Since we are new to the blogosphere, I would like to begin with a tour of the existing practice development resources available at the Bekhor Management website:
The Trusted Website Designer explores the risk a professional practice frees themselves from when working with the trusted website designer.
Plagiarism
Black hat methodology
Copyright infringements
The mysterious nature of Search Engine
Optimization strategies (SEO)
1. Keywords. Identifying the right keywords for your website is the first challenge…The second challenge is to use these keywords in website content including copywriting and HTML code…2. Back links. Search engines rank your website according to the number of high quality inbound links…
Most websites are built without a marketing strategy and for that reason they often deliver disappointing results. Once you have defined your objectives for your website, take the time to consider exploring how you will achieve them. What do you want your prospective client or patient to do when they arrive at your website? In order to arrive at that action what would they need to learn about your unique ability to solve a problem for them? How can you communicate this information through graphics, copywriting and technology in a manner that effectively influences choice?
DIRECT MARKETING
Successful Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns outlines the various decisions that need to be made in order to plan for a direct mail campaign. Particular emphasis is placed on the steps that tend to get overlooked and can have serious consequences in terms of results.
1. Define your objectives…
2. Project your Return On Investment (ROI)…
3. Identify your target market…
4. Select a vehicle…
5. Determine the contents of your mailer…
6. Develop the contents of your mailer…
7. Develop a follow up strategy…
Marketing the Professional Practice is a brief overview of the process to develop a marketing plan. The key message being that identifying practice development goals and budget before making spur of the moment marketing decisions you will be in a position to maximize the return on your promotional dollar.
1. Identify your practice development goals: Your goals should address financial growth, strategic direction and lifestyle requirements.
2. Establish a budget: Rather than making decisions about marketing your practice as opportunities present themselves, consider the full gamut of relevant marketing vehicles at once. Identify the ones that fulfill your practice development goals while also offering the lowest cost and highest benefit ratio…
3. Develop a communication strategy: Employ key messages, copywriting and design to leverage your unique strength and deliver meaningful content to your prospective client, or patient.
4. Measure results…
As short as 20 years ago brands did not have the implication to professionals that they do today. What was the impetus for this sea change? Quite simply, it was the Internet. The Internet, nearly overnight, leveled the playing field such that with a website anyone can advertise. Hand in hand with this new opportunity however came a new responsibility, the development of a brand image and a brand identity…
It then soon became clear that although the barriers to entry to develop a website were low, the ‘default’ brand did not accelerate practice development. In order to make the impact they desired their brand would have to be carefully thought through, designed and developed. It would need to be able to communicate messages consistent with the experiences clients and patients would otherwise have with the practice…
A business and marketing consultant is essentially a facilitator that brings an objective point of view as well as business and marketing acumen to your practice development process…1. Translating your vision into specific, tailored business and marketing initiatives2. Prioritizing focus on the most relevant segments of your market…3. Identifying and building on the authentic point of difference of the practice…4. Communicating a message that is based on your core competencies…5. Selecting the marketing vehicles expected to deliver the highest return on your investment
I have been through this process both as a consultant and a participant and know firsthand that the value of the resulting strategies and actions depends on how honest and thoughtful the discussions were. Scratching the surface of business issues and opportunities will generate a generic plan limited in value. As well, less than honest discussions will result in a plan that is met with hesitation and is challenging to implement…
Executive summary…
Human resources…Business environment…Marketing…Operations…Finance…
Risks & conclusion…
Leave a Reply