Newsletter Archive2010 Online Marketing Advice Newsletter Topics
2009 Online Marketing Advice Newsletter Topics
2008 Online Marketing Advice Newsletter Topics
For our older edition of newsletters, Etna Interrupt, click here. 2010An Immediate Opportunity to Attract More Patients on Google MapsThere have been some more changes at Google, this time in Google's local search system. In this short video newsletter we explain a new opportunity that can have an immediate impact on your bottom line.
Webinar Recording: Two Major Changes at Google and How They Impact Your PracticeFor those of you that missed the January 27 Webinar, you can use the link below to watch the recording. The session tackled several big changes at Google and laid out five ways to exploit this new opportunity for your practice.
How Universal Search & Changes at Google Will Impact Your PracticeYou know you need great rankings in Google to reach more new patients. But were you aware that over the last two years Google has been quietly, slowly, changing?
2009Use Automation to Accelerate Email HandlingYour email replies to prospective patients need to be fast, within minutes if possible. Automation can help.
Business Email: Content CountsMore information on how your team can improve the quality of their email replies to potential patients.
Email Communications for the Medical Front OfficeEncourage your staff to watch this short video about best practices in using email for patient communications.
How to Handle Negative ReviewsIt is inevitable that negative comments about you or your practice will be posted online. If you handle the situation correctly, you may be able to eliminate the negative comments, or turn a bad situation to your favor. Cultivate Positive Reviews OnlineSimple fact: your patients are free to say almost anything they want, so make sure that the glowing reviews and comments outnumber the inevitable dark remarks by encouraging your happy patients to write about you online. Monitor Your Online ReputationPeople are talking about you and your practice online...and not everything they have to say will be warm and fuzzy. It's better if you know both the good and bad of what is being said. Focus on PhonesMore often than not, this newsletter focuses on attracting more prospective patients to your site using online marketing techniques. But what happens when those same prospects call your office? In this issue we "focus on the phone" and share three different ways to improve your bottom line through your phone lines. Build Your Email Marketing List "In House"Right now, your most valuable asset is your relationship with past clients. In order to profit from that relationship through email marketing, you first must have your clients' permission to send them product and service promotions over email. In this issue we lay out 3 steps you can take right in your own office to encourage more of your clients to agree to receive your marketing emails.
2008Marketing in an Economic DownturnComments on the EconomyThere's no doubt you're feeling the pinch of our contracting economy. So what can you do to combat the decline in demand for elective healthcare services? In this brief segment we'll explore the issues, review the expansive opportunities that remain in online marketing, and outline 4 things you can do now to increase sales. Blog Marketing3 Approaches to Blog MarketingWe've received more than a few calls recently from clients asking if they should blog. Unfortunately, there is no short or easy answer to that question. While blogging has the potential to benefit almost all clinical practices, there is also a risk that it might damage the reputation of the clinician or the practice. New ServicesEtna Launches Call Tracking ServiceAs you increase your investment in online marketing, it becomes increasingly important to precisely track the return on these investments. In response to your requests for greater accuracy in online lead tracking, Etna now offers trackable local and toll free numbers. Etna Migrates to Enhanced Reporting PackageIn August we made a migration to a new Web site reporting system called Urchin®. Urchin replaces LiveStats. Urchin, owned by Google, is hailed as the most accurate log analysis software on the market.
Featured WebinarsWebinar July 8 - Case Studies to Drive Cash FlowEtna has partnered with Catherine Maley of Cosmetic Image Marketing to produce a truly compelling new Webinar. Just a week away, the Webinar is a one hour session that reveals 6 real-world examples of how marketing can improve your bottom line. Webinar on August 6 - Getting on GoogleAnne Cohen, principal at A. Cohen Marketing and Public Relations, called on Etna to develop a new Webinar to answer her clients' most pressing question: How do you get to the top of Google? Local Search MarketingLocal Search Marketing BasicsMany of our clients have marketing plans in place that are about to ramp quickly into aggressive local search marketing. A recent client call made me realize that not everyone understands the basics of local search. Local Search & Online RatingsIt's happening right now...consumers are rating businesses online...businesses just like yours. Are you engaged in the review? Are you aware what is being said about your business?
Saving MoneySaving Money on Merchant ServicesEarlier this year I tasked Etna's office manager with renegotiating the fees we pay for our merchant services. When our old processing company refused to reduce our fees, we decided to find a new provider. The move has saved us 24% on merchant fees and 90% on monthly service charges. Web VideoVideo Web Sites: 8 Reasons to Question the Value of VideoThere are more than a few medical marketing agencies evangelizing video and "video Web sites." This week, I'm asking you to be a little skeptical. Video may sound like the Next Big Thing in flashy, exciting Web marketing, but any rational discussion (this is business after all) needs to begin with a review of the facts. Web Video: What Patients Really WantSome of the leading medical marketing companies are making fantastic claims about video Web sites, but last week I presented 8 reasons why you should question the value of video. Any successful business person needs to look at any new venture with a healthy dose of skepticism and a good amount of due diligence. 5 Steps to Get Your Video Noticed on the WebMany of our clients have invested time and money in producing videos that highlight their practice, their philosophy, and their results. But once the camera's turned off, what's the best way to share these videos with potential patients?
Lead Generation & ManagementDoes Your Front Office Suck?Pardon me for getting right to the point, but statistically speaking, your front office sucks. It sucks dollars, it sucks opportunities, and it sucks prospective patients away from the practice. Now that I've got your attention (and hopefully not offended you), hear me out. Tactics to Increase Surgical Caseload: Three steps for plastic & bariatric surgeons to improve lead-to-consult conversionThis article provides some great ideas to motivate your staff and help them make the most out of every phone and email inquiry by arming them with strategies to schedule more surgical consultations. Double Your Database of Aesthetic Patients within One YearCatherine Maley of Cosmetic Image Marketing was inspired by our ongoing series on lead generation and lead management, and has developed several real-world strategies to help you put lead generation principles into practice. FREE PDF GUIDE: Understanding Patient FinancingWith the flurry of activity from last week's coverage in The New York Times, I haven't had a free moment to compose the final installment in our series on lead management. Instead, this week I'd like to take a moment to plug two great resources; one that's free and one available for a small fee. Why It Pays to Deliver a Personal, Professional Response to EVERY Online Lead You ReceiveMost of our clients love seeing all the online leads flowing into their practice, a direct result of their smart online marketing investments. But, to my continued amazement, now and again we have clients who find this constant stream of leads to be a hassle.
Link BuildingBuild Links to Boost Your Site RankingWhen I say the word "links," what first comes to mind? When it comes to your online marketing, links are a crucial component in your efforts to rank well and reach out to Web surfers in your market. Strategy 1: AskI learned when I was a kid that I'm much more likely to get something if my request is reasonable and I ask politely. That's certainly true of link building. If you read last week's newsletter you know that the goal of link building is to obtain relevant links from trusted sites. So who do you ask? Strategy 2: EarnEarning something that's truly valuable takes hard work. But earning links from reputable and related sites requires something more. You can't just work hard — you need to be clever and maybe even a little controversial to attract the right kind of attention with high-quality links. Strategy 3: PayAs you can probably guess, paying for links is very controversial! Search engines want links to be an objective indicator of your site's popularity and value...paying for popularity can hardly be called an "objective" way of attracting inbound links.
Website StatisticsHow to Make Sense of Website StatisticsFor those of you into integers, marveled by metrics, driven by data (or now, annoyed by alliteration), your Website statistics are virtual goldmines of insight...if you know what to look for. Track the Success of Your SiteYour Web stats are a powerful tool for understanding your site's strengths and weaknesses, but they're not foolproof, and their biggest limitation is that they are inherently anonymous. Optimize for the Right Keyword PhrasesSome might say the first rule of Search Marketing is that there are no rules. While the game is indeed ever-changing, there is at least one rule you need to live by: to be successful in online marketing, you must choose the right keyword phrases to target every step of the way – from site planning through promotion.
Email MarketingPart 1: Why Email?For those of you who think email marketing is a "no brainer," think again. Several laws restrict how you can build your subscriber list and what content you can send. Part 2: Set Your StrategyA recent study found that the average Internet user receives 42 unwanted sales emails every day. How do you stop your email newsletter from getting lumped in with these unwanted emails? Part 3: Build Your AudienceBuilding a quality list of email subscribers is the most important, and most often overlooked, piece of any email marketing strategy. Here are some specific tasks that can help you grow your subscriber list quickly. Part 4: Connect with Your ReadersThe fun really starts after you've sketched out your email marketing strategy and developed a plan to build your newsletter subscriber list. Now is your opportunity to design a newsletter template, write the first issue, and get it ready to share with subscribers. Here's an in-depth look.
2007June Interrupt NewsletterIn June, 2007, we led with a piece on how patient stories and photos do double-duty on your Web site: helping you speak to prospective patients and connect with search engines. Other articles included a piece on the new StopAfib.org and a look how you can get involved in Etna's project to bring healthcare to families in need. March Interrupt NewsletterIn March, 2007, Etna's newsletter offered a "Top 10" list of Web marketing resolutions to help you start the year off right. That issue also featured a free white paper you can use to diagnose the health of your Web site, and gave you the chance to meet Etna's staff and learn more about who's designing and writing for you. 2006June Interrupt NewsletterIn June of 2006, we brought you an article warning of the potential pitfalls of the pay-per-lead programs being marketed to doctors today. For an inside look at some of the goings on at Etna, there were also articles on our big move across town in San Luis Obispo and the wedding of two of our senior staff members. April Interrupt NewsletterInterrupt in April, 2006, highlighted some the changes we made to our own look, including an updated logo and a new Web site. We also delivered an important article on how you can recognize and avoid schemes, scams and shakedowns and protect your practice from "Internet Impostors."
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