What’s your target demographic? Who exactly are you trying to reach? If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a million times.
Me: Doctor, who’s your ideal patient?
Doctor: Woman, mid-40s, has insurance.
Me (alarm bells going off): Hmmm, okay.
(two months later)
Me: Hey Doc, how’s it going?
Doctor: Why aren’t my ads working? I need more patients!
Here’s the thing: back in the day, it was ‘ok’ to lump your perfect patient into broad sweeping categories because nobody actually had any idea if all those ads and strategies were working.
Nowadays, things are different.
The Brave New World of Patient-Targeted Digital Advertising
Between Google AdWords and Facebook Advertising, we can tell what your patient is searching for online, their marital status, where they work, and if they have children. What’s more (and a bit scary) is that we also know:
- what size their computer is
- what operating system they are using
- what they do in their free time, and
- who their friends are
What does all this data mean to you and how is it relevant to marketing your practice? Well, it shows that you need to have a better understanding of your patient right out of the gate, as-in before you spend all that money willy-nilly on stuff that probably won’t work anyway. 
In today’s digital marketing world, we know exactly what works and how much it takes to attract and retain that coveted new patient.
Meet Your Ideal Patient
Her name is Sally. She’s 42-years old, divorced, and has two kids who are very active in sports. Sally is a hygienist at the dental office down the street. She’s on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat (because her kids are). She reads BuzzFeed (because she has no time – this is her pain point) and she loves the Back to the Future movies. She’s got Humana insurance (how do we know? Because that’s what her employer offers).
What kind of messages will Sally likely respond to?
- Save Time, Save Money – see a doctor today, no appointment necessary
- Look and Feel Your Best
- Stunning and impactful images and not a lot of words (because she reads and absorbs her news in chunks, not long-form)
- Be the Best Mom You Can Be
Get the picture?
Design the Message that Converts
Now that you know Sally (and her pain points), you can craft the perfect marketing message to her, one that will have the best chance of conversion.
Here’s the thing: Sally isn’t your only patient. There’s also Josh (20-something and single), Bill (an accountant, married with four kids) and Monica (a new mom and a full-time student). And don’t forget about their parents, grandparents, and extended families.
The point is that each persona you identify creates the opportunity for you to craft specific messages to meet their needs and address their unique pain points. This is how you attract the ideal patient with exactly the right message for your practice.
