Drawing in New Patients: Key Marketing Strategies for Psychiatrists
Healthcare advertising can feel like tricky business for psychiatrists. The last thing you want is to come across as "salesy" or "gimmicky." However, the reality is that you need a consistent flow of patients to keep your new practice running. Of course, you also want clients in your service area to know that you have the resources and expertise they're looking for from a psychiatric practice.
So many psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners (MHNPs) miss out on opportunities to grow their client lists by skipping marketing! There are several veins to mental health marketing. Here's a look at five ways to get new patients to your psychiatric practice.
1. Utilize Referrals
Referrals allow you to utilize the respect and recognition of your peers to grow your practice. First, approach local primary care physicians to let them know that you're available for referrals when patients require psychiatric evaluations or mental health interventions. Many PCPs are glad to have trustworthy referrals they can lean on when managing their patient loads. Next, approach local private practice psychotherapists to let them know that you're available for referrals for your specialty. This can be a two-way street where you build up a roster of peers you respect to help you refer out when patients need specialty evaluations or therapies you don't offer.
2. Sharpen Your Psychology Today Profile
How is your Psychology Today profile looking? With the rise of teletherapy and reliance on the Internet for making healthcare decisions, people are increasingly turning to Psychology Today and similar platforms to find psychiatrists and mental health nurse practitioners. Psychology Today handles its algorithm for showing provider profiles in a unique way that requires a complete, informative bio to land you near the top. When done right, an optimized Psychology Today profile can help to pull in new patients both locally and for telehealth services.
Creating a Psychology Today profile that gives off the right impression can be difficult. It's about more than just listing your credentials. It's about creating a narrative that's encouraging and inviting to clients. Do you need help creating an optimized Psychology Today profile that can lead to new clients? We specialize in helping psychiatrists and therapists increase views and engagement on Psychology Today. We can also optimize your profile or bio for any therapy platform you're listed on!
3. Focus on Mental Health Marketing
One common mistake mental health practitioners make is to hire general marketing agencies instead of seeking out a healthcare marketing agency. The firm that's advertising the grand opening of the pizza restaurant down the street from your practice can't master the messaging you need. Meanwhile, an agency specializing in healthcare advertising understands this niche.
From ethical considerations to messaging, it’s important to choose a healthcare advertising agency that can help to craft your brand message with the sensitivity and professionalism required from mental health professionals.
4. Get Smarter About Social Media
Should psychiatrists be on social media? Absolutely! More people are finding their mental healthcare providers on social media. While there are concerns among practitioners about diving into this world ethically, research shows that many mental health practitioners are plowing ahead using creative ways to provide care and destigmatize mental health issues for larger audiences. Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok ads and posts can provide terrific ways to boost reach and engagement.
However, many mental health providers who delve into this world soon discover that coming up with content ideas is harder than they imagined. That's where having a company specializing in social media marketing for healthcare becomes helpful for curating a consistent, meaningful digital presence.
5. Raise Your Professional Profile Using Public Relations Services
Does a psychiatric practice need a public relations team? While you may not be at the point where you need a full-time PR expert, having a team on call to help your practice spread awareness or increase visibility can be important. The role of a PR agency for healthcare is to connect you with news or media outlets when your expertise aligns with current events. This can be a great opportunity to build your reputation as a visible, knowledgeable expert.
It's important to choose a PR firm that understands mental health to ensure that you're being connected with the right sources. You also want to make sure that you're working with a PR agency that understands the tact and ethics required in your field. We're here to provide you with the PR services you need to build your professional reputation. Contact us to learn more!
