SMALL BIZ ADVERTISING

Got a Plan?

Dig into our inside look at 5 BIG advertising + marketing ideas that will help attract private-pay patients in 2017

for small businesses of the brick-and-mortar order, the National Federation of Independent Business suggests that 2% to 5% of sales are typically spent on advertising. So, gross sales of $1 million would translate to $20,000 to $50,000 spent on advertising.

Chances are that’s much more than you’re actually spending—or have the budget for.

Still, low-cost mediums like social media and word-of-mouth are fast becoming some of today’s most popular marketing tools. And they are tools that can appeal to—and attract—coveted private-pay patients.

“Our advertising emphasis is on PR, hosting charitable events, internal marketing, Facebook, and the web,” says Kimberly Friedman, O.D., co-owner of Moorestown Eye Associates in New Jersey.

In fact, small businesses report their most effective marketing channels last year weren’t advertising, per se, but word-of-mouth (according to 27% of those surveyed by chamberofcommerce.com) and SEO (search engine optimization, as selected by 19% of respondents).

Do you have a modern marketing plan?

Breeze through our roundup here of five of the most important digital and print advertising ideas for 2017 to dial in your own plan for a lucrative year.

Idea #1: MIX IT UP.

For many eyecare professionals, spending on a blend of media is the key to success. “We do a mix of all media, traditional and social—each has its advantages,” says Jack Schaeffer, O.D., president and CEO of the 18-location Schaeffer Eye Centers in Alabama. “Measuring is a different story, however,” he notes. “Success on Facebook, for example, is hard to really determine, as ‘likes’ do not necessarily mean they are seeing you for an exam.”

Idea #2: VIABLE VIDEO.

Dr. Friedman also uses video to promote her business. She’s frequently interviewed on TV, and many of her television appearance clips are on YouTube.

“Our video presence on the web has by far had the greatest impact on growth,” says Dr. Friedman.

In fact, according to Cisco’s Visual Networking Index, by 2020, video views will represent 80% of online traffic (plus a lot more ad dollars). What does that mean for your business now?

Post streaming video to your own site and social channels—and consider paid promotions of your videos on media like Facebook or YouTube to pull in private-pay business.

Idea #3: FOCUS LOCALLY.

Many small businesses have taken a fresh look at print advertising and deploy it on a local level with notable success.

At Margot & Camille, which has two Philadelphia-area locations, owner Valerie Vittu has been successful with print ads, primarily in locally focused pieces such as the annual Old City District brochure.

She also focuses on submitting press releases to local writers and magazines. “That’s given us nice exposure on platforms like uwishunu.com,” she says.

Her worst marketing experience? “Paid advertising with Yelp. It was an expensive disaster,” she notes.

Idea #4: MARKET MINDFULLY.

On the locally focused front, it’s important to consider that two overriding trends that impact both paid advertising and social media placement for 2017 are the importance to consumers of cause marketing and buying local.

In fact, when it comes to marketing, 87% of consumers say they would switch brands if a similar one was associated with a good cause, reports Cone Cause Evolution. The takeaway: Align your business with a great cause (and market that do-gooding).

In addition, partner your business with a “Buy Local” community group. In 2015, the average independently owned small business grew sales by 2.4%. Those belonging to a “Buy Local” community or neighborhood alliance, however, grew by 7.4%, according to amiba.net.

Idea #5: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Your new advertising assistant may just be virtual. A bot or chat bot, that is. Vittu reports she’s had great success with automated marketing company Signpost. “It helped us with callers and customers, inviting them to write reviews on Google, Yelp, and our Facebook page. This was great for business.”

—Stephanie K. De Long