Securing more business as a veterinary hospital or practice can, at times, feel like an impossible task. Why? Because just like our pets, pet owners can be creatures of habit. Given the choice of returning to the practice they’ve been visiting for years, or trying out a new alternative (your practice), they are likely to stick to what they know. But, fear not! There are plenty of tricks and strategies that you can employ to successfully market your veterinary practice, and draw in plenty of new business. Here are some foolproof ideas to help formulate your next marketing plan.

1. Create an Unmissable Offer

Kick-start your veterinary practice or animal hospital marketing strategy by offering something to prospective clients for free, like a free check-up or health guide. This is often known as the “freemium” model, where you entice new business by offering something for free, in order to later convert them to a paying customer. Once you’ve wowed the new pet owner with your exceptional pet care, they’ll be more likely to come back for more.

Also consider how you can make your pre-existing services more exciting − try creating long-term packages or bundles, or offering staggered payment via a payment plan. You can advertise these new offers via email, your website, and social media − where you can boost the post to reach an even wider audience.

2. Take Your Client Communication Online

Veterinary direct mail, sent through the postal service, can be costly. Save money on veterinary postcards by sending reminders via digital channels, and keep pet owners − and potential clients − up-to-date on news about your practice via social media. Start small and focus on one channel, such as Facebook, and branch out to others once you’re starting to see some traction. The key is regular, consistent posting… But make sure you don’t bite off more than you can chew! Try sharing pet photos or stories (with the owner’s permission), creating useful infographics, or running a social media contest. This type of content is highly shareable, and will give your practice the best chance of going viral.

3. Leverage Your Website

To ensure your website is supporting your marketing efforts, start with the basics. Every veterinary website should include client testimonials, profiles of staff members, and clear information about the services offered. Then, take your website to the next level. With some search engine optimization (SEO), you can secure even more business by appearing higher in search engine results. Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly, easy to navigate, and that you maintain a high-quality blog with plenty of keywords, such as “veterinary practice”, next to the name of your town or neighborhood. You can also create a video so that potential clients can really get to know your practice − you can share this on social media too.

4. Advertise Locally

Like any successful small business, you’ll want to be advertising locally. With Google My Business, you can register your business so that it will appear in Google Maps and across other Google services. Once you’ve registered, satisfied clients can leave you positive reviews and post photos of your practice, helping you to create a good reputation in your local area.

Reach out to local media outlets and local influencers via social media. All of these elements will help you to share news about your practice and create that word of mouth effect.

5. Run a PPC Campaign

Try utilizing some digital marketing techniques such as pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. For example, with Google Ads you can select which words and phrases you want to trigger your ads. Unlike SEO campaigns, which can take weeks or even months to start driving people to your website, PPC campaigns can start generating traffic from the outset. Start with a small budget to learn the ropes, or consider working with a local digital marketing agency who will be able to help you out.

6. Reach Out with Email Marketing

With many veterinary clinics still marketing via traditional mail or telephone, you can set yourself apart by reaching pet owners more efficiently with email marketing. Whether you create regular mail pieces featuring general information regarding pet health, individual pet medical results, or simply updates about what’s happening in your practice − email is an invaluable tool. This type of mail marketing allows you to track who is engaging with the communications you send out and how they are interacting, giving you actionable insights to better connect with your clients. You can even learn about how to improve your practice by sending them email requests to complete client surveys and reviews, letting you know where you’re excelling, and where you have room to grow.

What is the best way to market a veterinary hospital, clinic or practice?

While there is no magic recipe when it comes to successfully marketing your services, here we have outlined plenty of avenues you can follow to set your veterinary marketing strategy up for success. Luckily, you don’t need to use complicated technology or purchase expensive marketing tools to succeed − you just need dedication, and a sprinkling of imagination! So, what are you waiting for? Give these marketing ideas a go and have some fun with it, you never know where it could lead your practice next.

If you’re looking to push your veterinary practice even further, take a look at VitusVet − it provides everything you need to streamline workflows, grow revenue, increase pet owner satisfaction, improve client communication and increase client loyalty. Find out more and request your demo today!