Marketing is innovative, creative, and with all the technology we have today, it’s likely you’ll feel overwhelmed when trying to chase the freshest and latest medical marketing tactics. However, it’s important that we don’t get ahead of ourselves and forget about some of our more basic marketing strategies that should be done consistently. This week we’re going to keep things real simple and discuss very easy marketing tasks that we’ve done before, maybe even many times, but that we might have not kept up with. When was the last time you completed the marketing strategies below??

1. Get people to like you! – Have we been so caught up scheming our next fancy web-based marketing campaigns that we forgot about growing our social media fan base? I know – not a savvy, new tip, but still important! Getting more likes, +1’s, and followers is a no brainer but then why do we do it so infrequently? While on your way to becoming a marketing guru, make a quick pit stop and maximize your efforts by growing your audience. Promote your page, post a shameless plug, and take the 2 minutes to add suggested friends or even import your email contacts. If your inbox is full with new emails all the time, surely you can round up a few more fans. And not just now, but consistently!
2. Tell them how! – Ok, so now what you ask? Get some more people! By now I’m sure you are an email address hoarder – good! Now we just have to use those emails. Don’t be shy about sending out a brief social media announcement/reminder that your patients can find helpful information on your social media networks. Slap on a few colorful icons that are hyperlinked to the corresponding pages and your patients will be glad to check out your pages for resources and educational information. And the boost in web traffic is an added bonus!
3. Aaannd Action! ­– Has it been awhile since you shot your last video? Maybe it’s time for a new one? Remember, video is extremely powerful in that it attracts and captivates more viewers which boosts your SEO, but further, you can blast out your video link all over you social media pages (now booming with fans). People are much more likely to watch a short video than read through text. No need for fancy equipment either, just make sure it is edited and audible, and addressing a topic that is interesting and informative. We know how much Google loves YouTube, so upload it, add some keywords, and you’ll have added some more coins to your SEO piggy bank.
4. Break bread! – Onto some referral-based marketing. By now you probably have some solid relationships with some longtime and more recent referring physicians alike.  You also probably know which physicians are maybe not quite there yet. But that’s ok, because patients have been coming in and we are building stronger relationships…great! But, don’t get too comfortable just yet.  New practices are constantly opening and new relationships are waiting to blossom with those offices you swore wanted nothing to do with you. Sometimes it takes some time, or it might even require just a slight tweak in approach, but you’ll never know if you don’t get out there. So, refresh your list of contacts – dump some out, add a bunch of new, get out there, introduce yourself, and break bread! One Lunch & Learn could lead to a consistent flow of new patients for years to come!