In today’s fast-paced, digital world, losing track of your marketing budget can be easy. Every time you come up with a great idea for marketing your practice that doesn’t cost much. Every time you see that expense, you need to monitor it more closely. If you run a medical practice or are a plastic surgeon in the Chicago area, this article is for you! Read on to learn some plastic surgeon marketing ideas and maximize your marketing budget while still controlling your costs.

What is a good marketing budget for a plastic surgeon?

When marketing your plastic surgery practice, you can’t just throw money at it. Marketing is an investment, so you must be sure you’re making an investment that will result in a return. A good marketing budget for a plastic surgeon will pay for the following:

• The cost to submit your business’s name to directories and databases – can range from $150 to $500 per year, depending on the directories you choose
• The cost of designing a package and related materials, including printing and postage – which can range from $500 to $5,000 depending on the package you choose
• The cost of advertising your practice’s name in print media and online – can range from $5,000 to $25,000, depending on the medium you choose
• The cost of paying your staff to maintain your marketing materials – which can range from $1,000 to $10,000 depending on the size of your practice and the level of staffing you have

How to Maximize Your Marketing Budget

If you picture your marketing budget as a pie, you want to ensure every slice represents an opportunity to get your name out there. However, if you spend only a small percentage of your budget on marketing, you’re not getting the best bang for your buck. To maximize your marketing budget, follow these steps:

1. Start with a financial audit of your business. Identify your marketing expenses and list all the potential marketing channels you could use. Remember that not all channels are appropriate for every practice, so identify the channels that would work best for your practice.
2. Make a list of all your potential marketing opportunities. What are your patients’ biggest concerns? What are their motivations for coming to you for treatment? What are your competitors doing? What are the hot topics in your community?
3. Create a budget based on those opportunities to increase your brand awareness and patient loyalty.

Know the Costs You’ll Be Paying

Many plastic surgery practices are surprised when they find out just how much various marketing channels cost. While you may be tempted to sign up for the most expensive channels available, you’ll probably be better off picking the most appropriate channels for your practice. Knowing what you’ll pay is one way to ensure you’re not accidentally wasting money. Many plastic surgery practices are surprised when they find out just how much various marketing channels cost. While you may be tempted to sign up for the most expensive channels available, you’ll probably be better off picking the most appropriate channels for your practice.

Identify Effective Marketing Tactics

If you want to maximize your marketing budget, you need to identify effective marketing tactics that will drive patients to your office doors. There are many effective marketing tactics you can use to drive patients to your office, but some of the most effective medical marketing for doctors include the following:

1. Organizing a patient appreciation or welcome event – Patients are more likely to refer a colleague or a friend after a welcome event. They are also more likely to return if greeted with a friendly face when they walk through the door.
2. Organizing “touch-base” events with your patients – Patients are more likely to return if they are given the opportunity to visit with you outside of the office setting. During touch-base events, you can ask them what they need and their motivations for coming to you.
3. Holding a “meet the doctor” or “meet the specialist” event – Patients are more likely better to understand your practice and your staff during these events. They are also more likely to be interested in continuing their care with you since they now know you in a different setting.

Set Up Automated Marketing Steps

Many plastic surgery practices are surprised when they find out just how much various marketing channels cost. While you may be tempted to sign up for the most expensive channels available, you’ll probably be better off picking the most appropriate channels for your practice. Knowing what you’ll pay is one way to ensure you’re not accidentally wasting money. Many plastic surgery practices are surprised when they find out just how much various marketing channels cost. To set up automated marketing steps, follow these steps:

• Identify the channels you’d like to use to market your practice.
• Research each channel to find the “take- rate” for getting traffic to your site. This is the percentage of viewers who sign up for your service.
• Find out the cost for a “drop” of that percentage. This is the percentage of people who sign up for your service.
• Make a plan for which channels you’d like to use to market your practice, and create a spreadsheet that tracks who you’re reaching, what they do while on your site, and how much it costs you.

Don’t Forget About Paid Advertising

Paid advertising is an effective way to market your practice, but it can be expensive. However, if you’re willing to invest some money in paid advertising, it can pay off tremendously. The best types of paid advertising include:

• Paid advertising on relevant websites – People often click on ads when looking for information, and those people are more likely to sign up for your services.
• Paid advertising on relevant podcasts and magazines – People often listen to and read about marketing pitches in these media types. Those people are more likely to sign up for your services.
• Paid advertising on relevant social media platforms – People often look for social media marketing advice from their friends and peers, and those people are more likely to sign up for your services.

Bottom line

Marketing is a crucial part of the success of any business, and plastic surgery practices are no exception. However, suppose you want to maximize your marketing budget and ensure you get the most bang for your buck. You must identify effective marketing tactics and set up automated marketing steps in that case. Along with these strategies, don’t forget to consider paid advertising when you determine your marketing budget.