| Lasers are a hot buzzword now. For the next | | | | the front door. You can’t heal them if they |
| few years laser therapy will appear high-tech to | | | | don’t come to see you, right? A Unique |
| patients. They will be seeking this treatment | | | | Marketing Message for laser therapy should clearly |
| option and you better be ready to offer it to | | | | state who you are, what problems you solve, |
| them or somebody else will. You can enhance this | | | | what solutions you provide, what benefits you |
| process by branding your practice as cutting edge | | | | offer, what results you produce, what guarantee |
| and state-of-the-art. Lasers help move your | | | | you give and what is unique and special about |
| practice to a higher quality, volume and fee | | | | your particular service. Positioning is the foundation |
| structure. Internal and external marketing will | | | | on which you will build your practice. What is your |
| become much easier with the right laser therapy | | | | business identity? Imagine being the only pain relief |
| device. | | | | laser center in your area? Now that’s unique. |
| Practice differentiation is as important as | | | | 4.Niche a Niche |
| specialization in this era where consumers are | | | | The first rule of marketing success is not to |
| provided with more healthcare choices than ever | | | | market your service to everyone. Pick a niche. |
| before. Successful practices stand out from the | | | | According to Webster’s Dictionary a niche is |
| crowd through continual enhancement of the | | | | ‘a position or activity that particularly suits |
| ‘business’ model by providing new and | | | | somebody’s talents and personality or that |
| innovative services that the competition does not. | | | | somebody can make his or her own.’ This is |
| How do you set yourself apart from the pack? | | | | a major key to marketing success. Your service |
| To be successful in the real world, you need to | | | | becomes more desirable. People want to buy |
| have business smarts and marketing know how | | | | things made just for them…that solve their |
| to attract clients to your services. | | | | unique problems. Your name spreads rapidly. |
| Among the challenges today are more | | | | People in groups talk! If you’re good and you |
| competition, managed care, cheap tight fisted | | | | provide services for a specific niche, your name |
| insurance companies and corporate downsizing | | | | will travel fast. It becomes easier and less |
| mentality. Successful doctors quickly learn how to | | | | expensive to prospect. Most niches have a list of |
| play the business game better. They formulate a | | | | members or list of people. Instead of spending |
| marketing plan for success and don’t allow | | | | money on mass marketing, you can spend the |
| anyone to derail them. Rarely do they waiver in | | | | money on getting your message to just the right |
| the face of adversity. They are not more | | | | people in your niche who want to hear your |
| talented, but rather more consistent. They lock | | | | message. Some examples include: shoulder injuries, |
| onto success with inventive income generating | | | | knee pain, sports injuries, carpal tunnel, etc. Pick |
| solutions, offering value patients are willing to pay | | | | one and master it, then move onto the next. It's |
| for. Implementing what I call “The Fab | | | | that simple. |
| Five” is a key foundation to your marketing | | | | 5.Public Speaking |
| strategy. | | | | Public speaking is the ‘Secret Weapon” to |
| 1.Free Laser Day | | | | building a professional business. It will be one of |
| The first promotion you run to integrate laser | | | | the most important things to do with your |
| therapy into your office with a sonic boom is Free | | | | success in your lifetime. It will allow you to |
| Laser Day. “In House” laser day is offered | | | | achieve your purpose and help as many people as |
| to existing patients and their friends and family | | | | possible. Fancy “Yellow Page” ads cannot |
| members only. This makes it appear even more | | | | compare to the close personal connection |
| special to patients because they get the first | | | | established with potential clients at a lecture |
| opportunity to use this new technology. Believe | | | | workshop. That connection builds trust and trust |
| me; patients remember these little things. How | | | | builds your practice. |
| does it work? Create special flyers announcing the | | | | Your main job in public speaking is to get new |
| event and give one/mail one to all of your | | | | patients, and sell laser therapy treatments in your |
| existing and inactive patients. Offer them a | | | | office. It’s not just about educating people. |
| “Free Laser” treatment. Play up the event | | | | It’s about building a successful practice. |
| like a Grand Opening celebration. I guarantee if | | | | Booking speaking events about laser therapy will |
| you will get at least 5-10 new laser therapy clients | | | | be easy because it is a new and exciting |
| out of this promotion. | | | | technology that patient’s want to learn more |
| 2.Open Clinic Night | | | | about. Unfortunately, most doctors don’t |
| This is a similar concept to in-house | | | | implement this strategy out of fear. The fear of |
| ‘Healthcare Classes” doctors use to | | | | public speaking is ranked higher than the fear of |
| educate potential patients about your services. If | | | | death. Use this fear to your advantage. Most |
| you already offer this class (good for you), now | | | | doctors will be too afraid to implement this |
| simply replace one or two of your classes per | | | | strategy, so the market will be all yours. |
| month with a “Laser Open Clinic Night”. | | | | Everything in life you desire lies just outside your |
| The entire night is devoted to laser therapy. Do | | | | comfort zone. The quickest way to overcome |
| not mention other therapies, there will be plenty | | | | any fear is by action. Do the thing you fear the |
| of time for that when they become your patient. | | | | most and the death of fear is certain |
| Give a small presentation, offer refreshments and | | | | You have to sell yourself and your services; |
| one FREE Laser therapy session. If you have the | | | | otherwise you go out of business. Resenting |
| right laser device, they will experience an | | | | promotion is one of the greatest obstacles to |
| improvement from just one session. It’s | | | | success. People who have issues with selling and |
| what we in laser therapy call “The Wow | | | | promotion are usually broke. How can you create |
| Factor.” There is no print advertisement as | | | | a large income in your own business if you |
| powerful as a first hand ‘Wow’ | | | | aren’t willing to let people know you, your |
| experience with laser therapy. | | | | product, or your service? What you see, you |
| 3.Unique Marketing Messages | | | | remember; what you do, you understand. The |
| Lasers give you a competitive advantage by | | | | key to success is action! Doing “The Fab |
| creating a unique selling proposition -“USP”. | | | | Five” guarantees you laser marketing success. |
| Every successful company in every business has | | | | So get out there and just do it! |
| a USP, something that makes it appealing above | | | | Dr. Nickelston is clinical director of The Pain Laser |
| all others. I like to think of a USP in another way, | | | | Center in Ramsey, NJ and is VP of Practice |
| as your “Unique Marketing Message” | | | | Development for K-Laser, USA. He can be |
| (UMM). That’s really what this is all about, | | | | contacted at 1-866-595-7749 Ext. |
| marketing your services and getting patients in | | | | |