New Physician Marketing
The following question and answers come from posts on SHSMD’s online discussion groups.*
Join the conversation at my.shsmd.org.
Q. We are interested in learning about creative ways in which others [marketing teams] market new physicians to help build their patient base. We are primarily interested in methods that do NOT include social or digital tactics.
A: Our marketing strategy relies heavily on digital tactics, and it works, but we also market physicians through the following:
- Welcome ads: print, billboards
- Direct mail piece
- Newsletters: announcement in printed internal and external newsletters
- Push cards that introduce the physician: includes pic, specialty, favorite things, patient care philosophy, location, short link to website to learn more
- PR: press release, radio interviews, civic organization talks
- Pre/Post-COVID: business development calls to local practices/referral sources, both internal and external
Q: Please share what a "push card" is, who it is distributed to, and how.
A: A push card is also commonly referred to as a rack card. I've attached three examples. (Log in here to view attachments shared via this thread.) We distribute these in the following ways:
- Place in brochure holders on our hospital campus, in our own clinic lobbies and the lobbies of our referral sources.
- We give them to clinic teams and physicians when we visit for in-person introductions to make it easy to refer a patient.
- We distribute in relevant event bags for races, conferences and such, along with giveaway items for that same service line.
- If the physician is giving a talk or a lunch and learn, this is one of the handouts.
- It's a helpful resource. Some of our clinic practices have one push/rack card for each provider, while others have all the providers listed on one push card.
A: I hadn't heard them called push cards. I am used to the term rack card. I appreciate your examples and list of how they are utilized.
*The answers to the above question are excerpts from MySHSMD discussions. In some instances the responses have been edited for grammar and/or brevity purposes for Community Connections.
Please visit MySHSMD to read the detailed thread and connect with the responding members.
Image credit: Getty Images.com/Pict Rider
