Walk-Ins Welcome: A Healthcare Marketing Podcast

Patient Care Marketing Pros
  • 5.0 (32)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to 'Walk-Ins Welcome: A Healthcare Marketing Podcast,' presented weekly by Nick Hoard and Michael Ray of Patient Care Marketing Pros. Tune in each week to hear from Nick and Michael as they share valuable advice, engaging interviews, and success stories to inspire and inform you about the nuances of healthcare marketing to help you increase your clinic's patient volume.

  1. 18h ago

    Ep. 236: Summer Bootcamp, How to Turn a Slow Season Into Growth

    This week’s episode features a segment from our recent webinar, Summer Bootcamp: Burning Off the Summer Slump, where we break down how urgent care clinics can use slower months to strengthen operations, improve the patient experience, and prepare for future growth. Many clinics view summer as something to survive. We believe it can be one of the most valuable seasons of the year. In this webinar replay segment, Nick and Michael walk through a practical framework for evaluating your clinic, identifying operational bottlenecks, and creating a focused improvement plan. Instead of trying to fix everything at once, they explain how to choose the highest-impact opportunities and build momentum through intentional projects and accountability. If your clinic is experiencing a seasonal slowdown, this conversation will help you turn that downtime into a competitive advantage. 🔥 In This Episode, You'll Learn: ☀️ Why summer is the perfect time to improve your clinic 🎯 How to identify the highest-impact issue holding your clinic back 📊 Why trying to fix everything at once usually leads to no progress 📝 How to build a structured improvement plan with clear ownership 👥 Why involving your team creates better buy-in and execution 🏥 The role patient experience plays in long-term clinic growth ⚙️ How operational improvements compound over time 📅 Why accountability and scheduling matter more than motivation 🚀 How to prepare your clinic for a stronger fall and winter season 🧠 The difference between staying busy and making meaningful progress Looking to grow patient volume, strengthen retention, and build a scalable marketing system? Explore PCMP's 90-Day Patient Acquisition Framework: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! ⁠https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/⁠ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

    27 min

  2. Jun 17

    Ep. 235: Can Your Clinic Survive Without You? A Vacation Readiness Test

    Many urgent care owners dream about taking a vacation. Very few actually disconnect. In this episode of Walk-Ins Welcome, Nick and Michael tackle one of the biggest challenges facing clinic owners and operators: building a business that can function without them. They discuss why so many leaders struggle to step away, the hidden risks of becoming the bottleneck in your organization, and how time away can reveal weaknesses that need attention. The conversation explores the difference between being self-employed and being a true business owner, why leadership teams need decision-making authority, and how documentation, systems, and accountability create freedom. They also share practical ways to stress-test your clinic, identify key-person dependencies, and build a team capable of handling challenges while you're away. If the thought of unplugging for a week makes you nervous, this episode will help you understand why and what to do about it.  🔥 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 🏖️ Why many urgent care owners never truly disconnect from work 📈 The difference between being self-employed and being a business owner 🔍 How vacations expose operational weaknesses and bottlenecks 🤝 Why trust and delegation are essential for clinic growth 👥 How to identify leaders within your organization 📋 Why documented systems create freedom and consistency ⚙️ The danger of having critical knowledge trapped in one person's head 🚨 How to recognize when your clinic is overly dependent on key individuals 📊 A simple framework for evaluating your clinic's vacation readiness 🎯 Why building a business that can operate without you benefits everyone involved 🛠️ Resources: Referenced in this episode: Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell Looking to grow patient volume, strengthen retention, and build a scalable marketing system? Explore PCMP’s 90-Day Patient Acquisition Framework: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ 🎙️ Related Walk-Ins Welcome Episodes Ep. 229: Why Vision Casting Matters More Than Training A conversation on leadership, culture, team alignment, and creating buy-in across your clinic. 💬 Stay Connected: Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

    36 min

  3. Jun 10

    Ep. 234 AI vs. Marketing Agencies: What Urgent Care Owners Need to Know

    AI is everywhere right now. From content creation and reporting to ad management and automation, clinic owners are being bombarded with messages telling them to fire their marketing agency and let AI handle everything instead. But is that actually a good idea? In this episode of Walk-Ins Welcome, Nick and Michael unpack the growing trend of AI-powered marketing services and the flood of "fire your agency" ads targeting healthcare businesses. They discuss where AI genuinely adds value, where it falls short, and why urgent care marketing still requires human expertise, strategy, and accountability. The conversation explores how AI is changing agency operations, common mistakes clinics make when relying too heavily on automation, and why marketing success in healthcare depends on much more than content generation. From local SEO and Google Business Profiles to reputation management, patient experience, and front desk performance, they explain why technology should enhance your team, not replace it. If you're wondering whether AI can replace your marketing agency, this episode provides a practical look at what's working today and what urgent care owners should be cautious about moving forward. 🔥 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 🤖 Why "fire your agency and use AI" has become one of the biggest marketing trends of 2026 📉 The real reasons so many clinic owners have lost trust in marketing agencies ⚙️ Where AI excels, including reporting, research, analysis, and automation 🚫 Why AI alone cannot fix poor patient experience, weak operations, or bad front desk performance 📍 How local healthcare marketing differs from generic AI-generated strategies 🏥 Why urgent care marketing requires industry-specific expertise and context 💡 How AI can make marketing teams more efficient without replacing human strategy 📊 The hidden costs many businesses discover after fully committing to AI tools 🔍 Why clinics should view AI as a tool, not a replacement for marketing leadership 🚀 What the future of healthcare marketing may look like as AI adoption continues to grow 🛠️ Resources: Learn more about Patient Care Marketing Pros and our 90-Day Patient Acquisition Framework: Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ Interested in joining our upcoming Clinic Growth Mastermind? Visit: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ 💬 Stay Connected: Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

    36 min
  4. Ep. 233: Meet the Pros: Lessons From Restaurants, Marketing, and Client Success with Hal Craig

    Jun 3

    Ep. 233: Meet the Pros: Lessons From Restaurants, Marketing, and Client Success with Hal Craig

    Running a successful business takes more than great service. It takes visibility, trust, and a marketing strategy that actually drives results. In this Meet The Pros episode of Walk-Ins Welcome, Michael sits down with Patient Care Marketing Pros Client Success Manager Hal Craig to talk about his unique journey from restaurant ownership and distribution sales into the world of healthcare marketing. Hal shares lessons learned from operating multiple restaurants, building brands from scratch, and helping urgent care clinics navigate the challenges of growth. The conversation explores what business owners often misunderstand about marketing, why trust and partnership matter when working with an agency, and how the most successful clinics approach patient acquisition. Hal also discusses the importance of branding, omnipresence, promotional marketing, and why the best marketing results come when clinics and agencies work together toward the same goals. Whether you're an urgent care owner, operator, or healthcare marketer, this episode offers practical insights into what drives long-term growth and why marketing is about much more than just running ads. 🔍 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 🏥 Why urgent care marketing is about more than just digital advertising 📈 The biggest misconception clinic owners have about marketing 🤝 Why the strongest client-agency relationships are built on trust and communication 🎯 How branding, reputation, and patient experience impact growth 📞 Why marketing works best when operational challenges are addressed too 🎨 The role creativity plays in effective marketing campaigns 📍 Why omnipresence helps clinics build trust in their communities 💡 Lessons Hal learned from owning and operating multiple restaurants 🚀 What separates high-performing clinics from those that struggle to grow 🧠 About Our Guest: Hal Craig is a Client Success Manager at Patient Care Marketing Pros, where he works directly with urgent care and healthcare clients to help them maximize the impact of their marketing efforts. Before joining PCMP, Hal spent nearly two decades as a business owner, operating multiple restaurant concepts and building brands from the ground up. His background also includes experience in logistics, distribution, promotional marketing, and business development, giving him a unique perspective on growth, customer experience, and brand building. Today, he combines that hands-on business experience with healthcare marketing strategy to help clinics strengthen patient acquisition and long-term success. 🛠️ Resources: Learn more about Patient Care Marketing Pros and our 90-Day Patient Acquisition Framework: Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ Interested in promotional products and branded merchandise for your business? HopPro: https://hop-pro.com/ 💬 Stay Connected: Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

    27 min
  5. Ep. 232: The Urgent Care Hiring Crisis Nobody Wants to Talk About - Interview with Matthew Sherriff from SHS Recruitment Partners

    May 27

    Ep. 232: The Urgent Care Hiring Crisis Nobody Wants to Talk About - Interview with Matthew Sherriff from SHS Recruitment Partners

    Staffing is one of the biggest hidden growth challenges in urgent care. If your clinic cannot stay fully staffed, it impacts everything, patient experience, wait times, reviews, retention, and ultimately revenue. In this episode of Walk-Ins Welcome, Nick and Michael sit down with Matthew Sherriff, Owner and President of SHS Recruitment Partners, to unpack what is really happening in urgent care recruiting right now. Matthew shares what he’s seeing across hundreds of urgent care locations nationwide, why so many clinics struggle to keep positions filled, and the operational mistakes that quietly push great candidates away. The conversation dives into recruiting x-ray techs, APPs, MAs, and other key clinical staff, while also exploring culture, leadership, onboarding speed, clinic environment, and the role staffing plays in long-term clinic growth. If your clinic constantly feels understaffed, overwhelmed, or stuck in an endless hiring cycle, this episode gives a practical look at how better recruiting systems can improve operations and patient experience at the same time. 🔥 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 📉 Why staffing shortages are quietly hurting urgent care growth 🩻 Why x-ray tech recruiting has become one of the industry’s biggest challenges 🏥 How clinic culture directly impacts recruiting and retention ⚙️ Why reactive hiring creates long-term operational problems 🤝 The difference between transactional recruiting and partnership-based recruiting 📞 Why hiring speed matters more than most operators realize 💬 How poor communication during recruiting causes clinics to lose great candidates 🧠 Why leadership visibility and workplace environment matter to clinical staff 📊 What separates clinics that consistently stay staffed from those constantly struggling 🧠 About Our Guest: Matthew Sherriff is the Owner and President of SHS Recruitment Partners, a boutique healthcare recruiting firm specializing in permanent healthcare placement nationwide. His team has placed more than 600 providers and clinical staff across 300+ urgent care locations, including APPs, x-ray techs, MAs, and other key clinical roles. Matthew is also actively involved with workforce initiatives through the Urgent Care Association (UCA) and serves as President-elect of First Choice, Inc., a nationwide consortium of boutique healthcare recruitment firms. 🛠️ Resources: Learn more about SHS Recruitment Partners:Website: https://www.goSHS.info Connect with Matthew and SHS Recruitment Partners! Matthew's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-sherriff/Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shsrecruitmentpartners/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shsrecruitmentpartners/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shsrecruitmentpartners/ Looking to grow patient volume, strengthen retention, and build a scalable marketing system? Explore PCMP’s 90-day patient acquisition framework:https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ 💬 Stay Connected: Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! ⁠https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith:https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

    35 min
  6. Ep. 231: Urgent Care Summer Slump? Occupational Medicine May Be the Answer - Interview with Ira Pasternack from WebForDoctors

    May 20

    Ep. 231: Urgent Care Summer Slump? Occupational Medicine May Be the Answer - Interview with Ira Pasternack from WebForDoctors

    Summer slowdown is real for many urgent care clinics, but it can also create one of the biggest growth opportunities of the year. In this episode of Walk-Ins Welcome, Nick and Michael sit down with Ira Pasternack, founder of WebForDoctors and lead instructor for the Occ Med Growth Cohort, to talk about how urgent care clinics can build and grow occupational medicine programs that create long-term, recurring revenue. Ira shares how occupational medicine sales and marketing differ from traditional urgent care marketing, why relationship-building matters more than ads alone, and how clinics can use slower seasons to build systems that continue producing results long after summer ends. The conversation covers employer outreach, networking, sales cycles, AchMed strategy, and how urgent care clinics can carve out their own niche even in competitive markets. If your clinic has talked about growing occupational medicine but never fully committed to a strategy, this episode gives a practical roadmap for getting started. 🔥 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: ☀️ Why summer can be the best time to build an occupational medicine strategy 🏥 How occupational medicine creates recurring revenue opportunities for urgent care clinics 📈 Why Occ Med marketing requires a completely different mindset than urgent care marketing 🤝 How relationship-building and networking drive long-term Occ Med growth 📞 What realistic occupational medicine sales cycles actually look like 🧠 Why consistency matters more than trying one marketing tactic once 📍 How clinics can compete even in crowded occupational medicine markets ⚙️ What the Occ Med Growth Cohort teaches and how clinics can apply it immediately 💬 Why systems and follow-up are critical for long-term account growth 🚀 How urgent care clinics can use slower seasons to build future growth engines 🧠 About Our Guest: Ira Pasternack is the founder of WebForDoctors and the lead instructor for the Occ Med Growth Cohort, presented by WebForDoctors in partnership with NAOHP. Ira has worked with urgent care practices since 1999 and has extensive experience helping clinics grow occupational medicine programs through strategic marketing, employer outreach, and relationship development. His early work with urgent care clinics exposed him to the unique sales and operational strategies required for occupational medicine, long before most clinics approached it intentionally. Today, Ira helps urgent care and occupational medicine teams create sustainable growth systems tailored to their local markets. 🛠️ Resources: Learn more about the Occ Med Growth Cohort: https://growoccmed.com/pcmp/ National Association of Occupational Health Professionals (NAOHP): https://naohp.com/ WebForDoctors: https://www.webfordoctors.com/ Marketing Against the Grain Podcast (mentioned by Ira): https://www.hubspot.com/podcasts/marketing-against-the-grain Book Mentioned: Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy Looking to grow patient volume, strengthen retention, and build a scalable marketing system? Explore PCMP’s 90-day patient acquisition framework: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ 💬 Stay Connected: Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube for updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes content. Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome?Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! ⁠⁠https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/⁠ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

    36 min

  7. May 13

    Ep. 230: Your Clinic's Hidden Growth Engine: Front Desk Training That Turns Calls Into Patients

    Most urgent care clinics think they have a marketing problem when patient volume slows down. But in many cases, the real issue starts at the front desk. This week’s episode features a clip from our recent webinar focused on one of the biggest hidden revenue leaks in urgent care: missed calls, weak phone handling, and front desk systems that fail to convert patient demand into actual visits. Nick and Michael break down why the front desk should be treated as a patient acquisition engine, not just an administrative role. They unpack the real financial impact of missed calls, why scripts and accountability matter, and how small changes in communication can dramatically improve conversion rates without increasing ad spend. The conversation also covers call tracking, front desk hiring, roleplay training, patient experience, and the systems high-performing clinics use to turn more inquiries into appointments and repeat visits. If your clinic is generating demand but struggling to convert that demand into patient volume, this episode is worth your attention. 🔥 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 📞 Why missed calls quietly cost clinics thousands in lost revenue 📉 How weak phone handling impacts patient volume and repeat visits 💬 Why the front desk should function like a patient conversion team 🧠 The mindset shift from “receptionist” to growth-focused front desk 📊 How to track call conversions, missed calls, and front desk performance 🎯 Why scripts improve consistency, confidence, and patient experience 🛠️ How roleplay training helps front desk staff improve faster 🚀 Why systems and accountability matter more than personality alone 📈 How small front desk improvements can increase patient volume without increasing marketing spend 🛠️ Resources: Access the Missed Call Calculator mentioned in the webinar: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ Looking to grow patient volume, strengthen retention, and build a scalable marketing system? Explore PCMP’s 90-day patient acquisition framework: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ 💬 Stay Connected: Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube for updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes content. Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

    17 min

  8. May 6

    Ep. 229: How To Turn Everyday Tasks Into Patient Growth

    Most urgent care clinics are focused on the big moves. More ads, more locations, more services. But in reality, growth often comes from something much simpler. In this episode of Walk-Ins Welcome, Nick and Michael break down a concept that gets overlooked in almost every clinic. Excellence in the ordinary. From how patients are greeted, to how long they wait, to the small interactions that happen every day, these moments shape the entire patient experience. They share real-world examples from healthcare, restaurants, and even companies like Apple to show how small, consistent improvements can create a lasting reputation. The conversation also dives into how systems, team buy-in, and repeatable processes turn these small changes into real growth. If your clinic is doing the basics but not standing out, this episode will help you rethink where growth actually comes from. 🔥 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 📞 Why everyday front desk interactions have a bigger impact than most marketing efforts 🏥 How small improvements in patient experience can drive repeat visits and retention ⭐ What “excellence in the ordinary” actually looks like inside a clinic 📈 How consistency leads to predictability, stability, and profitability 🤝 Why team buy-in is critical when improving processes and patient experience ⚙️ How to build simple, repeatable systems that elevate your clinic over time 💡 Why the smallest details, like communication and personalization, matter most 🚀 How focusing on 1% improvements can compound into long-term growth 🛠️ Resources: Looking to grow patient volume, improve retention, and build a scalable system?Explore PCMP’s 90-day patient acquisition framework: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ 💬 Stay Connected: Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube for updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes content. Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingprosLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want to be a guest, recommend someone for the show, or ask a question?We would love to hear from you. Email us at hello@patientcaremarketingpros.com 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith:https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

    26 min
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About

Welcome to 'Walk-Ins Welcome: A Healthcare Marketing Podcast,' presented weekly by Nick Hoard and Michael Ray of Patient Care Marketing Pros. Tune in each week to hear from Nick and Michael as they share valuable advice, engaging interviews, and success stories to inspire and inform you about the nuances of healthcare marketing to help you increase your clinic's patient volume.

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