August 27, 2021
Are you looking for ways to build relevance into your practice marketing? Look no further than healthcare observances. Every part of the body has at least one. And the eyes have dozens, from UV Safety Month (July) to AMD Month in (February), and Diabetic Awareness Month (November). In addition, you'll find holidays connected to specific conditions, like glaucoma or cataracts.
Now what? Using a principle called borrowed interest, to boost awareness and gain new patients by associating your practice with something larger that's in the use, say healthcare observances. Every month is an opportunity. In October, for example, you can observe Halloween safety month with a minimal budget. Print professionally designed flyers to post around the office. Develop a list of safety suggestions and email it to your patients and share it on social media. And don't forget your local TV news stations and newspapers. And don't forget your well-read but smaller community outlets. You can usually find one that targets communities where your patients live.
These stories are mini-Evergreens, stories that retain their freshness for an entire month. The media desperately needs these for slow news day. So set yourself up to be an expert on the observance du jour. Call a local editor and make your pitch.
Did you know that October is Halloween Safety Month? It's the perfect time to warn your community about the dangers of decorative lenses &nash; or cornea tattoos. Any editor with a pulse should jump at that one!
Don't be shy about contacting the media. They need you and your story ideas to cover topics important to their audience, like Halloween Safety.
Tieing into an event, like a screening, also makes your more telegenic for photographers and videographers.
Have fun with your healthcare observances and choose a few you can make your own.
See both the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the National Institues of Health websites for their comprehensive calendars.