The Value of Patient Testimonials

Patient reviews and testimonials are reliable and effective ways to grow your business. When your customers speak directly to you and provide feedback on their experiences at your practice, you can use them for marketing your business. Testimonials can build credibility for your healthcare practice and help establish patient trust.

The Importance of Patient Testimonials for Healthcare Practices

 Did you know? 70% of people looking for a new healthcare physician look online and read reviews before making an appointment. Reliable doctors typically have their best reviews highlighted and showcased on their websites and social media accounts.

The importance of testimonials for healthcare can be summarized as follows: 

A Form of Advertising

The Medill Spiegel Research Center found that displaying consumer-generated evaluations on your website can increase conversion by 270%. According to the same research, this is especially true, considering almost 95% of online users check testimonials before purchasing. Testimonials can be an effective marketing tool, particularly for those who have used your medical services or products for a long time. 

Showcasing Your Core Values

A customer review page on your site demonstrates that you care about your patients. When prospects see that others have had positive experiences with your practice, they’re more likely to visit you or refer their friends and family.

Fostering Brand Loyalty

Testimonials reflect well on the brand of a clinic or hospital. If you treat someone well today, they might choose you over an alternative provider when they need similar services in the future. If word gets out that your clinic is good at helping patients recover quickly after surgery or childbirth, this will have positive effects for years to come.

Frequently, people decide not to shop around for healthcare providers anymore because they’ve found their “go-to” place. They only look back again if something truly catastrophic happens. Their reviews can serve as an emotional anchor for potential new customers.

Providing Crucial Information

Details about the level of safety and cleanliness, the staff’s compassion, the transparency of the procedures, and the overall attitude toward patients may all be found in patient reviews.

How Practice Managers Can Actively Get Testimonials and Reviews

Here are some tips you could use to get better testimonials from patients:

  • Ask for them: Tell them that you appreciate their time and want to hear about their experiences with your practice. Ask them to fill out a survey or questionnaire after their appointment.
  • Put up posters in the exam room or lobby with a link to your website so patients can quickly leave their information electronically instead of writing it down themselves.
  • Reward patient referrals: Give out freebies like pens or stickers as a thank you for their time and in exchange for the positive feedback.
  • Offer incentives such as gift cards, coupons, or discounts to patients who leave feedback via email and social media channels (Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).
  • Get business listing on review sites: Create an impressive business profile with pictures and opening hours on Yelp, Google+ Local, TripAdvisor, Yahoo!, etc.

Where Can Testimonials Be Used in Marketing?

You can display reviews on the homepage of your clinic or hospital’s website, print publications, and social media posts. Also, leverage the power of testimonials whenever you have interviews with local news stations and TV shows. This is especially useful when the media seeks someone who has had a positive experience at your healthcare facility.

If you’re hosting an event for potential new patients, reviews are a great way to spread the word about your practice and open yourself up for more business opportunities. Let attendees see firsthand the effectiveness of your services by bringing along patients you have treated.

There are a few key things to keep in mind: 

  • Make sure your testimonials are genuine and from real people. Don’t use fabricated or fake reviews
  • Be honest about what you think worked well for the patient, and be open about any challenges that arose during treatment
  • Use them sparingly – only include them if they add value to the reader’s understanding of the topic
  • Create different types of testimonies so that readers have more choice in what appeals to them personally
  • Designate a professional or team who will manage responses from patients.

Learn How to Leverage the Power of Patient Testimonials

Testimonials for healthcare should be treated like gold- use them wisely! LaunchPad, Valet Health’s online reputation solution for healthcare practices, helps manage and attain testimonials to help your business grow. Contact our team today to learn more about our offerings.