Highly-Effective Marketing Tactics To Get Patients To Show Up For Hearing Tests
If you run an audiology clinic, you already know that one of the biggest challenges you face is getting your patients to show up for their hearing tests. Most of the time, they don't want to.
Data suggests that the average person with hearing loss waits seven years before getting a formal diagnosis, even though the official advice is for them to get hearing tests every couple of years after age 50. Very few people actually do that, leading to all sorts of problems and challenges for hearing specialists.
The good news is that, as a clinic, there are all sorts of things you can do to improve the rate at which people show up for appointments. This not only improves your revenue but also boosts their health outcomes.
De-stigmatize appointments
One of the most powerful things you can do as an audiology office is to de-stigmatize your appointments. Instead of calling them "audiograms" or "hearing tests," you can rebrand them as "hearing aid evaluations" or "baseline hearing screening." When you normalize it with this sort of language, you take away some of the fear that people have. Instead of going for a test, they feel like they're getting a checkup to see if everything's
Implement a high-touch or confirmation sequence
If you're not doing so already, it's also a good idea to implement a high-touch confirmation sequence. The idea here is to send patients a series of automated text messages so that they show up to their appointments. You can also go beyond this by providing them with:
a 7-day-out email or letter outlining what to expect
a 3-day-out phone call with a front desk team member
This conversation can help confirm whether they're still coming, and you can tell them that you're preparing their file for their wellness assessment on the date of the appointment. With 24 hours to go, it's a good idea to implement multiple text reminders that also provide additional value to patients by telling them the sort of treatment that they can expect.
Demystify the pre-appointment process
Another thing you might want to do is use your audiology marketing to demystify the pre-appointment process. Many patients will cancel because they fear the unknown. They secretly worry that they'll be trapped in a high-pressure environment where they'll have to do things that they don't want to do. Therefore, always break down your appointment flow on their website and tell them what to expect, such as:
A review of their medical history and lifestyle
The type of hearing tests that you carry out
What you do to evaluate the results
Once you provide this information, you'll often find that many patients feel significantly more relaxed.
Allow patients to bring a loved one
One of the best ways to get people to show up for appointments is to allow patients to bring a loved one. Having a family member there often makes them feel more secure and provides familiar voices during assessments. It also builds in accountability. Family members are advocates for patients.
