Practice Marketing

All practices have slow times. I'm not just talking about the recession, I'm talking about the months during the year when patients don't knock down your door. Generally those times are July and August, and Thanksgiving through the 15th of January. Many people think that this is a great time to advertise because you need patients to fill the spaces. But the reality is, this is the worst time to advertise.

I liken it to selling snow tires to people in Arizona in the summer. They just don't have the propensity to buy. After all it barely ever snows in most of Arizona, so why would they buy. However if you sell those same snow tires to people in buffalo in november you'll find a ready market. Marketing your services is the same. You must sell when people have a propensity to buy, and not when they dont.

So the questions is when do you market? The answer: when you are busiest. That's the time when people want your services. I know it sounds crazy, but my grandfather always said you make hay while the sun shines and thats only way to do it. Use the summer and winter to plan your next steps and get ready for the busy times that are to come. The recession will end and we will get back to a normal routine, so dont put your head in the sand or try to advertise like heck because your slow now. Relax and only advertise when the time is right.

Labels: marketing in slow times