Dos and don'ts for marketing: Make better use of the internal marketing coordinator

Assuming your practice has an internal marketing coordinator (IMC) -- which you should, unless you have more patients than you can handle -- make the most of what this team member can accomplish for the practice. Make a strong commitment to internal marketing as a cost-effective growth strategy, and give your IMC what he or she needs to perform well.

Put the IMC in charge of all internal marketing activities.

The proper range of responsibilities for the IMC includes the following:

• Creating a minimum of 15 marketing strategies for the year
• Establishing an annual marketing calendar, with deadlines
• Managing all aspects of strategy implementation
• Generating reports and providing all necessary communication links
• Planning for the judicious involvement of the doctor for maximum impact without taking too much time away from production

Don't assign responsibility without authority. A common mistake in the business world is to delegate responsibility for accomplishing tasks and meeting goals -- but withhold the authority to do what's needed. This form of micromanagement will limit the effectiveness of internal marketing activities, cause frustration, and "train" the IMC to not take initiative or make a strong personal commitment to the job.

Roger P. Levin, DDS, is the chairman and CEO of practice management consulting firm Levin Group.

The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.