Getting you name out there without social media
Guest Article by Symposium Presenter W. Marshall Guy, MD, Dr. Guy Facial Plastic Surgery
Social media can certainly be a great way of getting your name out to potential clients. It can be quite cost effective in generating interest in your practice as well as a way to show off your personality. But long before social media, doctors still were able to get their name out after hanging up their shingle.
When first starting, most do not have deep pockets and the ability to spend a lot on marketing. Marketing is the life blood for new clients, so how can you get around this early on? Since most new practices don’t have patients banging down the door to get in, what you do have is an abundance of time. This makes the perfect opportunity to get to know your community, and let your community know you. Contrary to the popular saying “it’s all about who you know,” I would counter that success is based on “who knows you.”
A great way to meet the community is joining a local hospital physician group. Not only does this help you get higher reimbursement from their negotiated insurance rates, but it provides a point of contact for new referrals to your practice. If the hospital has a doctor liaison, frequently he or she can even facilitate the introductions with those who would be referring to you.
Another way to get your name out there is taking facial trauma call. It may not be your passion, but it is quite impressive when you can take a major trauma patient and put him or her back together. And the other people who see how well you work on trauma will likely be even more impressed with what you can do with a planned cosmetic surgery.
Operating in the community is another great way to market yourself. Finding operative time may not always be easy, and it may be quite convenient to have your own operating room, but then no one other than your staff gets to see your work. That is why early on it is important to operate throughout the community. Eventually you will settle on a facility that suits your needs and gives you blocked time, but in the early going any new OR staff you meet is a potential new referral source.
Beyond the medical community, giving back to your community with your time goes a long way. There are many amazing volunteer groups out there for any cause you think of. Find out which ones have meetings that are congruent with your schedule and have causes you want to support. In addition to helping the community, it is a great way to meet others with similar interests.
As you can see there are various opportunities when you first start out to build a good reputation without having to break the bank. Appreciate the downtime in the beginning and utilize it to create a strong foundation for driving future growth. For those who do love social media, all of these community meetings also provide you with ample opportunity to make those posts you desire.
