By: Peter Jacobs

You’ve built a practice that patients genuinely love. Your team is friendly, your treatments are effective, and your space is professional and welcoming. But despite all of that, you’re not seeing the kind of new patient growth you expected. It’s a frustrating disconnect — because excellent care should be enough, right? The truth is, it often takes more than great service to bring new patients through the door. Today’s practices need visibility, credibility, and consistent engagement — which is exactly where tools like https://www.podium.com.au/dermatology/ can help bridge the gap.

Patients Can’t Book With You if They Can’t Find You

First things first: you might not have a marketing problem — you might have a visibility problem. In an age where nearly every decision starts with a search engine, your online presence matters just as much as your clinic’s atmosphere. If you’re not showing up on page one, you’re essentially invisible to new patients — no matter how good your service is.

That’s why it’s critical to manage your listings, keep your Google profile up to date, and regularly collect reviews. Every positive review boosts your local ranking and builds trust with potential patients who are trying to decide between you and a competitor.

Referrals Still Matter — But So Do Reviews

Word of mouth is still powerful in dermatology. But the way it works has changed. Instead of asking friends over coffee, people now read reviews online. If your patients are thrilled with your care but haven’t shared their experiences publicly, you’re missing out on a key trust signal for new leads.

Encouraging patients to leave feedback isn’t about being pushy — it’s about making it easy. A simple follow-up text with a direct review link can double or triple your chances of a glowing recommendation. That builds credibility and gives new patients the social proof they’re looking for.

Make Booking as Easy as Possible

If someone is ready to book and your website or phone system makes it difficult, they won’t hesitate to move on. Convenience is king. A clunky or outdated booking process can undo all the goodwill you’ve built through excellent service.

Make sure your online booking is easy to find, simple to use, and mobile-friendly. Bonus points if you offer text-based communication — something more and more patients are coming to expect from modern practices. They want to book, confirm, and reschedule without ever needing to pick up the phone.

Stay Connected Between Visits

It’s easy to focus all your energy on delivering great care during the appointment itself. But the most successful practices keep patients engaged even when they’re not in the treatment chair. That might mean sending out skincare tips, appointment reminders, post-treatment care guides, or special offers.

Regular communication keeps your clinic top of mind — and increases the chances that happy patients will refer others or return sooner. It also signals professionalism and care, which are both important in a field as personal as dermatology.

Leverage Technology Without Losing the Human Touch

Patients don’t want robotic messages or generic spam. They want connection. The right software can help you automate the admin without sacrificing that human feel. Whether it’s automated feedback requests or timely reminders, the goal is to show that your practice is responsive, organised, and invested in their care.

The result? A better experience for your patients — and more time for your team to focus on what they do best.

You’re Already Doing the Hard Part

If you’re delivering excellent care, you’ve already won half the battle. Now it’s just about making sure more people know about it. That means investing in visibility, simplifying communication, and ensuring your online reputation matches the reality of your service.

The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing — it feels like great service, extended beyond the appointment. And when that happens, new patients don’t need much convincing — they’re already halfway in the door.