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Every business will experience slow times. Maybe there’s been an unusual local or regional event that hurt your business. Holiday times can also slow things down. Less business can certainly be difficult financially. So, do you just get stuck in a funk because things are slow or do you take action?
I’ve never been one to sit back and wait for things to happen. Sometimes, it’s good to take a break, but I prefer to take action. I will share some of the ideas I have come up with over the years to get business moving again.
- Connect With Your Patients – In case you haven’t noticed, everyone is talking about hearing aids. If you haven’t shared information on the latest technology with your patients, slow times are the perfect time to do just that. Send everyone who has hearing aids over three years old a letter on upgrading their technology. If you need a good example, email me (click here for link) and I will send you one. Call a few patients and ask them if they are happy with how they are hearing or, better yet, call 10 and ask them to be on your advisory board and invite them for a lunch meeting. Patients love to be asked for their opinions!
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- Dig into Your Data and Find Out WHY You Are Slow – Have your referral sources changed? If so, visit them and give them a new reason to refer to you (some examples include an increase in the incidence of hearing loss; ways in which hearing loss affects cognition; benefits of new hearing aid technology; new and more effective hearing protection; and improved tinnitus devices). Have you lost contact with your patients? (See above suggestions.) Numbers don’t lie, so dig in and discover what has changed.
- Network – Get involved with your state professional organizations and local business groups. Stay in touch with colleagues. Feed and expand your network. Colleagues have great ideas that they are willing to share about what they did when their business slowed down.
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- Take a Class – There is so much to learn, and slow times are the perfect time to expand your skill set. Learn about new procedures you can incorporate into your practice and innovative ways to help your patients hear better. If you haven’t heard of Nancy Tye Murray’s clEAR, do some research on it (there’s a link embedded above to get you started). It’s a customized program that can really benefit patients.
- Market Your Business – It seems obvious, but if you haven’t been spreading the word about you and your business, now is the time. Not only will you eventually get more business coming in, but you can learn a lot about what works and what doesn’t in your marketing. I have found that Facebook ads are a successful and cost-effective way to drive new business in the door.
Slow times are sure to happen in every business. Instead of sitting back and worrying, get busy converting slow times into new life for your business.
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Hearing Review has previously featured a series of 20-minute webinars by Dr Kasewurm on reducing returns, price anchoring, and multi-layered marketing.
Editor’s Note: The above column originally appeared on Dr Gyl Kasewurm’s blog here.
Gyl Kasewurm, AuD
Dr Gyl Kasewurm has owned and operated Professional Hearing Services (PHS) in St. Joseph, Mich for over thirty years. A lifetime resident of Michigan’s Great Southwest, Kasewurm achieved her Doctorate in Audiology from Central Michigan University. Dr Kasewurm has earned many awards and honors including a Distinguished Achievement Award from the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) but is most proud of the Leadership Award that was bestowed upon her by her local Chamber of Commerce. She was recently honored by Western Michigan University as a Distinguished Alumnus, an honor awarded to only 99 of the more than 17,000 graduates of the College of Health and Human Services.
Dr Kasewurm is a well-known author and sought-after speaker and prides herself on her advice on taking a practice from Fine to Fabulous!
