In the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare and pain management, attracting new patients is only half of the equation; retaining them and maximizing their lifetime value is equally critical. Creating trusted relationships will result in returning patients who share a passion for OrthoLazer with their community.
At OrthoLazer, we recognize that patients aren’t just a one-time transaction but a long-term relationship built on trust, efficacy, and continuous care. This book aims to provide our franchisees with strategies to engage patients from their initial visit, throughout their treatment journey, and beyond.
Chapters
- The Importance of Word-of-Mouth Referrals
- Deepening the Connection: Engaging with Patients Post-Treatment
- Inside Sales: Impacting Revenue and Long-term Treatment Outcomes
The Important of Word-of-Mouth Referrals
Word-of-mouth is one of the most organic and credible forms of advertising and plays a pivotal role in bolstering the lifetime value of patients. This impactful strategy has no cost and only requires that your patients want to share their OrthoLazer experience with other people. Each satisfied patient is a powerful ambassador for your center and an opportunity to shine in a deeply authentic way!
Core Strategies
Exceptional Patient Experience
The primary driver of word-of-mouth referrals is a positive patient experience. Ensure that from the moment a patient walks into an OrthoLazer Center, they are greeted warmly and treated promptly. It is critical to deliver an OrthoLazer Experience that focuses on operational details and clinical excellence. An outstanding end-to-end patient experience creates passionate ambassadors for your center.
Patient Testimonials and Stories
Encourage satisfied patients to share their success stories with your center via video testimonials, written reviews, before-and-after photos, and the OrthoLazer Patient Experience survey. Display these in your clinic and on your social media platforms. Always let referring providers know about successful patient outcomes. Patient Stories on your OrthoLazer microsite is a valuable tool to help communicate patient success.
Google Reviews
Online reviews are a powerful form of word-of-mouth marketing. The Franchise Success Team will train you in the best techniques to build a strong collection of Google Reviews which will help your center become a valued resource in your community for pain management. Go to the OrthoLazer Knowledge Center for additional guidance on Google Reviews.
Referral Incentive Programs
Consider introducing a referral program to reward existing patients with additional free treatments or discounts for new patients they refer. Leverage the trust existing patients have in your center and help them become ambassadors to their friends and family. In addition, reward patients with an incentive, like free maintenance visits, for posting on their personal social media and sharing their OrthoLazer success publicly.
Host Informational Events
Host an Open House where existing patients can bring potential new patients. Offering free consultations or workshops during these events can increase engagement, foster a sense of community, and promote organic word-of-mouth. Advertise these events on your social media platforms including post-event successes.
In healthcare, personal recommendations carry immense weight. New patients who visit OrthoLazer Centers based on the firsthand experiences of friends, family, or colleagues often exhibit a higher degree of trust and loyalty, translating to more word-of-mouth referrals of their own in an ongoing cycle.
By ensuring excellence in patient care and actively encouraging patients to share their experiences, OrthoLazer Centers can strengthen their patient base and have a tremendous impact in their communities as a cornerstone of pain management and recovery.
Deepening the Connection: Engage with Patients Post-Treatment
Post-treatment engagement isn’t merely a follow-up process; it’s an essential strategy to extend the relationship between OrthoLazer Centers and their patients. Successfully transitioning patients from active treatment to post-treatment alumni can significantly enhance the lifetime value of each patient. Celebrate the end of treatment and let patients know your wish to stay connected with the End of Treatment Letter.
Staying in touch requires a commitment to gather and document patients' contact information in your center management software. Ensure that you have every graduating patient's email, cell phone and social media accounts if possible. The goal is to establish OrthoLazer as a trusted resource in healthcare, ensuring patients continue to turn to the center for guidance and information when they, or their networks, have pain management and recovery needs.
Core Strategies
Personalized Check-ins
Implement a process for staff to call each graduated patient at 1 week and 3 months post-treatment to inquire about their well-being. Demonstrate genuine care and interest in their long-term health. This is an opportunity to catch and address any post treatment issues early and reinforce the patient’s positive association with OrthoLazer. If a patient has provided formal feedback via survey or Google Review, use that as a foundation for the call and the discussion
Connect via Social Media
These platforms are powerful connectors and should be completely maximized. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok are great resources to build the OrthoLazer brand. Ask patients to follow your center social media accounts and follow them back! Engage with their content when appropriate to be visible in their networks. If you commit to this strategy you will quickly build your social media following and have a valuable asset for staying connected. Use Canva for a design tool that will help you quickly create OrthoLazer branded posts. Learn more about creating social media posts here.
Newsletters and Updates
Develop a short and sweet quarterly digital newsletter tailored for post-treatment patients. It can include success stories, new treatment advancements, and health tips. By maintaining a line of communication with graduated patients, it helps keep OrthoLazer top of mind and reinforces the idea that the patient’s well-being remains a priority even after their treatment concludes. Don’t know how or have the time? Find a college student digital marketing intern!
Exclusive Alumni Events
Organize events like workshops, presentations, and collaborations with local physical therapists and fitness specialists to share content that supports patients ongoing success and health. Host at your center or their spaces and cross promote within everyone's networks and social media. For example, “Struggling with back pain? Come meet our P.T partners and learn how OrthoLazer and PT can help!” Invite past patients to share their experiences with prospective patients and new referral sources.
Feedback and Continuous Improvement
Actively seek feedback from graduating patients. Encourage patients to complete our Patient Experience Survey to gain insights. Respond to any dissatisfaction promptly to let patients know they have been heard.
It’s important to understand what your center did right and where it can improve. This strategy supports your center’s commitment to excellence and patient satisfaction.
Referral Programs
Referral programs specific to graduated patients incentivize them to refer friends and family to OrthoLazer. It’s important to acknowledge the value of a patient’s network and how to capitalize on their recent positive experience. Most people who have had an excellent experience with pain management treatments are passionate about their outcome and excited to be an ambassador to their community. Patients who come to your center after a referral from someone they trust are educated about laser therapy and ready to sign up!
Engaging with your patients post-treatment is an important way to ensure that you are properly building the lifetime value of each person. It’s a win-win strategy that helps patients feel valued and cared for while centers benefit from enhanced loyalty, increased referrals, and an elevated reputation in the community. Investing the time and resources into post-treatment engagement allows your center to set the foundation for long-term success and patient advocacy.
Inside Sales: Impacting Revenue and Long-Term Treatment Outcomes
Inside sales―the practice of converting and cross selling patients within your facility―is an important strategy for all OrthoLazer Centers. This strategy can boost immediate revenue while offering additional value to patients and fostering deeper relationships. Mastering inside sales strategies is pivotal to ensure steady growth and higher patient retention.
Core Strategies
Positive Messaging Throughout Your Center
Patients are visiting your center 6 to 12 times or more. Utilize this opportunity to connect with them by creating an environment that supports their education about OrthoLazer and laser therapy.
- Ensure your waiting room has OrthoLazer brochures and reading materials that discuss specific conditions and laser therapy in general.
- Create a Community Board featuring patient testimonials, thank you notes, Google reviews, and print articles about laser therapy successes from your center and other centers.
- Consider a closed circuit TV running slides, patient testimonials, your provider team discussing laser therapy and condition-specific education. See the OrthoLazer Knowledge Center for print and video content to get you started.
Educating your patients will also encourage them to have meaningful conversations with your staff about how laser therapy can treat various conditions for themselves or their friends and family.
Multi-Area Treatment Upsells
Laser Technicians are in an optimal position to guide and educate patients. Ensure that your staff have the right education to confidently discuss the benefits of laser therapy for other conditions beyond what is currently being treated.
Share recent positive patient outcomes in treating specific conditions (without any Protected Health Information) related to your patients needs. Set the expectation for this behavior and recognize and reward staff who are successful.
Maintenance Packages
Maintenance packages provide tremendous value to patients and help extend the OrthoLazer-Patient connection. Laser therapy maintenance packages allow a patient to continue receiving care at a discounted rate to maintain their progress and protect the original investment of time and money in treating their condition.
- Train your center staff how to highlight the value of maintenance sessions and create an internal plan for how and when to discuss maintenance treatments during a patient’s journey. The first visit is an optimal time to review maintenance for many chronic pain patients.
- Document maintenance conversations with status updates in your center management software.
- Create package pricing, monthly specials, or diagnosis specific maintenance packages.
- Keep staff engaged by creating contests with prizes for maintenance package revenue sold.
Re-engaging Unconverted Patients
Some patients may initially decline laser therapy treatments, or want more time to consider their options, when first contacted. Nurturing provides an opportunity to re-engage these patients by sharing educational information to help them make their decision and help OrthoLazer stay top of mind as a solution.
- Documenting a patient’s original objections is important for your ongoing connection.
- Reach out again at the 5-month mark, prior to their referral expiring to revisit laser therapy as a treatment option. Did they intend to trial physical therapy instead? Ask how it went or if they are still struggling with symptoms.
- Studies have shown that post-surgical chronic pain is not uncommon, so reconnecting with untreated post-operative patients is important.
- Remind patients that their doctor recommended laser therapy as a good treatment option for them.
- Recommend potential patients view the OrthoLazer website and read ‘Patient Stories’ for insight into how laser impacts other people sharing their diagnosis.
Inside sales strategies are focused on a balance of business performance goals and genuine care for patient well-being. For OrthoLazer Centers, these techniques can boost your patient volume, enhance patient satisfaction and solidify the center’s reputation as a holistic healthcare provider. Focus on implementing and refining your center’s approach to these strategies for consistent growth and to elevate the OrthoLazer brand.
