Marketing doesn’t have to be a big fancy strategy – it can be as easy as letting local people know your practice exists

A lot of people will log on to Google, search ‘local vet’ and find your practice from there. If your website doesn’t mention the local area, has no contact details and has nothing to identify it as being in the local area you simply won’t reach clients.

There are some extremely simple things you can do to change this, and they won’t cost you anything. Read OpenForum for more information.

VMA host free marketing seminar near London Vet Show

The free seminar is designed to be an introduction to marketing for professionals in veterinary practice, and will illustrate the core principles of marketing in the veterinary world.

The seminar will be held by Paul Fifield (visiting professor of marketing strategy at Southampton University School of Management) and will include a free buffet.

The seminar is completely free, but will be limited to 45 spaces. Visit VMA.org.uk to register.

Dr. Mike Pownall is an equine vet and speaker who covers a range of business, internet and clinical issues at EquineVetBusiness.com. Rather than just throwing walls of text at busy vets, these updates are normally in the form of podcasts or slideshows, and always informed and specific.

The following is a slideshow on how social media can be used practically to raise awareness of your practice:

Websites play a much larger role in marketing than a lot of vets realise. If your practice doesn’t have a website you could be losing a lot of local business. If you’re tech savvy there’s nothing to stop you making your own, however if you’re not up to making a website there are a lot of avenues to pursue to get a website at a decent price, Webpartner is a fantastic example which even manages the site for you.

Why does a website matter so much? Here’s why.

Social media isn’t as simple as blandly listing all the services your practice can provide, nor is it appropriate as a portal with no actual content whatsoever.

Social media isn’t something you should do ‘just because’. It requires research, definable aims and the ability to listen to your clients rather than spout products at them.

A wonderful site for tips on how to improve how you use social media is New Media and Marketing. Click here to read a short article on how to improve your interaction with clients on social media.