Episode Details

Are you tired of spending money on marketing that never seems to turn into patients? Many doctors and practice owners waste thousands of dollars chasing vanity metrics—like impressions, clicks, and reach—only to end up frustrated, broke, and no closer to filling their schedules. What if you could finally run ads that actually convert into appointments? 

In this episode of Marketing Tips for Doctors, host Dr. Barbara Hales sits down with John Sanders, founder of RevKey, who has helped hundreds of medical professionals—from therapists to dentists—transform their marketing by focusing on conversions that count. Blunt, transparent, and refreshingly honest, John has spent over 7 years building systems that help doctors stop wasting money and start growing sustainable practices with Google Ads. 

If you’ve ever wondered why your ads aren’t working, how much you should really budget, or how to avoid Google’s costly “suggestions,” this episode will change how you look at digital advertising for your practice. 

He highlights several common areas that often undermine marketing success for medical practices: 

• Lack of Patience with Campaigns: Many doctors expect instant results from Google Ads, but real data and optimization require 3–6 months before clear ROI can be measured.
• Unprepared Websites and Intake Systems: Sending traffic to poorly designed service pages or weak onboarding processes leads to wasted ad spend, even if the ads themselves are effective.
• Blindly Following Google’s Suggestions: Google prioritizes its revenue over your success. Accepting automated recommendations—especially in regulated medical fields—can create compliance risks and irrelevant traffic.
• Unrealistic Budgeting: Doctors often underestimate the monthly investment required. In competitive cities, $1,500+ per month is the baseline, and failing to budget properly means campaigns fizzle before gaining traction.

Key Takeaway: 

“Even the best ads can’t fix a broken intake system. If calls aren’t answered, your marketing dollars are wasted.” – John Sanders 

Connect with John Sanders: 

Website: https://www.revkey.com/ 

Connect with Barbara Hales: 

Twitter:   @DrBarbaraHales
Facebook:   facebook.com/theMedicalSt