What is stopping you from marketing your vet practice?

Members of our team and I recently attended the Vet Science Week conference on the Gold Coast. It was a fantastic few days hearing about the advances in techniques and technology in veterinary medicine and surgery, and listening to some of the best and brightest in the industry. Full disclosure: We were also there to market our digital marketing services to clinics and vets, hoping to recruit new clients.

We had the opportunity to chat with many clinic owners and managers, and a common theme was

Why do I need to market my clinic, and how do I even start?

While some vet clinics, especially those in small regional towns and more remote locations, rely on word of mouth and a loyal customer base to get by, we were surprised that many independent veterinary practices in larger country towns and cities, that do battle with competition, invest little, and sometimes nothing, into marketing their clinics.

I was a vet with a practice, and I understand that marketing can feel like a luxury rather than a necessity under the pressures of running a clinic. And, honestly, who has the time or the expertise to do it well?

In this article, I aim to break down why some vet practices avoid marketing and what they stand to gain from embracing it.

You are not alone if you own a vet practice and don’t market your clinic. The chances are you will have another vet clinic in your area competing for the same clients. If they do market their clinic, they are most likely moving ahead of you in client acquisition. If they aren’t marketing or aren’t marketing well, this is a real opportunity to get ahead and future-proof your local position.

There are three primary reasons why vet don’t market their clinics:

• They’re simply too busy.
• Don’t believe marketing will make a difference.
• Believe marketing is too expensive and complicated.

While these reasons are understandable, you may pay the price of invisibility by not marketing. We live in a digital world, and people looking for services, products, experiences, or anything they need or aspire to will search for it online. By relying solely on word of mouth and existing clients, you may struggle to reach new pet owners.

Assuming clients will find you independently when you’re a new clinic or entering a new market, relying solely on word of mouth or referrals is never a successful strategy. Regardless of how skilled you are or how good your services are, potential clients need to find you, and their first instinct is to look online, either via Google or an alternative search engine, or using AI-generated search.

I know it is an old cliché, but first impressions can make a significant difference in whether an appointment is made or not. Your website is often the first real impression you give a potential client. Even referrals will look up your website before booking an appointment. If your website is outdated, slow to load, hard to navigate, not mobile-friendly, or you don’t have one at all, people will notice.

Whether fair or not, 75% of consumers admit to judging a business’s credibility by its website. When caring for their pets, owners can be very judgy. If your competitor has a credible-looking website and your vet practice doesn’t, you stand to lose that client without the chance to speak with them.

I have discussed the issues of not being represented, which can feel a bit negative. Now, let’s discuss the positives. Digitally marketing your clinic through a high-performance website, ongoing collateral, and marketing channels is an investment. However, it is not about getting one or five appointments but about cementing long-term relationships with pet owners who return year after year, often with more than one pet.

When a pet owner makes an appointment through finding you online and has a positive experience at your clinic, which you do very well, you haven’t made just one sale. You have gained a repeat customer. Pet owners will stay with those they trust. Your website starts the trust journey, and your service and expertise cement the relationship, which is ongoing for the pet’s life. That is long-term value from each client. More often than not, when a customer refers a friend or family member, that referral is already half-qualified. Most will still research your clinic, and your website will ensure the booking comes to you.

Research suggests it costs a business 5 to 25 times more to acquire a new customer than to retain one. In context, this means every pet owner you win through your online representation is highly valuable. They return regularly, follow your medical advice, refer friends and family, and leave positive reviews. They become an advocate for your clinic. This generates more potential clients. Being found online with a credible and inviting digital presence creates a snowball effect that brings in additional clients and future-proofs your local position. Pet owners are generally loyal to the clinic.

Creating a brand is not solely about recruiting new clients. It will positively impact your team and your culture. When your clinic is recognisable, has a professional image, and has an enviable reputation, the entire team feels it and talks about it. It is highly motivating to work in a visible clinic that makes a difference in the community. When your website looks great, your logo is known, and your social media is full of positive comments, your values become instilled and are now working as hard as you do. Your website and marketing are a significant influence on your clinic’s culture.

In Australia, as elsewhere around the world, corporate veterinary chains are flexing their considerable muscle in the pet care industry. Their large marketing budgets, combined with economies of scale, make it challenging for independent vet clinics to compete, let alone without marketing.

Depending on how you view the landscape, the explosion of corporate veterinary chains can be negative or positive. They can’t offer what you can: personalised service with exceptional care and the wholeness and authenticity that pet owners crave. No pet owner wants their special friend to be nothing more than a number or a dollar sign. This is a unique and highly marketable point of difference, and in the right hands, it will do more than secure your practice; it will keep the corporations away from your clients.

In a digital world where perception and judgement rule the introduction, it is time to control your story and ensure pet owners find you when they need you. It requires effort and budget, but the return can be significant: a stable and growing practice, a future-proofed and localised position, a proud and motivated team culture, and loyal customers who become your biggest advocates.

If you’ve hesitated about marketing your clinic, consider this a gentle nudge. Chatting with us about what is possible won’t cost you anything. We look forward to speaking with you soon.