Marketing/ Promoting a plastic surgeon's services?

Question

Our company is throwing an event where a major plastic surgeon's practice and services will be promoted. Are there any unique ideas on how we can effectively promote his services with class?

Answer 1

well there are lots of websites where you can promote your site and services, you can promote for free but if you want to get your website notice well you can also pay for it.

Free Classified Ads

ult-business-opportunities.com

cubicalpih.com

yourwebapps.com

dewagencies.com

divorceandwomen.com

Answer 2

Before doing any advertising/promotion/marketing, do a situation analysis. The answers will help you determine the plastic surgeon’s situation and whether it can be improved with mass communication.

1.Who is he?. Make a list of his strong points and weaknesses. Try to find out what his patients think of his practice. Put together a focus group. Use responses in advertising.

2.Is his practice set up to handle additional patients? He can expect an increase in patients over the duration of the campaign and he will require additional time to give his new patients the proper attention.  

Can he handle all the new patients, or will he have to get additional professional help?

Can he expand his practice with his present facilities?

Is his office efficient enough to handle increased paperwork and billing?

Does he have a printed fee schedule for routine services?

Does he have interview and disclosure forms to assist in handling new patients quickly?

Will he accept credit cards? Third-party payment plans? What about financing? Any and all insurance?

What kind of patients will he take, and what kind will he reject.

3.Is his office tastefully decorated and up to date?

4.Who are his current patients?

5.Does he need more patients?

6.What kind of patients does he want?

7.What kind of practice does he want? (low-volume, high practice? High volume, low practice?)

8.Who is his competition

9.In what kind of geographic area is his practice located?

10.Do other local professionals advertise?

11.Are his associates or partners committed to an advertising campaign?

12.Does he have the resources to sustain an advertising program?

13.What are the current state and county regulations regarding advertising?

14.What are the current professional society regulations regarding advertising?

Basics necessary for a successful professional advertising campaign

1 The plastic surgeon must be committed to a total advertising campaign with a budget, and must recognize the need and importance of continuity

2. The plastic surgeon must set specific objects that he expects to achieve from his advertising campaign

3. The plastic surgeon must recognize that the public has a right to know all about professional services and where they can get them

4. The plastic surgeon must want advertising that would be informative, high level, dignified, and tasteful.

5. The professional must know that repositioning may be needed as market conditions change, or competition increases

Think of the plastic surgeon’s office as a referral service for both the medical community and the community at large. The plastic surgeon and his colleagues are on call for consultations with the public.  The key problem is that the public does not know where to go for plastic surgery. People just do not have access to referrals.  In many cases, individuals may be apprehensive, or shy about asking their friends about plastic surgery because they feel embarrassed.

Thus advertising would be a public service. The plastic surgeon’s advertising could not only increase patient flow and dollar volume — it could inform the public.

The market for plastic surgery is probably an upscale market, divided between males and females, but only research will tell you the precise proportions and where the market is: country club or blue collar, ethnicity, reasons for wanting plastic surgery.

1.Launch a print campaign first, then broadcast media, transit advertising. Advertising in local city magazines, top of market media. Get the public to inquire about the benefits of plastic surgery. Design an ad that is highly dignified, with a provocative headline.  This would be a two-step direct response ad with a FREE BOOKLET coupon. AND an 800# AND a website address. The prospect answers the ad. The plastic surgeon’s office sends a booklet detailing services. It is accompanied by a sales letter that in highly professional language attempts to close the sale.  (Why the dignified approach? To impress other plastic surgeons, so that they might consider joining forces!)

2.It is followed up in a day or two by a personal phone call from a phone center — outbound telemarketing.

3.A week later, another letter — with the same brochure.

4.Two weeks letter the next step — a newsletter about plastic surgery, which would be sent at regular intervals, each with a sales letter still attempting to close

5.Between mailings, phone calls.

6.EVERY LETTER, EVERY PHONE CALL HAS A KEY NUMBER OR LETTER THAT IDENTIFIES THE PUBLICATION OR MAILING. THE PA=LASTIC SURGEON CAN THEREFORE DETERMINE HOW MAHY INQUIRIES THE PROMOTION PULLED WND WHERE…  SOPHISTICATED DATABASE MARKETING WILL FURTHER DISCLOSE HOW MUCH WAS MADE FROM EACH SUCCESSFUL CLOSING..

7.THE WEBSITE IS NOT MERELY AN AFTERTHOUGHT, BUT AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN ALL MARKETING. IT SERVES AS AN ADVERTISINNG MEDIUM, AN IFNORMATION CENTER, AND AN ORDER ING TOOL.  

8.All media and messages are continually monitored to determine effectiveness.

Answer 3

A press release should work very well for you in this situation.  Considering that this is an "offline" event, you'll want to use a press release service that submits news stories directly to journalists & media, specifically looking for a service that will help you to target your local area.

For your situation, though, don't get suckered into an online press release distribution service that merely submits to online distribution points ( and not journalists directly) as you'll probably be wasting your money & time.

I guess this probably isn't "unique" and may not be what you're looking for, but it's in the search engine optimization section - so the advice is fitting.

Another idea, I don't know how "classy" you would consider this - but the free food angle works pretty well sometimes.  Kind of like the customer appreciation day except it's the "get to know your local plastic surgeon" day.

I guess yet another idea - advertise a questions & answers event.  Around here, people are "iffy" about plastic surgery, though I personally know several people who want to know more about certain processes (tummy tuck, breast augmentation, etc) because they're interested, but they're a bit worried about risks & really don't have any solid information.  Depending on your practice and your location, a "ask and answer" event, or even an hour or so dedicated to this end may help to draw some people in, especially when the information is coming from the mouth of a professional.

Maybe this'll give you a few ideas.