The traditional view is that the time a vet spends in front of a client is the dominant focus of how our clients perceive our practice.
And of course, if we aren’t delivering fantastic care when pets are brought through our doors, we don’t have much to work with.
However, a client’s experience of our practice is so much more than just the time they spend with a vet. It starts at the point that they first become aware of us and continues throughout the life of their pet.
This is called a client journey and it’s a really important way of thinking about how we interact with clients, weaving in every possible touchpoint and opportunity to showcase how much we care.
Our founder, Justin Phillips, recently took part in a fascinating round table with leading industry experts Thom Jenkins of PetsApp, Becki Maher of Inside Minds and Dr Vanessa Waite of The Vet Station, courtesy of PetsApp and SPVS, to chat through client journeys from every angle – which you can watch here.
Below, we break down the bits that we feel are most important with our marketing goggles on, and how we can help!
First impressions:
Before a client is our client
We’re all guilty of making snap judgements on any number of things every single day.
So what are pet owners thinking when they first find your practice?
Now of course, this could be walking past your clinic in the street – and we have a whole heap of content to help you to get this right.
But here and now we’re talking about digital touchpoints viewed from the comfort of a pet owner's sofa or while grabbing a sandwich on their lunch break.
The volume and quality of reviews, how easy your website is to navigate – and particularly on a phone – whether the photos on your website show a friendly team – all of those things will shape emotional responses.
We want to see Google Business Profiles that are fully optimised with content and great quality pictures of the team, with hundreds of glowing reviews and thoughtful replies.
Once they get to your website, we want to see what makes you unique. Every practice has a unique story – it’s about using words and pictures to show, not tell. That authenticity builds trust.
Another great idea is to host a virtual tour of your practice on your website, like a Google 360 view or even a GoPro video from a pet’s perspective. Show the team in action, not empty rooms – authenticity is key.
The final point here is to make sure you’re walking in your clients’ shoes. It’s so easy to fall into a routine and to become blind to our practice. So book an appointment online and see how it works every now and then, walk through reception rather than using the team entrance once a month – experience the practice your clients see.
You've picked up a client...
now what?
We won’t tell you how to look after your patients – that’s what you’re great at!
But we can advise on things you can do to make delivering a great service as easy as possible.
For example, online booking is essential now – it’s so much more convenient for many of our clients. We’re empowering clients to book how and when suits them, rather than expecting them to make an inconvenient phone call during the working day.
Give clients as much choice as possible. You can treat appointments booked weeks or months in the future as “expressions of intent” – they don’t have to be fixed in stone.
You can always adjust closer to the time, but capturing intent increases follow-through.
A few more ideas. Add a chat function to your website so people can ask questions easily. For existing clients, make reminders interactive – let them reply to texts or book from a link. This keeps the process relational, not transactional.
Remember that technology is evolving quickly – even if it doesn’t always feel that way in our industry!
Walk through your systems as if you’re a pet owner and test them regularly. Outdated booking flows are a hidden source of friction that we encounter every day.
There are usually small, instant wins once you review things with fresh eyes.
After the consult:
Keeping clients engaged
Follow-up reminders are essential, but think of them as nudges, not just prompts.
Automated consult summaries can improve clarity, reinforce trust and help meet regulatory standards. Always plan the next touch point before the client leaves – whether it’s booking, recommending or reminding.
The best marketing will always be exceptional care. Wow your clients and they’ll come back and tell others.
But there are always new wow moments being made available to us. For example, one of the developments we’re most excited about over the next few years is the potential of AI note-takers.
Note-takes can create consult summaries for clients that are shared after the consult – and this is transformational.
Not only does it free up clinicians in the room, but it gives clients something tangible to share at home, helping to solve the issue of pet owners getting white coat syndrome as soon as they step into the consult room and forgetting everything they’ve discussed once they’re out again.
If your intrigue is tickled by the subjects in this blog, we really recommend watching the full webinar with Justin and co – it was a cracker.
And of course, if you want any help or advice in putting these pointers in action, we’re more than happy to help.
Vet practice marketing
To us it's personal
If you’re eager to improve your practice’s marketing but you’re unsure where to start, I’m taking on new clients for the next quarter! Book an initial discovery below!
