Back in 2016, our Client Services Director Jeremy Allen wrote a blog offering some top tips for both attracting and retaining patients and the different challenges a clinic faces in this area. 3 years later and the question is still a burning topic in the MSK and Wellbeing industries, is word of mouth still the best way? How do you grow your business without spending thousands on marketing? Does technology play a bigger role now than in 2016? Has your clinic moved with the times and encompassed a social media and digital strategy?

The truth is, things have moved on since 2016, our practice management system has evolved to encompass the needs of your patient and your practice should have too. We’ll be splitting this series into two blogs; attracting patients and retaining clients. Let’s take a look at some of the key tools and tips your clinic can use for attracting clients in today’s market:

1. Online:

Previously, customer service was the number one factor when attracting new clients to your clinic however, in today’s digital era - where we spend so much time on our phones and laptops - patients like to be able to simply go online and book an appointment as and when required. With that said, customer experience now plays a role earlier in your customer journey than before however we’ll touch on that in the next point and the next blog.

There are a number of factors which contribute to your success online which include things such as:
• Search Engine Visibility
• Website User Experience
• Website Reviews or Case Studies
• Online Bookings
• Social Media Presence
• Quality of Content

If you’d like to know more about any of these topics, our marketing department would be happy to help you out. Drop Campbell a message on LinkedIn.

2. Patient Engagement:

Technology has come a long way in the last 3 years, and you may have heard of many brands and retail stores adapting to an omni-channel strategy, essentially meaning they have a touch point with customers across every channel before they enter a store.

With the evolution of online, it means patient experience now plays a much more important role at an earlier stage than before. From the moment a patient places a booking online, your practice management system should allow you to send out patient registration forms by SMS or email, you should be able to add them to lists for email updates and your communication tools to provide them with pre-appointment information about your clinic and their needs. Essentially creating an MSK omni-channel approach.

All of this will make them feel familiar when entering the clinic of the first time, increasing chances of a return visit and it’s the most effective way to create advocates, which we’ll discuss in part two of this series on retention.

3. Pronto:

At TM3, we are more than just a practice management system, we are proud to have built the Pronto network.

Pronto allows you to begin working with new patients via referrals without the hassle of doing it manually. It links with your diary and allows patients to book right in using the pronto portal. Gives your practice the same footing and scale as much larger clinics, it also means you have an additional revenue stream without spending money on advertising – a no brainer.

If you would like to know more about your digital presence, how to improve patient engagement or how your clinic can get on the Pronto network to receive referrals, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team. Remember to keep an eye out for part two of the series on retaining clients once you’ve acquired them!