Doctor Direct

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2010-04-30T13:41:00.001-06:00

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November Special & New Offering

2009-11-11T11:38:00.003-07:00

During the month of November, call to receive $100 off any order* more than $100! Call (877) 721-2525 or e-mail Abby at abbyb@doctordirectonline.com to purchase.

We are also excited to announce the addition of some of our brochures in Spanish. We now have in-stock LASIK, Cataract, PRK, Dry Eye, Diabetic Eye, Botox, Breast Augmentation, Liposuction, Tummy Tuck, Rhinoplasty, and more to come soon!

*Does not include shipping, no cash value and excludes direct mail.

Finish the Year With A Bang!

2009-11-11T11:33:00.001-07:00

Here are a few things to market right now and the advertising mediums that will be most effective:
1.) Flex Spending for LASIK: At years end, you should all be marketing for the following years Flex Spending Account money. It's time to gain market share through external and grassroots marketing and marketing the Flex spending is an easy sell for people who have been considering LASIK. Many people don't realize they can use that tax-free money for laser vision correction. a. How to do it: Offer a free consultation and special offer to those people who come in for a consultation by the end of 2009 and schedule LASIK for 2010 using their Flex Spending Account. In your marketing message, really stress how much they're saving. In most cases, they're saving around 24% in addition to the offer you give them. This makes the cost of LASIK very palatable, especially in this rough economy. Direct mail to qualified people in your area and TV are great ways to reach your target LASIK demographic and let them know about their Flex account and how they can see 20/20 next year!
2.) Medicare Deductible for Cataract: Many seniors have met their Medicare deductible for 2009, so anything at this point in the year is free for them. While I know you don't make as much on a general cataract patient as you do on a LASIK patient, right now it's important to keep your appointments full and your staff busy. Cataract and multi-focal IOL surgeries have seen a significant growth through the down economy. Targeted daytime television, print ads and direct mail all work really well to target the senior population. In addition, you should always have a representative in your practice out in the community at senior centers, eye clinics and retirement communities to promote your cataract services. Free cataract screenings are also a great call-to-action for your marketing.
I hope these tips are helpful for you! I have many more marketing tips and affordable products to help your practice be profitable. You're all probably working on your budgets for 2010, so please feel free to call and get quotes or ask questions about using our TV spots, radio spots, print ads, brochures, patient packets or direct mail services to add into next year's budget. I'm here to help, so don't hesitate to call me at (877) 721-2525 or e-mail at abbyb@doctordirectonline.com. You can also view our products and order online at www.doctordirectonline.com.
Cheers,
Abby BrookoverDoctor Directabbyb@doctordirectonline.com(877) 721-2525

Ideas To Increase Volume NOW

2009-04-20T10:34:00.003-06:00

Let's face it; we're all tightening our belts and purse strings these days. With the dramatic changes in the stock market, declining home values and retirement plans, and huge government bailouts, I know very few people who aren't more cautious about how they spend their discretionary dollars. With that in mind however, I'm convinced there is one thing many consumers realize – it's a buyers market.

My e-mail is flooded with 40 percent off coupons to my favorite clothing stores, and closeout price promotions at huge retailers. I admit, I love these deals and coupons, and I will ultimately spend dollars on these items because I feel I'm getting a good value on products that aren't a necessity for me. The bad part is my perception that anything marked at full value may be a ridiculous waste of money. Based on this, you may ask yourself, what does this mean for my practice and me?

It means that no matter how much it makes you cringe, now is the time to give package deals, discounts and promotions. You don't necessarily have to give HUGE discounts to make an impact. You need to make your clientele feel as though they are getting a good deal.
Here are a few ways to utilize your spa services to keep your appointments full and actually grow your practice during an economic downturn.

1.) Market Ancillary Procedures: If you're sending out direct mail or running TV spots promoting surgical procedures, I can almost guarantee you're not getting good results right now. As invasive procedures are declining, non-surgical procedures such as BOTOX, microdermabrasion and laser skin resurfacing continue to thrive. Consumers are holding off on the $5,000 procedure but are willing to spend $150 on a chemical peel or $300 on a filler treatment. While I know these aren't always your ideal new customers, they do create recurring revenue and keep your practice busy and growing during down times. The best way to market these procedures is with database marketing, e-mail blasts to your database and targeted direct mail. Radio could also be a good option depending on your market size.

2.) Packages: People swarm to buying in bulk to get a great deal. I like to refer to it as the "Sam's Club Effect" that makes us all think it's a great idea to buy six containers of mayonnaise and store it in order to save $3. The same idea holds true for spa services. Packages such as buy one microdermabrasion and get a facial half price, or buy three laser treatments and get the fourth free, are great for your practice and your clientele. The customer feels like they're getting a great deal and you ensure you have a person coming in at least two, three or four times and they're paid upfront. Again, the best way to market these services are through database marketing with e-mail or postcards and targeted direct mail. With your extra postcards you can deliver them to the businesses in your building or neighborhood!

3.) Special Filler Days: The dermal filler business is doing very well right now. Make sure you're practice is seeing growth in this area, too. Offer your patients a special day each month where they can get a discount on BOTOX or any of the fillers. You can also host special "bring a friend" parties in your office and invite your database to come and enjoy snacks and a special discount on their preferred filler. It's a great way to get people into your practice and it's less intimidating if they can bring a friend. Your perk is you get two patients for the price of one!

I hope some of these ideas are helpful for your practice. I have lots of ideas to help your practice grow and succeed, so feel free to call or e-mail me! We have all of the products you need to market any or all of your services, both internally and externally.

Abby Brookover
Doctor Direct
abbyb@doctordirectonline.com

April/May Special Offers

2009-04-15T10:32:00.002-06:00

Doctor Direct is happy to introduce lower quantities in our custom brochures and folders. Now you can have a completely custom look without breaking the bank. You can choose your topics and we'll design a completely new brochure or folder that only your practice will have.

From now until May 15th, we're offering a special introductory offer on our custom folders and tri-folds now available in smaller quantities.

Order any quantity of brochure or pocket folder and receive 15% off. If you order folders and brochures together, get 20% off!

Fully Custom Brochure Pricing:
100 = $200 250 = $325 500 = $600 750 = $825 1,000 = $940 2,500 = $1,600

Fully Custom Pocket Folder Pricing:
250 = $1,200 500 = $1,450 1,000 = $1,950 2,500 = $3,125

Recieve $50 off your order when you mention this email and code: DDO-190-07. Call Today! This offer ends 6/1/2009. Offer redeemable for all products or services excluding direct mail. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

Call (877) 721-2525 or e-mail Abby at abbyb@doctordirectonline.com to order any of our products!

Call Intake – Dialing for Dollars

2008-01-07T09:05:00.002-07:00

The biggest marketing mistake practices make is to spend money to produce new patient phone calls and then have Grumpy Gabby or Hum-Drum Hannah answer the phone. You may as well as open up the window and throw your money into the wind.

Have you ever really listened to how your phone is answered? Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?

“Dr. Smith’s office, hold please…” and then silence for a minute or two. Potential patient is gone by the time the staff member returns to the line. Where’s the welcoming and inviting voice to greet someone new into your practice? If placing someone on hold is absolutely necessary, music or a message-on-hold program is preferable to silence.

“Dr. Smith’s office, can I help you? [pause] I’m not sure how much breast augmentation costs. Anything else? No, okay, bye.” Where’s the willingness to get an answer or transfer your potential new patient to a coordinator who has all the answers? Even if it’s practice policy not to quote fees over the phone, there is a better way to handle the question.

This one is the best.

“This is Dr. Smith’s office and we are currently closed for lunch. Please call back after 1:30. Thank you.” While it’s fun for everyone to take lunch together to build office camaraderie, it’s a death wish for your marketing plan. Many potential patients work too and the lunch hour is a convenient time for them to make phone calls.

You may be thinking that these examples are over the top and they would never happen in your practice. Unfortunately, these are real-life examples and they happen every day. If you doubt what’s happening in your front office, have a friend or spouse secret shop your practice several different times over the course of a week and see what the results are. You have exactly one chance to make a good first impression on a new patient and that’s with the person you have answering the phone. That person needs to be pleasant, upbeat, happy to serve and help and someone who sees getting new people through the front door as her most important role.

If you have Grumpy Gabby or Hum-Drum Hannah as your front line and practice ambassador, perhaps it’s time to find a place for her in the billing office and put Upbeat Ursula in her place.

For more information on call intake or other valuable marketing tips, call Abby at 877.721.2525 or e-mail to abbyb@doctordirectonline.com.