Great practices are built on great relationships. Even if you don’t expect to see the exact same person again for the exact same problem, it’s still worth keeping them in your ecosystem and engaged with your practice. If you’re at the top of their mind, they will reach out to you again if they need you. They’ll tell their friends and family about you. And they’ll ultimately contribute to your revenue stream and help to foster a sense of trust and loyalty within your community.

Having trouble keeping the clients or patients you attract? Not sure what happens after the case is closed or the foot is healed? Below, let’s talk about seven ways you can use digital marketing to improve retention and keep your past clients or patients engaged with your practice.

1. Personalized Email Marketing

It’s been around for a while, but email marketing remains one of the most effective ways to keep in touch with your past clients or patients. By segmenting your email list based on client interests and history, you can create targeted content that speaks directly to their needs and keeps them in the loop with your practice.

You can reach out with personalized greetings, special offers, or educational resources related to their past services with you. Just keep it friendly and relevant to their interests, and be consistent about reaching out—whether it’s once a week, once a month, or a few times a year.

2. Social Media Engagement

You know that content marketing is king. If you’re already regularly publishing blog posts and articles that address common questions and concerns your clients might have, go ahead and take the extra step to share it on social media. Providing valuable content demonstrates your expertise and shows that you care about your clients’ or patients’ wellbeing.

But don’t stop at educational content! Go ahead and share staff highlights, relevant news and anecdotes, photos from your practice, video content, infographics, and more. Variety keeps your posts interesting and offers something for everyone, whether they’re part of the past, present, or future of your practice.

(Stumped? Check out these 5 ideas for engaging social media content!)

3. Webinars and Educational Events

Hosting educational webinars or events is an effective way to provide value to past clients while showcasing your knowledge and experience. Choose topics that are relevant to your main areas of practice, and invite people to participate via email or social media.

These kinds of events can foster stronger relationships and encourage clients or patients to return for future services. They also build your authority in your community and motivate attendees to recommend you to other people that might need your help.

5. Testimonials and Case Studies

Share success stories from past clients or patients (with their permission) on your website, on social media, and in your email newsletters. Testimonials and case studies from real people demonstrate the quality of your work and show potential clients or patients how you really help. It also gives your past clients or patients a chance to tell their story and talk about their experiences with your team.

And don’t be shy about asking! Happy clients or patients are usually happy to help, and they’ll feel valued by your practice because you want to put the spotlight on their story.

6. Retargeted Ads

This is a very direct way to keep past clients or patients engaged with your practice. Retargeting ads display relevant content to users who have previously interacted with your website or social media pages. They’ll see your ads as they do their daily browsing, and you’ll increase the likelihood that they will remember you, return to you, and recommend you to others.

7. Celebrations and Milestones

If you want to maintain a great relationship with past clients and patients, go the extra mile to reach out about the milestones in their lives. This can be as simple as sending birthday cards or holiday greetings. You might even want to reach out on the anniversary of the close of their case or a few months after a surgery just to check in. It’s an easy way to show that you care about them, even though you’re no longer seeing them regularly.

And don’t forget to share you own special milestones! Celebrate the anniversary of your law firm or podiatry practice with special events or promotions. Share staff birthdays and work anniversaries. Host an open house when you move to a new building or launch a new service.

Sharing these celebrations with past clients fosters a strong sense of community and encourages them to stay involved with you because they feel like part of your practice’s “family.”

Need a Hand Retaining the People You Attract and Turning Them Into Passionate Ambassadors of Your Brand?

When you incorporate a little nurturing for you past clients into your digital marketing plan, you can build lasting relationships with your clients and create a thriving community around your practice. Need a hand getting started? Not sure how to make past-client engagement a bigger part of your digital marketing strategy? We have you covered.

You can book an appointment for a free consultation to speak with our expert team, or you can reach out to us at 888.886.0939 with your questions.