Now is the Time to Set Up Your Q4 Marketing Plan Hopefully your elective surgery practice is proactive – rather than reactive – when it comes to marketing. Practices that plan their marketing campaigns in advance are typically more successful and less stressed than those that wait until there is a crisis with their lead or surgery numbers. It’s hard to believe that the fourth quarter of 2015 – the busiest quarter of the year – is almost here. Don’t let it sneak up on your practice: make sure you have your Q4 plan in place well before October rolls around. Why? Because once Q4 gets underway, marketing can get drowned in the whirlwind of activities and holidays…unless you are prepared. By prepping your Q4 action items in August when most practices usually experience a slow-down, you will have more time to focus on the influx of patients that will be knocking on your door. Q4 Marketing Ideas to Start Setting Up Now Internet radio: Free online radio “stations,” such as Pandora, allow you to have both an audio message and a graphical message to deliver to a captive and highly targeted audience. Flexible Spending Account education: Most companies have open enrollment in Q4 for these plans which allow people to place part of their pre-tax earnings into a short-term, tax-free savings account to use for elective medical procedures. It will be beneficial to educate prospective patients on this “hidden” way to save on your procedures through emails, newsletters, online ads and more. In-house events: People are drawn to Girls’ Night Out events, parties, free seminars (with food), family-focused events, etc. Try hosting a special event to promote your practice to your community. Targeted emails: Plan out specific campaigns for back-to-school, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and December holidays. Grassroots efforts: Reach out to specific segments of your community…like educators, first responders and local businesses to provide special discounts on your services. Online advertisements: Pay-per-click (PPC) ads can be inexpensive and highly effective to make your practice name more prominent online. E-newsletters: Keep your practice top of mind by sending out monthly or quarterly newsletters that contain interesting and useful information. The more you connect with the people in your database, the more likely they will choose you when they are ready for a procedure. Community events: If there are any marathons, charity events or other special events happening in your area, show your community support by becoming a sponsor and having a booth during the event. Think outside the box and get really creative with your involvement. Discounts: Decide what, if any, discounts you want to offer for Q4. If this list seems too overwhelming to tackle in-house, contact the elective surgery marketing pros at Fast Track Marketing. We can help you create and implement a plan for Q4 success. To learn more, contact Brandi Musgrave at303-447-9192 or brandi@fast-trackmarketing.com.