5 Ways to Market Yourself as a Veterinarian

As a vet, your career hinges on you. And while that can seem like a lot of pressure, it’s the absolute truth. Unlike in other industries, you can’t afford to fly under the radar. If people don’t know about you and your practice, you simply will not get enough patients to be sustainable. Veterinarians, like all other professionals, need to get their names out there. Here are 5 ways you can get your name out and market yourself:

• Publish something – It doesn’t have to be something major. It could be as simple as a post on LinkedIn. What would be best is if you could have something that you wrote get published in a periodical or newspaper (particularly if they publish online). This will make you seem more professional, but more importantly will make you more searchable.
• Get Quoted – You’re a professional, and an expert in your field. This makes you a perfect source for writers and journalists to use in their articles. If you become somebody’s go-to source on a particular subject, not only will they help improve your exposure, but also, they might recommend you to other journalists etc.
• Use e-mail properly – Use email to share what you have been doing. If you’ve written an article recently, include it in your email signature. Let people know what’s new with you, without coming across as pestering.
• Leverage social media – Social media is an incredibly powerful tool when used correctly. Sharing your accomplishments and publications on social media affords the opportunity to reach a much larger and broader audience than email. Use these platforms to share your thoughts on news relevant to your field. Make sure people know that you care about your field while still maintaining your professionalism.
• Speak publicly – As a professional in your industry, you have something to offer that people in most industries don’t. You have expertise. Public speaking doesn’t necessarily mean getting up in front of a ball room full of people. It could be as simple as recording a YouTube video or being a guest on somebody’s webinar. That’s not to say that speaking at events isn’t a great opportunity. If you have the chance to be a speaker for a reputable organization in the dental industry, you absolutely should.

These avenues for self-promotion are cost-effective and easy for the most part. Unfortunately, it might require some time and effort to be able to book bigger speaking gigs. However, you will have better ethos if you can say to patients that you were asked to speak at a big veterinary conference. Even at the smallest levels, self-marketing can contribute to increases in the number of patients your practice sees. Market yourself, and your practice will be better for it.