For a clinic or hospital’s success, online reviews are critical. But most entrepreneurs don’t know how much the absence of online reviews can hurt the reputation of their business and its reputation in the community. A negative review on a clinic’s website doesn’t just impact the clinic—it also impacts its nurses, staff members and physicians. And that’s not even including the patients who visit it! There’s no doubt that word-of-mouth marketing works, but there is also no question it can be detrimental to your reputation if you don’t have a way to mitigate its potential effects on your medical center or hospital.

Here are seven ways to attract new patients to your clinic.

Get your website right.

The most important thing to remember when designing your website is that it needs to be mobile-friendly. Your customers are on their phones and tablets for almost everything now, so make sure you have a website design that is easy to use when someone is browsing from their phone.

Another important aspect of getting your website right is ensuring that it appears on the first page of Google searches related to your medical clinic. A good way of doing this is by making sure you have professional SEO (search engine optimization). Many providers can help with this, so find one that has good reviews and get in touch with them about building a new site for you.

Make sure you’re in the right location.

Location is key to attracting new patients. It’s not enough to have a nice facility and great staff. If the people in your area don’t know you exist, they can’t see you.

You should be in an accessible location near your potential clients’ lives, work and play. People travel different distances for different reasons, so make sure that wherever they’re headed is within range of your clinic.

In addition to accessibility and convenience for local populations, some locations are better than others because they attract people from outside of town (think: malls or big box stores). And don’t forget about worship centers—they bring congregants from all over!

Pay attention to lighting and colors.

Lighting can make or break a space, affecting both a room’s aesthetic and functional aspects. The best lighting is bright enough to read by but not so bright that it causes eye strain for patients. It should also be soothing and not distracting, avoiding bright colors or harsh fluorescents. If you’re looking for suggestions from other medical clinics with similar practices as your own, ask them about their lighting setup—they’ll likely have some helpful advice!

Make sure your waiting room is comfortable.

If you want to keep your patients happy, make sure that the waiting room is comfortable. This means ensuring enough seating, with enough space between chairs so that people don’t feel like they’re crowded together. It also means keeping the temperature comfortable in all seasons and providing entertainment: a television or another source of distraction will keep patients from getting bored while they wait. You may also want to provide water dispensers so that people can stay hydrated in between their appointments or procedures. Finally, don’t forget about technology! Ensure there’s a place for charging phones or tablets to maintain good communication with your staff throughout the day (and make sure those outlets aren’t blocked by other furniture). If possible, consider installing WiFi access points throughout the clinic. This will allow people waiting for an appointment with their doctors or nurses to use their time productively by checking email or catching up on work tasks.

Hang up patient reviews

You’ve probably heard of them or even left reviews yourself. Reviews are powerful tools for business owners looking to attract new customers and patients who want to feel confident about their decision before heading into a doctor’s office for the first time.

If you want your clinic to be top-of-mind for potential patients in your city, you need to start getting reviews on Google and making sure they’re positive. A positive review from a satisfied customer can help your business rank higher in search engines like Google (which drives traffic) and build trust among potential clients—both good things!

Furnish your lobby with freebies and magazines

When people wait for their appointment, they will usually have time to read a magazine. Giving them something to read is an excellent way to keep them occupied and make them feel welcome.

In addition, having snacks and drinks in your waiting room can also make patients more comfortable. The more relaxed they feel, the easier it will be for you to build a good rapport with them during their next visit!

Use social media and email as marketing tools.

There are many ways to use social media and email as marketing tools, including:

• Use social media to share your expertise. Do you have a blog? Could you post it on Facebook and Twitter? Do you write for industry publications or speak at conferences? Share links to those articles, presentations and videos on social media so that people can learn more about what makes your practice special.
• Using social media to share daily activities at the office. Are there new products in stock? New services offered? What’s going on behind the scenes at the office this week? Post photos of these things, so patients know what their experience will be like when they come in for their appointment next time!
• Sharing patient experiences on Facebook and other platforms is also an excellent way for potential patients to get acquainted with your clinic before visiting in person — especially since many people never set foot inside a medical practice before making an appointment (and thus wouldn’t necessarily know what they’re getting into). By sharing photos or stories from real patients who have visited our facility, we give potential new clients insight into what they might expect while booking an appointment with us.”

Conclusion

When you need to attract new patients, it’s important to understand the psychology of how people decide where they’re going to get their medical care. Most people don’t go out of their way to research and find a new doctor. When they’re sick, they go somewhere convenient or where friends refer them.

If patients are happy with the service they receive in your office, they will be more likely to return for future appointments. This means that patient retention is critical for growing your practice. In addition, satisfied patients are more likely to refer others who might also benefit from your services.