One of the best ways to grow your veterinary practice is with personalized marketing. If a client has a choice between a vet that sees clients as just another number, or one that actively makes the client feel like they’re part of a family, who do you think the client will choose?
1. Stay active on Facebook. Go beyond just posting updates and educational information for clients. Actively engage clients by answering their questions and responding to comments. Ask clients to submit photos of their pets to feature on your Facebook page. Videos of clients interacting with their pets (especially if their pet can do a cool trick) are always popular. All of this will make your clients feel like they’re part of a community. Remember, it’s called social media for a reason.
2. Send handwritten cards to clients. In the digital age when most communication is done over the internet, a handwritten note is extra special. A handwritten note to a client is a very personal gesture and will help build strong loyalty. The following are good reasons to send a handwritten card:
- Seasonal and holiday cards
- After the loss of a pet
- Thank you for your business
- Client follow-up about a sick pet
Since handwritten cards are much more time consuming than a printed card, this is a task that the entire office staff will need to be involved in. Spread the work around and space it out so the staff isn’t racing to write a bunch of cards all at once.
3. Start a loyalty program. People like to get special treatment for being loyal to a business. Start a loyalty program for your veterinary practice. This can include discounted or free annual check-ups, discounted or free pet products or even gift cards to a local pet supply store. Your clients will appreciate the extra attention and perks for staying loyal to your practice, and you’ll reap the rewards of having a dedicated client base for years to come.
4. Send hand addressed educational material specific to a client’s pet. If a client has a dog, send them care tips that are particular to that dog. The information can be seasonal, like flea/tick prevention tips in the early spring, for example. Make sure to hand write the name and address on the envelope to give it a personal touch. This shows the client that your practice cares and is thinking about the client’s pet even when they’re not in the hospital for an appointment.
5. Offer customized pet products. It’s very easy and fairly inexpensive to buy pet products that have your veterinary hospital’s information (name, address, phone number, website, etc) on them. For example, you can buy leashes, collars and various pet toys to hand out to clients. You can take this one step further by ordering products with the client’s pet’s name on them for first-time clients. This kind of personalized attention will make a great first impression on the client, increasing the chances they’ll become loyal to your veterinary hospital.
Make Personalized Marketing a Priority
The marketing ideas above are just a few examples, your own marketing efforts are limited only by your imagination. Chances are your practice is already doing some form of marketing. Instead of reinventing the wheel, adapt your current marketing methods to make them more personalized.
While some personalized marketing methods might cost more upfront, it will pay off in the long term with increased loyalty and more client referrals.
