When it comes to building a successful practice, physiotherapists face unique challenges. As local physiotherapy clinics grow, practice managers must think more creatively to draw new patients.
Although word of mouth is important, in a highly competitive market, marketing expertise can help health professionals increase their clinic’s referrals as well as return clients.
Chris Knights, Zib Media’s Managing Director, said that physiotherapists will need to use SEO, social media, and a strong focus on mobile-optimised advertising if they want to expand their practice in 2022.
“Consumers are more connected than ever to the internet, which means we expect new physio marketing trends and ongoing trends to emerge in 2022.
SEO will continue to be the best way to get organic website traffic. However, Google is becoming more local which favors physiotherapy clinics.
“If you have one or more clinic locations, you already have an audience that can reach you through a local search engine optimization strategy.
According to Mr Knights, consumers will continue to search for information this year. This means that physios must create constant, engaging content.
This information can be delivered via social media.
“Marketing on platforms like Instagram and Facebook is a cost-effective, highly targeted and effective way to increase website traffic, increase local awareness, and increase brand loyalty.
It’s a great tool to promote the preventative benefits and attract clients who are looking for injury treatment.
The trend of consumers spending more time browsing mobile devices is expected to continue in 2022. This means that physios will need to concentrate on creating mobile-optimised content for their clients.
Websites must provide easy-to-understand information.
Clients are more likely search for services via their mobile devices. If your website is mobile-optimized, it can get higher search results using mobile browsers.
Peter Gamgee AM, founder and principal of Better Business More Money believes that to grow a successful physiotherapy practice in 2022, it is more than just word-of mouth referrals and building trust.
It’s not just about online marketing. The type of client and business that physiotherapists are trying to attract will determine the media you choose and how it is used.
“Loyal clients will be attracted by more convenience and lower prices than other potential physiotherapists.
“It’s not enough to be good at what your do. You must also bring relief to people in pain and build capability and function for the people who need it.”
Mr Gamgee said that the secret to a successful business lies in combining business knowledge with strategies to dominate markets to acquire and retain ideal clients.
Marketing tips for your clinic in 2022
These strategies will help Mr Gamgee to retain and acquire clients in the coming year.
It’s not just a marketing problem. It is important to understand how your business works, what it offers, how it delivers, who it attracts, and, most importantly, what the “bottom line” is. Before you do anything, make sure you are familiar with the market and what you want from your business.
Get to know your client. Write down the ideal client.
For elite services, such as physiotherapy and massage therapy, you should only be interested in a handful of clients per week. Then profile the sportsmen and women (what they read, where and how they interact with other services), what they might be thinking, and what physiotherapy can offer them.
If you’re like most private physiotherapy offices and are looking for clients from the general public, then it is important to understand who the majority of your clients are.
Did you know that physiotherapists are sought out by more than 90% of clients to address their pain or function problems? The majority of clients are either females or have a spinal-related injury [i].
Know your media. Is it necessary to advertise online? It is likely that yes, but it isn’t always true.
If you’re not selling internationally, don’t ask for “SEO” or Google rankings. This could prove to be a waste. You should only use the media that can reach potential clients.
Take, for example, our elite sportspeople. Do they read Facebook articles or adds if they are your target audience? Do they prefer to be referred by other service providers, sports managers or sponsors? Direct marketing might be more effective than internet marketing in this instance.
It is possible that the general population is different. They may be doing online research which would enable them to be targeted with marketing.
Make a compelling offer. What makes you different from other businesspeople? Are you able to offer a unique service in the treatment of repetitive strain injuries? Can you guarantee pain relief for certain conditions immediately? Are you able to provide immediate pain relief for certain conditions? You must understand what makes you different from other companies.
Information and structure are key to a successful market
Get your leads by taking them on a “buyers journey” with informative offers.
Many clients make an appointment to see a physio because they have an injury. What about those who are suffering from ongoing pain, or spine problems? (The majority of reasons to visit a physiotherapist)
Are there people who want preventative care or are at risk of injury? These people will be your clients if you provide the information they need in order to help them choose your practice.
This structure should be followed by your elevator speech. It should grab attention, inform, engage, and offer an informational or compelling next step. This structure is not followed by most physiotherapy practice websites, which means they are missing clients.
Follow up. This is one of the most common mistakes in physiotherapy practices. Did you know that following up with clients can lead to a 10% increase in client visits by simply checking on their progress?
It is becoming increasingly clear that health professionals understand the importance of continuing to develop marketing strategies, both offline and online. A thriving practice of physiotherapy will thrive if it is committed to learning new marketing knowledge.
