Publicity Hound Hillary Davis asks:
“I would like to help get publicity for my friend who has an MRI (Xray) business. But the only way publicity would work is if it is targeted specifically to doctors, since it is doctors that send patients into his MRI office. I’d be grateful for any ideas from your Hounds. Any is there a way to target pediatric doctors, or emergency doctors, or lawyers?
Try this one: invite a prominent physician(or several if it is cost effective) to come and actually try out your MRI service for free. This event could actually be part of an open house. It would definitely warrant a news release with the physicians positive comments about your service skills and comfort levels. Better yet, instead of a physician, invite a prominent reporter who will write up a story about the experience.
Good luck.
Several of my doctors and the place where I take blood tests have TV in their waiting rooms showing medical topics. Find out who distributes those for your specialty. And you can buy ads in AMA journals.
Hillary,
One market that your friend may wish to focus on is physicians and community hospitals that are in the vicinity of University Hospitals. It is generally more difficult for them to compete with the University Hospital, and ever more so in specialized high-dollar diagnostics. Targeting physicians and clinics in outlying areas and those with no ties to the University Hospitals may prove beneficial.
Another market that has really not been tapped by radiology, particularly MRI, is the US Department of Veterans Affairs. While many VA Medical Centers, and even some community-based clinics have x-ray and CT capabilities, they may lack access to MRI. These services are often contracted out as fee-basis work.
Best wishes and warm regards,
Roy
This would definitely be a new angle for holiday safety news articles! Turkey wing bones at Thanksgiving, skiing accidents over Christmas, a champagne cork injury at New Years – perhaps you could get doctors to talk about the weirdest/oddest/most holiday-specific x-rays they have taken and tie it in to holiday safety? Having made the mistake of opening a bottle of bubbly inside a car to celebrate New Year’s Eve, I can tell you both the doctors and the windshield repair guy were amused by my ignorance of pressurised beverages. Live and learn!
Sponsor a half-day professional seminar (at your friend’s MRI office, if there’s space) for the target physicians, on new/expanded ways to use MRI testing in their practices, and offering them professional continuing-education credit for their participation.
Send well-designed announcements/invitations, with an easy-to-use registration procedure. At the seminar itself, give participants good “take-aways” — a pocket card with a chart to help them interpret MRI results, or wall charts to post in their examining rooms to educate patients, or such. (Of course, the name of the MRI service will be included on every piece!)
Physicians need to be alert constantly to keep their skills current. They’ll appreciate your helping them, and it’ll bring the MRI service much higher on their radar.
Work with a medical association in your community, i.e. the County Medical Physicians Association, or whatever, and put together an annual “Physician of the Year” Award. (You could also do a Pediatrian of the Yr. Award). Then send out a mailing inviting physicians in your community to nominate a colleague they feel deserves this award. Once you have a recipient, hold a lunch or dinner for this physician to honor him or her, of course, inviting all physicians in your community to this function. At that lunch or dinner, your MRI X-Ray friend is going to have a captive audience of physicians as possible referrals of their patients to his business for MRI services.
Dale W. Hutchings, APR, PR, MARKETING & ADV., St. Petersburg, FL
Compile a list of local medical practices and hospital-affiliated physicians to target for referrals. Schedule visits and provide an overview of your imaging center and related services. Enumerate benefits to referrers and patients.
Ask patients to fill out feedback forms to help you choose persuasive testimonials to pitch an editor and pique their curiosity (with patient’s permission, of course). Example: “How an MRI Center helped me deal with my fears of claustrophobia.”
Pitch stories to local news outlets to run a story that ties in your MRI, such as, “How to help people overcome their fear of claustrophobia.”
Invite reporters to your facility for a tour and a demonstration of any new technologies.
Write an article, column or Q&A for your community newspaper on the different aspects of radiology.
Speak at local chamber of commerce meetings, medical societies, etc.
Don’t forget to target newsletters that are published by hospitals and large physician practices. My daughter’s pediatrician, for instance, publishes a 16 page quarterly newsletter and usually runs freelanced articles about various aspects of medical care. An informational piece on MRI technology would be a natural fit.
Also consider using a customer sat survey at the clinic. Recently, I had a colonoscopy done and was sent a survey by the clinic. The last question asked if I would recommend the clinic to friends and if so, to whom. Smart move. We Boomers do like to have more say in where and how we receive health care. Most doctors refer patients to multiple clinics for procedures and tests. Might as well make your clinic the one that becomes preferred through patient buzz.
By the way, my accident-prone family has had many X-rays and MRIs. A few years ago I had a great experience at one and after that I always asked the doctor to refer me to that particular clinic, which he did. So, find ways to target the secondary customers – patients – when putting together your plan.
If you have something that is unique about your office, use it to stand out and make sure to get the info out regularly.
I had an MRI done last year and I knew I could not handle the standard tube because of mild clausterphoia. My doctor was aware of only two offices that had the “wide open” format (this is a clam shaped machine for those of you who are not aware).
This was great except at first he couldn’t find the right information. I ended up with a copy of a copy of a brochure. My point is, visit or mail something frequently. I almost didn’t get the referral because he couldn’t find the info.
I also think it would be smart to promote to potential patients too. I see medical offices in the local paper, or sponsoring school programs, chamber events etc. I think it is smart to let the general public know you are there so that they can ask to be sent your facility when the need arises.
Good luck.
A lot of medical centers are sending patients to outpatient imaging centers. So you can market straight to the patient now.