Summer is a great time to promote your services.

While all marketing starts from the “inside” and internal marketing can be very effective, so can external marketing.  Internal, or in the office marketing, is a form of networking. The most effective form of external marketing, or marketing to non patients outside of the office, has also been networking.

In our world today, we are “spammed” to death.  It is estimated that we are hit over 2,000 times each day in the US with advertisement impressions. There is just too much “noise.”

One of the reasons social networking on the internet has grown is that it allows people to bypass the noise and network on a more personal basis.  But real world local networking opportunities exist right in your back yard: summer “block parties”, church socials, Lions Club pancake breakfasts, parades, 10-Ks and other walk/runs, donation drives – the list goes on and on.

You can just show up and meet people. Let them meet you.  Much like an elected official does when she runs for office.  You can also get a picture taken of the event and then use this in your internal promotions.

Here is a picture of me waving to the crowd with our state representative, Dr.Sheldon Wasserman, at our local 4th of July parade.

Get a list of upcoming community events from the Chamber of Commerce and schedule a screening, talk, an information booth, your own participation (volunteer your help), or just a visit. Be neighborly.

There is often a run or walk as part of a donation program during the summer months in which you and your staff can participate.  We have seen offices proudly wear their office t-shirts and recruit many patients to do the same.

When you are networking, you get to know people. Be interested in them and thier interests. Then you can hand out your cards. You an also hand out coupons for a screening or workshop at your office. And then, of course, there are on site screenings.

Screenings still work. You better believe it! But they have to be well organized. Most importantly, the people doing the screenings have to want to be there and have fun doing them.  We have been doing screenings for over 20 years and they can be as effective now as they ever were.  But whether you do a screening, or run, or just show up with your friendly conversation and cards, there are many summer events for you to get out and do some networking.

Here are just some of the benefits:

• Meet new people who can eventually become new patients or new referral sources.
• Meet active patients and strengthen your relationship with them in a different setting.
• See inactive patients and reactive them, or encourage referrals from them.
• Get out, get some sun and have some fun!

As Woody Allen is to have said:

Eighty percent of success is showing up.

 You can’t loose. It’s Summer. Get Outside.

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