In reality, it is somewhat taxing to juggle the tasks of marketing a physical therapy business and focusing on your patient’s care all at the same time. Which is why many clinics have dedicated marketing representatives. On the other hand, we as physical therapists, tend to stick to what we know best; patient care.
There are however, a number of practices that have embraced technology by incorporating an automated system that revolutionizes physical therapy marketing. By doing so, these practices are currently raking in the dough.
In spite of recent technological advancements, there are still a handful of Therapists who spend years knocking on doors of physicians and cold ‘prospecting’ in the hopes that someday, they may hit the jackpot. This method of physical therapy marketing is something I would not advise.
I believe that majority, if not all, would rather be the one that are sought after as opposed to the other way around. It’s a topic I will cover in great detail in my other blog posts, so be sure to check my other posts as well.
Regardless of the type of practice you are in, getting patients into your clinic is not a game of chance, but a result of systematic planning. More importantly, the entire process of referral generation should leverage time and be semi-automated. This results in a powerful physical therapy marketing system that allows you to beat the odds.
We know that the best way for a practice to grow is by creating a system that is able to provide a steady stream of new patients. Managing a system to separate, identify, encourage qualified patients and reinforce communication with those patients using an outstanding follow-up system is the most important component of physical therapy marketing, but is nonexistent in most private practices.
The best physical therapist in the world can struggle to acquire and treat patients in the absence of a physical therapy marketing system.
So how do you create such a system? The first step towards the creation of a systematic private practice involves an understanding of the referral process in itself. When a patient walks into your clinic seeking therapy, the new business is a result of a system, not necessarily a random event.
Imagine driving hundreds of miles under extreme heat along the desert. Fatigue, boredom and thirst leave you yearning for a diet soda. The moment you see a rest stop, you immediately pull over to get something cool and refreshing to drink.
A complex sequence of events that teach us a thing or two about physical therapy marketing. This sale was generated as a result of a combination of factors which constitute the pre-sale events.
- Summer
- Heat
- Thirst
- Boredom
- Frustration
- Need For Respite
When a patient walks into your clinic, a similar sequence of events has already occurred in the background. The culmination of these events (patients’ injury, pain, frustration, physician referral, patient referral) have resulted in the patient standing in front of you.
The key to an effective marketing physical therapy strategy is understanding the why, how, and when the patient finally got to you, and positioning yourself in front of them in every step of the way.
