Expert: Peter Gabany - 1/16/2005

Question
Hi Peter,
I am a licensed acupuncturist living in Nashville, TN. anticipating beginning my first practice this Summer. I plan on moving into and renting a 2 B.R. home, converting 1 B.R. into a clinic. Of course I'll have to locate in a commercial zone or commercial/residential zoned area.
If I am forced to, because of availability and financial reasons, have to rent in an area which is not easily accessible from main roads, what would be the best way to inform new clients how to get there. I'm a former nationwide truck driver and plan on marketing heavily to truckers in the beginning. They have their share of aches, pains, vision problems, etc., and don't mind spending their money on anything, and coming to a former over the road truck driver would seem to be a good incentive to them. They might really help out in bringing in new clients at start up when money is always short. Several may drop in from out of state and, unfamiliar with the area and on a schedule, may want good directions before they arrive in Nashville. I won't be able to mail the directions or call them as some are always out on the road somewhere. I thought of faxing them to traveling people,(mostly who would be the long distance truck drivers), but some may not have a fax machine in their trucks, and finding one might prove to be an inconvenience for some of them.
What might be the best way to send these drivers and other new clients directions to my clinic? Telling them on the phone seems a bit clumsy and confusing, although I could I suppose. I guess I could just mail the directions to people, but they would have to be those residing at known, permanent addresses. I thought about creating a website where anyone could go and see a map of the directions or a text explanation of them, but I'm just thinking that might be a little costly, as I'll be trying to be as conservative as possible with spending during start up.
Would you have any suggestions on the best, least expensive, and most professional way to get directions out to all my new clients?

Thank you greatly for any assistance!

Sincerely,

Mike Eidson, LAc.

Answer
Dr. Mike,

We would love to do the creative for this job - it is a great opportunity. Think a moment: if you like ice cream, and it was all you could think of, but it had to be Ben and Jerry's or Haggen Daaz chances are you would find THE outlet that would sell you some.

So you don't sell ice cream, but can we make your practice into something as desirable amongst your target group - the answer is I believe so. I also believe that with the right creative we can not only get some traffic - pun intended – but get a lot of traffic from your patients spreading the word.

Don't think traditional advertising - you must think guerilla tactics. 1st and foremost I believe it necessary to have a 800#. Every driver carries a cell phone today and directions can easily be stated over the phone.

Next - location, location, location. It is very important and if you are on this low, low budget and need the drivers to get to you – you need them to be able to do it without bringing their rigs down urban streets. So you have two problems - making it convenient and NOT breaking the law or having your neighbours complain. So can we fix the problem of location.

A./ Live near the Interstate and preferrably near a key truck stop.

B./ Make an arrangement with the key truck stop or Hotel across from the Truck Stop to allow you a place to conduct professional services. If it were a Hotel, you might offer your services to hotel guests as well.

C./ Create an alliance with a Taxi service or use your receptionist as a pick-up drop off person. Picking up at the truck stop and dropping them off each hour on the hour - create a schedule.

But we now have to get their attention. You could advertise on truckdown.com or everytruckjob.com, but we would have to conduct an analysis on traffic and costs.

Then there is Outdoor Advertising. We are thinking Billboards and location signage - ie: Washroom Advertising at the key truck stops mentioned above. For example:

Marketing clinic: how one CPA firm's gutsy decision to use billboard advertising boosted its visibility.

Mass media advertising generally is not recommended for accounting firms. It is expensive, it reaches too many people who will never be clients, and it is too hard to track the results. Marketing advisers usually suggest other tools, such as seminars and mailings. What possessed the shareholders of Eskew & Gresham, a medium-sized CPA firm in Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky, to use billboard advertising?

MARKETING GOAL: NAME RECOGNITION
The shareholders of Eskew & Gresham, a 75-person firm, were not satisfied with the level of the firm's name recognition, so they decided to do something dramatic to improve it and to increase selling opportunities. The firm had periodically advertised in a highly regarded Louisville business journal, but the ads reached readers only once per issue and there was a good chance that readers wouldn't see the ad (see sidebar on page 94). Radio and television also are hit or miss. etc <http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m6280/is_n1_180/ai_17322384>

There are hundreds of cases where a simple Billboard can bring you the traffic you need - BUT YOU MUST USE COMPELLING CREATIVE. Back the Ice Cream.

Mike, I hope that this will help you at least start thinking in new directions. A website could help but it needs content and this takes time to generate and a cost you may not be prepared to spend <about $5,000)> Oh sure you can get a cheaper site but you would want it to work for your - correct?

Please let me know if we have given you some ideas and if we may be able to help further.

Pete