What an Open House Can Do for Your Practice The ins and outs of using this effective business tool By Carrie Rossenfeld Doctor’s Express ribbon-cutting ceremony during an open house in Temple, Texas. A D V E R T I S E M E N T A D V E R T I S E M E N T Just as hosting an open house is a strong sales strategy in residential real estate, it’s also a smart way to market your practice. Whether you’re just starting out in a new location, launching a new specialty or simply looking to grow your practice and refresh your referral base, an open house can spread the word and draw in both potential patients and referring physicians. “Hosting open houses is a great way to educate the community and allow prospective patients to learn about their options before they commit to a doctor,” says Dr. Terry Perkins, medical director and cosmetic surgeon at Evolutions Medical Spa in Santa Barbara, Calif. “It helps pre-qualify the right clients and helps clients pre-qualify the right medical practice.” Open houses can be held for other reasons, too, such as to educate people about a particular topic on which you’re an expert. They also provide an opportunity to meet the physicians in your area who could become part of your referral network. In addition, an open house is a great opportunity to showcase a state-of-the art facility and meet potential patients face to face, according to Peter Ross, CEO and co-founder of Doctor’s Express, a medical franchise of primary care and urgent care clinics. If you’re opening a new practice, a ribbon-cutting ceremony is a nice formal way to celebrate, especially if dignitaries and key community members will be present, says Dr. Scott Burger, co-founder of Doctor’s Express. “The medical industry is about trust to a big extent, and it’s important to build that trust and start a relationship in a relaxed, friendly environment,” Ross says. Promoting Your Open House The success of your open house depends on how many people attend. You want to make sure that you promote your open house to attract as many people as possible. There are many different tools you can use to promote your open house including: invitation postcards, e-mails, posters and ads in local newspapers and neighborhood newsletters. Don’t forget to include information about your open house on your website. And, if you’re familiar with social media such as Facebook and Twitter, social networking can also spread the word about your open house.  You should mail out invitation postcards to your existing patients and nearby medical practices a few weeks prior to the event, then follow up the day before with a phone call. Electronic invitations should be sent about the same time. You can expect about 25-30 percent of your invitee list to attend. Get your landlord’s approval to promote the open house in your own building by placing a large poster on an easel either just outside the building or in the lobby of your building about a week before the event. “We’ve done this with every building we’ve opened,” says Hilda Agajanian, administrator with The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation, which has six locations in Los Angeles. “So every time the patients walk into the building, they see it.” You’ll want to inform your landlord of your open house in advance, especially if you’re expecting a fairly large group that could impact parking or the noise level. Most owners will welcome the opportunity to help promote their building and their tenants’ business and may even offer useful suggestions. Timing Your Open House If you’re opening a new office or relocating your practice, you should probably wait a few weeks before hosting an open house in your new space. Give yourself a chance to get settled in and become aware of other practices within at least a two-mile radius that you may want to invite. If your practice is already established, you should consider what time of year is best for an open house. Try to avoid months where people are stretched thin from other activities and events – December, for example. Also keep in mind when your patients or potential patients may be on vacation or traveling – Spring Break and summer vacations.  Midweek open houses are best – Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday – and late afternoon into evening (4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) is the best time of day, after practices shut down for the day and before physicians head home. Make sure all physicians and your entire staff including physician assistants, nurse practitioners and administrative professionals attends the open house. “They’re usually the ones who talk to the patients about where to go and answer all their questions,” says Robert Russo, M.D., a radiologist who owns six imaging centers and medical office space in Fairfield County, Conn. “They need to become familiar with what you do and will bring your name up to patients.” Hosting How-Tos Your open house should provide three important elements: refreshments, information about your practice and a giveaway that keeps you and your practice top of mind. Hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, pastries and soft drinks are good refreshment choices. If you’re expecting a lot of people, check with your landlord about setting up a light bar for beer and wine in your building’s hallway. Make sure the refreshments and socializing are done away from your treatment rooms; then you can bring individuals in to show them what you do in a quieter environment. Have brochures about your practice on hand to give to guests. It’s helpful to have two different brochures: one for physicians and one for patients. They should both explain what your practice does and what you can do for them – not so much about how great a doctor you are, says Russo. Leave physicians and their staff with a token with your practice’s name and contact information on it – for example, a magnet they can post near their desk or a lanyard they can wear around their neck when seeing patients are good choices. Give potential patients notepads, pens or even bottles of hand sanitizer branded with your practice’s name, logo and contact information. A well-planned and well-executed open house will elevate your practice by generating buzz among existing patients, potential patients and other medical professionals.  Email this Article...