Say This, Not That: 4 Medical Practice Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

There are certain words and phrases you should avoid when setting out to market your practice.  I see them all the time in marketing materials, and particularly in social media marketing campaigns for practices. 

Here are some of the top phrases to avoid and why:

1. “We understand…” Try to avoid telling patients that you “understand” in your marketing. Instead, tell them what you will do for them and let the results demonstrate that you understand. For example, instead of saying, “We understand that seasonal allergies can be difficult,” say, “We will treat your seasonal allergies with…”
2. “We will strive, try, or attempt to…” Patients don’t want you to try, they want you to deliver. And while many factors can contribute to a successful or unsuccessful treatment, consider this when writing your marketing copy for your website or materials. Instead of saying, “We strive to deliver the highest standard of service,” say, “Our staff is caring, thoughtful, and delivers a high level of service and attention.”
3. “We intend to…” Take whatever you are about to say and turn it into a positive action and state the benefits to the prospective patient.  Avoid phrases such as “We intend to make you feel welcome,” Replace this with, “You will feel welcomed by our comfortable and convenient…”
4. “We would be honored…” This is another way of talking about how you feel and not about what you can do for the patient.  Instead say, “You will know you have made the right choice…”

By using the above recommended phrases in your marketing materials, you are forced to make the marketing about the patient you are trying to serve and what you will deliver to him.

This does not mean you need to become a “snake-oil salesman” offering “100 percent authentic guarantees” for cures and treatments.

Good marketing answers prospective patients' questions, it does not brag about your intentions and accolades. 

When you are putting together your marketing, think about telling a story. A story about how your solutions and your team are better than the competitive office around the corner.

Tell the story in ways that matter to patients, and make sure it passes these two tests:

1. The “so what?” test.  You should test every line of information in your marketing and ask yourself if the prospective patient would care. If not, rewrite it so it matters.
2. The “why?” test. Make sure you spell out why a patient should select you rather then the competition. (And yes, you are in competition with the physician down the street.)

Marketing copy should be patient focused, specific, and provide a call to action for your prospective patients.