Since human interaction has many hidden nuances to it, an insight into various “staff personality types” will allow you to identify exactly what makes some employees ‘tick’ (and others ticking time bombs).

If you can master the art of ‘staff influence’, you’ll be able to ‘read between the lines’ and look beyond someones ‘skill set’. You will be able to:

If you want to become an influential private practice owner and a powerful motivator, then you need  to understand the ‘psychological tactics’ that influence the way most people think.

Managing employees is like playing chess, but there is one important difference – the goal is not to dominate the other player (staff member) and win while someone else loses, it’s to anticipate their next move and to stay one step ahead. The goal is to to lead the situation, instead of being led.

Physical therapy management is all about preemptive leadership instead of delayed reactions.

It’s important to know an individual’s “Personality Profile” when communicating with them, since the same message can be interpreted in different ways. Remember that the tone in which you speak can be more important than the words you use. People hear what they ‘want to hear’ and not what ‘is told to them’. The tonality of your voice often reveals your thought patterns to listeners. The listener, depending on their “Personality Profile” will see the world with their own perspective.

For example, the words “Hey there Susan, would you mind following up with your patients who have not shown up in the past two weeks?” sound a lot different than “Call the patients who have not shown up in the past two weeks” with a slightly altered tone of voice.

Even though you said the same thing, the listener’s response can vary from “sure, happy to” or “There he /she goes again, I hate being ordered around”.

Here are THREE specific examples of “Staff Personality Profiles” that you’ll commonly see in your practice. A majority of your staff members will fit ONE of the following profiles more so than others.

Managing such individuals in your organization:

Manage such ‘free spirited’ individuals by offering bonuses, setting goals, tracking progress and NEVER threaten to punish such individuals. Occasionally, they may need to be ‘bought down to earth’ and made aware of potential, glaring problems that they tend to miss. Don’t expect these individuals to follow procedure, expect them to violate them and ‘push boundaries’.

Managing such individuals in your organization:

The more specific you are with such individuals, the more responsive they will be. They need to be told the ‘right way’ to do things. Avoid alterations in the ‘set protocol’ since that makes them uncomfortable.

It’s important for the private practice owner to ‘balance’ a team with motivators and stabilizers, to foster unity, camaraderie and to minimize friction between different personality types.

Managing such individuals in your organization:

Perfectionists are best managed with a logical and structured blueprint, clearly defined expectations with deadlines. Compliance is rarely an issue and such individuals are best suited for jobs that require a ‘plan’ from start to finish.

They tend to be ‘the rock’ in your organization. They are the glue that binds everything together and allow your private practice to function as a smooth unit.

If your team is full of motivators, a perfectionist is important to ‘balance the scales’. These individuals are best suited for precise tasks like physical therapy billing, physical therapy documentation and physical therapy coding.

The ideal team needs a combination of motivators, stabilizers and perfectionists, managed effectively by the practice owner. As a practice owner, an understanding of the different profiles can help you manage your people better. It might even teach you something valuable yourself, if you can answer the question “Where do I fit in?”

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Today, I wanted to share some of the golden nuggets from my  upcoming presentation with you.

Ready to learn the FIVE key elements to boost internal referrals?  If you want a zero cost way to grow your practice, harness the power of patient referrals and discover some new, counter-intuitive options that exist right under your nose, watch this video below.

It explains the FIVE things you should do right away to increase patient referrals in your clinic…

Check out the video and leave me your comments below.

The email subject line is my favorite part, since small tweaks in your subject can results in a BIG percentage increase in your open rate (and response) to all your emails. So the next time you are about to email your patients, use one of the subject lines I recommend.

Want to learn some other email subject lines, specifically the ones that have been PROVEN to get high open rates? I give you the FULL details in my inner circle.

INSTANT ACCESS to a special report on the ‘Top 25 Subject Lines’ to get your emails opened (and read) by patients.  These are subject lines you can SWIPE and use AS IS, or edit and use in your marketing.

If you are member of the inner circle, please login here.

If you are NOT a member of the inner circle yet, click here to see what you are missing out on.

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Some of the lessons I learned (which I teach you in the upcoming event – Private Practice Formula) will help you save hundreds, potentially thousands of dollars AND add more revenue to your private practice at the same time.

You can learn EVERYTHING I used to single-handedly build a six figure generating physical therapy private practice using scripts and techniques that will transform your practice. All my coaching and mentorship clients have used these strategies to drive more new patients, get doctors to refer and ignite referrals from existing patients and you can learn everything in New Jersey on March 11, 12, 13.

Like everyone else, my reasons for starting a private practice included the need for freedom and independence. I wanted to unleash my creativity (which my previous job restricted) and be my own boss. I wanted to make patients feel better, and have doctors reach out to me to treat their patients. My expectations were high – to help hundreds of patients in the community AND double or triple my previous income in the process. There was also another, deeper reason. Having grown up in a fiercely competitive city (Mumbai, India) and arrived in the US with nothing more than a suitcase filled with books and clothes in August 2002, I was always driven to ‘prove myself’ and set myself apart from the competition.

Whether you took the same path I did, or are thinking about it, opening up your own practice can be a daunting proposition, especially in a stuttering economy.

Here are FIVE key factors that will help your practice thrive, not just survive in today’s competitive climate.

1.  Have a good support system in place (personal and professional)

It’s important to have someone to talk to. Let family members know what you are doing, so you have someone to lean on. Listen to objective advice and be prepared to handle criticism. They may have some good advice, or even be able to point you in the right directions for resources to help you get up and running. Try and join a  ‘mastermind’ group of like-minded, success oriented, private practice owners who are willing to share some of their growth strategies. Being in the same room with other, more advanced practitioners than you is the FASTEST way for you to grow your practice. If you cannot organize such a group, the next best thing is to find a mentor who can coach you every step of the way.

2.  Network, network, network…

In real estate, they say there are 3 things that are important – location, location, and location.

In Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty, author Harvey Mackay writes: “If I had to name the single characteristic shared by all the truly successful people I’ve met over a lifetime, I’d say it is the ability to create and nurture a network of contacts.”

If you go at it alone, you may be (unknowingly) heading for failure. You will certainly make a lot more mistakes and waste more time and energy than if you had a network of peers to assist you. As mentioned earlier, finding the right network of people who want you to succeed, and are willing to give you honest and constructive feedback about things like your website, company name, logo, and any other significant step. I still meet quarterly with a group of my peers. We share marketing strategies, and even key strategies to help grow our businesses.

The importance of networking is that this network should constantly grow and evolve so your private practice is injected with new ideas for innovation and growth.This is exactly the kind of network you can expect when you attend the Private Practice Formula on March 11, 12 and 13 in Rutherford, NJ

3.  Master (and Protect) your time

Your time is the most valuable thing you have. Treasure it, and wisely manage the time you have to the tasks only you can do.

The first thing you will learn at the Private Practice Formula is to identify and eliminate all low value tasks. All these tasks should delegate. Remember, the time that you spend on your business is designed to grow your business. Any activity that does not do that, may be outsourced at a reasonable price. This includes answering phones, scheduling patients, faxing paperwork, and even trying to change things on your website – give these activities to someone who knows how to do it, and focus on the ‘high lifetime value’ tasks.

A high lifetime value task includes activities that can build your business and professional reputation. This includes:

At the Private Practice Formula , I will teach you how to identify your high lifetime value activities and leverage them in your favor.

4.  Get the right staff on your team

The right staff can make all the difference. When it comes to industries that are service-based like massage places, nail salons, and physical therapy, customer service is king! If your staff knows how to answer phone calls, talk to people in pain and their family, and do something for the patient (like call for the ride before being asked, or opening the door for someone with crutches or in a wheelchair), that patient will definitely take notice and appreciate your practice and staff. If however, your staff doesn’t answer the phone right away, makes a caller stay on hold for a while, or your staff keeps a patient waiting in the waiting room for a long time before being treated, chances are that patient is not likely to come back. An unexpected, sincere act of kindness goes a long way. Learn new strategies to grow a responsive, productive staff that helps you grow your practice at Private Practice Formula 2011

5.  Invest in your physical health.

Remember to eat right, exercise regularly and keep up with your annual physicals. Practice what your preach! Our job requires us to be motivating and a positive role model to our patients. Go beyond the physical. Keep motivational and inspirational quotes around your office where they are visible. Be sure to read inspiring books that can help steer you and your business in the right direction.

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In my presentation today, I taught each member of my group how to position his / her clinic as the “Starbucks” of private practices in the community.

I taught the lesson with a simple, true story. After an intense day in the heat and humidity earlier this week, I was starting to get really thirsty. A tall, cool drink – my beloved iced coffee from Starbucks was all I could think off. There were a bunch of coffee shops near the hotel but none that served coffee like Starbucks does (at least not in my opinion).

There was no Starbucks in the area, and my thirst buds started to guide the way.

So I decided to catch a cab to the nearest Starbucks, 3 miles away.

It cost me $15 plus tips each way to get to the nearest Starbucks plus the cost of my iced coffee, so in reality, the coffee cost me over $33.58.

But to me, it was worth every penny.

Why?

Because every single time I step into a Starbucks, I feel like a VIP. I am greeted with familiarity and comfort, in addition to consistent, outstanding customer service regardless of which coast I am on. That’s exactly why I was willing to pay a premium.

My mind flashed back to Betty, the server at my local Starbucks where I usually pick up my $4 soy decaf blueberry latte every day at 7.30 am.

“Hi Nitin, great to see you! I see you are running a couple of minutes behind today. I don’t want you to be late for work, so is it going to be the same? I suggest a dash of hazelnut – it just came in today and I think you’ll really like it!”

One thing was pretty clear. Each time I visited Starbucks, I got more than a cup of coffee, I got an experience. I was made to feel special.

The Starbucks business model has changed the coffee industry as we know it. Coffee drinkers are able to customize their beverage with the hand-crafted assistance of a ‘barista’ (the Italian equivalent of a bartender). This customization adds a heightened level of satisfaction for each consumer, with simple, yet delightful additions like soy milk and various ‘pumps’ of flavor and sweetener. Compare this with a system-based, automated approach like your order at McDonalds, and you’ll see why people (myself included) go out of the way to pay $4 for a cup of coffee that would normally be 50% cheaper at McDonalds.

In fact, I didn’t even know that McDonalds sold lattes and cappuccinos until my wife Ritika mentioned it to me. Have you ever had such a problem when trying to educate patients or referral services about your services?

The truth is, what a consumer pays for is not always what he / she wants. A customer who pays $4 or more for a latte is paying for the experience, the ‘feel good’ factor, the human connection and not just the drink. In fact, the customer subconsciously knows he/she is overpaying, but still continues to pay top dollar for a premium service. Consumers in a new economy, a sophisticated, fast-paced world will pay a premium fee for a genuine, ‘warm fuzzy feeling’ human connection.

This ‘human touch’ is one of the factors that adds to the perception of quality. In a service related profession like physical therapy, success has a lot to do with perception, since perception is perceived as reality.

If you want to be the busiest, most in-demand and the most referred to private practice in town, then you need to be the Starbucks of private practice – plain and simple.

Being the ‘Starbucks’ of private practice means you get more patients, the best patients. You get more referrals from your current patients and more referrals from doctors. You can even command high prices in some situations. You can provide patients with more products and services beyond ‘traditional’ physical therapy. So how do you become the Starbucks of private practice?

Attend the Private Practice Formula 2011

Starbucks like every other conglomerate, started with one store. Founder Howard Schultz said “The success of Starbucks demonstrates that we have built an emotional connection with our customers… We have a competitive advantage over classic brands in that every day we touch and interact with our customers directly.”

“Our product is not sitting on a supermarket shelf like a can of soda. Our people have done a wonderful job of knowing your drink, your name and your kids’ names”.

Similarly, in private practice, the patient interacts with the therapist several times during the course of the treatment. This presents the clinician with several opportunities to provide a ‘blue chip’ patient experience. Don’t forget that the patient has several options. He / she could easily go to a local pharmacy and pick up some over-the-counter medication for pain relief and avoid physical therapy, even if they need it. They could also consult with other professionals including personal trainers and chiropractors. The fact that we, as clinicians, get the patient’s undivided attention several times during the course of the treatment (prior to discharge) is a significant opportunity. Happy patients present you with a zero-cost branding opportunity. At the March event, I’ll teach you exactly how to condition patients to recognize your authority and refer friends, family and co-workers, and even act as a bridge to introduce you to their referring doctors.

About Private Practice Formula 2011

I’ve gotten the most successful private practice owners in the world at one time and they’ll be going up on stage at PPF11 to give away their most valuable and potent systems for quickly growing your private practice and achieving massive success.

This whole thing takes place March 11th – 13th in Rutherford, NJ. Each year, this event is attended by private practice owners from all over the U.S. and four countries, all looking to get the most cutting edge business building strategies and systems to grow their practice.

BUT, there’s one tiny little problem…

…and it’s because of this tiny little problem why you probably won’t make it to PPF11.

See, each year Private Practice Formula sells out weeks in advance.

This year is no different.

And since PPF11 is more then 77% sold out already, you can bet that we’re going to close off the registration process very soon.

So if you want the tools, tips, tactics and systems for taking your private practice to the highest level then this is your “opportunity is knocking” article.

Don’t miss out by procrastinating.

Learn more and see the amazing line up of presenters here.

You’ll learn how to create a ‘Starbucks’ culture in your practice. Dave Olsen, senior vice president of culture and leadership development at Starbucks states that “It doesn’t matter how many millions or billions of cups of coffee Starbucks has served, if the one you get does not suit you.”

“We will deliver a drink that suits you every time, and create an experience in the process. The experience must fit the customer.”

Starbucks strive to maintain a high level of consistency and quality for that particular customer, and that is their promise.

Starbucks encourages employee individuality, and avoids scripted customer service approaches. Staff members are provided a structure to engage with clients in productive, meaningful ways. Management at Starbucks calls this the “5 Ways Of Being”

1.    Be Welcoming

2.    Be Genuine

3.    Be Considerate

4.    Be Knowledgeable

5.    Be Involved

How can the “5 Ways Of Being” work in your practice? Ask yourself:

In a private practice, the way your team interacts with a 62 year old patient recovering from a fall injury must be different from a 17 year old high school athlete with a torn meniscus. This goes a step beyond clinical intervention – it’s the human interaction that leaves a lasting impression with the patient (customer), long after discharge.  Patient’s want more experiences with individuals like Betty in your clinic. It is the experience that will be what they remember most and that’s what will keep them (and their friends) coming back. At the Private Practice Formula 11, you will learn EXACTLY how to give patients this ‘Starbucks’ experience.

Your clinic, like Starbucks, must successfully master the application of the most basic principle of giving the consumer an experience to remember- this has helped Starbucks build its brand and keep their customers coming back.

It’s how the founder Howard Schultz went from a salesperson in a xerox corporation to an owner of a global franchise and a personal net worth of $1.1 billion (2006, Forbes). He did allow negative comments and naysayers to hold him back. He never once thought:

Sounds familiar? Don’t let negative self talk hold you back.

In fact, negative self talk and limiting beliefs represent another reason why you may not make it to PPF11… I can’t change your mindset (until I work with you).

And I can’t make you click this link and register for Private Practice Formula 11, but what I can do is give you EVERYTHING you need to take your private practice to a whole new level when you attend.

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1.   Innovation: They are NOT “know it alls” and are always open to new ideas, new ways of learning (especially from other industries and experts). They have the right mindset for growth and success, and are constantly adapting to a new economy, changing times and evolutions in standards of care and marketing. They are always looking for new materials and resources to grow. They are experts at physical therapy management and know how to leverage themselves for quick and explosive growth. They are in a state of constant innovation.

2.    Identification. They know EXACTLY what type of patient they want to work with and have systems in place to attract the RIGHT patients from the RIGHT referral sources while weeding out the rest. They are able to precisely define the average patient and create a patient ‘avataar’. They know the fears and frustrations, wants and aspirations and are conscious about exactly what the patient (and referral source) needs from them. They are able to deliver this in a systematic manner, with the right people on board and are able to build successfully, mutually beneficial, long lasting relationships.

3.    Investment. They invest in their marketing education and are able to measure their return on investment. For example, they are able to track that an investment of ‘x’ gets a return of ‘y’ and you only continue that particular strategy if ‘y’ is consistently greater than ‘x’. They are able to outspend their competition not because they like overspending, but because they know their business metrics so well that they can afford to go the extra mile, since they have a predictable, measurable return on investment.

For example, if a new patient is worth $800 for your practice, and you had to spend $200 to acquire that new patient (something your competitors will not dream of doing), then you can outspend your competitors because you know your business metrics better than anyone else.

4.    Mastermind. They create a nurture a successful group of mentors and associates whom they can count on to get answers to their most pressing questions. They are able to cultivate the right relationships with the right people, leading to SIGNIFICANT growth and new opportunities. These ‘right people’ are usually other successful private practice owners, experts in marketing and business development, employee productivity and billing/collections. They are able to approach such contacts (and colleagues) with a giving hand, and are able to add value to the world, instead of seeking to extract as much value as possible. In some cases, they may even seek to ‘model’ their mentors. They have no interest in ‘reinventing the wheel’ and are constantly looking to expand their circle of influence and interact with individuals who have better people and systems than they do, in an attempt to learn and get better themselves. They are a part of highly successful private practice mastermind groups.  5.    Management. They are MASTERS at time management and people management. They know EXACTLY how to manage their day and focus on the high value tasks (people management, business systems and relationship building) that lead to growth in the business. They tend to look past the minutia, the day to day activities and frustrations that most people get bogged down with, and have a firm, determined attitude with insight and long term vision.

6.    Metric Analysis. They can clearly define the lifetime value of a patient and tie it in with their business goals. Most practices have no idea what the lifetime value of a patients (LVP) means. The lifetime value (LVP) of a patient is the amount of profit you make from your patient during the lifetime of your relationship with them.  It is a measure of:

•    How much you get paid for the average treatment.
•    How many times a year the average patient schedules an appointment.
•    How many of their friends they are likely to refer to you
•    Your average net income per patient visit.

Most patients have a lifetime value of several thousand dollars. Successful private practice owners understand this and know that Repitition + Request = Referrals

7. Problem Solvers. They are not afraid to tackle difficult questions and seek solutions. A successful private practice owner has the ability to answer tough, insightful questions about his practice. He is able to answer questions like:

• What do I want to be known for / as?
• How much income would I like to make each year?
• How many patients do I need to see each week to reach that goal?
• How many therapists do I need to hire to reach that goal?
• Am I good or bad at employee management?
• How can I put systems in place to manage employees and achieve my goals?
• By which date should I achieve this goal?
• What additional products and services can I provide my patients so I can increase the lifetime value of each patient?

SOMETHING YOU MAY WANT TO KNOW:

I’m going to open up my 4 week coaching program called “Referral Ignition”, where I personally walk you through the ENTIRE process of referral generation, streamlining operations and building a 7 figure private practice. The training starts on January 31st, 2011 and is a LIVE web-based coaching program that lasts  4 weeks. It includes group coaching calls and access to me, so you can learn EVERYTHING I know to help you build your practice. I’ll tell you more later, but only 50 students can get on board. The last time I opened this program up was in April 2010, where it was sold out within 5 days.

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But that’s not the impressive part.

Learn exactly what she did to build her physical therapy website.

She now collects 10-12 prospect emails a day (I’ll explain how with a special article) and gets 2 NEW PATIENTS A WEEK from her website.

All this with just a few tweaks and NO technical knowledge.

This article is part of a special 3 part series where I reveal no-nonsense strategies to BOOST your online marketing. I cover the 7 KEY mistakes made by private practice owners, when it comes to online marketing.

Mistake #1 – Overloading Patients With TOO MUCH INFORMATION

Mistake #2 – Inability To Objectively Measure Website Traffic and Conversions

Mistake #3 – Absence of a “Prospect Stimulator”

Mistake #4 – Emphasis on Credentials Instead of Benefits

Mistake #5 – Lack Of Search Engine Optimization

Mistake #6 – Picking The Same-old Boring Website Providers or Pinching Pennies With Website Creation

Mistake #7 – Failing To Understand The Business Metrics and The Return On Investment With Website Leads

I teach you more about how to build your physical therapy website here.

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Can you do it in such a way that the individual now WANTS to come to your clinic?

I think you will find this 10 minute video very instructive, since it will teach you how to stand apart from your competitors, and give you the edge in physical therapy marketing.

In order to stand apart as a physical therapy private practice, you need to be able to do 3 things:

a) Identify a targeted patient audience that you can serve (specialize)

b) Provide easy solutions (information) to those patients

c) Simply complex problems for the patient with a step-by-step blueprint / protocol that is easy for them to understand and implement.

Once you can provide patients (and the community) with this information in an easy to digest format (using various forms of delivery like newsletters, ebooks, teleseminars etc), you will immediately stand out as a provider and get noticed by doctors and patients.

How do you know you have done this successfully?

If you are able to describe your services to this complete stranger in an elevator (master your elevator pitch) in 20 seconds or less, and the stranger WANTS to come to your clinic and requests your business card before he leaves the elevator, you have done your job successfully.

Speaking of revelations, I am prepared to my BEST KEPT secrets to ignite referrals at the Private Practice Summit in Rutherford, NJ on September 11 and September 12.

The ‘fast action’ price of $497 goes up at midnight tonight. This is your last chance to secure your seats at this groundbreaking, life altering event.

http://www.privatepracticesummit.com/

If you want to save time, just click on the button below and secure your seat.

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Getting an individual to refer is a multi-step process. It doesn’t happen ‘by chance’, it takes some planning and preparation. It requires patient conditioning.

The mistake most private practice owners make is to expect patients to refer with one request. The truth is, it takes repetition to get referrals.

Repetition + Request = Referrals

Rather than write it out, I created the video to walk you through the process, step by step.

PS. If you want to learn my COMPLETE Referral Generation formula, register for the Private Practice Summit. If you’re on the fence, then it’s time to listen to your gut before the price goes up again next Tuesday.

If you have questions about the summit, then give us a call directly at 201-535-4475. I’ll come to the phone personally to answer YOUR questions about the summit today and tomorrow . The lines will be full, so please be patient.

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I took this picture of Ritika at the Venetion Hotel in Vegas

We talked about several things, and discovered that there was ONE thing that was holding us back in our private practices in the early years, before we built seven figure private practices.

That one factor was the number of moving parts in the practice. If there are too many variables, you make your practice more complicated. The simpler everything is, the better. Ideally, You want to minimize employee, insurance and day-to-day hassles as much as possible. If you want proof of this, then just ask some of my Referral Ignition clients who are generating multiple six figures in their private practice with simple, automated done-for-you systems like Therapy Newsletter.

We talked extensively about the factors that determine success, and the truth is, the success of your private practice depends on 3 factors.

There are only 3 ways to increase revenue in your private practice:

a) Get more patients
b) Charge cash from patients (so you get paid sooner)
c) Raise your prices

That’s it in a nutshell. Every course you sign up for, every consultant you pay and everything you read all boils down to these.

Incidentally, I will be working closely with Jordan Belfort, the infamous wall street tycoon, also known as the ‘billion dollar man’ to bring my mastermind members the latest strategies to build their businesses.. He has made it all and lost it all, and his book “The Wolf on Wall Street” is currently being turned into a major Hollywood movie with Leonardo Decaprio starring and Martin Scorcesse directing. Expect that movie in theaters in summer 2011.

Nitin Chhoda and Jordan Belfort

Coming back to lessons from the mastermind meeting,  appreciating and nurturing existing patients to refer family and friends is as important as getting new patients. I went into a lot more detail about this in my sold-out Referral Ignition program, which is currently closed. If you are a Referral Ignition member, you have ALL those systems and strategies in done-for-you templates.

Once you have patients, you want to systematically nurture each patient to become a raving fan and a referral source for your practice.

The following strategies will help you retain more patients and increase referrals from existing patients.

a) Talking to patients when they visit your clinic, addressing them by their first name and being friendly. The sweetest sound for a person is the sound of their own name

b) Calling present and past patients once a month and staying in touch, thanking them for being a patient and reminding them that you are always available to serve them.

c) Send patients unannounced gifts in the mail to maintain contact and encourage reciprocity. Preferably, these gifts should be books, audio CDs and DVDs that are original and created by your practice, so they position you as an expert.

d) Organizing an annual ‘patient appreciation day’ where you invite present and past patients to attend. Have a stage or a podium, deliver a fun speech and thank patients for their trust in you and support of your business. Invite success stories to come up on stage (plan this in advance) and share their experiences so everyone attending can listen to the social proof and testimonials. Reward patients for their achievements and promote your practice at the same time.

e) Give patients an exercise and accountability journal and make it mandatory for them to fill it out, so you can monitor and track their progress when they are away from your clinic. Include gift coupons and free consultation offers in these books, and position them as “8 coupons worth $1000 inside – feel free to pass them along to your family and friends”

These low cost and no cost strategies will work well to transform your practice, as long as you are willing to get out of your comfort zone and grow your business. A successful private practice owner is able to master mindset and overcome the state of fear, competition, greed and scarcity. All these things will only cause self sabotage.

We need to STOP proscrastination, implement new ways to grow our practice or close down our doors. I am extremely passionate about this since I talk to private practice owners every day, and I know the pain of struggle, having lived hand to mouth less than 4 years ago. My personal story is less important than the expansion and growth of your practice, which is why I dedicated time to this blog each week to delivery the latest and the best physical therapy marketing tips to you.

As private practice owners, we are in the BUSINESS of physical therapy, not the PROFESSION of physical therapy.

Your clinical skills and intentions to help patients MEAN NOTHING without a sufficient flow of high quality, cash paying patients who can support the lifestyle and freedom you and your family desire.

Go out there and get it.

If you want me to walk you through the process, that’s possible.

Here’s How You Can Join My Elite Mastermind Group.

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Is it possible to convince doctors that you are THE authority even before you pick up the phone and call them?

Here’s an example of ‘preframing’ versus ‘cold calling’ a doctor’s office.

Cold Calling

Hello, this is Jane Smith calling from ABC physical therapy, may I speak with Dr. Roberts please?

“Dr. Robertson is not available, may I help you?”

The conversation continues.. until you hear..

“Please leave your name and number, and the doctor will call you back”

We all know how that plays out.

Preframing

Hello, this is Jane Smith calling from ABC physical therapy, and recently featured in the ______ times, may I speak with Dr. Roberts please?

“Oh, I know you. Hold on while I try and find the doctor”

Something significant just happened. You just made a BIG breakthrough.

Anyone can do this. It just takes planning.

Of course, this is a simplistic example of physical therapy marketing, but imagine if you could apply the law of ‘preframing’  and ‘position’ yourself before anyone even met you, how much would that help your practice?

A successful physical therapy marketing campaign, where you use different media to ‘preframe’ your practice will hinge on 3 factors:

1.    The cost effectiveness of the medium (internet, phone, mail, radio, tv)
2.    The ability of the media to get your prospects in the right frame of mind even before they have called your clinic (preframing)
3.    The ability of the media to identify potential referral sources, on which you your business can spend more time and resources (prequalification)

Here’s How ‘Preframing’ Works

Let’s assume you write an article on injury prevention for a local magazine. You present valuable how-to information on pain relief, exercise 101 and injury prevention and position yourself as a likeable and insightful practitioner. The interview starts stirring discussions about you among patient and physician circuits. People get curious about your clinical skills and want to know more. This buzz turns out to be conducive to patient inflow, and positions you as an expert.

You can leverage this media success to reach more media outlets and progressively build bigger media appearances. This free publicity ‘preframes’ you in the eyes of patients (and referral sources) as an expert even before you have had a chance to interact with them, making physical therapy marketing easier than ever.

Preframing is at work every single day and explains our predisposition for products ranging from personal care to supermarket food choices. When you walk down the aisle, the choices you make are largely dependent on your perception of the product as opposed to its quality and cost effectiveness. The reason you might choose Kraft cheese and Coke over store-made cheese and Pepsi is a classic example of preframing.

How does this relate to your practice?

A call from a patient seeking an appointment because you came recommended by their physician is a classical example of preframing.

The right kind of advertising not only informs the patient about the existence of your practice, but goes the extra mile to preframe them. The phrase “your reputation precedes you” takes on new meaning.

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