Optimum patient volume is what every medical practice owner strives for. The patients are what keep the practice running; they pay the bills, they keep your reputation afloat, and they determine whether or not your practice is successful. Finding ways to effectively increase your patient volume while not breaking the bank can be difficult, but it is possible. It is important to make your targets a real priority; otherwise, your business could be in danger. In previous blogs, we’ve discussed how to attract more new patients and how to utilize some interesting marketing ideas. Now that you’re well-versed on these topics, let’s talk about some unusual, but effective, ways to increase your patient volume.
Before we get started, we know you’re probably questioning the choice of the word “unusual.” Something that is unusual is not habitually done; it is remarkable or interesting because it is different from, or better than, the others. These methods we are about to share are definitely atypical and maybe even a little bit crazy compared to your more traditional methods of targeting new patients. However, keep in mind that some of the craziest ideas throughout history are the ones that have been the most lucrative. With all of that being said, let’s get right into it.
The first unusual method to increasing patient volume is service and product bundles. Combining some or all of your services and products together into one larger package is a super effective promotion to attract new patients. Let’s face it; everyone today is on some type of budget and looking to score a good deal however, whenever, and wherever they can. These types of promotions should usually only be held for a short period of time (forty-eight to seventy-two hours). The short-lived nature of the promotion will encourage people to act more quickly. If they are given a couple of weeks to claim their offer, they will likely put it off and then forget about it altogether. So, giving the people a limited time frame will force them to act as soon as they are made aware of the promotion. Offers such as these have serious revenue potential. There have been reports of practices bringing in almost twenty thousand dollars in cash collections within just the couple of days that the promotion was being run. That number speaks for itself – the public responds to promotions and price cuts on an extremely large scale.
The next unusual method is also a discount/promotion-driven method that works like magic. In addition to the bundle promotion, it is a good idea to offer a limited-time discount of any of your services. Similarly to the bundles, giving people a deadline and a time frame in which they have to respond will result in a higher volume of responses, as well as much quicker responses. So, imposing a forty-eight-hour time limit on your discount can cause your conversions to multiply faster than you may have originally thought. Something like this is most effective when it is done every four to six months. It is definitely not a great idea to do this every couple of weeks; the odds of you increasing your conversions time-to-time only decreases with more frequency. Additionally, making the discount applicable to any and all of your services will target every kind of patient you could possibly have at your practice. Overall, this is another great idea that will have you seeing great amounts of cash coming in a short period of time.
The next method is to release updated versions of your products (if applicable). As you already know, it is important to stay on top of the newest technology in your field and to keep your practice as up-to-date as possible. This being said, as more and more experience is gained in the industry, it could be a good idea for you to start developing your own products to be sold for more passive income. While this does come with some additional work and maintenance to keep on top of your product and keep it available to the public, this also has great potential to generate a ton of additional revenue. For example, if your product is an audio course or some type of online app, every time there is an update or a 2.0, you have the opportunity to re-launch it to your patients and/or subscribers. This is a great business method that brings you an incredible amount of exposure on top of the additional revenue it will generate.
The fourth unusual method is an event-based promotion. In addition to being lucrative, marketing a product or service around an event can also be a ton of fun for everyone. This is even applicable to themes or holidays. For example, having promos for Valentine’s Day, New Years, The Super Bowl, etc. can be super engaging for patients and staff. Even keeping track of your patient’s birthdays and sending out cards with offers can result in referrals due to the overall positive experience of an existing patient.
Application of the above strategies will undoubtedly yield a great jump in revenue, exposure, and, in turn, new patients for your practice. While some of this may be out of your comfort zone, it is important to remember that some of the best ways to stay relevant in today’s society is to implement ideas that are a little bit out of the box. People, especially millennials, respond to this type of marketing more willingly than others. So, what are you waiting for? Contact us at Dental Marketing Leaders to learn more about how you can start your unique marketing tactics and see your patient volume skyrocket!