Business cards don’t seem to be in vogue as of recently, however they are still a highly effective tool for getting your name out there. Everyone in the practice should be attentive to any and all opportunities to promote the practice. One of the easiest methods for doing so is handing out business cards. This is a successful tool and is also a commonly accepted practice in the business world.
Initially, each staff member could be given some of the doctor’s cards to distribute. Advise the staff to keep an ample supply of cards in their purse or wallet. Opportunities to hand them out will present themselves in a number of various situations. For example, when a person asks, “What line of work are you in?” The staff member (and doctor) could answer the question, say a little about the practice, and offer a business card or two.
One can take advantage of every day situations to hand them out, e.g., while at the grocery check-out counter and engaged in social conversation with the clerk, at the beauty salon, at the gas stations, the bank, etc. The list could go on and on. The idea is to keep a flow going all of the time. Many practices have been built and expanded in just this fashion.
As your budget allows, print business cards for each of the staff with their names and positions on them. This instills in each staff member a feeling of importance and professionalism. They will also experience a heightened sense of pride when handing out one of their own cards.
A staff meeting should be held during which the significance of new patients/clients is discussed. Impress upon the staff that as each person takes more initiative for building the practice, everyone will experience the increased benefits. Establish “games” for the staff wherein the staff who distributes the most cards and brings in the most new patients/clients is rewarded with cash or some other valuable prize.
The most successful method of using cards to attract new patients/clients to the practice (and to determine whose card they came in on) is to have an offer printed on the back of the business cards which extends to the recipient either a complimentary initial visit or a substantial discount on the first visit. The prospect should be informed to bring the card in with them to the first appointment. The receptionist could then record the name of the staff member as the referring source.