It Takes a Team
To Market a Practice
By Ann Maloley, MBA
The responsibility of generating business for a physician practice commonly falls on the shoulders of the marketing team. As marketers we accept that responsibility but also recognize that it’s not our job to do alone. We know that others within the practice play an important role in the process, and ultimately the outcome.
For some practice staff, the challenge may be getting them on board, and for others with a willingness to get on board, it may be just that they don’t clearly see their role. Then, for all of them, after we get them on board we have to figure out how to keep them engaged and focused.
It’s human nature to push back on something we don’t agree with or understand. Getting someone engaged early in the process can help avoid that reaction. To put this in context, the first step in establishing a team dynamic to support a practice marketing campaign is to bring office management, clinicians and support staff into the loop at the onset – at the development phase.
Teamwork gives your
practice
a competitive advantage
over other practices.
Patrick Lencioni,
founder and president of
The Table Group, Inc.,
speaking at an MGMA annual meeting
Get buy-in early in the process by asking for input. Seek their perspective on the brand, on market and organizational factors and on other considerations that may influence your marketing strategy. The idea is that by giving them a role in the early stages gives them ownership in the process.
Most likely the information they provide will come from a clinical or operational viewpoint. You’ll need it to have relevance to your marketing efforts, which might take some finessing. But the point is that the outcome of this exchange of information will help establish the plan’s growth objectives - objectives that come together as a result of everyone’s input.
Continue the dialogue with the practice staff by testing elements of the plan with them. This is a crucial point in engaging them as a team. If they can agree on the objectives, the strategic approach and the measures of success they will be willing to help you get there. But they’ll need you to tell them how. Map out an action plan that includes tactics that they can be accountable for. Make sure the tactics are in line with their expertise so that the items they’re responsible for feel like an extension of their current job, not just more work. And help them see how their piece fits into the big picture and overall success of the effort.
When it comes to developing the creative elements of the plan – the logo, radio script, the ad copy, the brochure layout – we know how others love to give input. And we know how dangerous that can be! So, this is one piece you’ll want to manage. But keeping with the team approach, when you get your creative work to the place that you know it will be effective, share it. Share it within the context of clear, sound strategic rationale. The objective to this effort is giving your internal team a “sneak peek” at the campaign before it rolls out externally. I’ve seen how this can create some of the best ambassadors for your brand and generate great buzz in the market.
Then, as the plan continues to unfold bring the group together to assess progress and agree on adjustments, if necessary. And be sure everyone is still committed to the goals. And don’t forget to celebrate each milestone, as a team.
Stay with this process. There may be times when it seems simpler, quicker to do it on your own, but resist the temptation. The payoff will be a practice marketing campaign that is backed by a team that believes in it and is committed to its success.
