Are you talking to the right people?

This week we’ll learn how to identify your target audience as a doctor. The goal is to take a deep dive in the steps you can follow to define a target audience, as we explained on week 2 “How to stand out as a doctor?”

Table of Contents

• 1. Analyze Your Existing Patient Base

• 2. Conduct Surveys and Interviews

• 3. Research Community Health Data

• 4. Leverage Social Media and Online Tools

• 5. Segment Your Audience

• 6. Observe Competitors

• 7. Gather Feedback Post-Treatment

• 8. Stay Updated on Trends

• Bonus: How to Incentivize Patients to Participate …

  • 1. Clear Value Proposition

  • 2. Practical Incentives

  • 3. Make Participation Convenient

  • 4. Protect Privacy and Build Trust

  • 5. Follow-Up and Recognition

  • 6. Strategic Timing

  • 7. Leverage Community Spirit

  • Email Example to ask for feedback

  • Final Suggestions:

1. Analyze Your Existing Patient Base

• Collect Data: Review patient records to identify patterns. Look for trends in:

  • Age groups

  • Gender

  • Geographic location

  • Common medical concerns or procedures

• Ask Questions:

  • Who are the patients most frequently seeking your care?

  • Are there specific conditions or demographics you treat most often?

2. Conduct Surveys and Interviews

• Create Patient Surveys: Use short questionnaires to gather feedback on:

  • Their primary health concerns.

  • Preferred methods of communication (in-person, online, etc.).

  • Factors influencing their choice of medical professional.

• Conduct One-on-One Interviews: Gain deeper insights into their needs and preferences.

3. Research Community Health Data

• Access Public Health Resources:

  • Review local or national health reports for prevalent conditions in your area.

  • Identify health challenges specific to certain age groups or communities.

• Partner with Community Organizations:

  • Collaborate with local health groups to understand underserved populations.

4. Leverage Social Media and Online Tools

• Monitor Patient Discussions:

  • Look for health-related questions or concerns patients post on forums, social media groups, or platforms like Reddit or Quora.

• Analyze Engagement Data:

  • Track which topics patients respond to most on your social media accounts.

  • Use tools like Google Trends to identify common searches related to your specialty.

  • Use the information in your Google Search Console account.

5. Segment Your Audience

• Create Patient Personas:

  • Develop profiles representing your typical patients. Include details like:

    • Name (fictional), age, and occupation.

    • Health concerns or goals.

    • Challenges in accessing or understanding medical care.

  • Example: “John, 45, a desk worker with chronic lower back pain, looking for non-invasive treatment options.”

  • Here is a guide to create a buyer persona and a free template to do it.

• Tailor Services: Use these personas to guide your content and care approach.

6. Observe Competitors

• Analyze Their Audience:

  • Review social media posts, blogs, or ads by other medical professionals in your field.

• Identify Gaps:

  • Note any underserved patient groups they may be overlooking.

7. Gather Feedback Post-Treatment

• Follow-Up Surveys:

  • Ask patients about their experience with your services.

  • Inquire about what additional information or services they’d find valuable.

• Use Online Reviews:

  • Analyze reviews for recurring themes, both positive and negative.

8. Stay Updated on Trends

• Medical Journals and News:

  • Keep up with emerging health concerns or treatments relevant to your specialty.

• Community Events:

  • Attend health fairs or local events to engage directly with potential patients.

Bonus: How to Incentivize Patients to Participate in Surveys and Interviews

Encouraging patients to participate in surveys and interviews involves offering clear value, practical benefits, and convenience while building trust and recognizing their contributions. Below are strategies to achieve this effectively:

1. Clear Value Proposition

• Highlight Patient Impact: Clearly explain how their feedback will improve their care experience and benefit the broader community.

  • Example: “Your insights will help us create more personalized treatment plans and enhance patient care for everyone.”

• Share Results: Provide examples of changes made based on past patient feedback to demonstrate the tangible outcomes of participation.

  • Example: “Thanks to patient input, we’ve reduced wait times and added evening consultation hours.”

• Emphasize Community Health Benefits: Position their participation as a way to contribute to improving healthcare services for all.

2. Practical Incentives

• Gift Cards: Provide small-value gift cards to local pharmacies, health stores, or popular retailers.

• Discounts: Offer discounts on future services (where legally permissible).

• Raffles: Enter participants into drawings for wellness-related prizes, such as fitness trackers or wellness kits.

• Educational Resources: Share free health education materials or access to exclusive webinars.

3. Make Participation Convenient

• Flexible Options: Allow patients to respond via digital platforms, paper forms, or phone calls.

• Keep it Brief: Limit surveys to 5–10 minutes and focus questions on specific aspects of care.

• Mobile-Friendly Formats: Ensure online surveys are easy to complete on smartphones.

• Timely Invitations: Send surveys within 24–48 hours of a visit when the experience is still fresh.

• Flexible Scheduling for Interviews: Offer interview slots that accommodate various schedules, including evenings and weekends.

4. Protect Privacy and Build Trust

• Transparent Data Use: Clearly explain how patient information will be used and ensure it will remain confidential.

• Anonymity Options: Offer patients the choice to participate anonymously.

• Simplified Consent: Use clear, concise language in consent forms to ensure patients understand their rights.

5. Follow-Up and Recognition

• Thank Participants: Send personalized thank-you messages after participation.

• Share Summaries: Provide a brief summary of survey results and highlight key findings.

• Update on Changes: Regularly communicate how their feedback has led to specific improvements.

• Build Relationships: Maintain ongoing communication with participants about their role in shaping better services.

6. Strategic Timing

• Optimal Timing: Send surveys during mid-morning or early evening, avoiding holidays or busy periods.

• Seasonal Considerations: Account for seasonal factors that may affect response rates, such as flu season or school holidays.

7. Leverage Community Spirit

• Collective Effort: Frame participation as contributing to a community health initiative.

• Testimonials: Share stories from past participants who saw meaningful changes from their feedback.

Email Example to ask for feedback

Subject Line: “Your Feedback Can Help Us Improve Your Care!”

Dear [Patient Name],

We’re committed to providing the best possible care, and your feedback plays a vital role in helping us improve. Could you take just 5 minutes to share your thoughts about your recent experience? Your insights will help us refine our approach and better serve you and others in the community.

[Click Here to Share your opinion]

How Your Feedback Helps:

Here’s an example of how patient input has made a difference before:

Last year, patients suggested providing clearer explanations of medical conditions during appointments. As a result, we created easy-to-understand brochures that explain common diagnoses. This has helped patients feel more confident and informed about their care.

Your responses could lead to similar improvements, such as creating personalized follow-up resources or adjusting appointment times to better suit patients’ needs.

[Click Here to Share your opinion]

Thank you for your time and valuable feedback. Together, we can make a meaningful impact on your care and the health of our community.

Warm regards,

[Your Name/Practice Name]

Now some sample questions for your survey:

Before Your Appointment:

• Did you consult the internet before your visit to understand your condition or symptoms?

• Do you follow doctors or medical professionals online for advice?

During Your Appointment:

• Did you feel we allocated the correct amount of time and resources for your consultation?

• Were all your concerns and questions addressed to your satisfaction?

• Was the language used during the consultation easy to understand, or would you prefer simpler explanations?

After Your Appointment:

• Did you search online for additional information about your condition or treatment after the visit? If so, what did you search for?

• Are there any resources or materials we could provide to help you better understand your condition or treatment?

Final Suggestions:

• Notice that I used “Click here to share your opinion”. That’s because people like to be heard, not to answer questions or fill surveys.

• Use a form platform that allows you to have the answers on a spreadsheet, like Google Forms of Microsoft forms, in this way, you could use AI platforms like ChatGPT or Claude to consult them on an easy way.

• If you want to adapt the message have in mind that your patient must feel important and empowered, including a practical example of how your feedback could help is a great resource.