Or, the first question could be “do you know how much you are currently spending on marketing?”

Marketing your practice is extremely important. Good communication and branding are vital to the success of your practice, and an important key to growth in today’s economic environment.

Marketing includes the following:

Advertising

Brochures & Flyers

Special Promotions and Events

Websites

Blogs and Social Networking

Sponsorships

If you are an established practice, it is critical that you have a good understanding of how much money you are currently spending on marketing.  The rest of you have a clean slate to work with.

Often times, there are multiple people in a practice that “say yes” to an ad or sponsorship, and at the end of the year the total amount shocks you.  Sponsorships alone can get out of hand, especially in practices with several doctors or staff members who want to support their clients and/or families.

So, first get organized with your current marketing investments. Then, consider your goals and set a budget with your goals in mind.  Finally, designate one person to manage your marketing investments and provide quarterly reports to your management team or to you the owner/manager. You could also consider forming a panel so that your practice has some share of voice in making decisions.

Check back for tips related to marketing your practice. Or, contact us if you have questions.