Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

The web is the most balanced playing field for a small business today. Start with the web and perfect your message before moving to print.

Tell your stories. Get your best, most colorful, interesting and emotive stories and pitch them to area media on and offline. Physical therapy makes for great visuals, so don't forget about your local television affiliates, too.

This doesn't just have to be a health story. Maybe one of your happiest clients is the owner of a local company. Now it's a business story about how you helped this mover and shaker get back on his feet and run his company more effectively.

You definitely need a website as people now look first on the web.

In your business doctor referrals will be key. You should hold some open houses and invite doctors. Do not forget about chiropractors as they will often times refer to physcial therapists as well. Make the open house a very nice event. Perhaps a wine tasting or something of the sort. Be prepared to give some demonstrations and tours.

You might also want to start a newsletter for doctors that include tips they can give patients, some exercise or stretch. This will demonstrate your knowledge and keep you in front of the doctors.

I really think the key is to get the doctors' buy-in.
Hope this helps.

Mike

Physician referrals will build your practice quickly. I helped a new doc by designing a referral brochure for her and the results were immediate. I advise doing a brochure vs a postcard-- and feature your credentials. Also emphasize how you will communicate info back to the doc and how you'll return that patient back to him. Docs are afraid of losing patients and referrals.

When possible personnally bring the brochure and speak to the office staff. Putting a face to a name is important. Hospitals also make recommendations to outgoing patients.

Church bulletins are ok, also think of VFW's and other orgs with aging members. Put together a presentation or class for community and senior centers.

If you are affiliated with the Hospital, what will they allow you to do? Can you hold seminars or mini PT courses in the Hospital? Can you hand out information to help certain patients and offer them a Free session to get them in the door. Will the Hospital allow you to use their name as a recommended or authorized PT service provider? At the least can you get the names and addresses of those patients who can benefit from your services so you can market them after they're discharged.

Your differentiator is a good one that can be incorporated into your Unique Selling Advantage but must be articulated in all of your marketing material otherwise you're going to be just another me-to commodity.

You do this by first asking yourself, what problems am I solving for my clients? You are not in the Physical Therapy Business, you may be in the Pain Elimination Business, or Health Restoration Business.

Marketing to physicians is an excellent idea especially if your endorsed or associated with the hospital as it takes the risk away from physicians recommending you. Drug companies give the docs free samples to hand out...you might be able to position yourself as a resource the doc can recommend where he can send patients for a free evaluation. Or you might offer free seminars where prospects can get good advice and techniques to improve their situation.

If you go to places where people are concerned about their health, like Health food stores, Pharmacies, Gyms and fitness classes, they might be willing to post your free seminars on keeping your body in top shape.

As far as your regular advertising goes, place ads that offer solutions to people's problems and give them a non-threatening way to get the information.

Here's an example of the headline you should use to attract customers, "How To Eliminate (fill in what your clients want to eliminate)" or "The 6 Most Common Mistakes People Make When Choosing a PT". The copy tells them all the bad things that can happen by not making the right choice and they can get your free report by calling a toll free recorded message or single page website where they can enter their contact information. your Prospects don't want a PT, they want to get their body fixed. What they need is a PT. Wants and needs are separate issues, give them what they want, supply them with what they need.

People are more apt to reply to this type of marketing because they don't have to speak to anyone, they get the information they think is going to solve their problem, you get their name, adress and telephone number so you can sequentially market them and build a relationship of trust and confidence.

Getting a client is not a one time event, it's a process. Building a database of highly interested highly motivated prospects is going to pay dividends as long as you keep in touch with them.

Your big opportunity just might be in your existing customer base. Get their e-mail address, mail them, call them, give them a reason to give it to you...so you can send them your weekly Health Care Tips, Exercise Tips, or Newsletter. This will position you as the knowledgeable expert (especially since you're not doing this for profit) in your field. You'll be surprised at the number of previous clients making appointments. The real bonus is the referrals you'll start getting from your existing customers...
Ron Romano
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If I were you...I'd make up some simple, but nice brochures and personally go to the companies in town. You said it's not too big so you could do a few a day.

Ask the receptionist if the HR person is available. If not, leave the flyer, but get a name. Then, call the person. Give them 1 or 2 points about your service and offer to come in and make a presentation.

But that's just what I would do.

Michael

What about developing a service that isn't offered at other PT offices? Just as an example, develop a program with a message therapist and a pharmacist. With the PT services, massage therapy and a pharmacist doing pain medication consultations you could go to local businesses to try to get them to refer to you for their workers comp claims. Stating that your comprehensive services will reduce the time their people are off of work.

If you are affiliated with the hospital and that is where the surgeries are then why are you not getting the referrals?

Are their any opportunities to tie in with local sports teams?

Are you on-site - within the hospital doing inpatient as well as outpatient? Is your hospital a Critical Access Hospital?

How about a swing bed set up? Are you getting those patients from bigger hospitals rehab and recovery? Do you have on-site ortho? If not you have to develop a relationship with the docs that are doing the hips and knees so they send the rehab to you.

Be mindful of Stark which limits what you can do to influence physician referrals!

Brochures, face-to-face with the rehab staff at the bigger hospitals, getting to the docs are all good suggestions. As rehab is not always going to be self-referred, I'd probably not put as much effort into the web presence. Especially if you're in-house and only a part of the hospital's website. It would be imperative that the hospital pr staff works with you to get your word out. Remember, October is Physical Therapy Month!

Good Luck!
CVN

Launching anything, a new business or a new product, requires a little repuation building before your advertising can really sink in. This saves you time and money in your marketing efforts. Here's what I'd do:

1) First, decide what it is your are "selling"? What makes your group the one some needs come to -- and not your competition?
2) At the same time, define who your target is: make a list of potential and current customers as well as employees and those who can give you referrals - doctors, nurses, coaches, etc. Out of that group, who is the most influential? Target them first.
2) 3) After you understand these basic things, you can begin to have fun. Think of all the ways you can communicate that message to that target market. Then tackle one target at a time.

Next I'd recommend you:
4) become an expert in certain popular areas: Therapy for "new" knees and hips after replacement surgery, for example. Or change it up according to the season. Baseball injuries?
5) Host clinics, workshops and podcasts on topics related to your speciality
6) Broadcast to your email list
7) Publicize to local online calendars and to newspaper and radio outlets
8) Put up signs and posters
9) Print and distribute post cards -- or little business size card posters - economical and earth friendly
10) Do at least one event/news release a month to drum up the buzz
11) Offer Loyalty Cards
12) Ask for referrals

Good luck. Get people taking about you!
Suzi McCoy