The Importance of Websites for Recruiting New Patients – Part 2 of 3

Keep Your Practice Website Vital

When it comes to getting new patients and increasing revenues, most doctors don’t think of their website as an important tool. In fact, many doctors don’t bother with a website at all, and the ones that do commonly put up a “generic site” that doesn’t contribute at all to the bottom line health of the medical practice as a business. I have found that this is based on some misconceptions about the role and function of the Internet when it comes to providing medical services. Once the role and purpose of websites is clarified, then the websites can be created or modified to suit the business goal.

The most widespread misconception is that the website should be just a digital version of a brochure with basic information such as hours, phone number, directions, a short bio of the doctor and some of the key staff, etc. While it’s true that many websites are just like I described, this is not the purpose or best use of a website for a physician. The truth is that your website can be a “revenue” booster, if you understand how to do so. While doctors may have gotten into medicine to help people, and not necessarily for financial gain, the fact of the matter is that you now are in the business of marketing medical services, and websites can play a major role in the marketing of your services. The better you market your practice, the more help you are providing to people, and the more fulfilled you will feel.

From a business perspective, your website (or websites) can perform two very specific functions. The first function is to help you generate new patients through what marketers have traditionally called “lead generation”. This can be accomplished with the primary website, or through a more specialized website called a “squeeze page” – the purpose of which is to get prospective patients to provide you their contact information, usually in exchange for helpful information.

Once this initial contact has been established, the marketing focus should then shift to the other major business function of a website, which is to provide the information that people need to move them from being just a prospect (potential patient), to being an actual patient. There is no one “right way” of converting prospects to paying patients, but as long as the doctor understands the fundamental purpose of the website, which is to bring in new business, then the specifics of how to accomplish this will be much clearer and easier.

Prospective patients really only need to know two things: The first is what services you provide. More specifically, they need to understand the BENEFITS of the services you provide. Secondly, they need to know why YOU or YOUR PRACTICE is the best provider for these services given that patients have many healthcare options to choose from. It is important for physicians to ask themselves “why choose me?” over any other physician.

Once you have an answer that would be compelling for a prospective patient, then you need to convey this to prospective patients in a way that encourages them take action to become your patient. Your website can be a primary tool to convey the answer to the “WHY ME” question, and provide the prospective patient the information they actually need to move forward with scheduling an appointment. The more specialized your practice, the easier this is to do, but GP’s can do it as well once they identify what makes their practice unique or notable among other GP’s in the area.

If you take this perspective that your website can play a key role in the marketing of your medical services, then you will look at your website in a whole new light. The next article in this series will go into greater detail about reaching more new patients through your website, and how to do this quickly and affordably.

Ryan Harris
Marketing Professional
Clear Path Marketing
San Diego, CA