Most podiatry practices are looking for more patients, more referrals, and more ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors. It doesn’t matter if it’s a brand-new practice or a well-established clinic—these are the things that everyone wants!
But if you’ve done all the groundwork, leaned into your digital marketing, and still need an extra edge, there’s something else you might consider. Patient loyalty programs are an innovative way to grow your practice and improve patient retention, and you’ll get a lot back from the effort you put into it.
Why Should Podiatry Practices Consider a Patient Loyalty Program?
There are all kinds of ways that patient loyalty programs benefit podiatry practices. Here are just a few examples:
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You’ll retain more of your existing patients. It’s called a “loyalty” program for a reason! A loyalty program fosters a sense of belonging and trust among patients, motivating them to continue choosing your clinic for their podiatric needs.
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Patients will be more satisfied with their experience. Offering exclusive perks, benefits, and rewards to loyal patients makes them feel appreciated and helps to reinforce the idea that they made a great choice for their care.
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You’ll automatically encourage more referrals. Satisfied patients are more likely to recommend you to their friends, family, and colleagues, helping to expand your patient base through positive word-of-mouth referrals.
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You’ll increase overall patient engagement with their care. A loyalty program encourages patients to actively participate in managing their foot health, leading to better patient compliance, better patient outcomes, and a more positive experience at your clinic.
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You’ll build a better brand reputation. A well-designed patient loyalty program differentiates your podiatry clinic from competitors and gives patients a clear reason to choose you for their care.
5 Steps for Implementing an Effective Patient Loyalty Program
It isn’t all that difficult to implement a patient loyalty program, but it does involve some careful planning and execution. Below, let’s look at some basic steps to get you started.
1. Design a rewards system that makes sense for your practice.
What kinds of perks should you offer? How will your rewards system work? Points-based systems are popular, allowing patients to accumulate points by confirming appointments, accessing your health portal, participating in wellness activities, and accomplishing other goals. They can then “cash in” their points for exclusive benefits.
Alternatively, some practices use a tiered “VIP” system, where higher-tier members get additional rewards. The tiers might be determined based on how long someone has been a patient with your practice, a certain number of referrals of family and friends, or a perfect record of keeping scheduled appointments.
As far as what to offer to your loyal patients, you might consider perks like free screenings, discounts on selected services and health products, or even charity donations in their name or free memberships at a local gym. Get creative, and think about what would really resonate with your longtime patients and make the most sense for your practice.
2. Develop a user-friendly platform.
It shouldn’t be hard to get involved with your loyalty program. So, you’ll want to invest in a user-friendly platform that helps patients easily track their rewards, redeem their benefits, and access exclusive content. Remember, patient loyalty programs only work if your patients actually use them!
There are a few options for making your loyalty program easy for patients to access and manage. For example, you might develop a dedicated patient portal, a mobile app, or a custom-designed rewards page that’s integrated with your existing website. Schedule a call with us to discuss your options!
3. Promote your loyalty program.
Once you have your rewards system in place, you’ll need to inform patients through email marketing, social media, in-office signage, and direct communication. Provide clear instructions on how to sign up, and make the benefits of joining easily understandable.
And don’t just stop with one announcement! The more you remind patients that the program is available, and the clearer you can be about how it works, the more successful it will be overall.
4. Train your staff.
Don’t forget to also train your staff! Even well-constructed loyalty programs can fall apart if patients can’t get clear answers or figure out how to redeem their benefits when they contact your office.
That’s why everyone in your office should be well-versed in the loyalty program's details, and they should be trained to effectively communicate its benefits to patients. Your staff will be key in encouraging patients to try the program and assisting them in signing up, so don’t skip this step!
5. Refine your patient loyalty program over time.
What works for everyone else won’t necessarily work for your unique practice, location, and patient base. That’s why you need to regularly monitor the performance of your loyalty program after it’s deployed and constantly gather patient feedback. This helps you identify areas for improvement, refine your program to better cater to your patients' needs, and ensure that you’re getting a reasonable ROI for your effort.
Make Patient Loyalty an Essential Part of Your Overall Podiatry Marketing Machine
Patient loyalty programs foster long-term relationships and drive positive growth for your podiatry practice. They can be a game-changer for practices that struggle to compete, and they can be a boon for practices that want a steady flow of repeat patients and new referrals.
However, a poorly implemented loyalty program can do more harm than good. If you want to get off on the right foot, you need to develop the right system and incorporate it seamlessly into your practice’s overall marketing strategy.
Need a hand getting your patient loyalty program off the ground? Speak with our experts to bounce around your ideas, discuss your best options for getting started, and get a roadmap for making it a roaring success for you and your patients.
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