A simple Rx for doctors who are suffering from their own advertising.

A plastic surgeon who is considering running an advertising campaign for his practice recently asked us if we could remember seeing any memorable advertising for doctors. We had to confess that we had not– ever. When he asked us why, we explained to him that doctors tend to make ads about about themselves – rather than their patients.

In order for advertising to work, you have to make an emotional connection with your target. Which means in essence, an ad is really not about your product or service – more specifically, it’s about the benefit your product or service can potentially provide to your patient.

If your are a doctor, it might seem fairly logical to you that your ad should feature a picture of yourself standing in front of your degrees – however this ad is actually not communicating much of anything to your potential patient.

If you are a doctor, keep in mind that your patients don’t really care what you look like, or where you went to school. They are interested in your services because they want to feel better physically (hence emotionally). Your ad should remind them how your services will make them feel – not whether or not your eyes are brown or blue.

A simple rule of thumb, if you stop making ads about yourself, and start making them about you patients - your appointment book fill up in no time.

Remember, there’s only one person in the entire world that cares about an ad that is all about you.

You.