With Groupon recently announcing its net worth to officially be over the $1 billion mark, the social buying site has now stepped into elite company as one of the few web 2.0 startups to reach the monetary level. The others: Facebook and Twitter.
What exactly is a Groupon? Groupon, based in Chicago, works with local businesses in various cities (53 to be exact) to feature a unique product or service at an unbeatable discount (normally at least 50% off the actual price). Each Groupon is only available for a 24 hour period, and once a certain amount of Groupons have been sold, then the deal is on. If the minimum amount is not met, then the deal is dead. It is a simple concept that is drawing astounding results. So far, the company has sold over 4.3 million Groupons.
In addition to fine dining, products and other services, many healthcare groups are beginning to jump on the healthcare bandwagon. Most notably, dentists, dermatologists and chiropractors have been featured in recent Groupon deals around the country. From a marketing perspective, Groupons could be a great way to introduce customers to your practice at a reduced cost. If the patient is happy with his or her service, then you may even be able to retain those Groupon customers on a long-term basis.
Physicians, what are your thoughts on this Groupon concept? Will it help, hurt or have no impact on the healthcare industry? Does it have the staying power of Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn?
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