MARC FOWLER
ARE YOU REACHING
BOTH TYPES OF SLEEP PATIENTS?
If you are serious about growing
your sleep practice, you’re likely
utilizing at least two marketing
strategies including an active
physician referral plan and
direct-to-consumer campaigns.
Let’s look at direct-to-consumer
marketing to sleep patients.
There are two types of sleep
patients - active and passive.
Active patients are searching
for a solution to their sleep
and breathing issues. Passive
consumers either aren’t aware
that they have issues, or aren’t
motivated to seek out solutions.
CPAP users may be active
patients who are looking for
another solution or passive and
not realizing there is a more
convenient alternative.
To maximize the effectiveness
of your marketing, you need
campaigns that put your
message in front of both of these
groups.
Active vs. Passive Campaigns
Active searchers are going to
Google and conducting searches
such as “sleep apnea treatment”
or “snoring solutions.” Google
search data reveals that a
significant volume of these
searches take place each month.
These active patients are best
reached with Google Search
Advertising campaigns. When
they search in Google, your ad
shows at the top of the Google
search results page. This is often
referred to as Pay-Per-Click
(PPC) advertising. You don’t
pay to show up. You only pay if
someone clicks on your ad.
Reaching passive patients
requires a different approach.
Unlike the active searcher, you
must create awareness and
motivate them to take action.
Online display advertising
campaigns are an effective, low-
cost way to accomplish this.
The largest display advertising
platform is the Google Display
Network (GDN). Ads on the
GDN show up when someone
is visiting any one of the 2
million+ websites that Google
has advertising agreements with.
For example, someone near
your office might be visiting
USAToday.com and see your
sleep ad on the right side of the
web page or in the middle of an
article they’re reading.
Facebook advertising is another
effective way to build awareness
and generate interest. Ads
appear in Facebook users’
newsfeeds as still or video ads
(click here to see a sample).
Pro Tip: 85% of video watched
on Facebook is watched without
sound, so if you will be running
video ads, be sure to use
captioning.
You have a limited window of
opportunity as Facebook users
scroll through their newsfeed,
so the ads must be designed
to quickly grab attention and
generate interest. Photos or
videos that depict a patient’s
pain point (like sleeplessness or
an uncomfortable CPAP mask)
are very effective.
A diversified campaign that
targets both passive and active
consumers will put more sleep
patients in your chair.
If you would like to discuss
which approach may best
fit your goals and market,
schedule a complimentary 30
minute phone consult with me.
Here are a few ways to do that:
Call me at (214) 592-9393; Email
Me; or Select a time on my
Calendar.
MARC FOWLER
Founder, Bullseye Media
Marc Fowler is President of
Bullseye Media. Since 2006, they
have helped over 375 dental
practices across the U.S. and
Canada leverage the internet to
achieve their practice
growth goals.