Adam Lueken
In the dermatology world, November means National Healthy Skin Month. Recognized by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), this is a time to raise and awareness and education on the importance of skin health and care. Patients are often focused on the appearance of their skin, but may not consider that changes in skin can be a sign of serious health issues too, like infection, an autoimmune disease or skin cancer.
This month is a great time to promote National Healthy Skin Month and encourage your patients to keep up on their skin care and screenings. And this can be easily accomplished with just a few steps (some of which you may already be doing).
Make Healthy Skin Month a Part of Your Marketing and Social Media
If you have a set marketing and social plan for the month of November, you can easily insert some messaging or base some of your topics on National Healthy Skin Month, no matter what marketing channels you’re using. If using direct mail or email marketing, include content that encourages skin screenings and checkups using the theme. You can do something similar on your website. Have a specific section on your homepage or additional landing page that creates awareness. If you have a blog on your website, have some topics that incorporate and discuss the month’s recognition too. Social media gives you plenty of opportunities to create awareness as well. Whether copy posts, infographics, short videos or links, there are a variety of things you can do on your social pages to educate and encourage patients.
Use This as an Opportunity to Educate
In addition to your marketing, look for other ways to educate patients on skin health. This can be done through print materials like brochures, posters, flyers, etc. – whether new materials or adding content to pre-existing items. These could highlight general information and tips on skin care, or the importance of screenings. You can use verbiage around National Healthy Skin Month to call attention to these materials in your practice. For example, you could say, “As part of National Healthy Skin Month, here are resources to keep your skin healthy,” and direct patients to other materials. And in those materials, be sure to have calls to action that encourage checkups. You can also look at opportunities to visit local schools and/or businesses to educate on skin care.
Consider Local Media Opportunities
If you’re hosting any type of event to promote National Healthy Skin Month or something similar, your local media outlets can be a great way to spread the word (without having to spend money in many cases). if your local newspapers and news websites have feature sections about community health, etc., these could be ways to share your message too. Check with your news outlets to see if they would be open to receiving feature stories, etc. on National Healthy Skin Month.
Whether a part of your existing promotions or separate, raising awareness about National Healthy Skin Month can help more patients get the care they need, who may still neglect or not fully understand the importance of skin health. This will also show your community that you’re committed to their health and well-being.
Need additional support with your promotional activities? We’re always a phone call or click away to help. Schedule a consultation with one of our practice management experts today!