We were recently asked to consult with a medical group in Texas who needed help with their close rate. Our digital strategies were delivering a high volume of qualifed leads but the front-of-house staff were struggling to translate them into new patient bookings. We have a wealth of experience working with sales teams of both sole practitioners and national multi-clinic brands. In today’s digital world, medical practices must make the most of their online presence to attract new patients. With the prevalence of search engines and social media, potential patients are more likely to turn to the internet to search for healthcare providers. In most cases, these digital resources are the first touchpoints for patients, so optimizing these channels is crucial. However, bringing in new leads is only half the battle. Getting them to become confirmed appointments is where the real challenge lies. In this blog post, we’ll explore some tips for closing more digital new patient leads.
Personalize your communication
One of the key factors to closing more leads is to personalize your communication with them. It’s important to remember that these are real people looking for healthcare providers, and simply providing generic information won’t cut it. Personalizing your emails and messages can help build trust and establish a connection with potential patients. Ensure that your communication hits a balance between being professional and personable. It can help to collect specific pieces of data about the prospective patient ahead of your first conversation with them. Propsective patients will feel comfortable and seen. They will be much more likely to want a relationship with your treatment center if they feel like your services cater specifically to them.
Be responsive
It’s human nature to want immediate attention and customers in the healthcare industry are no exception. When you get a lead, you need to follow up quickly. The more leads you have the more difficult it can be to keep up with everything, come to a decision, and create effective content. Try to reply to all leads within 24 hours, and ensure that your communication is informative, professional, and, above all, timely. Set up an automated response system that acknowledges the receipt of new leads and notifies your team members to follow up accordingly.
Highlight your strengths
When communicating with potential patients, don’t assume they already know everything about your practice. Each of the messages you send must quickly and convincingly communicate one strong message about your practice that would make them want to book an appointment. Be sure your messaging highlights what makes you unique compared to your competitors. For example, do you specialize in a specific area of healthcare, or do you offer a unique service?
Create an excellent patient experience
From the initial consultation through appointment confirmation and the subsequent appointments, you have an opportunity to create a memorable experience for your patients. Providing a great experience helps to create long-term patient loyalty, and can often lead to positive referrals. Ensure that your front desk team is trained to be polite, helpful, and reassuring, and that your clinicians also provide an excellent experience for the patient.
Fine-tune your follow-up and touchpoints process
In most cases, new leads won’t convert to patients on their first point of contact. It takes time and multiple follow-ups for patients to make the decision to book an appointment. Remember earlier advice about remaining responsive – with a lengthy follow-up process, you’ll still need to remain at the front of mind for your potential patient. By creating personalized follow-up communication schedules and monitoring the engagement from each patient, you can capitalize on the leads that stand to bring you a larger return on investment.
In conclusion, generating new leads is one thing, but converting them to patients is another. By applying the five tips discussed in this blog post, you can improve your chances of successfully closing more of your digital new patient leads. Whether through personalized communication, a responsive approach, highlighting your strengths, or providing a great patient experience, it’s possible to turn those digital leads into lifelong patients. With the right approach, you can keep your new patient pipeline full and continue to grow your medical practice.
