As a LASIK practitioner, you may wonder if patient testimonials are vital to your business. Research shows that 77% of patients use an online search before choosing a physician or practice. Andrew Rainey, Binary Foundation executive vice president of strategy, said, “competition is a click away with online reviews.” He also said over 50% of people searching for a doctor would not choose that practice when there are no reviews and/or star ratings. The first impression they receive of the provider happens before they ever walk into the business.
It is important for your LASIK practice to optimize your brand, grow your online presence, and have unbiased testimonials for prospective patients to read. The report clearly shows there are substantial benefits for persuading your clients to write testimonials for your LASIK practice. Marketing is merely convincing potential patients that you are the best for what they need. Customer testimonials are the best bang-for-your-buck marketing tool you have.
An easy way to take advantage of the many benefits of patient testimonials is to make it a habit to ask clients to write their testimonials on Google, Yelp, and other channels. Going a step further and providing that link for them through an email will make it even easier for them to leave you a review.
Here is a short list of some of the most important reasons to ask for unbiased testimonials and online reviews:
Increase the confidence your clients have in you
When you post testimonials from patients, you considerably increase the confidence and trust your clients and potential clients have in your practice. Prospective clients are not only more likely to visit a LASIK practice after reading good testimonials, but they will also share what they’ve read with family and friends.
Gain visibility on Google
Potential clients will have a greater understanding of your practice through online testimonials. The testimonials prove to Google that your practice is relevant and warrants being listed in local search results. Posting testimonials on multiple review sites will help your business stand out even more.
Increase brand awareness
As your brand appears online more, potential clients begin to recognize your business brand and reputation. Brand awareness equals more clients, more recommendations, and more word-of-mouth marketing.
Share client testimonials to recommend your practice
Share your clients’ testimonials on your website because this is an easy way to build confidence with potential clients. You can add a video of a client’s experience as well. Potential clients are more likely to visit a LASIK practice after watching a video, and they will also remain on the website longer. More than 100 million hours of videos are viewed every day on Facebook, which plays automatically on the newsfeed. To help protect your practice’s reputation, use a marketing service that allows you to first review the testimonials before sending them to the review sites. You will be able to filter the less exceptional reviews.
Observe how clients view your practice
Understanding how your practice is performing can be learned through the information clients have given in their testimonials and online reviews. Listening and responding will improve the overall customer service of your practice.
Develop your reputation
When clients write unbiased reviews and testimonials on review sites such as Google Places and Yelp, it will span to a broader audience than solely word-of-mouth recommendations. The online endorsements will help your online reputation grow positively when potential clients see you have a track record of satisfactory work.
Patient Pipeline Can Help!
Making sure your brand is dispersed across many online platforms, approving testimonials and reviews, and sharing video footage is essential for attracting new patients, but keeping up with all of it can take much time and energy. Reach out to us at Patient Pipeline today and allow our trained staff to improve your online presence.
