LW Marketworks - Veterinary Marketing Tips

Having trouble viewing this newsletter? Click here for the online version.

April 2010 – Start with INTERNAL Marketing Efforts

Volume 1, Issue 3

Each issue of Veterinary Marketing Tips provides suggestions for reaching out to clients and prospects with marketing and communications strategies and tactics. Please feel free to email us at Lindaw@lwmarketworks.com if you have questions or would like to find out more about our marketing services. – Linda Wasche/LW Marketworks, inc.

Proud member:

Partnered with:

Connect with us on

More Veterinary Marketing Tips
Get more tips for your practice at LWmarketworks.com. Not a subscriber? Click here to get your own FREE monthly subscription!

Have a topic you’d like us to cover?
We’d love to hear from you. Please email us with marketing topics that you’d like to see in future issues of Veterinary Marketing Tips. Also send us your marketing questions. We will try to answer as many as we can in future issues. Please email us at: Lindaw@
LWmarketworks.com.

TIP: Many practices view marketing as something that takes place OUTSIDE the practice in an effort to attract more clients. While some marketing efforts should focus on spreading information to prospects unfamiliar with the practice, the MOST VALUABLE marketing efforts take place INSIDE the clinic to develop a level of service delivery that will attract new clients without even asking. Remember that marketing is made up of these main areas (traditionally four; we add two more):

1.   Your product/service

3.   Pricing of services

5.   People/interaction with clients

2.   Your place/where you provide the service

4.   Positioning/how you fit into the competitive landscape

6.   Promotion

If 1-5 are not optimized, it does not make sense to aggressively PROMOTE your practice. In fact, you could be spending money to invite clients in and, if the experience is not optimal, they will not be back. It is best to carefully examine the fundamentals of marketing as they apply to your practice before you seek to attract new clients.

HOW: Carefully consider each of the points above.

How can you enhance service delivery at every point of contact in a way that will be meaningful to clients? What will cause clients to say nice things about your clinic to friends and family? (See February 2010 and March 2010 issues of Veterinary Marketing Tips on Adding Client Value and Measuring Client Satisfaction.)
Use your facility itself as a marketing tool. Often times clients have little understanding of what you offer or how you are different. Look for ways to spell this out at your facility.
Examine pricing carefully to help clients understand what they are getting for their money. Consider bundling related services to add perceptions of value.
Pay attention to your competition and work to DEFINE your practice in a way that clients will embrace and that separates you from others. What does your practice stand for? What is your philosophy?
Identify staff behaviors and actions that will favorably influence clients. Make these part of your ongoing staff training program.
Promote your practice by providing new clients with a reason to check it out. If this experience is a positive one, they will be back!

IDEA: Use EXISTING client communication channels to educate clients about your practice. Remember that clients will not be aware of your capabilities even though they may have been coming to you for years! Remind clients who you are and what you offer. Once is never enough!