5 Steps to Create Your Healthcare Marketing Calendar [Connections CalendarTM]

 

When was the last time you created a healthcare marketing calendar for your practice? Perhaps the single most critical component of a successful healthcare practice is planning.  You develop the floorplan of your office, you plan the look and tone of your business cards and brochures, you design the décor of your rooms, and you plan the care you provide to your clients. Likewise, you should intentionally plan your practice marketing by creating a written marketing calendar. (I like to call the marketing calendar a Connections Calendar^TM, because it details all the community connections you plan to make in the upcoming year.)

Why Do You Need a Connections Calendar^TM(marketing calendar)?

First, creating a written Connections Calendar^TM (marketing calendar) each year can provide focus and consistency to your practice marketing strategy. Having laser-beam focus and consistency in your healthcare marketing strategy helps you commit your time, energy, and resources to those activities which are most aligned with your practice.

Second, a Connections Calendar^TM (marketing calendar) helps you to control your marketing budget. Poor cash flow can devastate even the best practice. Knowing what events are coming up allows you to plan your finances properly and ensure your expenses are covered.

Third, a written Connections Calendar^TM (marketing calendar) allows you to appropriately schedule the time of yourself, your staff, partners, and volunteers. This is critical to ensure adequate coverage and avoid exhaustion or burnout. In addition, appropriate scheduling can improve the execution and results of your event.

Finally, if you leave your marketing to chance, or do it at the last minute, you might run out of time before doing the events that really matter.

Get Ready!

• Schedule it! Block time out of your schedule, 1-2 days should be enough. You can create your Connections Calendar^TM (marketing calendar) alone, or with the help of your staff at an office retreat.

 

• Be prepared! Gather necessary tools and reference materials such as: Calendar, upcoming holiday and vacation dates, a list of large local events that might compete with your activities, a list of potential events, pens, paper, calculator, et cetera. You can do it the old fashioned way (on paper) or by using a computer, tablet, smart phone, program, or app.

 

• Be creative! Develop a master list of ideas for events and activities you’ve had success with in the past, or that you’d like to try in the future.

 

 

• Don’t forget! This is your practice, and your marketing events should reflect you. Also, your Connections Calendar^TM (marketing calendar) is meant to be modified and updated as needed.

 

5 Steps to Create a Connections Calendar^TM (marketing calendar) for Your Practice

1. Survey: Connect with your current patients and ask them what marketing events/activities they’ve participated in at your office. Find out what they liked, what they didn’t like, and what they’d like to see in the future. Keep your questions short and simple for maximal response.

 

2. Schedule: Go through each month on your calendar and fill in holidays, vacations, scheduled office closings, and other important dates. Then, schedule one internal event, one external event, and at least one social media activity each month. For more information on internal and external marketing, check out my previous blogs: Internal Marketing for Healthcare Practices [Easy Definition] and External Marketing for Healthcare Practices [Easy Definition].You can always add more activities to your Connections Calendar^TM (marketing calendar) later if time and resources permit, but it doesn’t look professional if you cancel events.

 

3. Set Goals: Set your written and measurable marketing goals using whatever method works best for you. Be specific! To help you keep your goals and action steps organized, I’ve created a FREE 2018 Practice Marketing Planner for you! Download it, print it, and use it every day to help create the practice of your dreams.

4. Determine Tracking: How will you track the results of your efforts to know which activities work best for you? How will you know if you achieved your stated goals? Who’s responsible for what?

 

5. Communicate: Make sure your entire team understands the Connections Calendar^TM(marketing calendar), goals, tracking, and their role in each.

 

Congratulations on creating your first Connections Calendar^TM! You’re likely to find it gets easier to do each year, and you may begin to look forward to setting your annual marketing vision. Review your marketing calendar regularly, post it in a conspicuous location, update it as needed, and allow it to serve as your road map to greater practice success.

BONUS Tip: Consider creating a 3-ring binder (or digital folder structure) broken down by month. Within each month, create subsections by event. Each event section should include the goals, budget, steps, tracking, and post-event evaluation notes. You can also keep copies of your promotional materials (flyers, sign-in sheets, certificates, PowerPoint presentations, et cetera) here. This way, everything about each event is in one easily-accessible location.

What works for you? Do you have a Connections Calendar^TM tip to recommend? Please share your comment, quote, or story in the comments section!

For more information on building community connections, I encourage you to read my new book Community Connections! Relationship Marketing for Healthcare Professionals. If you want more valuable information about how to Connect with YOUR Community, you can find FREE healthcare practice marketing content, PowerPoint Presentation Jumpstart Kits, workbooks, blog articles, and my FREE “Practice Marketing Planner” Now!