Have you ever taken a course or read a book/article on marketing and got the idea that you have to spend a lot of money, brand your practice, and keep saying who you are—over and over? Traditional marketing implies that spending a little money, getting your name out there, and finding really good sales people to close the deal is the best technique to get and keep people in the door. In today's ultra-competitive world, however, just being aggressive will not cut it. You have to rethink your whole approach to marketing and become a practice that can help patients understand their options and become their advocate. If not, everything you have learned about marketing is actually wrong.

SECRETS OF MARKETING
Let us delve into this a bit more. Marketing is supposed to: (1) capture the attention of your target market, (2) facilitate the patient's decision-making process, and (3) lower the risk of the buying process so that you can further educate them.

Capture their attention. There are right ways to get your target market interested in your product. Although this article does not completely cover this topic, subsequent articles will show you a foolproof method that you can use. For now, let it suffice that if you are not using areas that are interesting to a prospective patient, then they will tune you out. Patients are looking to be educated and want their fears to be alleviated. According to recent surveys conducted by Fast Track Marketing with LASIK patients across the United States, the two biggest barriers to LASIK are fear and cost. These two points need to be further examined and may be used to capture attention, but there is more to be done than just capturing attention.

Facilitate the decision-making process. There are patients in your community who fully want and need your services. Remember that they are not the expert; they need your knowledge to help them make the best possible decision. If you want them to select you as their doctor of choice, you must educate them as to why you are the best and show them why they should see you rather than go to another doctor. Address their hot buttons (ie, fears, concerns) in the educational process, and you are on the right path.

There are many ways to educate potential patients—even if you live in a country that has restrictive marketing rules. Sit down and work out a plan for them, both from a financial and content-based point of view. Who do you trust from your past and why? Most likely, the people who you trusted the most probably educated you in some way. You want to be in a similar position with your prospective patient. Remember, your first job is to help them facilitate their decision-making process.

Lower the risk. Give your potential patients a specific, low-risk, and easy-to-take action that further facilitates their ability to make a good decision. Many practices use a free consultation as its offer to get the patient in the door. Is it a low-risk step for the patient? Probably not.

First, potential patients do not want to look foolish when asking silly questions. Second, they do not want to be sold. During the consult, they may end up signing up based on emotion, and they do not want that. What patients really want is a no-risk way to learn more about the procedure, so that they can make an educated decision. A free report educating them on refractive procedures is a simple and direct start. Then, you have your Web site, educational DVDs, and other means that can be employed. Whatever method you use to educate the patient is valid, but educate you must!

Doug Sims is President of Fast Track Marketing, a marketing company specializing in LASIK and refractive surgery marketing and advertising. Mr. Sims can be reached at doug@fast-trackmarketing.com; www.fast-trackmarketing.com.