A solid marketing strategy can mean the difference between success and failure for any business. Medical practices, while unique in their focus, are still businesses at their core. With this in mind, it’s no wonder that practice marketing is a necessity, especially in today’s healthcare landscape. Patients are now behaving more like consumers, researching their providers online and choosing carefully who they feel will best fit their criteria. Long gone are the days of patients going to the providers their insurance company recommends, because long gone are the days of most healthcare costs being covered by insurance. Patients are now responsible for a majority of their medical bills, and so they are shopping for the best service and value just like with any other transaction in their lives.