Because it is so important, let me remind you again of the need for a balanced marketing plan. Not every company can afford or has the time to plan out and conduct a full-blown marketing program, but there are some tactics that can add value to your company.

Where do promotional items fit in? We have all seen them -- tape measures, pens, note pads with a company logo on them, and hundreds of other items. Do they work? Are they worth spending the money? Does giving a doctor a nice pen mean he or she will refer patients to you? Probably not. Giving out mementos is not a marketing plan unto itself, but they can help build your brand and enhance visits to hospitals, PT offices, and nursing homes.

Here are some statistics from the Promotional Products Association International:

• 71% of an audience consisting primarily of business people reported having received a promotional product during the past 12 months;
• 34% of this group had the item on their person;
• 76% of respondents could recall the advertiser's name on the product they received;
• 52% of respondents did business with the advertiser after receiving the promotional product;
• 55% kept their promotional products for more than a year.

I have never been a fan of expensive gifts. I think for the most part, they are inappropriate and more and more are frowned upon. Small items that are useful are appreciated, keep your business name in front of referral sources, and don’t break the budget.

Consider ordering a small quantity of items twice a year. It’s great to have extra items around for donations, too. Did you know you can order as few as 36 mugs or candy jars?

Ideas to consider:

Post-it^® pads. Everyone uses these. Make the design small so the user has lots of space to write. Drop off 20 or so pads at a PT clinic or hospital surgical floor nurses’ station and include some pens.

Tape measures/goniometers. Supplying a useful tool is a good giveaway. Make sure your item is of quality. I don’t like those cheap, noisy tape measures. They are often tossed out and being perceived as cheap reflects poorly on your company.

Sports duffle bags or drawstring bags. Sporty gifts can be great if you can highlight patients who are athletic. Create a package to include a water bottle and a patient profile.

Cause-related gifts. Do you have a post-mastectomy clinic as part of your practice? Consider a small item in pink to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Fun things. If you are asked to sponsor a local event at a hospital or a sporting event for PT’s, include a Frisbee or sunscreen labeled with your logo.

Other logoed items can include bags for prosthetic socks for patients, and I love business card-sized magnets! Like Post-it^® pads, no one throws away a magnet. These are great to mail to patients with their reminder letters or invoices and won’t add to postage costs.

Hope these ideas help. Let me know some of your ideas that have worked for your business, and I will share those, too.

Have you ever thought of hosting aspecial event for your referral sources or patients? I don’t mean an open house—I’m not a fan. I mean working with one of your manufacturer’s reps to bring in an amputee athlete or a former Paralympian to demonstrate exercising, golfing, running or to give an inspirational talk. Consider bringing in someone to make a presentation about new technology— something high-tech, but practical and relevant. We have worked with clients who have been fortunate to have an Otto Bock Road Show come to town, and it has been very successful. We have also conducted educational events to teach golf to patients. You may be able to include an educational event for therapists to get CEUs.

1. You become recognized as an expert in your community, offering a high level of education or activity to patients or referral sources.
2. You build loyalty among patients and gain exposure with referral sources.
3. You build a positive corporate image.
4. You might even get media coverage if the event is especially noteworthy.

• Create a budget for refreshments, promotion, and facility rentals. You don’t need a huge budget, but depending upon the event scope, there will be expenses. Be sure to plan for them. If you are working with a national manufacturer, ask about resources available to you.
• If needed, book a facility. Depending upon the event, you may not be able to hold it at your office. Consider a library or hotel or, if it’s an outdoor event, a park or golf driving range. You may not have to pay—ask first, as an event for people with disabilities, you may get sponsorship support from the facility, and there might not be a charge.
• Create a flyer or postcard to send to your patients and referral sources. You may want to send out more than one. Make it colorful, informative, and make sure all of the important info is included. Proofread it before you print!
• Post the info on your Web site and Facebook page. 
• Send a news release to the local media to promote your event.
• Contact the media and ask them to cover your event. After sending a release, follow up with an e-mail or phone call. If you’re not sure whom to contact, ask for an editor. You might be surprised about the interest. If your event is sports related, contact the sports editor.

At the Event

• Ask attendees what they liked, and if they’d attend events in the future.
• After the Event 
• Send thank-you notes to those who participated and/or donated time or services, plus ask for their feedback and suggestions.
• Post photos on your Web site and Facebook page.
• Plan your next event!

So January is wrapping up.  How are you doing on your New Year’s resolution to pump up your marketing?

Part of a great marketing plan is to have a PR or media relations component..  Having a local TV station do a story on you or one of your patients, or the newspaper include a few lines in the business section about a new office or employee can make quite an impact.  Getting the media to take notice of something important occurring at your firm isn’t always easy.  But we have a tried and true way that you can interface with the ‘press,’ helping them fill their pages and broadcasts with newsworthy information and promoting what’s new and unique about your practice. That vehicle is the news release.

News releases are a cost effective public relations tool that can deliver a great return.  Great stories happen in your practice many times each year. Capitalizing on what’s new, unique, or interesting will help you get in the news.  Use a news release to announce:

• A new employee
• A move to a new office or office expansion
• A new technology
• A new certification in a fitting technology, like C-Leg certifications
• A seminar for amputees
• An employee’s participation in a national meeting as a presenter or to take a course
• A manufacturer’s road show event you are hosting
• An interesting patient story
  

Here are a few tips to should bear in mind when delivering your story to the media in a news release:

• Always, always proof read your release for spelling and grammar.  
• Include the most basic information possible. We call that the 5 Ws and H, who, what, where, when, why, and how.
• Avoid the hype or advertising language. Be as straight-forward as possible in your writing.
• Start with the most interesting aspect of your story to create interest, if possible.
• Email is a FREE and extremely well-received by most media. You can find email addresses and fax numbers for your local papers and stations online.
• Make a quick follow up call to ensure your release was received and offer to answer any additional questions.
  

Even if a news release only results in getting your name in the paper, referral sources (doctors, physical therapists, and others) are reading the business section of the paper and so are your patients. When an announcement about your firm appears in the newspaper, it elevates your business profile and your reputation as a credible firm in your field.

I am often asked, "What's the one thing I can do to grow my business?" I always give the same answer: If there was one magic answer for every company, I would be able to work a lot fewer hours!

The rest of the answer is a more complicated one. Working with P&O firms for more than 24 years, we've had the opportunity to work with small, owner-operated firms as well as companies with 10 or more patient care centers. One of the most effective marketing practices has been direct marketing to referral sources, particularly via a newsletter.

Newsletters are one way to tell stories about your patients, your company, the community, and more. A newsletter is perceived as more newsy and less promotional, almost as if coming from a third party. There is enough room to include a variety of story topics, such as:

• patient success stories
• new product or technology stories - manufacturers will often help with text and photos
• highlight a new certification or seminar taken by a staffer, attendance at a national meeting
• profile employees and their specialties
• disseminate important insurance information to your readers
• highlight a seasonal sport and local disability group
• feature the importance of ABC certification
• include a brief editorial from the CEO or a practitioner on things happening at the practice or upcoming events or industry news

A newsletter can be produced with the assistance of an outside supplier or internally with available software. The key is to make the information newsworthy, well-written, and error-free. If you self-produce, assign stories to employees to research and write. Take pictures - before and after photos are always good. If you have a table top at a local breast cancer awareness event or physical therapy fair, take a photo to include in your next newsletter.

A key part of the process is making sure your newsletter is mailed to the correct audience, that your mailing list includes all the appropriate referral sources for your business. Here are some suggested categories for your mailing list:

• Vascular surgeons
• Orthopedists
• Orthopedic surgeons
• General surgeons
• Neurosurgeons
• Internal medicine physicians
• Cardiologists
• Physiatrists
• Physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians
• Physical therapists
• Occupational therapists
• Rehab centers
• Nursing homes
• Day care / interim health care
• Director of nursing – hospitals
• Discharge planners / social workers – hospitals
• Case managers
• Third party payers
• Insurance companies
• Private rehab and therapy companies
• Pediatricians
• Director, Physical Therapy Department (Hospitals)
• Chief of Staff (Hospitals)
• Medicare representatives
• Workers' Comp. Representatives
• O&P schools
• Congressmen
• Banker
• Lawyers
• O&P national office

Many printing companies offer mailing services. Have your newsletter sent on a timely basis at least three times a year. A newsletter is one of the best direct marketing tools in the P&O field, although there are others. We will discuss those in upcoming blogs. Also, make sure you post your newsletters on your Website in a newsletter category. Some businesses have resorted to emailing their newsletters to save money, but it's hard to get the email addresses of many of the most important professional targets, and the chances are much slimmer of getting your newsletter read if it is received via email. You want your newsletter to be in the hands of the professionals for reading and for future referencing.

Wow! – The winter holiday season is upon us already. With everyone’s busy schedule and increased activities, there never seems like there is enough time to get it all done.

Traditionally, this is the time of year when many business owners and professionals put on their to-do list purchasing a gift for their customers and clients as an appreciation of their business or patronage.

Do you give gifts to your referral sources?

Over the years, we have worked with companies that give everything from small items with a logo to grand dinners to specialty food baskets. But a holiday gift does not have to be expensive, and in some markets, it is not appropriate to send anything too lavish. However, even a simple holiday greeting with a sincere thank you shows your referral source how much he or she is valued.

If you are planning on sending a gift, here are some ideas to consider:

• Package six coffee mugs with your logo, two pounds of coffee, and a box of shortbread cookies – great for an office group.

• Support a local business by purchasing a favorite specialty like BBQ sauce, chocolates, nuts, or other treat. Send with a handwritten note with best wishes for the coming year.

• Make a donation to a local charity on behalf of your referral sources; send a card with holiday wishes and notification of the donation.

• Produce a calendar with images of your successful patients (or obtain photos from manufacturers). The calendar will be hung at nurses’ stations and PT gait training areas year-round. You can have extras at your reception desk for patients.

• Fill a candy jar embossed with your logo. This also is an opportunity for you to provide refills throughout the year.

• Send a personal hand-written note to a physician wishing them the best for 2010 at no cost but your time.

While the current economy may make it tempting to not do anything for your referral sources, holiday gifting is a way to say thank you for the people who help your business grow.

Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and may the New Year be a great one for you!

Make your day matter!

 
Patty Johnson

 

P.S. – Patients like to be appreciated too. Create a festive office atmosphere with warm cider and cookies. Ask patients to register to win local movie passes or dinner gift certificates.

 

Recently, I completed several home improvement projects. They became more stressful than anticipated, and there were periods of facing the "unknown." After my projects were completed and the contractors were gone, I realized no one left me any information about how to care for my new countertop or provided me with warranty information for my new carpeting.

While I could call the contractor for a follow-up, the fact that it was up to me to take this extra step after I had already spent a fair amount of money, well, I found it irritating, and it affected my overall experience.

The same can be applied to patients of P&O firms. Are you remembering to include customer service beyond the examining room?

Much like my experience with remodeling “unknowns,” your new patients typically have no insight about what the fitting experience entails. To help make the process easier for them, and to create a good impression about your practice, here are some ideas to consider:

Education – Arguably one of the most important parts of the first visit is education. Patients will be nervous and may not remember everything they are told, so create a packet of information they can take to read in the comfort of their own home. Include brochures about your practice, information about the various appointments that will take place, a wearing schedule, skin care, care of the device, and more.

Contact Information – Don’t count on a patient automatically taking a business card off the reception desk. Hand one to your patient personally, or make sure the receptionist does it upon check-in. A business card can help the patient remember your name and the name of your company. It also provides reassurance that if there is a problem, you can be reached.

Manners – Have an in-service with your staff so they are aware that everything they do or say, the patient takes away with them. That includes a cheery and patient phone manner to a “good-bye, thank you for coming,” when they exit the front door. Make them comfortable, show them you care, and they will be more likely to maintain their prosthetic relationship with you.

This is a topic I plan on revisiting. I think it is a very important marketing practice. I hope readers will send me their ideas that have worked. Also, if there are topics you’d like to see covered, please comment or feel free to e-mail me at patty@rspr.com.

Make your day matter!

Patty Johnson