A couple of weeks ago I attended several sessions of the virtual Influence and Impact Summit produced by Michael Hyatt of Platform University. It was seriously one of the best online summits I’ve ever participated in.  (If it happens again next year make sure you sign-up for the free event!) The speakers were insightful, the topics were impactful, and the take-aways were truly meaningful. In my last blog, I reviewed several quotes by the legendary John Maxwell. (Missed it? Check it out!) As I mentioned in that blog, I actually had two favorite sessions. And because I couldn’t pick a winner, I chose to talk about them in alphabetical order.

Today, I’m happy to share my other “tied-for-first-place” speaker from the Impact and Influence summit: Amy Porterfield. Now, I confess…I LOVE AMY PORTERFIELD!  I’ve been following her on social media for some time, I subscribe to her blog, and I’ve purchased several of her products. She’s a gifted entrepreneur who’s changed the lives of countless people. Honestly, I almost didn’t listen to her talk because I thought I was familiar with her message. I’m so glad I changed my mind! In all the time I’ve been tuning in to Amy, this was the first time I saw her “unscripted” in an interview.

She was absolutely magnificent. Her vibrant personality and genuine compassion were evident from word one. Amy was engaging, funny, sincere, and humble while sharing pieces of her story and motivation. What struck me the most from her 30-minute interview was how much I could relate to her on a personal and professional level. We’re in completely different fields, but she has the same fears and worries that I do. (Well…she didn’t come out and say she’s afraid of zombies, but isn’t everyone???)

I was floored to learn that Amy sometimes worries her products might not be good enough…that her success might vanish…that there might not be enough money for future needs…  Wow!  Does that sound familiar?  Do you ever have those same fears or worries?  How do you handle them? When faced with these fears, Amy gives herself 10 minutes to worry about it, then she consciously shifts her focus to the next important thing. What a great tip to use in healthcare practices! (The host, Michael Hyatt, said he’s a worrier too.  His wife tells him “wait to worry.”  Basically, there’ll be time later to worry, right now you need to buckle down and get to work.  Invariably, by the time “later” comes, there’s no need to worry!)

Another interesting lesson Amy shares is how, when she left her 9-5 job to begin her entrepreneurial journey, she was scared. So, she took on consulting clients for the first two years. She later realized that while comfortable, this was a distraction holding her back from her true path.  Have you ever struggled to make something fit your life or your practice, to no avail? Then, when you stop pushing, you realize you were meant to go in another direction? (Me too!)

One last impactful moment in the interview occurred when Amy shared “What’s ahead of you is where the magic is.” We can get bogged down in the minutiae of today or the regrets of the past and lose sight of the future. We can’t change what happened yesterday…and the actions of this moment may have little impact on today. But…the future is molded by the thoughts and actions of today…it’s completely up to you. You can have a future that looks identical to your present life if you change nothing. However, if you plan carefully…choose your actions with intention…take deliberate steps…your future can be magical!

So how does this relate to healthcare practice marketing? If you change nothing about how you market your practice…if you fail to put a plan in place…then you’ll get the same level of practice success you’ve always had. Or, you can experiment, try new marketing strategies, take intentional marketing steps, and create new levels of practice success.

One last thought about the summit, and then I’ll go back to my normal healthcare marketing blogs…there were so many fantastic speakers. I have to give honorable mention to several more: Dr. Josh Axe, Dave Ramsey, Carrie Green, Donald Miller, Bob Goff, and Andy Andrews were all amazing. If you think about it, there’s no shortage of inspirational leaders. Even if they aren’t in the healthcare field, their messages can translate to your healthcare practice. Block some time out of your schedule to listen to a few of your favorites (via podcast, e-book, interview, etc.) every week. Their messages can raise your energy, motivate you, and help you intentionally create the practice – and life – of your dreams!

What about you? Who are your favorite inspirational leaders? Please share your comment, quote, or story in the comments section!

Creating a healthcare marketing calendar is a vital step for any successful medical practice. Just as you carefully plan your office layout, design your brochures, and structure patient care protocols, your marketing efforts deserve the same level of thoughtful preparation. A well-crafted marketing calendar—sometimes called a Connections Calendar—helps you map out all the community touchpoints and promotional activities your practice will engage in throughout the year.

Planning your healthcare marketing in advance allows you to maintain consistent patient communication and capitalize on seasonal opportunities. Rather than scrambling to create last-minute campaigns, a marketing calendar gives you the structure to build meaningful relationships with your community while efficiently managing your practice resources.

Key Takeaways

• A structured marketing calendar helps healthcare practices maintain consistent patient engagement and community outreach throughout the year.
• Planning your healthcare marketing efforts in advance allows for better resource allocation and more strategic promotional activities.
• Creating a comprehensive marketing calendar transforms reactive healthcare advertising into proactive patient connection opportunities.

Why You Need a Marketing Calendar for Healthcare Success

A well-planned marketing calendar serves as the backbone of your healthcare practice’s outreach efforts. It brings structure to your promotional activities and helps your practice grow in several important ways:

Focuses Your Efforts
A marketing calendar helps you prioritize activities that align with your healthcare brand and practice goals. This focused approach prevents scattered efforts and maximizes your marketing impact with potential patients.

Controls Budget Flow
Planning your marketing activities in advance allows for better financial management. You can:

• Allocate funds strategically throughout the year
• Avoid unexpected expenses
• Ensure resources are available for high-priority campaigns

Optimizes Staff Scheduling
Your calendar helps coordinate everyone involved in marketing efforts:

• Practice staff
• External partners
• Volunteers

This coordination prevents burnout while ensuring proper coverage for events and activities targeting your niche market.

Prevents Missed Opportunities
Without a planned calendar, important marketing opportunities can slip through the cracks. Last-minute marketing rarely delivers the same results as well-executed, thoughtfully planned campaigns that connect with patients in your location.

Remember, successful healthcare marketing strategies require planning. Your marketing calendar transforms good intentions into actionable steps that attract patients and build your practice.

Get Ready!

Block dedicated planning time on your schedule for creating your marketing calendar. You’ll need 1-2 full days either working alone or with your team during a staff retreat. This focused time ensures thorough planning without interruptions.

Gather essential planning tools before you begin:

• Calendar with important dates marked
• List of holidays and planned vacations
• Schedule of major local events that might affect attendance
• Inventory of potential marketing activities
• Basic supplies (pens, paper, calculator)
• Digital tools if you prefer electronic planning

Brainstorm creative marketing ideas by developing a master list of successful past activities and new concepts you’d like to implement. Consider your practice strengths and market opportunities while being mindful of potential threats and competition.

Personalize your approach to reflect your unique practice identity and values. Your marketing calendar should showcase your strengths and address your weaknesses through strategic planning.

Remember that your marketing calendar is a living document. You can and should update it regularly as you track progress, respond to market changes, or identify new opportunities. Flexibility is key to maintaining an effective marketing strategy that grows with your practice.

5 Steps to Build an Effective Marketing Calendar for Your Healthcare Practice

Creating a well-organized marketing calendar helps your practice stay on track with promotional activities throughout the year. Here’s how to build one that works:

1. Gather Patient Feedback

Ask your patients about their experiences with your previous marketing efforts. Create a brief questionnaire with questions like:

• Which events did you enjoy most?
• What activities would you like to see in the future?
• How do you prefer to receive practice updates?

This feedback provides valuable insights about what resonates with your target audience and helps shape your marketing strategy.

2. Block Out Your Calendar Year

Start with the basics by marking:

• Holidays and office closures
• Staff vacations and time off
• Industry conferences and events

Then plan at least three marketing activities each month:

• One internal office event (staff or current patient focused)
• One community-focused external event
• At least one social media or content marketing activity

Remember: It’s better to plan conservatively than to cancel events due to time constraints.

3. Establish Clear Marketing Goals

Set specific, measurable objectives for each marketing activity. For example:

• Increase new patient appointments by 15% this quarter
• Generate 25 new reviews on Google by June
• Grow email newsletter subscribers by 100 people

Your goals should be realistic, time-bound, and aligned with your overall business goals. Write them down and revisit them regularly.

4. Implement Tracking Systems

Every marketing effort needs a measurement plan:

Proper tracking helps you determine your ROI and informs future marketing tactics.

5. Ensure Team Alignment

Your entire team needs to understand:

• The marketing activities planned
• Their specific responsibilities
• How success will be measured
• Why these efforts matter

Hold regular meetings to discuss upcoming events and review past performance. When everyone understands the “why” behind your marketing calendar, they’ll be more invested in its success.

Pro Tip: Create a dedicated folder system (physical or digital) organized by month, with subfolders for each marketing activity. Include all relevant materials, budgets, checklists, and post-event analysis in these folders for easy reference when planning future events.

By following these steps, you’ll create a structured approach to your practice marketing that drives patient engagement, builds brand awareness, and supports practice growth throughout the year.

Common Questions About Healthcare Marketing Calendars

What should you include in your healthcare marketing calendar?

An effective healthcare marketing calendar needs several key elements to work well. You should include:

• Important dates such as holidays, industry events, and health awareness months
• Marketing campaigns with clear start and finish dates
• Content publication schedule for blog posts, emails, and social media
• Budget allocation for each marketing activity
• Team responsibilities showing who handles each task

Your calendar should also include specific and measurable goals for each marketing activity. This helps you track progress and measure success.

How can you add digital marketing to your healthcare calendar?

Digital marketing should be a core part of your healthcare marketing calendar. Here’s how to integrate it effectively:

1. Schedule regular social media posts about health topics, services, and patient education
2. Plan email campaigns for appointment reminders and health tips
3. Coordinate website updates with your other marketing efforts
4. Schedule search engine optimization (SEO) reviews quarterly

It’s important to combat misinformation and provide accurate health information in all your digital marketing efforts.

How do you align your marketing calendar with organizational goals?

Your marketing calendar should directly support your healthcare organization’s broader objectives:

Before creating your calendar, survey and gather insights from stakeholders to ensure alignment with organizational priorities.

When should you start planning your marketing calendar?

You should begin planning your healthcare marketing calendar at least 3-6 months before the start of the new year. This timeline allows for:

• Thoughtful strategy development
• Budget approval processes
• Content creation lead time
• Coordination with other departments

Many healthcare organizations create an annual calendar but leave room for adjustments. Start by filling in holidays, vacations, and office closings before adding marketing activities.

How can you measure your marketing calendar’s success?

To track the effectiveness of your healthcare marketing calendar:

1. Set key performance indicators (KPIs) for each marketing activity
2. Use analytics tools to monitor website traffic, social engagement, and conversions
3. Track patient acquisition sources to connect marketing efforts to results
4. Conduct regular performance reviews against your goals

Your calendar should include tracking mechanisms to measure performance and make data-driven decisions.

How often should you update your marketing calendar?

Your healthcare marketing calendar requires regular reviews and updates:

• Weekly: Check for immediate adjustments needed
• Monthly: Review performance and make tactical changes
• Quarterly: Assess larger trends and strategic alignment
• Annually: Complete overall evaluation and planning for next year

A written marketing calendar provides focus and consistency to your strategy, but it must remain flexible enough to adapt to changing circumstances and opportunities.