Like all road trips, this one was inundated with a wide variety of advertisements. Each roadside business had a sign trying to convince me to stop and plenty of billboards encouraging me to wait until later when I made it to their store. But on this trip, there were two distinct businesses using distinct messages to draw in two distinct groups of customers.
Mountain Breeze Orchards - 50 Miles Ahead
Signs for the road side apple orchard started showing up well before I passed it. The first sign simply announced that it was there and was barely noticed. When I saw the first sign, I had no intention of stopping. The next sign mentioned some of the other opportunities that would be available, including an opportunity to pick my own apples. The signs were more and more frequent as I approached the orchard.
By the time I was close, the anticipation had built so much that I was watching for this haven and made a last second decision to pull in. The entire complex was visually stimulating with a wide variety of booths competing for my attention; apples, cider, entertainment and even souvenirs.
I was greeted by a delightful woman who was obviously trying to recreate the character of Ellie Mae from the Beverly Hillbillies. With her sugary sweet, mountain accent, she made sure I knew about all of the opportunities to spend money before I got back on the road.
Within a few miles of my renewed trip, I was ready for a meal. I enjoy trying places that are new to me and happened across a place with a big pig statue and a sign that announced “STEVE IS BACK IN THE KITCHEN.” After locating the front door, I walked into this crowded establishment and everyone seemed to stop talking and turned to look at me.
Finally, someone yelled, “Just sit anywhere.” This place was not used to hosting outsiders.
These two successful roadside businesses market differently. One works to attract passers-by and puts on a show, working hard to get the most out of your first (and probably only) impression. The other works to inform a loyal following about Steve (who they all obviously love).
Who are you marketing to?
In eyecare, we often market to these same two groups. We often call them Established Patients and New Patients. For Established Patients, we need to build loyalty by doing a good job and staying in touch. To attract New Patients, we need to create awareness and make it easy to get in touch with us.
Too often, our practices let the marketing efforts go on “auto-pilot.” At Leadership OD we recommend bi-annual marketing reviews. Easy as 1-2-3.
1- Compare your marketing goals with your New Patient - Established Patient Ratio.
2- Analyze all the “marketing” tools that you currently use.
Recall, Website, Social Media, Automated Marketing Tools, Internal Processes
3- Decide what you need to adjust and make those adjustments.