Hiring a Marketer for Your Medical Practice

Most physicians wouldn’t dream of hiring a marketer, or it would be low on the priority list for hiring in their practice. But if you consider that a good marketer can double or triple your current business, it might be an investment you are willing to make.

Marketers can be especially important if you have ancillary services that your counterparts don’t offer.  Some of the tasks your marketer would be in charge of:

1. Market Intelligence

2. Referral Development

3. Advertising Coordination

4. Social Media

5. Client Retention

6. Troubleshooting issues

7. Public Relations

8. Community Events

Marketers usually work odd hours; it is typically not an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. work day, as they should be in charge of any community events (even those on a Saturday or an evening event).

Other points to consider:

• This potential new hire doesn’t necessarily need a healthcare degree, something in marketing may be more suitable.

• Make sure you hire someone that is confident and able to self-direct.

• This is should be salaried position and can be part time.

If you don’t believe that hiring a marketer for your clinic is an option at this time, you have other options:

1. Your office manager can double, for a short time as the marketer for your clinic. Offer a bonus on new patient referrals or new referring doctors.

2. Your nursing staff can double, during slow days or when the physician is on vacation as a marketer for your clinic.

3. The physician(s)/upper level practitioners can market and network.

4. You can hire an outside company to manage your marketing.  Make sure you utilize someone that is specialized to medical clinics; you would not want to advertise your clinic as though it was a car lot.  Also make sure if you are choosing a company over an individual that you know they have time to take care of you and that it is actually cheaper than hiring an individual that works only for you. (In some markets, a marketer is as inexpensive as $40,000 a year.)

How are you going to take 2013 to new levels for your clinic? Consider hiring a marketer, and watching your patient base grow!