Marketing for Health Practitioners
Mistake 2 of 7: Producing a Brochure
A brochure seems to be one of the first things any health practitioner thinks of when thinking marketing. Depending on the financial situation, a $1,000 high gloss brochure is produced, or a do-it- yourself which is copied on coloured paper.
Both approaches are big mistakes and cost you time, money and clients.
The cheap home-made brochure is actively damaging your business. You are a professional with trained skills. Do not devalue them with below standard marketing material. Today, professional graphic designers and printing has become cheap enough to warrant the expense. Just compare it to the investment you have made into your education.
What is Marketing?
The first thing to get clear is that marketing is about building relationships with your clients and starts long before any advertising is done.
Your target market, their problem and your solution are the basis. The better defined these are, the more quickly will you get to know your target market, and the better you know your target market, the more quickly will you be able to define these elements.
There is no better way to getting to know your target market than through networking (see mistake 4).
The Critical Elements in Marketing
The headline (or title) is said to account for 70-80% of the success of a marketing tool. Treat it like that and spend sufficient time to get it right. Write multiple headlines over a few days and test the best ones with friends or even some of your clients to find what is most successful. The better it resonates with your target market's problem, the better it works.
Rather than listing features, show the benefits. Features are what you do, benefits are the positive outcomes for your clients.
Testimonials are stories which add credibility by others telling them for you. It is best to interview your clients (or just take note of what they say), write it into a suitable form and ask for their permission to use it.
Give a great guarantee to reduce the risk for your clients. Services cannot be tested before buying. A guarantee substitutes that. And if you ever get someone taking you up on it, use that as a learning opportunity to improve your service. There are very few free-loaders who just do something to get the money back.
Offers have to be in line with the value of your service. Think carefully (and test) what your market really values. It is the perceived value that draws people, not the monetary value. So use this to show your appreciation. And think of ideas, other than discounting.
Always finish all of your marketing materials with a clear call to action. This does not have to be the purchase. Instead it could be the next step in building a trusting relationship.
Include your contact details!
The Most Effective Tools
A business card that includes the above elements is your most important marketing tool. People want to be treated by people they trust. After meeting you personally or through a referral, the business card can act as a reminder to act on the good personal impression.
Vouchers that are linked in with a business partner, so that you ride on the trust that exists between the business and their clients.
A website is cheap to produce and flexible to test different approaches.
In any case, it is essential to plan what marketing tools you will use over the course of 12 months and plan your budget accordingly.
The most effective marketing is through building the relationship with existing clients and referrals. So your marketing tools should support those efforts first, before trying to reach total strangers.
Best regards
Alexander Kohl
Already posted:
Mistake 1: Being a Jack of All Trades
Still to come:
Mistake 3: Neglecting Your Current Clients
Mistake 4: Hiding at Home
Mistake 5: Failing to Plan
Mistake 6: Working Without Financial Stability
Mistake 7: Doing it Alone
A brochure seems to be one of the first things any health practitioner thinks of when thinking marketing. Depending on the financial situation, a $1,000 high gloss brochure is produced, or a do-it- yourself which is copied on coloured paper.
Both approaches are big mistakes and cost you time, money and clients.
The cheap home-made brochure is actively damaging your business. You are a professional with trained skills. Do not devalue them with below standard marketing material. Today, professional graphic designers and printing has become cheap enough to warrant the expense. Just compare it to the investment you have made into your education.
What is Marketing?
The first thing to get clear is that marketing is about building relationships with your clients and starts long before any advertising is done.
Your target market, their problem and your solution are the basis. The better defined these are, the more quickly will you get to know your target market, and the better you know your target market, the more quickly will you be able to define these elements.
There is no better way to getting to know your target market than through networking (see mistake 4).
The Critical Elements in Marketing
The headline (or title) is said to account for 70-80% of the success of a marketing tool. Treat it like that and spend sufficient time to get it right. Write multiple headlines over a few days and test the best ones with friends or even some of your clients to find what is most successful. The better it resonates with your target market's problem, the better it works.
Rather than listing features, show the benefits. Features are what you do, benefits are the positive outcomes for your clients.
Testimonials are stories which add credibility by others telling them for you. It is best to interview your clients (or just take note of what they say), write it into a suitable form and ask for their permission to use it.
Give a great guarantee to reduce the risk for your clients. Services cannot be tested before buying. A guarantee substitutes that. And if you ever get someone taking you up on it, use that as a learning opportunity to improve your service. There are very few free-loaders who just do something to get the money back.
Offers have to be in line with the value of your service. Think carefully (and test) what your market really values. It is the perceived value that draws people, not the monetary value. So use this to show your appreciation. And think of ideas, other than discounting.
Always finish all of your marketing materials with a clear call to action. This does not have to be the purchase. Instead it could be the next step in building a trusting relationship.
Include your contact details!
The Most Effective Tools
A business card that includes the above elements is your most important marketing tool. People want to be treated by people they trust. After meeting you personally or through a referral, the business card can act as a reminder to act on the good personal impression.
Vouchers that are linked in with a business partner, so that you ride on the trust that exists between the business and their clients.
A website is cheap to produce and flexible to test different approaches.
In any case, it is essential to plan what marketing tools you will use over the course of 12 months and plan your budget accordingly.
The most effective marketing is through building the relationship with existing clients and referrals. So your marketing tools should support those efforts first, before trying to reach total strangers.
Best regards
Alexander Kohl
Already posted:
Mistake 1: Being a Jack of All Trades
Still to come:
Mistake 3: Neglecting Your Current Clients
Mistake 4: Hiding at Home
Mistake 5: Failing to Plan
Mistake 6: Working Without Financial Stability
Mistake 7: Doing it Alone
Mistake 2 of 7: Producing a Brochure
A brochure seems to be one of the first things any health practitioner thinks of when thinking marketing. Depending on the financial situation, a $1,000 high gloss brochure is produced, or a do-it- yourself which is copied on coloured paper.
Both approaches are big mistakes and cost you time, money and clients.
The cheap home-made brochure is actively damaging your business. You are a professional with trained skills. Do not devalue them with below standard marketing material. Today, professional graphic designers and printing has become cheap enough to warrant the expense. Just compare it to the investment you have made into your education.
What is Marketing?
The first thing to get clear is that marketing is about building relationships with your clients and starts long before any advertising is done.
Your target market, their problem and your solution are the basis. The better defined these are, the more quickly will you get to know your target market, and the better you know your target market, the more quickly will you be able to define these elements.
There is no better way to getting to know your target market than through networking (see mistake 4).
The Critical Elements in Marketing
The headline (or title) is said to account for 70-80% of the success of a marketing tool. Treat it like that and spend sufficient time to get it right. Write multiple headlines over a few days and test the best ones with friends or even some of your clients to find what is most successful. The better it resonates with your target market's problem, the better it works.
Rather than listing features, show the benefits. Features are what you do, benefits are the positive outcomes for your clients.
Testimonials are stories which add credibility by others telling them for you. It is best to interview your clients (or just take note of what they say), write it into a suitable form and ask for their permission to use it.
Give a great guarantee to reduce the risk for your clients. Services cannot be tested before buying. A guarantee substitutes that. And if you ever get someone taking you up on it, use that as a learning opportunity to improve your service. There are very few free-loaders who just do something to get the money back.
Offers have to be in line with the value of your service. Think carefully (and test) what your market really values. It is the perceived value that draws people, not the monetary value. So use this to show your appreciation. And think of ideas, other than discounting.
Always finish all of your marketing materials with a clear call to action. This does not have to be the purchase. Instead it could be the next step in building a trusting relationship.
Include your contact details!
The Most Effective Tools
A business card that includes the above elements is your most important marketing tool. People want to be treated by people they trust. After meeting you personally or through a referral, the business card can act as a reminder to act on the good personal impression.
Vouchers that are linked in with a business partner, so that you ride on the trust that exists between the business and their clients.
A website is cheap to produce and flexible to test different approaches.
In any case, it is essential to plan what marketing tools you will use over the course of 12 months and plan your budget accordingly.
The most effective marketing is through building the relationship with existing clients and referrals. So your marketing tools should support those efforts first, before trying to reach total strangers.
Best regards
Alexander Kohl
Already posted:
Mistake 1: Being a Jack of All Trades
Still to come:
Mistake 3: Neglecting Your Current Clients
Mistake 4: Hiding at Home
Mistake 5: Failing to Plan
Mistake 6: Working Without Financial Stability
Mistake 7: Doing it Alone
A brochure seems to be one of the first things any health practitioner thinks of when thinking marketing. Depending on the financial situation, a $1,000 high gloss brochure is produced, or a do-it- yourself which is copied on coloured paper.
Both approaches are big mistakes and cost you time, money and clients.
The cheap home-made brochure is actively damaging your business. You are a professional with trained skills. Do not devalue them with below standard marketing material. Today, professional graphic designers and printing has become cheap enough to warrant the expense. Just compare it to the investment you have made into your education.
What is Marketing?
The first thing to get clear is that marketing is about building relationships with your clients and starts long before any advertising is done.
Your target market, their problem and your solution are the basis. The better defined these are, the more quickly will you get to know your target market, and the better you know your target market, the more quickly will you be able to define these elements.
There is no better way to getting to know your target market than through networking (see mistake 4).
The Critical Elements in Marketing
The headline (or title) is said to account for 70-80% of the success of a marketing tool. Treat it like that and spend sufficient time to get it right. Write multiple headlines over a few days and test the best ones with friends or even some of your clients to find what is most successful. The better it resonates with your target market's problem, the better it works.
Rather than listing features, show the benefits. Features are what you do, benefits are the positive outcomes for your clients.
Testimonials are stories which add credibility by others telling them for you. It is best to interview your clients (or just take note of what they say), write it into a suitable form and ask for their permission to use it.
Give a great guarantee to reduce the risk for your clients. Services cannot be tested before buying. A guarantee substitutes that. And if you ever get someone taking you up on it, use that as a learning opportunity to improve your service. There are very few free-loaders who just do something to get the money back.
Offers have to be in line with the value of your service. Think carefully (and test) what your market really values. It is the perceived value that draws people, not the monetary value. So use this to show your appreciation. And think of ideas, other than discounting.
Always finish all of your marketing materials with a clear call to action. This does not have to be the purchase. Instead it could be the next step in building a trusting relationship.
Include your contact details!
The Most Effective Tools
A business card that includes the above elements is your most important marketing tool. People want to be treated by people they trust. After meeting you personally or through a referral, the business card can act as a reminder to act on the good personal impression.
Vouchers that are linked in with a business partner, so that you ride on the trust that exists between the business and their clients.
A website is cheap to produce and flexible to test different approaches.
In any case, it is essential to plan what marketing tools you will use over the course of 12 months and plan your budget accordingly.
The most effective marketing is through building the relationship with existing clients and referrals. So your marketing tools should support those efforts first, before trying to reach total strangers.
Best regards
Alexander Kohl
Already posted:
Mistake 1: Being a Jack of All Trades
Still to come:
Mistake 3: Neglecting Your Current Clients
Mistake 4: Hiding at Home
Mistake 5: Failing to Plan
Mistake 6: Working Without Financial Stability
Mistake 7: Doing it Alone
posted by zzzzzzzzzzz at
10:38 PM
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