2020 Top 5 Marketing Tips for Your Veterinary Practice

Amid all the craziness of this year, I’ve been constantly amazed at the adaptability, creativity and stamina of the veterinary professionals working in our industry.

Not only has the veterinary industry stepped up to the plate to continue treating patients during isolation, lockdown and staff shortages, but they’ve gone above and beyond to implement new protocols at a moment’s notice, embrace new technologies and deal with cranky clients and stressed team members all at once. And yet - creativity and good-humour both remain high, either despite the pandemic or because of it. 

5 Veterinary marketing tips we've learned from 2020

After working with my clients and helping them to adapt and respond to the challenges, here are my Top 5 Veterinary Marketing learnings from 2020.

1. Marketing is not just about selling or attracting new clients

Marketing isn't just about selling, it’s also about customer service and retention.

2. Stay on course

Your marketing plan needs to be aligned with your business objectives and you'll also need to  implement tools that allow you to measure your results.

3. Have a recognisable and reassuring brand message that is also consistent

Your brand message needs to be not only recognisable and reasurring but also delivered synergistically across all platforms including:

• print,
• signage,
• website,
• social media,
• events,
• promotions,
• uniforms, etc.

4. Avoid email overwhelm and check your unsubscribe and bounce reports.

Avoid email overwhelm by considering the frequency and tone of your newsletters in the context of world events and clients’ priorities for their pets.And always check your unsubscribe and bounce reports.

5. Clients expectations continue to rise

Clients have higher expectations and expect faster responses than ever before. So a consistent social media presence is essential.

Veterinary Marketing Tips to help you get the best start for 2021

1. Plan Ahead

Start with a basic framework and align your marketing activities with your business objectives. What do you want to achieve by the end of the year?

2. Let Your Brand Reflect Your Culture

What is unique about your practice?

What are you most proud of?

What is your vision?

What do your clients say about you?

Does your brand need refreshing or updating?

3. Involve Your Team 

Involve your team in building your business in 2021. You can run brainstorming sessions, provide training and incentives, assign social media champions, reinforce teamwork and individual accountability.

4. Involve Your Clients and Patients

Involve your clients and patients by telling their stories and sharing case studies. You can award Patient of the Month awards, bravery certificates, birthday cards, loyalty schemes and wellness plan rewards, events and competitions.

5. Measure Your Success - “You can’t manage it, if you don’t measure it.”

Use multiple methods to measure the success of your marketing activities. For example:

• sales receipts,
• social media reports,
• email subscriptions,
• customer feedback surveys,
• website analytics,
• online reviews & recommendations.

We're alway learning...

I hope that you find these tips useful.

It's been a year of reflecting, re-evaluating and tackling problems in new and different ways, but I can honestly say that the learning experience has been invaluable.

I’m looking forward to more advancement and innovation in the new year - but let’s take a breath and enjoy some well-deserved downtime first!

If you have any questions about social media ask Donna in the Comments section below

Or, if you need support or advice on how to manage social media more effectively in your veterinary practice, contact Donna direclty by clicking HERE.

This post was originally published on the Waggy Dog Blog and has been reproduced with full permission

About Donna

Donna has over 15 years sales and marketing experience in the veterinary and pet care sectors. As a previous wholesale rep in the veterinary industry, she understands the challenges faced by veterinarians wanting to not only attract new customers in a highly competitive market, but to keep them coming back. 

She has also recruited, trained and coached teams in the corporate, retail, fundraising and veterinary sectors for over 30 years. Her knowledge of veterinary practice marketing and the local landscape enables her to deliver successful marketing strategies and content that keep pet owners engaged and loyal to your practice. 

Donna’s mission is to help veterinarians grow their practices and to facilitate easy access to quality, affordable health care for pet owners.

Visit the Waggy Dog Veterinary Sales & Marketing Page in our Business Directory here