The ONE Obstacle To A Thriving Practice Is The Lack Of (Effective)Marketing

 

 … but not once you know these simple and low-cost marketing strategies 

No doubt, starting and growing a practice can be challenging.

Building a thriving practice takes more than love for your craft, dedication, and perseverance; you must be able to draw from a rainbow of skills…

But there are three essential ones that are more important than the rest.

 

The first: Clinical Skills

You must be sure of yourself and your clinical knowledge since you will work primarily by yourself.

You must make every call while you may bounce ideas off a colleague. Fortunately, most NPs bring solid clinical skills and confidence to their practice.

 

The second: Financial Management

You must be willing to pay attention to finances: income, expenses, reimbursements, billing, AR, salaries, and the like.

Even though others will handle most tasks, you must understand, monitor, and manage everything. And most practice owners understand the financials well  and appreciate their importance.

 

The third: Marketing

To build a thriving practice, you must engage in ongoing marketing. Because people move, die, lose insurance, referrals dry up, and new providers move into the community.

Continuous marketing allows you to maintain a full panel so you can continue to practice.

But it’s this third skill, the marketing, where some NPs run into trouble. 

 

They Don’t Know Were to Start

Some practice owners don’t know what to do or where to start when marketing their practice, even though they realize its importance.

Because they lack a clear direction in their marketing, they try a little of this and a little of that before moving on to something else… none of which will move the needle.

And so they struggle, trying to build a practice without a coherent plan or direction.

They engage in “one-off” marketing without seeing any results.

Discouraged, they… stop… marketing!

 


They Think Marketing = Selling

But there’s another problem, a misconception…

For many, marketing equals selling.

Hearing the word marketing brings up images of a pushy, used car salesman …

Nobody wants to be that guy!

Beyond that, years of subliminal messaging have taught women and those employed in “helping” professions to be of service, not to promote themselves.

This alone may create an internal conflict, making it challenging to talk about yourself and your practice.

 

 

They Bought Into the Myth:

 The fantasy ... "Build it and they will come." But that's not what happens in real life.

It takes more than hanging out a shingle. 

People find your practice when they know about it ... because someone told them. 

 

 

Starting a Practice is One Thing ...

but growing it is another ...

To stay in business, all companies engage in marketing.

Marketing is a Key Business Activity; non-negotiable.

And if your practice is:

  • new, just starting up
  • struggling to gain traction
  • facing increasing competition

... finding ways to effectively market your practice is a must!

But there is a problem …

Practice Owners Don't Like to Market!

Most struggle with the idea …

Frequently, marketing is an afterthought, done sporadically, if it happens at all.

In the past, medical marketing was frowned upon seen as:  

  • unnecessary
  • in bad taste
  • to be avoided

But healthcare marketing is accepted today, and the medical landscape is more competetive than ever.

That’s why you, too, must market your practice!

Not every practice will fail, but most will struggle to keep their doors open without marketing. 

 

They May Not Know How to Market


Most practice owners know they should market … if they want to build a solid, successful practice.

Instead, many only market when they realize they need to see more patients ... now.

 

But why?

Because knowing you should do something is not the same as knowing what to do.

And to be fair, marketing can be overwhelming and confusing.

There are so many marketing channels that it's
difficult to know how to move forward.

The question is: where do you start, and what should you do?

  • Start with offline, online methods, or both?
  • What about newspaper ads? Don’t laugh, they’re still around.
  • Should you go with Facebook or Google ads?
  • How about advertising on billboards?
  • Is a neighborhood mailing a good idea?
  • What about speaking to service organizations?
  • Do networking groups still work?
  • And what about business cards, flyers, articles, online directories, a website, or posting to social media?

Too many choices lead to confusion; it's a "Golden Nugget" in marketing.

Let me share a marketing quote with you that applies to marketers and customers alike …

 
“A confused mind always says No!

 

Here’s one more golden nugget. If you take nothing else away from reading this letter, let it be this:

When marketing your practice, you don’t have to do it all. Pick one or two things that resonate with you. Understand how they work, and apply them … consistently! That’s it!

Once you’ve mastered them, and only then, you could move on to other marketing methods if necessary.

Don’t think you have to do everything, no matter what some people say …

Look back to your education. Did you learn everything there is to know about being a Nurse Practitioner in a few hours?

I think not!

There is a process… you start with the foundation and add additional layers of knowledge.

It’s no different when it comes to marketing. 

Don’t be fooled. Don’t let someone sell you tips, tricks, and quick fixes. They don’t exist!

Big companies spend big money on marketing. They have deep pockets, but even they focus their efforts on select marketing channels to get the message across.

 

Why You Must Market Your Practice

 
Wouldn’t it be nice if all you had to do was “hang out your shingle?”
Then sit back and wait for business to come to you…
Yes, it would.
 
But that’s not how it works.
Why You Must Market Your Practice

 

Wouldn’t it be nice if all you had to do was “hang out your shingle?”

Then sit back and wait for business to come to you…

Yes, it would. But that’s not how it works.

You  Must Let Patients & Providers Know About You

It’s your responsibility to invite people and give them a reason to do business with you.

This is what you’re doing when you market your practice.

You let people know that you are:

  • open for business & where they will find you
  • what you're doing, the services you provide
  • how you can help them
  • and why they should choose you.

 

Grow your Practice

 

To grow your practice, you must remind the world who you are, that you’re open for business, and how you can help.

It's a message you must put in front of your audience not once but repeatedly.

How else would they know?

 

If you skip this step, there may be a price to pay.

  • a shrinking number of patients
  • no new referrals from specialists

 

Unfortunately, some practice owners struggle to attract enough patients to stay in business. They can’t cover the overhead, not to mention generate a profit. 

Eventually, they must pick up a part-time job to make ends meet. Naturally, they wonder if they can hold on long enough to stay in practice.

But other practice owners aren’t so lucky. Forced to close their doors, they must return to working for someone else.  

But once you taste independence, returning to working for someone else is tough.

Most NPs would prefer to stay in their own practice and make their own decisions.

Wouldn’t it be a shame if they couldn’t grow their practices because of marketing?

 

Don't Get Me Wrong 

 

Not all practices have problems because of marketing; other factors come into play.

And plenty of NPs own thriving practices that may not market as much as they should.  

 

But marketing should not stop, even if the practice is successful.

Attrition is a fact of life for every practice.

  • People move.
  • They lose or change insurance.
  • They want to see a different provider.
  • Some die.

Ongoing marketing helps to see a consistent number of patients in the practice.

But marketing alone is not a guarantee your business will succeed., However, it will tip the odds in your favor and help you build a successful practice.

Where to Go from Here?

 

If you’re actively marketing your practice, great.

Keep doing what works!

 

But if you do one-off marketing, or worse, no marketing, it's time to rethink your approach.

And, if you’re tempted to hire a marketing agency and hand everything over to them … think twice.

  • Be prepared to spend a nice penny.
  • Their marketing may or may not work.
  • They will go on information collected from you.

To provide an agency with useful data, you must first understand the elements of successful marketing.

 

But now, you've come to a fork in the road and it's time to decide.

Will you continue doing what you’ve done in the past, hit-and-miss or no  marketing?

Or will you commit to consistent marketing and  build a thriving practice? 

The ball is in your court;  it's your choice …

If you’re ready to build your practice with effecitive marketing, you’re in the right place. We are here to help …

But first, let me quickly introduce myself.

 
Hi,

You may know me already, but you may not  …

My name is Barbara C. Phillips, APRN, GNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, and I’m a Nurse Practitioner like you.

For over 30 years, I’ve been in the trenches, working in various settings.

And for the last sixteen  years, I’ve also been teaching NPs about business, covering all aspects of starting and running a practice.

Here is what some NPs have said about working with me …

“I wanted to share I heard Barbara C. Phillips speak at an NPACE conference in Clear Water, FL. I will never forget what she said. Job security is not job security. Create a pathway in business, put NPs name out there, and write up news articles so people know what and who are NPs. Michigan is a restrictive state but I am bound and determine to make a name for me and other NPs.
Thanks, Barbara C. Phillips for being an inspiration.  

Patricia Wells, NP
Michigan

“It’s been over four years since I attended your course in Nashville about how to start a practice and here I am with two practices that are growing every day. So first and foremost, THANK YOU! 

Warm Regards,
Genny Sanders, APRN”
Kentucky

As a Nurse Practitioner, I firmly believe it’s vital that NPs understand the “Business of Healthcare.”

Why?

A deeper understanding helps us advocate for our patients, ourselves, and our businesses.

Because healthcare today is not what it used to be. It has developed into a massive industry that is complex, competitive, and highly regulated.

And both consumers and practice owners benefit from understanding how it works.

How Can We Help?

We help by providing educational programs and business information to the Nurse Practitioner Community.

Our program, “Marketing Basics: Simple Steps to Grow Your Practice,” teaches low-cost, basic, but effecive marketing strategies and principles that are easy to implement.

It’s for Nurse Practitioners who want to improve their marketing or get started with marketing to build  thriving, successful practice.  

What's Inside?

Here is what you will find inside “Marketing Basics: Simple Steps to Grow Your Practice.”

The course is organized in bite-sized videos that are quick and easy to consume.

In addition to the videos, included are a workbook, audio recordings, and the transcripts of the videos (in case you prefer to read).

Here is an overview of what's included and what you will learn inside the course ...

 

Let's Talk Modules

The breakdown
MODULE 1

Introduction & Overview

A brief welcome to the course and NPBO™.

  • We’ll go through an overview of what’s included in the course.
  • We’ll introduce you to the platform, so you know how to move around, get from A to B and find what you are looking for.
  • Lastly, we’ll talk about how you can get in touch in case you have questions or need more help, so you’ll know how always to get a hold of us.  
MODULE 2

What is Marketing?

Marketing is a universal requirement … all businesses, small and large, must (should) engage in marketing.

  • What most don’t understand about marketing and its importance.
  • Build it, and they will come, right? Wrong?
  • Dangerous marketing myths that are flat-out wrong! Are you aware of them?
MODULE 3

Marketing Assessment

Knowing where you are now is your first step. What are you trying to accomplish with your marketing? Consider these questions:

  • What are the goals for your practice? Dig deep; you may be surprised what you find.
  • How are you marketing your practice now?
  • How effective is your marketing? Do you track your numbers?
MODULE 4

The Ideal Patient

Do you know who your patients are?  And who is your ideal patient? How to identify your ideal patient? Why is it important?

  • What is the ideal patient concept? (it’s not what you think)
  • There is no ideal patient in primary care… right? Wrong?
  • Why a one-size marketing message may not be enough.
MODULE 5

Benefits, it's about Benefits

Are you clear about your clinic’s products and services and their benefits? Perhaps you have clarity but do your patients have it too?

  • What are the deeper benefits you provide to your patients?
  • Why would someone come to see you over the clinic down the street?
  • How do you communicate deeper benefits to patients?
MODULE 6

The Marketing Message

Marketing is all about the message. Is your message clear, or do you leave room for interpretation? How specific are you in your messaging? Talk to everyone, and you talk to no one…  What?

  • Understand how to create a clear and compelling marketing message
  • Not all messages are right for all people; true?
  • The benefits of fine-tuning your marketing message.
MODULE 7

General Marketing Principles

The attention span of a Goldfish? Anyone in business must deal with declining attention spans. We’re bombarded with marketing messages daily. How do you get through to people so they will hear you?

  • How to use the principle of multiple touches …
  • Don’t be afraid to tap into the power of asking for it …
  • Why you want to tell them what to do next (they will thank you) …
MODULE 8

Ways to market your practice, part 1

There is no shortage of marketing channels; we’ve never had so many choices. 

  • Mobile, online, local ... and what it means for your practice.
  • Your website. Do you have the essentials covered?
  • How to tap into the Google Business Profile. It's free and easy!
  • and more ...

 

MODULE 9

Ways to Market Your Practice, Part 2

We’ll continue our discussion of marketing channels:

  • The power of video and why you should use it
  • Social media in your marketing … the dark side of social
  • When and why to consider other marketing channels
MODULE 10

The Marketing Plan

It pays to have a plan, even a basic one ...

  • Include the what, why, who, and when ...
  • Outline the where and the how ...
  • Why tracking results is a must.
  • Discover what works and what doesn't

Now you know what‘s inside “Marketing Basics: Simple Steps to Grow Your Practice.”

You’ll learn everything you need to know to market your Nurse Practitioner practice so you can choose what’s right for you and ignore the rest.

 

     Join us inside Marketing Basics: Simple Steps to Grow Your Practice.”

What's the Investment?

 

The investment in the course is a one-time fee of $297.

Once you've completed your purchase you get immediate access to everything included with the course.

The course has been designed to quickly let you choose what works best in your practice and bypass the rest.

Finally start marketing your practice or improve the marketing you're already doing!

Enroll in Marketing Basics Now

 

But now, let me take a moment to talk about who this course is and is not for.

The Course is Not for You ….

If you’re looking for a program …

  • that covers every possible strategy in the marketing universe
  • praises the benefits of one-off marketing tactics
  • that wants you to throw your hard-earned cash at Facebook and Google ads (it takes time and skill to dial in ads, that’s why we don’t cover ads in the course!)
  • that skips over marketing fundamentals
  • or if you’re in search of the holy grail of marketing…

If that describes you, please close this page and keep looking for another solution to your marketing troubles.

However this Course Is for You IF …

  • you want to understand marketing.
  • you want to know why some things work and others don’t so you can improve your marketing.
  • you want to understand the fundamentals, the principles, and how to implement them (over and over again) to get results with your marketing.
  • you don’t mind rolling up your sleeves to implement simple steps and repeat them with consistency.

 

Because marketing, like anything else, is based on principles that must be understood before applying advanced strategies and tactics that may be unnecessary.

Keep it simple, be consistent, and you will see results.

 

Now, if “Marketing Basics: Simple Steps to Grow Your Practice” is for you, I invite you to click the button below and join us inside the course.

 

Yes, I'm in

Still Got Questions?

 

PS: Learn the simple steps to market your practice and never worry about going back to working for someone else. Click the button below.

Join us inside the course now!