plan
Added value to your next practice
8. What About Social Media?
Can be a great tool to build your practice
Difficult to maintain
Must have a website first
Google + and Facebook
9. Thank You
and
To Your Success!
Randall V. Wong, M.D.
Medical Marketing Enterprises, LLC
RWong@MedicalMarketingEnterprises.com
Hinweis der Redaktion
I am a retina specialist in northern Virginia and I use my websites to educate my patients and build my practice. I have become my own single largest referral source. Marketing to patients is a necessity because patients want and expect a modern doctor to have a web presence, i.e. have a website and to engage digitally.My basic message is to market yourself by educating your patients….it’s the only way because it is now expected!I have founded Medical Marketing Enterprises, LLC to teach you how to do this yourself!http://medicalpracticeadministrator.com
Medical Marketing Enterprises, LLC was started to teach medical professionals the importance and techniques of website marketing for their medical practices.I am a retina specialist practicing in Fairfax, Virginia.
Marketing is not a synonym for advertising. The two activities are completely different. One promotes, the other solves problems.By marketing to your patients, you are solving their problems. Your “patients” have questions…we should provide the answers.In doing so, we’ll provide value and gain trust.
Patients want to find out as much as they can about you. On your website, you must exhibit as much transparency as you can by revealing as much you can about who you are (vs. what you). Provide value by publishing credible content on your site.
I have some recommendations for;Marketing to Patients: Patients now expect their doctors (or potential doctors) to at least have a current web site.Tips for you to evaluate your potential employer, i.e. How does your potential employer intend to market their new associate (i.e. you!)Developing your own personal web presence. Discover the importance and flexibility of getting yourself found on the Internet.There are several quick ways for patients to find you at your new practice.
An example of scarcity marketing is the marketing plan of the only restaurant in town. The only restaurant in town doesn’t have to have the best food, best prices, best wait staff, etc. Doctors, as sources of information, no longer are so special. The Internet provides instant information and 24/7. Patients can educate themselves about their health, allowing them to be more selective in their choice of doctors.The modern doctor must learn transparency both as an individual and as a small business. The goal of the modern doctor is to become a person who is a doctor.
Developing a web presence does not happen overnight. Every new URL/website needs to build trust with Google/Bing/Yahoo. Search engines do not want to promote untrusted sites (blackhat, porn, etc.)Inexpensive, costs <$10/ month.Social media should only be employed if a website is in placed. Vice versa merely says you don’t have the time, nor interest, in engaging your patients digitally.Starting a website while in-training is the best. It gives you time to build a webpresence…and gives you unique qualifications you can share with your new practice.
Social media can be a great tool to market your practice, but you must have a healthy website before considering any social media. Social media requires you to be more active compared to a blog or website. We recommend Google + and Facebook to get started if you feel you’d like to engage in social media.Remember, a blog is the simplest form of social media.