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Give clients a compelling reason to come in.
“There has to be a strong value or benefit for the client,” Wasche says. “This can involve some kind of perk or something clients can’t get at any other time of the year. It can also be a special service bundle or a discount to encour- age clients to take advantage of a service bundle or package. “You can also provide some type of information or education that will make them a better pet guardian,” Wasche adds. Additionally, do not overlook the entertainment factor. “A few years ago, one of my clients
“The practices that are most successful at generating additional traffic or revenue are those that know who their clients are, what their competition is up to and how they fit in.”
— Linda Wasche, MBA, MA
brought in a pet psychic. Now, you might think, ‘Oh, my gosh, that’s really out there,’ but 3 years later, when I interview their clients, they’re still talking about that psychic.” The bottom line is that “sometimes,
value to our clients may not be what we might think would be value,” she says.
Create a sense of urgency.
“Many veterinarians send out remind-
ers to encourage clients to come in during the early winter months,” Wasche notes. “They say, ‘Don’t forget to get Fluffy’s wellness exam.’ “Now, that’s not going to get me run- ning to the phone. “However, creating a sense of urgency
will,” she says. “There has to be a clear time limit to encourage clients to ‘act now.’”
Make it easy. “I have nine pets, and I just got a
reminder to come in for vaccines. The notice said to come in anytime before 6 p.m. Well, that doesn’t work for me.” Wasche says that making it easy for
clients means seriously looking at your hours and location.
“Some veterinarians conduct clinics
at pet supply stores. Others are making house calls. Are you doing everything you can to make it easy for clients to act on your offer?”
Use many communica- tion channels.
“Never assume the client ‘got the
memo,’” Wasche cautions. “Many prac- tices fall into the trap of sending out a single mailing, and they’re surprised when the client says, ‘Doctor, I never saw that.’ “That’s because we’re all bombarded
by messages, and we’ve got to be reminded over and over again.” Wasche suggests leveraging multiple
channels to break through the clutter. “Use a combination of media, such as email, client statements, social media, e-newsletters, on-hold messages, the walls of your waiting room and a local press release. Look at every way you can reach out and remind clients about your offer. Once is not enough.”
Set goals and measure performance.
“Before you launch your program,”
Wasche says, “ask yourself ‘What exactly do we want to get out of this? What would represent success for us? How will we be able to measure that?’” Then, make sure you measure it.
Get to know your clients better.
“Most people think marketing is all
about talking, about getting your name out in front of people,” Wasche explains. “Marketing is also all about listening. Use this extra time to listen to clients to learn what they like about your practice and how you could better serve their needs. Hands down, there’s no better way to spend your time.
Trends magazine, November/December 2010
©
iStockphoto.com/Andy Cook
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