Creating a Stream of New Patients

Creating a Stream of Patients”

The hallmark of relationship building is constant contact with the person or people on your list.  This is done in a variety of ways, but it is critical that you realize 90% of it is a passive system to keep you name out there.  The other 10% is face to face. In this case, I mean it is with the doctor.  If you are running a busy practice, treating patients and managing staff is a lot to have on your plate.  When you are creating a system to externally market your practice, it is imperative that 90% of the time the system runs WITHOUT you.  There are many ways to do this, but by far the most inexpensive ways is through e-mail.  Many businesses overthink this concept and feel that they don’t have a product that looks like it was created by a Fortune 500 company, it will fail.  Nothing could be farther from the truth. 

The reason most campaigns fail is because the doctor MAKES IT TOO COMPLICATED and quits early on, generally due to running out of time and energy. Therefore, this is what you do.  Collect EVERY PATIENT’S E-MAIL ADDRESS and collect EVERY MD’s E-MAIL ADDRESS.  Every single one of these people will have given you permission to e-mail them.  For patients, make sure that a place for an e-mail address entry is on the intake form and that your staff is making sure it is filled out!  With the MDs, you will have a chance to get their e-mail addresses as your relationship builds.  Don’t worry about who in the practice you are e-mailing at the beginning.  Look for the person that you can develop into an advocate of YOU.  Build from there.

For the patient list, e-mail out the patient flier and for the MD list, e-mail out the MD flier.  It is that simple.  Don’t worry if you have dropped it off at an MD’s office; e-mail it anyway.  This system also allows you to e-mail CV updates, awards, office news, etc.  THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE AT THIS LEVEL AS EFFECTIVELY AS YOU CAN WITH THIS APPROACH.