As a practice manager, you know how important it is to attract and retain clients with your marketing strategy. But how do you do that in a competitive and changing environment? In this article, we will share some of the best ways to create a marketing plan that works for your practice and your clients.
The first step to any effective marketing strategy is to know your target market. Who are your ideal clients? What are their needs, goals, challenges, and preferences? How do they search for and evaluate your services? You can use various methods to research your market, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, online analytics, and social media listening. The more you know about your potential and existing clients, the better you can tailor your marketing messages and channels to them.
Define your target market and tailor your marketing messages to their specific needs and wants. Offer high-quality products or services that meet the needs of your target market. Provide excellent customer service to make your clients feel valued and respected. Use a variety of marketing tactics, such as content marketing, SEO, PPC advertising, social media marketing, and email marketing, to reach your target audience. Track your results and make adjustments as needed to ensure that you are reaching your target audience and achieving your desired results. In addition to the above, you can also use design thinking to co-create value propositions with your target market.
Start with having a clear understanding of your client's needs. Not what you want to sell to them. Knowing what they need and how they need it will not only help you close the sale, but retain their business. Too often, sales and marketers are focused on getting the sale, and leave it up to chance for a client to remain loyal. Spending time and resources to acquire customers only to have them abandon you and share their negative experiences with others is a recipe for disaster. Short-term gains without a long-term retention plan is a failing strategy that too many companies make -- particularly startups who are focused on acquiring customers without prioritizing profitability.
In my professional career and interaction with various type of people, I have found that most of the people, particularly Professionals and Entrepreneurs lack the ability to define Target Market. This is of paramount importance because your whole Marketing strategy and Product/Service Offering will depend on this Target Market Wants or needs. Therefore it is very crucial to have laser sharp focus and proper definition of ideal clients.
The best ways to get new clients is to create content that helps target audience and resonate with them on their journey. Apart from this, highly targeted social media an google ads to generate qualified customers. While to retain clients, giving performance and deliver the promised results is the key factor.
Never underestimate the power of connection. Your target market wants to be understood and NEEDS to be. Spending days chatting with your target market will result in a much higher ROI than jumping right in and marketing blind.
The next step is to define your value proposition. This is the unique benefit or solution that you offer to your clients that sets you apart from your competitors. Your value proposition should answer the question: why should someone choose your practice over others? You can use your market research to identify the gaps, pain points, and opportunities that your practice can address. Your value proposition should be clear, concise, and compelling, and communicate how you help your clients achieve their desired outcomes.
Crafting a value proposition (VP) that is both compelling to your customers & at the same time proprietary to your organization (i.e. believable & ownable) is the trickiest part of a marketing strategy. Even with a thorough understanding of the target market, marketers tend to get trapped in their own corporate perspective of what the "solution" could/should be. With new approaches to innovation (e.g. design thinking), the co-creation of solutions hand-in-hand with your primary stakeholders is gaining recognition as a more grounded approach to offer genuine human-centered value propositions. Value propositions that stem from an empathetic understanding of the customer needs, & that are co-created, refined and tested with these stakeholders.
Once you have your 'basic' value proposition, you should look to consider how to cross sell and upsell your customers to gain the maximum lifetime value from them. Too often, companies fail to exploit the opportunity to keep customers coming back with reasons to buy more product or services from you
As a healthcare provider it is crucial to showcase your expertise, experience, credentials, and endorsements. Share all of these in your homepage and dedicated page. Work on the "digital endorsements" by writing guest articles on different related sites, and launch a campaign of link building strategies to help you build your brand and reputation. Leverage your reviews and testimonials as case studies. People looking for healthcare providers make their decisions first by direct reference and then by social proof.
I used to joke that my "target market" was anybody with birthdays and cash. The reality is that we are in an increasingly complicated world. Branding is projecting an image to your customer that reflects that person's lifestyle, and point of view. Your customers are partners with you. Treat them with respect or you will lose them. Once you have "cemented" who you are and what you sell, you cannot forget business basics. Stay true to who you are. Service the hell out of them. Communicate with customers who have issues and fix them. Sell a great product and make sure your customers are happy with it. Admit mistakes and service them quickly. There is nothing like the personal touch. People buy from companies they like.
Being able to buy into clients Emotions and connecting better is really important for business continuity and Continuously adding value and improving one's business solutions works well.
The third step is to choose your marketing mix. This is the combination of marketing elements that you use to reach and engage your target market. The marketing mix typically includes four Ps: product, price, place, and promotion. Product refers to the services that you offer and how you package and deliver them. Price refers to the fees that you charge and how you communicate and justify them. Place refers to the locations and channels that you use to distribute and sell your services. Promotion refers to the methods and tools that you use to communicate and persuade your target market. You should choose your marketing mix based on your value proposition, your market research, your budget, and your goals.
One of the most important element that we are currently addressing in our company, is “5th P”: People. Corporate clients are nit only nowadays blinded by the brand itself, but would like to know who is behind it, and what are his/her credentials. People are the most important “P” after the product itself, as it is also used as a pricing factor.
In my marketing journey, a constant emphasis has been on the precision of choosing your marketing mix. This mix, at its heart, houses the 'Four Ps': product, price, place, and promotion. 'Product' speaks to your services and their presentation. 'Price' isn't merely the cost but the story behind it. 'Place' pinpoints where your services shine brightest. And 'promotion' is the voice you use to engage your market. In crafting this mix, prioritize your value proposition, research, budget, and set goals. It's the beacon for an impactful strategy.
In the book Purple cow by Seth Godin, there are others Ps worth considering. These include; Pricing, Product, Packaging, Promotion, Positioning, Publicity, Pass-along(ie referral) and Permission - which is your email list. Refers to consumers opting to receive marketing offers and announcements from you.
This is a vast topic. But attracting clients boils down to two things: - Identifying their problems. - Sharing the solutions to these problems when they want and where they want. Assuming you have the right solution, the former involves using the right positioning and messaging to communicate the value proposition and USPs of what you sell. The latter involves choosing the right channel to reach your customers. Some examples include SEO-led content, social media marketing, email marketing, video marketing, podcasting, event marketing, PR, etc.
There's no attributed number for it, but one P that's missing is PROMISE. You might have the best product, price, place, or promotion; but none of it matters if you can't keep your promise and deliver a product (or service) that delivers and (hopefully) leads to repeat purchases in the future.
The fourth step is to measure and optimize your marketing performance. This is the process of tracking and evaluating the results of your marketing activities and making adjustments as needed. You should define your key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your marketing objectives, such as leads, conversions, retention, satisfaction, and referrals. You should also use various tools and methods to collect and analyze your marketing data, such as web analytics, email marketing software, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and feedback surveys. You should use your data to identify what works and what doesn't, and test and implement changes to improve your marketing effectiveness and efficiency.
Trends and best practices on measurement constantly change and the people I’ve met on LinkedIn have played a critical role. Thanks to networking on LinkedIn, I was introduced to Rolf Olsen. Last week we discussed Lenny Ratchitsky’s recent article about how top consumer brands measure marketing impact. Rolf is one of the brightest minds in marketing analytics in the world today. Earlier this year I was able to spend some time talking to Erez Yereslove, who literally helped build the data analytics program for Walt Disney’s marketing department. An entire community of knowledge is here at your fingertips.
Another important tool when measuring and optimizing return on investment (ROI) is accurately determining where every new client, matter, project, patient, customer, referral source or opportunity originated. By simply asking the question "How did you hear about us?" you can immediately establish the origin. Data is meaningful, but it can be challenging to connect the dots between a form downloaded from your website and that same person becoming a new client.
Even with all the best will and the best tracking in the world, in my experience the best way to track what's working is to ask. Using data alone, I'd never had found the YouTube delivered the highest volume of leads for our business. Instead, our analytics programme would have attributed everything to our website instead. Adding a "Where did you first hear about us?" question to our lead form changed our entire marketing strategy and probably would for most businesses too.
The fifth step is to build relationships and loyalty with your clients. This is the ultimate goal of your marketing strategy, as loyal clients are more likely to stay with you, recommend you, and spend more with you. You can build relationships and loyalty with your clients by providing excellent service, delivering value, exceeding expectations, and showing appreciation. You can also use various tactics to nurture and reward your clients, such as email newsletters, social media engagement, loyalty programs, referral programs, and special offers.
Nurture your clients, not just as consumers, but as allies in your brand's story. Building lasting relationships with clients is more than a marketing goal; it's the key to enduring success. Loyal clients stick around, recommend you, and spend more. Elevate your service to an experience, consistently deliver value, and express genuine appreciation. Tactics like personalized newsletters, engaging social media, loyalty programs, and special offers are your tools. Treat clients as partners in your brand's story, and you'll create advocates who don't just stay—they amplify your brand in a crowded market.
One of the very best ways to nurture and build relationships with existing clients is to find ways let them share the story of their relationship with you. Developing testimonials together (sharing your mutual success) provides clients the opportunity to engage deeper with your brand and further validates the relationship. They also provide wonderful opportunities for potential clients to see themselves doing business with you. Tell great stories!
Get your clients input for improvement. Feeling heard as a customer is very important. Build a community of peers, if possible. Here you can give the extra dedicated clients more value - and clients can sparre with each other
Building strong customer relationships is crucial for long-term business success. People connect with stories, not just products or services. By narrating a compelling story and fostering genuine connections, businesses can achieve lasting success. While attracting short-term customers is easy, they often leave during tough times. The key lies in authenticity and building lasting relationships through engaging stories and consistent communication. Treat your customers well and maintain a long-term vision to leave a memorable impact. Authenticity and enduring connections are essential for a lasting business legacy. It's that simple :)
The sixth and final step is to learn and adapt to changing needs and trends. This is the ongoing process of staying updated and relevant in your market and industry. You should monitor and anticipate the changes and challenges that affect your clients, your competitors, your regulations, and your technology. You should also seek and embrace feedback, innovation, and improvement opportunities. You should be flexible and responsive to the changing needs and preferences of your clients, and adjust your marketing strategy accordingly.
Depending on the age of your business and your marketing, the best approach to adapting and capitalising on trends will differ. Younger brands can earn high visibility and notoriety by spearheading discussion and content on the latest trends. Older brands, which typically have more subjects to cover and more internal hoops to jump through may struggle to find time (or react fast enough) to the latest trends. For older brands to capitalise they either need to: 1. Leave buffers/gaps in their calendar (so scheduled plans can be pushed forward/back) to accommodate trend jumping, without content plans accidentally overlapping. 2. Have one content creator assigned to trend jumping as a secondary responsibility (that doesn't get neglected).
As Virgil Abloh stated: "The world produces waves. Surf or drown." This point highlights the most exciting part of any commercial endeavour: as the market, the world, people, and their needs evolve, consider this a great opportunity to reinforce your own brand dna by continuously revealing the strengths and relevance of your differentiated skills and unfair advantage.
Do you cringe every time you see “Here are 20 ChatGPT prompts for blah, blah, blah?” Me too. Yet, we all know AI is here to stay and yes, it’s rapidly changing the marketing landscape. I think networking on LinkedIn can really help you separate actionable advice from hype. Networking with new people, I ended up having a long conversation about AI writing Python scripts to bridge gaps in KPI reporting with John Quinn. John has a master’s degree in computer science from Harvard with a focus on AI, ML and statistical modeling. People love to help people. If you’re trying to stay on top of trends, just reach out.
Clients seek value through increased sales and improved brand recognition. While brand value isn't tangible, clients often prioritise sales. To stay relevant, continuously reinvent your strategies and adapt to new trends. Success depends on providing substantial value; without it, client loyalty diminishes. Maintaining a good relationship with clients enhances the journey, but without delivering solid results, it won’t last. Never become complacent; continuously upskill your team and keep clients informed about new developments and strategies. Effective communication of your services is crucial. Finally, understand that not everything can be controlled and retaining a client forever isn't always possible. It's part of the business dynamics.
Create an offer stack that allows you to grow with your clients' progress. From solving their most basic challenge to their most costly problem. Doing this helps you sell to an audience that already trusts you and has benefited from your past offers therefore leveraging their lifetime value.
Attracting and retaining customers require different focus and strategies. To attract and acquire customers, you must: - identify their problem that only you can solve - showcase how you can solve this important problem for them - demonstrate proof that you can and ideally have solved this problem before - know where your customers hang out - how your customers want to receive information and in what format To retain customers, you must: - deliver on the promise you made them - provide the value they are expecting - provide them the best possible experience at each stage - delight them at each opportunity - provide an amazing on-boarding experience - deliver exceptional training and opportunities for growth
Leverage the Power of Content Marketing - In today's digital age, content marketing has proven to be an invaluable tool for attracting and retaining clients. By consistently providing relevant and engaging content, you not only establish yourself as an authority in your field but also establish a connection with your audience. Through content marketing, you can address the pain points, questions, and concerns that your target audience might have. By sharing your expertise and insights, you build trust and credibility, making potential clients more likely to choose your services. Moreover, valuable content is shareable, meaning your existing clients might spread the word, expanding your reach organically.
What Are You Really Good At? Clients hire consultants to help them solve problems and produce results. So what/which problems and solutions are you really really good at? Can you prove it? The compelling answers to this question provides "content" to write articles, produce new business pitches and close new business. If you're a just out of school MBA, with a lot of future potential, you can't answer this question just yet. If you have been a senior corporate manager and have a solid track record of "success", you have plenty of material to answer this question and craft compelling "Reasons Why" someone should hire your consulting services. Focus your new business searching in areas where you have a high probability of a "win".
Create an open feedback loop for your clients, try to make it a two-way conversation. Not only will this give you valuable insights that you can use to improve your marketing but it will build a deeper affinity for your brand.