What does effective marketing actually look like for a healthcare practice?

In this episode of The Optimised Practice Podcast, host Emma Price is joined by Michael Schumacher from HMDG to break down the fundamentals of healthcare marketing, from getting the basics right before spending on ads to building visibility, attracting the right patients, and understanding whether your marketing is actually delivering a return.

Michael shares practical insights on why your website, booking system, SEO, Google Ads, pricing, and team visibility all play a crucial role in your practice's growth—and why simply throwing money at advertising isn't the answer.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The three things every healthcare practice should have in place before spending on advertising

• Why your booking system and website can make or break your marketing

• Why patients connect more with the people behind a practice than the brand itself

• How to use networking and local partnerships to generate referrals

• The difference between active and reactive marketing

• Why Google Ads and SEO can be more effective than acquisition-focused social media ads

• How AI and generative search are changing the way patients find healthcare providers

• Why visibility is essential, even when your practice is already busy

• How strategic pricing can influence perceived value and patient demand

• Why tiered pricing and follow-up pricing deserve a closer look

• How to calculate and think about your cost of acquiring a patient

• Why you should measure marketing over 90 days rather than reacting to short-term fluctuations

• How a simple "secret shopper" exercise can reveal problems in your booking and enquiry process

  
  

Michael also shares real-world examples of healthcare practices that have grown quickly, built stronger local referral networks, and used personality-driven marketing to stand out.

The key takeaway? Get the fundamentals right, make your practice visible, track what works, and treat marketing as an investment—not simply a cost.

If you'd like help building a practice that can ultimately work without your daily input, reach out to The Hive.