As a medical professional, you want to help as many people as possible. As a business owner, you also need a steady influx of new patients to generate adequate revenue. That’s why it’s important to consider ways to market your practice to prospective new patients. If you’re looking to fill the schedule at your medical office, here are four tips.

Try to look at your website as objectively as possible, and make adjustments or updates where needed. Does your homepage clearly state what you do, where your areas of expertise lie? Is your location and contact information readily available? Is it easy to make an appointment with you online? Is your website mobile friendly?

All of these things will contribute to a better user experience on your website. Not only will it make a strong first impression on prospective new patients, but it’ll make it easy for them to book an appointment at your office and convert into an actual patient.

It’s also a good idea to consider starting a blog that you update regularly. It’ll help you be viewed as an expert in your field, and, by using the right keywords and SEO practices, you can boost your search-engine rankings. That way, you’ll be more likely to show up when someone searches “urgent care [city],” “OBGYN [city],” or whatever your specialization may be.

If you refer patients to other doctors, they’re more likely to think of you in the future when they need to make a referral to someone with your specialty. When another doctor does make a referral to you, be sure to nurture that relationship. Thank them personally, and keep them in the loop with updates on that patient. That way, they’re more likely to continue to refer patients to you in the future.

You should also use your existing patients as the powerful referral sources they are. When someone is looking for a new doctor or specialist, they’re far more likely to go to one recommended to them by a friend, family member, or colleague. Encourage this word of mouth as much as you can. Even a simple sign-in your lobby that says, “We love patient referrals” could plant the seed in the minds of your patients.

This is the easiest and cheapest way to maintain and grow your practice. The key to retention is to strive to provide excellent service. Make sure your employees are well-trained, friendly, and helpful from the start of the visit to the end. Make sure your scheduling is done carefully, so you can provide the best care and spend enough time with each patient.

After the visit, make sure to follow up to show you care. Ensure that your patients know your staff is available if they have questions about their care plan, too. This type of exemplary service will make patients far more likely to come back to you next time. It will also make them more likely to share their experience with others, and help you get more word-of-mouth business.

At InnovateU, we provide consulting and management for all aspects of your practice. If you’re having trouble gaining or retaining patients, we can help! Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist you in improving the business side of your medical practice so you can focus on the medicine.