Marketing takes many forms. In some forms, marketing is intended to communicate your value proposition to existing customers, and in other instances, your objective is to attract new customers. Though there is some overlap, these are very different objectives and the marketing efforts can be very different.
If your objective is to attract new customers, your marketing plan will be developed and directed to reach that audience specifically. You will distribute your message to that audience to be relevant when they have a need that you fill, in your community, via your website to reach those who use search, on social media and other forms of media that will help you get your message out. It is important to communicate your value proposition by educating your audience repeatedly what you do, how you do it, when and where your services are available, and how to reach you when they have a need. In this manner, with constant presence of your message and brand in the environment from which your new customers come, will yield new customer traffic that is crucial to sustaining a healthy practice. These new customers replenish your customer population when some customer move, no longer
Marketing to existing customers is very different, and this is where most of your practice growth will come from. Existing customers want to know what they need, when they need it, how to access the service, and how much it might cost. Existing customers have placed their trust in you and they want you to help them take good care of their animals. Therefore, it is crucial that you invest in the tools that will use the data in your practice management system relating to their animals to help guide the care that they expect you to provide.
Services such as Vetstreet provide this data-mining and communications service to help you optimize your relationships with existing customers. Using a service like this is crucial to sustaining and growing a healthy practice. It is crucial to maintaining the trust with your clients that you are able to help them provide the care that they want for their animals.
Create a plan for both types of marketing to attract new customers and to serve those you already serve.
