The 22 Immutable Laws of (Medical) Marketing
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing is widely considered a must-read for any of marketer. Written by Al Reis and Jack Trout over 20 years ago, the book takes all of 132 pages to introduce and explain 22 marketing concepts that are both time tested and ever-present in successful marketing, today.
As I made my way through the book I kept track of the Laws that I felt could make the biggest impact on medical practices. Below you’ll find my top 8 selections and examples of how you can apply each Law to your practice to improve marketing and patient acquisition efforts. For the full list of 22 Immutable Laws, pick up a copy of the book on Amazon; it’ll be $10 well-spent.
The Law of Resources
“Without adequate funding an idea won’t get off the ground.”
Even the best ideas for marketing your practice won’t go far without proper investment. In Hollywood, the rule of thumb is to spend 50% of a film’s budget on promoting it. Similarly, if you’re producing assets for your practice (website content, blogs, Instagram posts, brochures, etc.) you should set aside budget to promote them.
The Law of Hype
“The situation is often the opposite of the way it appears.”
Social media would have you believe that nowadays, every business generates millions while its founders live lavish lifestyles, globetrotting the world. In reality, most of what you see on social media is promotion and hype. Stay focused, stay motivated, and stay in your lane – understand but don’t worry about what others are (appearing to be) doing.
The Law of the Mind
“It’s better to be first in the mind than to be first to market”
This Law makes the case for providers who may want to start their own practice but are afraid due to competition. Others may be first to serve your particular market but you can work hard to be first in a prospective patient’s mind. Altair may have been first in personal computers but, to this day, Apple is first in the mind. Being first in the mind is invaluable.
The Law of Perception
“Marketing isn’t a battle of products, it’s a battle of perceptions.”
When it comes to getting people in the door, there is no such thing as a ‘best service’. Run a quick Google search for ‘plastic surgery gone wrong’ and you’ll be reminded of how many bad surgeons still get business. In reality, all that matters is the perception of your practice in the minds of prospective patients; perception is what gives you the opportunity to help a patient. What competing practices do is much less important than how they are perceived.
The Law of Focus
“The most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the prospect’s mind.”
If you can own a word in your prospective patient’s mind, you can win big. BMW owns driving and Volvo owns safety. What word can your practice own? If you’re a cosmetic surgeon performing ‘mommy makeovers’ maybe it’s modern mothers.
The Law of Failure
“Failure is to be expected and accepted.”
You’re never going to be right 100% of the time so be ready and willing to accept failure, cut your losses and move on. Letting a bad marketing promotion or strategy linger can be costly.
The Law of Acceleration
“Successful programs are not built on fads, they’re built on trends.”
Take time to consider the marketing strategies your practice is employing; do your strategies attempt to capitalize on fads or trends? Fads make a big splash and can be profitable, but they typically don’t last long enough to do much good for a business. On the other hand, trends are rarely hyped but lead to long term success and profitability. QR codes were a fad, patient acquisition via SEO and paid search are long-lasting trends.
The Law of the Opposite
“If you’re shooting for second place, your strategy is determined by the leader.”
It takes time and effort to displace the #1 provider in your category so first shooting for #2 isn’t a bad idea. To reach second place and have a strong foothold, it’s key to study the provider ahead of you. Understand what your primary competitor cannot offer, and turn that into a weakness. Offering more convenient hours of operation, a more seamless patient experience or more luxurious office space, for example, may make all the difference in getting to #1.