Nearly as hot a topic was the introduction of Kybella and the new CoolSculpt attachment, both indicated to reduce submental fat. The buzz around the industry is palpable, which means the first mover group of patients will be foaming at the mouth to try out these new services. Putting aside whether your practice offers these or other cutting edges technologies, it is an annual regularity that a buzzworthy new offering hits the market. A small percentage of practices are ready, to capitalize and make millions while others watch the dollars fly by. Should you see a new service, product, or machine and you believe in the results, here are some tips on maximizing the launch and establishing yourself as a local or national leader.

  1. Send a dedicated, content-rich email blast from “the desk of the doctor.” Nearly every email blast we receive these days consists of a discount or special and very little else. We believe this erodes the brand, makes our brains numb to discounts, and doesn’t fulfill the consumer’s desire to learn, not simply save. When you introduce something new, consumers want education. Write a letter to them including tangible and clear information. Answer common questions to ensure they know what the product does, who is an ideal candidate, risks, and rewards. By doing so, and having it come from the voice of the doctor, you will see a greater response rate from interested patients. Consider sending a hard copy by regular mail – the belief that everything is digital is erroneous and we have seen many doctors get superb response rates from paper mailings in 2015.
  2. Submit Press Releases. Having your web team, PR team, or even an employee prepare a press release, then send it to appropriate news sources, like AP and many others, helps improve your website’s rank for the new service, plus may get picked up by local and national channels. While many in the medical industry believe high-ticket PR does not work, this is a step that costs little to nothing for your team. You can also send this press release as a 2nd email blast to your database announcing the new product, plus add it to your website for additional keyword-rich content. While going viral is a long shot, “news is news because it is new,” so if you genuinely are introducing something novel, or are among the first movers, newspapers, radio, tv, and other channels will show interest.
  3. Add the product or service to your website. We wish this were obvious, but we regularly see a practice offer lenses or frames they don’t list online, surgery or fillers missing from their website, and similar. Further, if you are investing more than $25,000 or so in any given machine, laser, product or service, strongly consider building a “microsite” dedicated solely to driving leads. Recently we have helped clients through our sister company – www.SEOversite.com, which offers complimentary as well as paid web assistance – to build microsites for hair transplantation, balloon sinuplasty, med spa services, and more.
  4. Consider Carefully Budgeted Pay-Per-Click Advertising. Poorly planned and poorly managed paid advertising through Google AdWords, Facebook, and other online vendors can be detrimental to profitability. With that said, if managed properly (contact us at guardian@seoversite.com for vetted referrals at no cost) pay-per-click advertising can be effective. With newer products and services price per click can be lower due to less competition bidding for those key terms in your area. Moreover, most people seeking services in the early stages of a product or service launch tend to be savvier, prepared, and serious. Many crave immediate results and to stay ahead of the curve. For these reasons, consider a small paid campaign to maximize results.
  5. Pop Up! Until the buzz about the newly introduced product or service dies down, consider adding a one-time pop-up to your website home page so all first-time visitors know you are offering it. It might have an image and something like “Dr. Smith is proud to be among the first in the nation to offer XYZ injections to reduce fat under the chin.” Additionally, having a simple postcard or trifold-sized brochures in-office that do not simply sit in the typical clear plastic holders, but are attached to sign-in paperwork so they “pop up” for every patient as they arrive in the office.

For more information and tips on maximizing your newest introduction, or to discuss your practice in general, contact us today at info@yellowtelescope.com.