If, as the saying goes, "Knowledge is power," then the ability to impart knowledge doubles that power. In the context we'll explore here, this is certainly the case.
Patients and the general public look to physicians for information about the human body and its ailments. And other physicians may look to specialists for information about specific advances in treatment. As a physician you can, therefore, help many people enjoy greater health and well-being by sharing your specific and, in some cases, unique medical knowledge. Helping others will also help you, by attracting more patients and referral sources, and building your practice.
One of the best ways to make your knowledge available to many people is to sponsor a seminar that will appeal to a particular group. If you are an obstetrician, you might for instance, ask a physical therapist to join you in explaining ways to alleviate some of the back problems experienced by pregnant women. If you are a neurosurgeon, you might consider a seminar that will appeal to your professional referral sources, general practice physicians. This might be a seminar on, say, geriatric medical concerns that takes a multi-disciplinary approach and features, among, others, an otolaryngologist, a rheumatologist and a pharmacologist.
The possibilities are very broad, but it's important to do some pre-seminar marketing research before you invest the time and money it takes to sponsor a successful educational seminar. This doesn't mean you need to hire a research firm. All you need do is take a long, clarifying look at your present practice. Who are your patients? And who refers them? If you can identify a "niche" or two, one or two medical services within your current practice that you consistently provide, you may be able to structure an appealing seminar around it. But think creatively: look at the larger picture, the context within which you draw your patients from referring physicians. Do these patients and doctors have anything in common?
Once you've got a couple "hot' seminar topics, test them out. Ask selected patients whether topic A, topic B, or topic C appeals to them. If they all do, ask in what order. (You might also consider providing a free medical screening of some kind, or some other service people usually want free child care while the pregnancy seminar is in session, for example.)
Call up your referral sources and discuss the topics you've chosen for them. What would entice these physicians to take time away from their busy practices to spend a few hours listening to a panel of presenters? What would they like to know more about?
Once you've got a good subject for either group, plan the time and place with care. Poor location can ruin the best-laid seminar plans. For patients, evenings during the week are often best; but ask them. Maybe Saturday mornings are actually better for most. Your office, meanwhile, is probably the best most central location.
For referring physicians, you'll probably want to schedule the seminar on a midweek day (not Monday, nor Friday), taking three to four hours in the early afternoon and followed by an hour of socializing. If at all possible, get a hospital you're affiliated with to sponsor your seminars, and make use of their facilities.
But how do you let people know that you're sponsoring a seminar? For patients, you might consider bill-stuffer announcements (word these in an exciting, interesting manner for best results), direct mail fliers or, if you have an existing patient newsletter, put a box advertisement there. If your seminar will appeal to a broader public, consider posters in relevant stores (sporting goods, maternity, weight loss franchises). If it's got mass appeal and it's free, you can ask local radio and television stations to announce it free of charge, with PSAS, or "Public Service Announcements." Or, you may want to affiliate your seminar with an existing program run by your local library or church (and use their conference facilities). Finally, you might consider paying for advertising. But weigh the cost/benefit ratio carefully; ads are expensive and, unless you're assured of a great return on your investment, may not be worth it. (Buying a mailing list and using the direct mail method should be weighed in the same manner.)
Advertising your seminar to referring physicians can be done by generating a mailing list from local hospital directories or from professional organizations, as well as by word-of-mouth among your current group of referring physicians. (You may want to consider offering CME credits as an added enticement; your professional organization can tell you about getting accreditation.)
Aside from the time and place, and advertising the seminar to appropriate audiences, you will need to create a follow-up strategy. How will you best strengthen your relationship with these patients or this group of referring physicians after your presentation?
Printed material can be one way to do this. Distribute handouts on the seminar topic (preferably reprints of articles you've written or co-authored), and attach your rolodex card. Get names, addresses and phone numbers for a post-seminar mailing list; use it to send quarterly updates of the seminar material. Ask everyone to fill out a prepared questionnaire that asks for feedback on the program and asks for future seminar topic suggestions. If possible, create a table of related books and articles that are for sale, or even just on display. Staff it with knowledgeable people who can tease-out areas of interest among those looking at the materials. (Place a mailing list here, too.)
Speak with as many attendees as you can. 'Remember that the person to person approach is best when it is relaxed, friendly and not pushy. It's what you'd want a good "host-person" to be: one who makes sure everyone is comfortable, feels welcomed and included in the main event. You may want an associate to help you with this, if the group is very large.
If you've planned a seminar on an area of broad public interest, or one that relates to an issue currently making headlines, you may want to invite the media to attend. Coverage by your community newspaper is more likely than coverage by your city newspaper, or local television. But the more coverage you can get, the better. The media tend to have a legitimizing effect. If people read it in the papers or hear it on the evening news, it seems significant, and more "real". (Our clients always get phone calls from potential patients/clients after a media appearance. If you appear on the news, you can probably expect that too.)
Finally, it's important to realize that sponsoring a seminar is an indirect form of marketing your practice to a wider audience by providing a service. The quality of that service always determines the quantitative result: i.e., the better the seminar, the more likely it is you will receive new patient referrals or new patients acting on their own initiative.
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