Marketing is a necessity for any business including doctorstipsonline. Sure, nothing beats word-of-mouth advertising, but even that is a form of marketing. And there is a method to that too! A decade or two ago it was considered questionable whether or not it was ethical for a doctor to market or advertise their services. Nowadays it’s considered unethical if a doctor does not openly share their abilities.
So yes, doctors should and must market their services, their practices, and themselves.
There was an extremely successful doctor here in Wisconsin, Dr Clarence Gonstead who often bragged that he never spent a dime on advertising. Upon closer inspection, this doctor had built a state-of-the-art architecturally unique clinic on top of a hill, donated substantially to build a church (containing a plaque with his name), and taught seminars all over the country; excuse me, but that is a lot of advertising/marketing. LOL.
And how about doctors who get extremely great results for their patients by rendering extraordinary service, is that advertising? Absolutely! Keep up the great work docs!
Quite often many doctors are searching for the magic bullet, the business card that will miraculously attract patients, the newspaper or yellow page ad that will make their telephone ring, or the social media program that will build a large following. If that describes you, read on!
The best marketing, the kind of marketing that never fails and has the highest return on investment is an improved you, your passion, and your skills. If people like you, what you stand for and what you can do for them, you’ll always have a full practice.
Sure, a marketing strategy should be in place, including a year-long marketing calendar, a staff member delegated to overseeing it, and a budget. But more importantly, a doctor needs to continually work on one’s self. They need to improve their communication abilities, their craftsmanship, their physical fitness, and their knowledge. They need to get ample rest and recreation. And most importantly, they need to get focused on finding and refining their higher purpose.
What is meant by higher purpose? Quite simply, it’s what you want written about you on your tombstone. LOL! Yep, it’s your legacy.
When you get your life’s mission, your higher purpose clearly defined, then all the other aspects of being a doctor seem to line up, the burdens seem to lessen, and you can really discover joy as a doctor.
Some doctors go through their entire career with a lack of identity. Yes they have the degree, and people call them doctor, but fullfilment is missing. It’s a sad state, and the source of most of the stress doctors have. Spending time and effort on soul-searching, deepening one’s understanding of “self”, defining one’s real purpose, and getting to a point of accepting all the burdens that come with doctoring brings a joy that no money can make up for.
