Are you looking for ways to engage physicians in achieving your organization’s marketing goals? Should you? The answer is yes. Physician buy-in to marketing strategy and goals is critical to building a strong brand. Here are three motivators you can leverage.

Shared Purpose: A Clear Goal that Resonates with your Doctors

While doctors have no formal marketing training, they are keenly aware of the competitive, complex, value-driven world they work in today. They may not view their patients as “customers,” yet it’s easy for them to see that successful medical practices are the ones that understand and meet individual patients’ needs. What can you do?

  • Clarify the overall marketing goal and how doctors can explicitly support it.
  • Reiterate that patients come first – a stance doctors easily agree with.

Self-interest: Demonstrate the Benefit of Getting Involved in Marketing

Create ongoing opportunities for doctors to be part of strategic marketing planning. They want to be part of discussions that concern their future and affect their happiness at work. Give them a chance to communicate with administrative and medical leaders about organizational improvements. Consider:

  • Starting a marketing advisory board made up of physicians.
  • Inviting all doctors to brand strategy sessions.

Respect: Make Group Decisions that Give Everyone a Voice

As the foremost medical authorities, doctors expect their concerns to be heard and appreciated. Your decision-making process is very important to them. For example, majority rule can make members of your team feel railroaded.

  • Avoid “yes” or “no” votes at policy meetings.
  • Make decisions by consensus. Ask, “Can you live with it and support it?” and “Anybody not?”
  • Follow up with “What would it take for you to live with and support this decision?”
  • Revisit the decision after a reasonable time.

Marketing may not come naturally to physicians. However, applying these three levers – setting a worthy goal, providing the opportunity to contribute, and respecting their input – will help you gain their buy-in to execute a marketing strategy that benefits patients and your practice.

CMG Health Marketing understands the connection between busy practices, engaged physicians and a winning marketing strategy. Contact us today for help with yours.