The holidays present a wonderful opportunity to reach your audience in a creative, fun and effective way. For those in the medical field, it might seem like holiday marketing is best suited for retailers, but there are also great benefits for doctors like yourself.

The holidays give you extra incentive to liven up your social media presence and draw in more engagement. Many already know that you are an expert in your field and often deal with serious issues, but adding personality to your name and your practice will benefit you in the long run. People want to see a doctor who is both knowledgeable and personable. So, although directly increasing sales is the obvious reason for holiday marketing, for doctors, it’s better to look at this opportunity as a chance to grow your online presence and status, which will ultimately effect revenue.

Post and Share Office Events

If you have an office event, don’t forget to document it on your social media channels – blast it all over Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The holidays give you several opportunities to decorate your front desk, have your staff dress-up, or participate in fun office themed days. Take a quick and simple picture (perhaps of one in the midst of performing a specific service), tag people and add relevant hashtags to increase your reach. It doesn’t have to be formal dinner party or organized event, you just want your audience to see that there is personality behind the practice.

Create a Gift Guide

Be as helpful as you can during the holidays. Round up a list of items that you support and will make your audience remember you. Have you noticed a particular cookbook with a good selection of nutritious recipes? What page should they mark for anti-inflammatory meal? Or perhaps you’ve spotted a sleek BPA-free water bottle in a window display. Encourage your audience to gift items that support healthy and happy living.

Ask Questions

One of the best ways to increase engagement is to ask questions:

• What are you looking forward to this holiday season?
• Who’s jet-setting off to somewhere exciting this holiday?
• How do you fight holiday treats and sweets?
• Who has tips on how to stay active during the winter?

There are so many question you can ask your audience regarding the holidays and the changing season. Propose a few questions, see what kind of comments you receive, and RESPOND! Whether you have someone in charge of your social media channels or if you’re responding personally, just ensure that you do it. There’s no point asking a question if you refuse to engage in conversation. People like to see your response as much as you like to see theirs. It shows that your attentive and willing to follow-up.

Use Countdowns

Countdowns are a fun way to keep your audiences tuned in. Whether you are counting down until Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years, there are different ways you can use a countdown in your marketing strategy. Integrate giveaways and prizes or find a way to get your audience to actively participate. You could also use a countdown for a contest period. You could try: “best thanksgiving dish” or “best DIY holiday decoration.” Not everything in your social media marketing strategy has to be related to your practice, but you should be able to tie it back with a call-to-action to your practice or discounted prize regarding your services.

Provide Health Tips

Offer health tips relative to your field on your social media channels. Pair it with a fun image or create an image out of the “healthy tip” using a simple design program, such as Canva.com. Take note of unhealthy holiday habits and suggest good habits to adopt instead. Don’t forget to add a call-to-action to a specific service or bring it back to the practice.

Share Patient Testimonies

The holidays are also a time to spread joy and good sentiment through inspiring stories. Leverage your patient testimonials and experiences on your social media channels. Let others know how you helped “Susan” or “Rick” get better just in time for the holidays. Once you have obtained permission, don’t forget to tag your patients in your posts as well!

When it comes to holiday marketing for doctors, the goal is to be creative, fun and effective. Show your audience that there is a lighter side to the work that you do. Show them that you can be a personable expert. And ultimately, use these opportunities to promote specific services or build you or your practice’s online presence.

If you’re ready to take your practice to the next level, build authority, become a celebrity in your town, and build a 7figureclinic and beyond, then you need to get in touch with me. I’m currently taking on a few private clients right now. It’s been almost 12 months since I’ve open up space in my 7figureclinic growth system and it won’t be long until the few spots I have are filled up.  Complete the application here to see if you qualify.