Helping More People Hear Better!
Since founding The Hill Hear Better Clinic (THHBC) over thirty years ago, Dr. Mike Hill Au.D. has built and maintained loyalty among a growing number of patients, including families that have trusted the audiology practice for multiple generations. Today the practice serves patients in three locations with five audiologists including Dr. Ryan Hill Au.D., Mike’s son, who leads the Montgomery, Ohio office. Private audiology practices have increased competitive pressure from hearing aid retailers who focus on selling hearing aids versus treating patients. THHBC believes in helping the “whole patient,” not just selling hearing aids. They provide holistic hearing evaluations, cognitive testing, and use cutting-edge technology to ensure that they identify the root cause of hearing loss. They then treat the whole person, helping patients find the best treatment using industry best practices. It’s hard to break through the confusion in the market but the Hill’s believe it’s worth it!
Challenge
The Hill’s believe in marketing and have tried a variety of approaches. As doctors, though, the focus is on patient care, so they were concerned about the time it took to manage marketing activities on their own. Over the years, they tried many marketing companies, but found that the marketing offerings were cookie cutter and didn’t meet their needs. They needed a customized, hands-on approach with a stronger focus on individualized implementation. They were looking for someone to help develop and maintain a strong, consistent brand across all locations, for metrics to show that marketing was helping make progress towards business goals and for the doctors, especially Dr. Mike Hill, to have more time to focus on patients and the business side.
Solution
Thanks to a networking connection, Dr. Mike Hill met Amy Connor, CEO & Owner of CMO-OnLoan. Connor proposed a monthly retainer where she and her team would act as the practice’s marketing “quarterback.” They would lead an action plan for implementing the strategic marketing playbook, monitor implementation and track results, meet with leadership to discuss results and indicated actions, collaborate with agencies to implement and recommend adjustments to plan, resources, budget, etc. based on results.
Dr. Hill believed that CMO-OnLoan’s customized approach was what they needed so hired them in the spring of 2020. Even though the practice was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Hill and CMO-OnLoan developed a “strategic marketing playbook” for the practice to come out of the pandemic stronger. The playbook prioritized increasing physician referrals, increasing patient referrals, and enhancing messaging across all marketing channels.
THHBC was already working with a digital agency, Punch Bug Marketing (Punch Bug), that was leading the practice’s digital plans and content development. Connor met with Mark Walker, Owner of Punch Bug, and together they developed a collaborative approach of meeting weekly with both Dr. Mike Hill and Dr. Ryan Hill to align and make progress towards the marketing goals.
Through their collective efforts, the team created a new physician outreach plan with physician-focused materials, website landing page, interview scripts, and materials. They tested several tactics, tracked results and reapplied learning to enhance future programs. They increased communication with patients and have a path to update the offices. CMO-OnLoan collaborated with the staff to get on the same page and prioritize consistency in their brand and language.
Results
The Hills are confident that they made the right choice. Metrics show that marketing is helping make progress towards business goals. The doctors have more time to focus on patients and THHBC promise is clearly communicated across marketing channels. The Hill’s stated, “CMO-OnLoan’s work has conveyed the practice’s promise to the patients while successfully reflecting their attitudes and beliefs.” Hill continued, “Amy listens, leads discussions, and helps us prioritize the practice’s goals, vision, and mission.”
In 2021, Dr. Ryan Hill bought the practice from his father, Mike, and is looking forward to building on the foundation of holistic patient care that the practice is known for.
Connor stated, “We are proud to help The Hill Hear Better Clinic help more patients. Their approach is about the whole person, which is unique.”