How To Attract New Patients To My Clinic?

The aesthetic industry is booming, with a projected global market size of $86.2 billion by the end of the decade. This growth presents clinics with immense opportunities – but also intensifies competition. 

Attracting new patients in such a dynamic market requires a strategic approach to patient acquisition; the challenge, then, lies in standing out while ensuring patient satisfaction and loyalty.

From establishing a robust online presence to creating a thriving patient community, successful clinics balance innovation with empathy. In this blog, we’ll explore proven strategies to attract patients, maintain a steady patient flow, and leverage tools like patient referrals, local SEO, and social media presence to grow your clinic. 

Whether you’re looking to enhance patient satisfaction, retain existing patients, or boost patient acquisition, our tips are tailored for aesthetic practices just like yours. Contact InDesk today to learn how we can help your clinic thrive.

Do I really NEED to constantly acquire new patients? 

Short answer? Yes. Maintaining a continuous stream of new patients is vital for the long-term success of your clinic – here’s why:

1. Offsetting attrition: Even the most loyal patients may discontinue treatments due to life changes, financial constraints, or achieving their aesthetic goals.
2. Sustaining revenue: New patients help maintain and grow your revenue, ensuring profitability.
3. Expanding reach: Fresh patient referrals and word-of-mouth recommendations grow your patient community.
4. Staying competitive: The aesthetic industry is rapidly evolving. A steady influx of new patients keeps your clinic relevant and adaptable.

If clinics fail to build a robust patient intake stream, they risk declining patient flow, reduced revenue, and loss of market share to competitors. It’s about not resting on your laurels, and not letting your practice plateau; consistent prospecting ensures growth and sustainability.

Prospecting the local community vs casting a wider net 

When attracting patients, you can focus on local community engagement, or broaden your reach to a wider audience. (Or do a bit of both.) However you choose to play things, both approaches have unique advantages and challenges:

1. Local community: Engaging in local events, partnering with nearby businesses, and leveraging local SEO helps build strong relationships and enhances trust within your immediate area. However, this approach may limit your reach.
2. Wider net: Using digital marketing tools like social media and online advertising expands your aesthetic brand and potential patient base beyond your local area. While this increases visibility, it may also lead to higher competition and acquisition costs.

Ultimately, a balanced strategy – one that fosters strong local ties while utilising online tools to attract more distant patients – will likely yield the best results.

How to attract new patients to your clinic

So – to the central question of today. Have you been having trouble attracting new patients to your clinic lately? Or maybe you just want to get more prospects? Either way, you are in the right place. 

After years of working with clinics from all over the world, the InDesk team has put together a handful of useful tips for medical practitioners. In this article, you will find advice regarding online activity as well as the day-to-day operation of the clinic. If you want to present your business to a new audience, we invite you to use our tips:

1. Be active on social media

Social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are no longer just for connecting with friends or sharing holiday pictures. They are now a vital part of many businesses that want to establish their company image, maintain relationships with existing clients, and gain the interest of potential ones. If you are interested in achieving these goals, you can take some time each day to post on your social media channels.

Here are some suggestions about the content:

1. Before and after photos to show the results of the treatment
2. Posts to introduce yourself and your staff members
3. Information about cutting-edge equipment and technologies
4. Tap into worldwide events‍
5. Informative videos of how treatments are conducted
6. Testimonials of happy clients
7. Answers to common questions (FAQ)
8. Doctors talking about treatments

In addition, it is quite important to reply to comments and engage with your followers. In other words – be active.

2. Make the most of TikTok's popularity

The latest addition to the list of the most popular social media platforms is TikTok. The content presented there consists of various videos covering all kinds of topics. This diversity means that every user can find something relevant there.

1. ‍Algorithmic Magic: The algorithm knows exactly what resonates with the users and displays it. So, if someone is interested in dermal fillers, TikTok will show videos related to aesthetic treatments!‍
2. UK's TikTok Influx: Notably, eMarketer's 2020 data disclosed that in 2020, 8.5 million people from the UK were part of the TikTok user base.‍
3. Beyond Attention-Grabbing: Use TikTok to show how your clinic operates from the inside and introduce a more casual side of your staff to the audience. The content you share can also be informative or educational.

3. Everybody loves prizes

Have you ever entered a competition to win a prize by following an Instagram account, commenting, and tagging a friend? Even if you have not, you have certainly seen some competition posts online. The popularity of this marketing trick is no coincidence.There's a reason behind the widespread popularity of this marketing strategy.

Why Competitions Work:

1. ‍Easy Entry: Usually, to take part in a competition, you have to follow specific profiles and share information about them on your social media.‍
2. Tag and Share: Additionally, you're encouraged to tag potential participants in the comments, extending the contest's reach.‍
3. Cost-Effective Campaigns: The possibility of winning a prize is an attractive incentive for the audience and, just like that, the competition organiser can create an advertising campaign at a relatively low cost, which is, in addition, self-sufficient.‍
4. Organic Reach: By interacting with the post, following, liking, commenting, and tagging, the post will reach more people and this will organically increase the reach of the contest and your clinic's online presence. It is a win-win situation.

4. Write about it – new and existing patients want to know!

Blogs can be a great source of information as they often provide answers to commonly asked questions. They are also an important business tool that can provide your clinic with a number of benefits, like:

1. Establishing authority in the industry
2. Providing a new space for advertisement purposes
3. Showing your expertise and experience
4. Building relationships with your audience
5. Marking your online presence
6. Gaining new clients

With valuable posts that provide informative articles, you can lead the reader straight to your clinic’s website to contact you and book an appointment. After all, if you write about it, you must be a professional! In addition, you can inform your readers about news from your clinic and interesting facts from the beauty industry.

5. What clinic? Your clinic!

Another great tip is that you can always turn to online directories. One of them entirely dedicated to the medical industry, including clinics providing aesthetic treatments, is WhatClinic.com.

Many people search for healthcare providers on medical directory websites. In addition to information about location, prices, and services offered, WhatClinic.com also shares client reviews and customer service details. The main advantage of such a system is that your clinic’s profile will be introduced to patients who are the most interested in it and are likely to contact you and make an appointment.

6. They are talking about you? Great!

In fact, they can be very beneficial. Imagine a group of friends meeting up for coffee. One of them has recently undergone a treatment offered by your clinic and is delighted with the result. What do you think will be the main subject of their talk?

Word of mouth is one of the largest sources of enquiries for clinics. This is why it may be a good idea to introduce a referral system – when another client shows up at your clinic on the recommendation of a former patient, they both get a discount on a treatment of their choice. The possibility of saving money can be a great motivator.

7. Show up at exhibitions to connect with new patients

Exhibitions and trade fairs create a great opportunity for:

Networking: Expand your connections with other professionals.
Stay Informed: Learn about the latest news from the world of Aesthetic Medicine, and enable you to take part in interesting conferences.
Expanding Your Reach: Reach an entirely new audience by showcasing your offerings to attendees.

These types of events are attended only by people interested in Aesthetic Medicine, so it is usually a sales-enhancing environment. You can easily find exhibitions focused on B2C as well as B2B. Below, you can see a list of events that may be worth taking a look at:

1. ‍CCR London
2. ‍Aesthetics Conference & Exhibition
3. ‍FACE Conference
4. ‍Aesthetic Conference & Show London | Aesthetic Medicine Live

8. Feedback from clients is important

Very important indeed. Reviews are often the reason a person searching for information about a clinic online decides to call it and make an appointment. Therefore, it is good to ensure that there are as many of them as possible. But what if they are not all positive? Luckily, you can find a whole article on dealing with negative feedback here.

To gain new reviews, you can ask your patient for it directly after the procedure, in an email or over the phone… or simply leave it to the InDesk agent that will take care of it for you.

The above list indicates with no doubt that online activity has become an essential part of modern marketing. It may be worth remembering this and putting some of our tips into practice. Of course, this requires time. If this is a scarce commodity for you, please consider using the services of InDesk and let us take care of the communication with patients while you take care of the growth of your clinic.

What new patients want

New patients entering your clinic will seek certain key assurances before committing to your services. Here’s what they typically look for and how you can ensure a positive first impression:

• Transparent pricing: Clearly displayed and understandable treatment costs, to avoid confusion or hesitation.
• Trustworthy reputation: Positive online reviews and patient testimonials to build credibility.
• Expertise and qualifications: Evidence of the clinic’s experience, certifications, and specialties.
• Welcoming environment: Friendly staff and a professional, clean, and comfortable clinic atmosphere.
• Personalised care: Tailored consultations that address individual needs and goals.
• Convenient access: Easy appointment scheduling and flexible hours that suit busy lifestyles.

Building these green flags into your clinic’s operations ensures that once you do attract new patients, you have a much better chance of retaining them for the long term. Remember: long-lasting relationships stem from trust and exceptional experiences.

Don’t let your team be swamped by administrative duties

As new patients come through the door, the volume of administrative tasks grows alongside them – booking appointments, managing schedules, and handling patient communications via SMS, phone, WhatsApp, and email. 

With the added pressure of maintaining gold-standard service, these tasks can quickly overwhelm your team.

But InDesk’s remote receptionists offer a solution. By handling your clinic’s administrative workload, we free up your staff to focus on delivering exceptional patient care. Whether it’s managing inquiries, booking appointments, or following up with patients, InDesk ensures smooth and efficient operations. The result? A more productive, profitable, and happy clinic environment. 

Find out more now → 

So what have we learned? 

In the end, then, attracting new patients to your aesthetic clinic is both a challenge and an opportunity. Depends on your perspective. Either way, it’s something you’d be well-advised to do. 

By building a strong online presence, leveraging social media, and fostering trust through transparency and excellent service, you can set your clinic apart in a competitive market. Tools like patient referrals and blogging further enhance your reach and credibility.

Above all, remember that great patient experiences lead to loyalty and growth. 

By partnering with InDesk, you can focus on what you do best – caring for your patients – while we take care of the cumbersome admin. Together, we can set your clinic on the path to new success. Contact us now to get started. 

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