(a lot of advertising,flyers,banners or trial at public places/shopping complexes,etc)
Word of mouth is your best bet. You may need to offer a few low-cost sessions to start building that trust.
Have to agree with Pamela, here. Breaking through that initial trust barrier is best done in person.
A couple of ways might come to mind.
If you have worked with people in the past, and you know them in a different context from your work (for example, family or friends), you could ask them to tell you in their own words what difference you made to them. That would be valuable testimonial material.
Also, you could share some valuable information about posture, lifting or some other common trigger event you come across in your business. Share it with a local networking group, or an arthritis or orthopaedic forum.
Be helpful, build authority (especially locally), and make it so that when people do meet you, they feel they already know you.
Dont get in trap of getting busy versus generating appointments and turning these appointments to paying clients. Here is the whole path:
Digital marketing: you need to automate part of your process for consistency and saving time. Think of it this way, what can you do today to save yourself more time tomorrow? the more time you create for yourself, the more you can re-invest on something else in your business.
Automation Process: Facebook Ad --> Landing page (optin) -> Value video (15mn) --> book a strategy session
Phone call: after the automation process, the phone call comes with a define script to walk your prospect in their emotional journey to make the decision to work with you.
I use this method to help lawyers sell high ticket prices instead of selling their time per hour. The same method has been used for chiropractors, accountants, dentists... and it is working great. Just search the web.
Hope this clarify your question
I agree with all of the answers and advice offered so far on this thread. Building word of mouth and referrals will be critical to the success of your practice.
Invite referral sources to an open house to get to know you and your clinic. Network, network, network. One of the commenters suggested a formalized relationship with referral sources - before you start a program as described, make sure you aren't held to Stark laws that prevent financial gain for referrals among physicians.
Social media strategies can seem overwhelming but are also very effective. If you go that route, pick one platform to focus on and do that well rather than cutting yourself too thin trying to maintain multiple platforms. Use the questions you hear from your clients as a means to develop content - if one person is asking, there are likely others who are looking for the same information.
Good luck! Happy to provide additional feedback, just reach out.
I also agree with Pamela and the others that have answered thus far. I also recommend creating strategic partnerships with related healthcare practices such as physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physical therapists, chiropractors, etc. This partnership should be a mutual referral partnership with fiduciary benefits to both parties. After both parties agree to term, ensure that you memorialize them through 1) a Strategic Partnership Agreement (specifies the terms and expectations of your strategic partnership) and 2) a Referral Agreement (specifies the terms and expectations of your referral actions). You should also research your services to/referral from hospitals, rehab centers, assisted living centers, and the like if you find it feasible.
While it would have been ideal to work with a Promotional Strategist (Marketing & PR) before you opened, so that you came to market with a formal Launch Plan to make an initial splash, you want replicable systems now: ideally those that you can automate to work for you reliably and consistently on an ongoing basis.
Groupon tends to be the current replacement for local businesses putting out fliers (couldn't tell from your post whether that's what you want or don't want). It's friendly to a young budget, since they take a cut of the earnings rather than requiring payment up front.
I'm curious as to why a "Digital Marketing Strategy" seems to be something you are shying away from. That term represents a broad territory - with many possibilities - and shouldn't box you in to anything that is not your preference.
Regardless of which direction you take, you MUST have a strong, effective website as your main point of presence. People do their homework on you and your business online these days; if the site does not convey professionalism and credibility, they will go elsewhere.
Function is one thing → form (which grabs interest, prevents churn, and hopes to gain engagement, traction & conversion) is another. That occurs a with clear Brand Identity (far more than just a name & logo: http://strategygbd.co/brand-identity/).
Read that article, and this one >>> Conversions: Your 8-Second Secret (https://www.alignable.com/insights/conversions-your-8-second-secret). Then, let’s communicate further.
Oh, here's an extra Small Business Week perk: FREE blueprint to Boost Conversions with your STICKY Website! It's a super easy to digest & implement template designed specifically for quick use, big impact & effective results. → http://peakprofits.ontrapages.com/FreeBlueprint
Wishing you great success! Let me know how it goes...
Your big problem is lack of time and headspace.
Consequently, you can't afford to prosecute multiple campaigns simultaneously. You need a SINGLE, simple, approach to client-acquisition that will top-up your client register whenever you find yourself under-utilized.
And this approach MUST consume less time than the billable time that it generates.
Initially, you should run a series of tests to arrive at this SINGULAR approach.
Avoid any advice that results in a list of activities that you must perform in the hopes on future, indirect, benefit.
If it were me, I would NEVER discount. However, I would give away initial visits. But only if these visits have a specific purpose.
For example, you might give away a 45 minute back-mobility session to get potential clients through your practice.
The other thing I'd test is running in-house workshops for small groups of participants.
For example, a 45 minute workshop where you teach a small group of participants the 10 exercises they need to banish back pain (or tennis elbow, or whatever) forever.
But, remember the goal. You need a SINGLE, simple, repeatable client-acquisition process.
Without this, your practice is not commercially viable. You'll never be a $10m business with a marketing department, unless you open a ton or practices. So, until you do, start with the search for this one simple formula.
Excellent question to which you've gotten good advice. My role here is to help you with implementation. Here's what I'd suggest.
Take the particulars of the ideal client avatar you created (assuming you did) and use that as the basis for a local census search. You'll hire a quality researcher on Upwork to determine the zip codes surrounding you where your target resides. Now you know where your peeps live.
Think about that customer's journey. Who do they interact with or ask for help prior to reaching you, the physiotherapist. Another data search will identify those referral sources.
Next, you can either reach out personally with a call or hire an appointment setting to call and schedule get acquainted meetings with your referrals.
Investing a few hundred dollars in research that leads to aligned targets is very worthwhile. Using sites like Upwork to find talent allows you to leverage your time while still prospecting.
Not sure how to outsource? Check out my course, Outsourcing Made Easy for Entrepreneurs on Udemy.
Want step-by-step, specific advice? Sure! Let's jump on a call
Best wishes.
You need at least 1 PRIMARY marketing strategy that you can use to ACTIVELY promote your business. Referrals are great, but as a colleague is fond of saying - "referral marketing is just a nice way to say you have no marketing strategy at all". Referrals make other people responsible for generating your leads. That is a recipe for certain struggle.
Instead, you need to start with a message that is a very clear and specific solution that you provide for a very clear and specific audience. Pick ONE solution and ONE audience for your message. The more specific the better. For example, perhaps you promote service to motorcycle crash victims who need help re-learning how to walk. Or stroke victims relearning basic muscle movements. Then look for opportunities to share your message deeper by thinking about where your audience can be found.
There are dozens of ways to get your message out there once you've honed it in sufficient detail. Happy to engage in a conversation for more detail...
