What have you done for your community lately? While caught up in the day-to-day running of your practice, putting out fires and managing employees, it can be easy to forget the community that supports you. Community outreach is a way for you to give back to your local area – and it can also be an important part of your practice marketing plan.
Which Scenario Applies to You?
Scenario #1: Dr. Amy opened her practice on a shoestring budget. She had to hustle and meet people every day to attract new patients into her office. Because she had little money for traditional advertising and marketing, she had to get creative. She donated her time to Habitat for Humanity builds and volunteered to host water stations at several 5K runs.
As she worked with other people in the community, they began to know her as "Amy." Over time, they realized she was a chiropractor and started asking questions. Amy was able to showcase her expertise and people began to trust her. When the need for a chiropractor arose, they knew exactly who to call! Dr. Amy's practice grew steadily via word-of-mouth and the referrals that originated from her community involvement.
Scenario #2: Dr. Bob built his practice using paid advertising and marketing. His phone rang regularly with people who'd seen his advertisements, but they were often just "shopping around." Dr. Bob was getting increasingly frustrated. People would come in for a free consult or discount exam, but wouldn't sign up for care or stay on their schedule. He had to continually spend hundreds (or thousands) every month to attract new patients, and "the grind" was wearing him out.
Outreach Ideas: Reach Out and Grow Your Practice
Which one of the above scenarios sounds more like your practice reality? Of course, the best-case scenario would be to use a blend of traditional and community-based marketing. Here are some community outreach ideas to help get you started.
Health Talks: If you've been in practice for any length of time, you've probably done health talks in your office. But what about outside of your office? Look for opportunities to offer health talks to local organizations, churches, schools, local businesses, and at community events. Speak to their health concerns, provide actionable tips and become known as the local expert on health.
Volunteer: There may be no better way to connect with your community than to serve your community. If you look around, you'll find many volunteer opportunities in your area – and one of them is certain to resonate with you. For example:
Serve on the board of a local nonprofit organization
Work on a planning committee for a charity event or fundraiser
Build a house with Habitat for Humanity
Handle calls at a local crisis center
Provide health screenings for the homeless
Deliver food to the hungry
Be a Big Brother or a Big Sister
Mentor a young adult or a young professional
Sponsor or create a 5K for a cause
Be the team doctor for a youth sports team
Coach a youth sports team
Read to the elderly in a nursing home
Clean up the environment
Donate your time or services to the local fire department, police department or EMS
Donate your time or services to veterans of the Armed Forces
Provide classes to residents of a battered women's shelter
Serve in the PTA at your child's school
Work with animals at a vet's office or in a shelter
Community Service Organizations: This type of organization includes Rotary, Kiwanis, Masons, Shriners, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and more. Keep in mind that some of these service organizations may require a recommendation from a current member. Visit several groups to see which one(s) align best with your values and passions.
Chamber of Commerce: The local Chamber of Commerce can be an excellent source of leadership opportunity, networking and referrals. In addition, they often have their fingers on the pulse of the local community, and may be able to point you in the right direction for your community outreach efforts.
Charity Fundraisers: This technique was recently shared with me by the owner of a successful spa. When she was first starting out, she developed a list of the prominent charities in her area. Next, she went through the list and created a smaller list, including only those charities that really resonated for her.
Armed with her list, she spent a couple of hours calling each charity to obtain the date and time of its largest annual fundraiser or event. She selected one or two for each month and put them into her marketing calendar. Two months prior to an event, she'd contact the charity again, offering to provide a door prize, raffle or silent-auction item. (She said silent auction items – if you can swing it – give the best exposure.) Of course, with each donated item, she included her office brochure and business card.
What types of things could you donate to a charity fundraiser? How about:
A gift certificate good for services in your practice (this is likely the most affordable ... but make it interesting!)
A gift certificate to a local restaurant
A gift basket stocked with items from local shops. You can be super creative with these, and you can even ask other businesses to donate to the gift basket. Some examples I've seen:
A "movie night" gift basket with movie tickets, popcorn and candy
A "pamper yourself" gift basket with essential oils, bubble bath, candles and lotion
A "winner!" gift basket including several types of scratch tickets
An "adults indulgence" gift basket containing various alcohols or wines
A "good eats" gift basket with gift certificates to local restaurants
A "chocoholic's dream" gift basket loaded with gourmet chocolates
Over time, the spa owner's reputation and reach into her community grew. Today, she credits this marketing activity as being the most impactful to her business, and the most rewarding for her personally.
Plant the Seeds
Building genuine relationships in your local community takes time and effort. Neither the relationships nor the referrals will happen overnight. Take a strategic approach and plan your community outreach for maximum impact. Don't overcommit. Schedule one outreach activity at a time. Be reliable and consistent. As time, resources and energy permit, slowly add more to your calendar until you're at capacity. Take the time to plant the seeds through community outreach and watch your practice grow!
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