Have you ever considered this and, if not, why not?
Let’s look at it this way. Have you ever stayed loyal to a business because you felt treated as someone special, or because they went over and above what you would have normally expected? If you have, you will know that it makes you feel treasured and important, and therefore more inclined to visit or use them again.
Now think about how that translates to your patient base. The more treasured and valued they feel, the more likely they are to help you grow your business. It’s a simple concept: people who have been referred by someone they know typically stay loyal to a ‘brand’ longer that those who found the same company through other means.
Marketing experts have even called this word of mouth marketing ‘the original social media’. It helps to build and create trust and loyalty, and once that trust is there it is not easily broken.
So the happier your patients are, the more likely they are to recommend you and your practice to their friends and family.
But how do you know whether your patients are happy?
If you are attracting new patients, that could be a good measure of success. But keep an eye on the number of patients who are leaving through the same door. If the numbers balance, then that formula is flawed.
So, look at your offering instead; examine ways you could improve your patients’ whole experience, the service they receive and what that might look like. Draw from your own experience and remember when you have felt valued by a business that went the extra mile to help you. Ask your practice staff for any ideas they have that could easily be implemented.
Yes, you offer an excellent service, offer value for money and are good at what you do, but actually that’s what patients expect. You need to think how you could change their interaction with your practice into a ‘wow’ experience that they will want to share with their peers.
In this day and age, it’s a must to go above and beyond; add some extras to a patient’s treatment plan, offer bespoke discounts or come up with other ways to make your service something that will stay with patients long after they leave.
Happy patients will build your business for you.
