In a recent meeting, our group took a break and instantly everyone took to their phones. Checking emails, replying to text messages, scanning Instagram or another social media outlet of choice. It’s funny. Even when we’re surrounded by other people, we rely on technology to give us the news and information we need – instantly.
According to Gartner, smartphone sales were up 7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016, compared to the 4th quarter of 2015. In fact, in 2016 overall, smartphone sales totaled almost 1.5 billion units, which is up 5% from 2015. People aren’t just using their phones for phone calls anymore.
Their whole life is on one device.
From calendars to email, social networking to music, and pictures to budgeting, you can have it all in the palm of your hand. It’s no wonder then, that the way to reach people, is to reach their phone – whether that be a phone call, an email, or a text.
Wouldn’t the same be true then of your own customers? Whether the young college student or just the young at heart, if you want to find people, you have to be digitally in touch. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 80% of boomers between 47 and 56 years are online, as are 75% of the 57 to 65 year olds. And of course if we’re talking millennials, those that are online is a hefty 93%.
This doesn’t mean that paper and pen are obsolete, but it does mean you have to diversify your strategy.
But hasn’t that always been true? If you’re putting together an investment portfolio, you don’t put all your money in one stock. You carefully create a plan that might involve a Roth IRA, a 401K, some property investments, and a diverse selection of mutual funds. Diversity has always been important, and it is equally important when reaching your customers.
When you have a multi-faceted approach, you can guarantee that you’ll reach your client where they are already looking. That’s convenient for your customer.
You can also know that you won’t be wasting precious employee time making individual phone calls or emails. That saves time.
And when you’re certain to reach your patient, you know they won’t miss their appointment. That saves money.
Reaching your customers with an omnichannel approach not only creates positive experiences for them, but it saves you time and money. I think that’s what they call a win-win.
The post Reaching patients where they are creates a win for you both appeared first on .