Conduct Effective, Cost-Efficient Community Outreach

Huron talks to patrons in barber shops, holds a free breakfast with Santa for children, runs a program for at-risk youth, and constantly visits fire stations, police stations, grocery stores, and libraries to keep the community informed of its services.

"We go out to barber shops and we go out to beauty parlors and we give information to them and they do screening there, and it's a great way for people to come together," O'Connell says. "It's been great to be able to do something like that. It really doesn't cost us any money—it means getting some commitment from beauty parlors and barber shops to do something like that."

Creating a great experience
Of course, one of the easiest ways to keep patients coming in is to provide a friendly, efficient experience for your current patients.

"Make sure you take outstanding care of the patients you got because they go out and talk," Baum says. "Each patient knows several dozen people that they can talk to about their healthcare problems … so if you take outstanding care and you're known as a compassionate, caring physician . . . if that word gets out there, there's not better marketing or practice promotion than good word of mouth."

It's also important to be inviting when you're giving a screening or seminar, O'Connell says. Huron often gives participants relevant takeaways, such as gift bags filled with body wash, lip balm, soap, and a pedometer.