2 Steps to Brand Your PT Practice

A brand is defined as a particular identity or image regarded as an asset of your company. The way your company looks and its messaging should be the same across all communications and platforms—from your website to your newsletter to your letterhead and envelopes. Your practice’s brand image defines the impression that potential patients and referring doctors will have of your practice. Thus, it needs to be professional, consistent, and memorable.

1.      Choose your brand image

Image is everything—from first impressions to conversion to loyal customer. Both consciously and unconsciously, people demand a certain look and professionalism from a business or service. So what is the right look for your practice?

First, it depends on your patient population, types of services and treatments, and location/demographics. For example, a pediatric clinic is going to have a different image as compared to sports physical therapy as compared to a physical therapy practice for Medicare patients.

Pro Tip: Make sure your colors are eye-catching and complimentary. Choose your inspirations from your natural environment and have a palate of 2-3 logo colors.

2.      Define your brand message

A brand message should be your practice’s tagline—a short 3-5 word phrase that epitomizes your mission and promotes your services. Look for positive, inspiring, and motivating words that encourage action. Be sure to include a concrete term or result…movement, motion, health, wellness, active, lifestyle etc.

Convey your expertise in a patient-centric and approachable way! Promote how you achieve exceptional results with your patients.  Use patient testimonials to add credibility and authenticity to this achievement.

Pro Tip: Stand out from the crowd with a brand message that is innovative and inclusive. Your practice’s demographics and services may evolve over time so you want to your brand to be able to flex with your changes and growth.

For more marketing tips and to talk to the experts, give the team at Practice Promotions a call today!

The post 2 Steps to Brand Your PT Practice appeared first on Practice Promotions.

from Practice Promotions http://ift.tt/1q5MsEQ
via IFTTT

5 Ways to Increase Physician Referrals to Your PT Practice

The best way to increase physician referrals is to have a rock solid answer to the question, “Why should a physician refer to your practice?” You need to be able to provide a quick soundbite that you can easily share.  Your soundbite needs to convey your expertise and success at helping patients feel better and get healthy. You also need to build the providers’ trust that your practice coordinates patient care and referrals effectively.

Make your physician referrals process easy

1. Have a “Physician Referrals” page on your website

This page should be prominently visible and easily accessed via your website’s navigation. It should include information about how to refer patients to your practice, phone numbers, fax number, and a frequently monitored email address. To increase the promotional messaging, consider having a patient testimonial and/or physician testimonial on the page to add credibility.

2. Have a dedicated phone number or extension for your referrals coordinator

Just like your own front desk, the doctor’s office staff is often busy multi-tasking and anything to streamline their efforts increases the likelihood of them referring patients to you. Even if your practice does not have a dedicated referrals coordinator, you should have a phone number or extension that is exclusive to physician communications. Use this number, in addition to your primary contact number, in your doctor marketing and be sure to check the respective voicemail box throughout the day.

Promote your services throughout your physician marketing materials

 

3. Provide informative content about the benefits of PT

Many physicians are aware of physical therapy at a general knowledge level, but they might not know all the benefits. The challenge is to present educational and specific information in a way that comes across as enlightening and helpful. Especially for physicians that specialize in areas that commonly refer to PT, you should list the specific benefits of PT for their patients and conditions. A physician mailer can be a great marketing campaign that allows for monthly topics that can appeal to different medical specialties. Physician mailer topics can include back pain, shoulder pain, post-surgical rehabilitation, and more.

4. Showcase patient success stories and physician testimonials

Patient success stories instantly add credibility and personalize your practice’s marketing. Be sure to include at least one patient success story in each campaign and, if possible, tailor it to the specific topic you are promoting. Another excellent marketing resource is to solicit physician testimonials or feedback from physicians who frequently refer to your clinic and whose patients have seen great results. These build your practice’s reputation in the medical community and can distinguish you from other PT clinics. Physician testimonials should include the providers name, specialty, practice name (if in a multiple provider group), and their recommendation of your care and services.

5. Include your referrals information on your print marketing pieces

Every marketing piece has the potential to generate a referral—so it is important that your referrals information is on there. Physician marketing campaigns should treat the referrals information with the same prominence as you would a patient promotion. Use appropriately larger fonts, bolded typeface, and noticeable designs to draw the physician’s attention and encourage them to refer their patients to your practice.

Physician referrals are one of the most reliable sources of new patients to your PT practice. Optimize your marketing to information physicians about your services, build credibility about your care, and encourage physicians to refer their patients to you.

For more information on building your physician referrals program, give us a call today!

The post 5 Ways to Increase Physician Referrals to Your PT Practice appeared first on Practice Promotions.

from Practice Promotions http://ift.tt/1SBHfO2
via IFTTT

How to Increase Word of Mouth Referrals for PT

The most powerful form of advertising has always been and probably will always be word of mouth. PT practice marketing cannot compete with a personal recommendation from a trusted friend or family member. However, that also means that every patient who has a positive experience at your clinic can share word of mouth referrals about your care. It is your role as the practice owner or marketing manager to encourage patient endorsement by providing easy tools to foster word of mouth referrals.

Best practices for word of mouth referrals and marketing

Start by introducing programs and incentives for word of mouth referrals while the patient is active in their physical therapy treatments. This is when they are physically present in your clinic and seeing positive results from your care. You need to capture the patient’s feelings of happiness and achievement and convert them into a desire to share those emotions with their loved ones—by referring them to your practice. Train your physical therapists and the front desk to congratulate patients on their progress and asked them who they know that could benefit from being pain-free and actively mobile. Take time to listen to their friends’ needs and provide informative brochures on how PT can help. Lastly, explain your practice’s referral program and give the patient referral cards to share with friends.

Word of mouth referrals are a personal exchange—your patient is advocating your practice and care as a means to improve the life of a friend. You and your staff need to value this interaction and commit time to genuinely listen to your patient and encourage them to refer others to PT.

Empower your patients to spread word of mouth about your practice

Patients may hesitate to approach others and to recommend service or product, especially one that is related to health and personal wellness. Empower your patients and make this conversation easier for them by sharing your practice’s knowledge and expertise through marketing materials—referral cards, rack cards, newsletters and brochures. These materials put your deep knowledge of PT into the patients’ hands and allow them to be your brand ambassador.

Keep getting more word of mouth referrals

How do you continue to encourage past patients to send referrals? A patient from 2 years ago probably will not be actively talking about your practice unless they are reminded about their results from your care. This is where mailing a monthly patient newsletter can boost your word of mouth referrals program. Even if the patient is doing well and does not need PT, receiving an informative newsletter can spark their interest and may relate to a friend’s current condition. They can give the newsletter to a friend and talk to them about their positive experience at your clinic—providing a word of mouth referral.

For more information on increasing word of mouth referrals through your physical therapy marketing, call us today at 800-594-7656!

The post How to Increase Word of Mouth Referrals for PT appeared first on Practice Promotions.

from Practice Promotions http://ift.tt/1q5MpJc
via IFTTT

How to Write Social Media Posts for PT

Writing effective social media posts for your PT practice is different than posting personal updates to friends and family. Your business page and its content needs to align with your overall brand strategy and marketing. There are also key considerations and insights that can be gained from trying different messaging and content strategies within a single social media platform. Let’s look at the different types of posts for PT practices…

The first step to writing social media posts is to identity the post’s goal—do you want to create brand awareness, market a new service, feature or staff member, or advertise a specific promotion? Brand awareness can be either your practice’s brand or that of physical therapy in general. In many cases, viewers may be unfamiliar with the benefits of PT so informative content can help to educate them on its value (and encourage them to visit your clinic for care). Marketing content, such as services and practice news, helps to add personality to your brand. Add explanations to the services and fun updates for news content to increase engagement. Promotional posts need to be clear and pointed, without losing your brand voice or being too “sales” oriented. Keep the promotion short and easy to remember, and include appropriate imagery to get attention.

Examples of Social Media Posts

The typical social media audience responds best to posts with images, either uploaded photos or links with thumbnail images. When writing your posts, think about the intended goal—brand awareness, marketing, or promotion—and tailor your content to that goal. Some suggestions for posts are:

Brand awareness: share a consumer-friendly post or article from the APTA or MoveForwardPT, link to an article about PT from health or fitness sources (magazines, influencers, or celebrities), or link to any awards or recognition articles that your practice has received, such as those from the local news or community organizations.

Marketing: link to your practice website’s pages on different treatments and services that are relevant or seasonal or create original posts with images to announce clinic updates. For example, in the winter, write a post about back pain from shoveling snow and link to your website’s page on back pain or write a post for golfers about getting back into the swing of spring and link to your shoulder rehab page. Original posts (those without linked content) are good for practice updates, such as announcing a new staff member (with a fun picture) or adding a new group exercise class.

Promotions: follow this easy formula to write promotional posts that get viewers attention.

• Start with a teaser sentence that keeps to your brand voice. “Time for spring cleaning! Get your house in shape without breaking your back”
• Introduce the promotion clearly, starting with the big payoff. “Get 1 Free Massage with the purchase of 4 sessions”
• Include any key specifics “Valid on session packages purchased in April.”
• Close with the Call-to-Action “Call us today at 800-594-XXX to book your next massage”
• Upload your promotional image (a stock photo of massage therapy with your promotion in a readable font) to stand out on newsfeeds.

Social media marketing might well be today’s modern newspaper ad (and it’s free!). Keep you posts aligned to a strategic goal, include relevant and interesting content, and monitor your insights and analytics to see what works best for your practice.

For more social media marketing tips and consultation, contact us today!

The post How to Write Social Media Posts for PT appeared first on Practice Promotions.

from Practice Promotions http://ift.tt/1Rp8Dld
via IFTTT

Marketing PT to Athletes and Sports Teams

Athletes and sports teams are often in need of physical therapy services—from injury recovery to preventative treatments. Marketing your practice to athletes and sports teams can generate a steady stream of patients, especially during pre and post season training. There are several strategies to promoting your services to this key population including campaigns, sponsorships, and event marketing.

Athletic and Sports Marketing Campaigns

Most communities, from small towns to large cities, have a variety of sports and activities that keep residents busy throughout the year. Athletic and sports marketing includes more than just team sports (ie. football, soccer, baseball)—it also encompasses fitness activities such as running, swimming, and golf. Your practice’s campaigns can take either a specific, targeted approach or a more general health and wellness message.

Strategies for sports marketing are:

• Direct mail campaigns to teams or associations. Network with local club teams or associations, such as the travel soccer team or recreational sports department, to acquire mailing lists for direct mail marketing. Options include postcards or mini-newsletters that use messaging and imagery tailored to a specific sports. For example, if you connect with the local soccer league, you can send a postcard on knee injuries and the benefits of PT. Use soccer imagery and get creative with your headlines, “Don’t let knee pain keep you on the sidelines”.
• Email promotions. Send a promotional offer to athletes’ email addresses that markets a specific discount on your PT services. Choose services that are frequently needed by the specific sport or activity. For example, baseball players may need shoulder care during their pre-season conditioning. Offer one free appointment if the patients refers a teammate to your clinic. This referral-based promotion is especially effectives for teammates who all need to be a peak performance for the team to win. Include a “Refer a Teammate” CTA button on the email that links to your website’s referral form. Then, you can collect the friend’s information and call to follow up and schedule an appointment.

For more general fitness and wellness marketing, such as campaigns for runners or swimmers, go for a relationship-building and brand awareness strategy. These athletes are active year-round and thus, you want them to think of your practice first anytime that they are in pain or need PT. Brand awareness campaigns often do not drive a ton of appointments or engagement right away. The goal is to get your practice’s name and expertise out there often—driving home the message that your clinic provides the best care for athletes.

Strategies for general athletic and fitness marketing include:

• Social posts and website marketing. Brand awareness campaigns perform well through social media as the goal is to keep your practice’s name actively in front of potential patients. Try to send at least one post per week with an athletic or fitness message. Keep the message general, but include specific imagery that will attract runners, swimmers, golfers etc. Link these posts to your website and the specific page that discusses fitness or health and wellness. Your content should be meaningful—too many practice’s opt for general copy that doesn’t tell the reader anything new. Share your PT expertise with specific examples of how treatment can get the patient back to their active lifestyle. Include patient testimonials that are relatable, such as one where a patient was able to complete a long race or get back on the green after PT.
• Brochures, flyers, and advertisements. Spreading the word about your practice’s physical therapy treatments can also be achieved through passive marketing. Create a specific brochure for your fitness and wellness treatments—market any special equipment, certifications, and corresponding programs. Does your practice offer a free month of gym use following discharge? Include this prominently on the back panel. Have your marketing staff coordinate with local health clubs, YMCAs, and studios and leave copies of your brochures in the waiting room. Often, parents will browse this marketing while waiting for their children’s lessons to conclude.

Advertisements do not always mean a pricey TV ad or radio spot. Many gyms have several TVs throughout the facility that run a series of full screen ads for local businesses. Create a bold, easy to scan ad that clearly tells the viewer your practice name, PT services, and any promotions. A good rule of thumb for TV or banners is the “5 foot test”—if you stand 5 feet away from the ad, can you see and read the entire ad in 10 seconds? If not, then remove extra copy and imagery so that the ad can be quickly read. We recommend that banners include:

• 1 full color image showing a happy patient in PT
• 1 headline, max 6 words with at least a 48pt font size in a neutral color (Arial or Helvetica are easy to read fonts, white or black are readable colors)
• Your practice name and logo centered on the screen and at least the size of an index card (for the logo) and at 36pt font for your name

Marketing PT to athletes and sports teams can easily become part of your monthly marketing plan, with regular campaigns and promotions. Generating a steady flow of patients, who are active and want to return to their sport or fitness routine enables you to build brand awareness and a loyal client base that can refer teammates and friends.

For more on PT marketing, direct mail or digital campaigns, contact us today!

The post Marketing PT to Athletes and Sports Teams appeared first on Practice Promotions.

from Practice Promotions http://ift.tt/1QxGPaL
via IFTTT

Discounts and Promotions that Generate Patient Appointments

Most practices run a series of both recurring promotions, such as a Free Screening offer in the monthly newsletters, and seasonal offers to encourage patients to come to PT. Sometimes this marketing strategy works, and other times you may only get one or two patients who take advantage of the offer. What makes a campaign successful and drive patients to book appointment for physical therapy? Take a look at these key considerations in creating your next PT promotion.

Go with marketing over math

Use your retail shopper hat here. If an item is worth $10, it is better to say “Save 20%” or “Save $2”? Two dollars sounds small—the price of a coffee or a candy bar. But, “Save 20%” sounds like a big savings, even if it is the same discount. Think about your promotion like a savvy shopper and go for the sticker sell.

For a discount of $20 off a personal training session, which normally costs $60, your promotion should say “Save 30% Off a Personal Training Session”. A good rule of thumb is to always choose either the dollar value or percent savings with the larger number (ie. 30% is greater than $20).

Give value to your promotions

Offering something for “free” doesn’t necessarily correlate to a savings or discount to your patients—unless they know the full price value of the service. If you would normally charge $35 for a 15 minute free screening, market the $35 value of the free offer. “Get One Free Screening, a $35 value” gives quantifiable weight to your standard promotion.

Use orange in your promotion design

It might sound too easy, but people inherently associate the color orange with savings. The prominence of orange in advertising, from car commercials to store sale stickers, has lead our minds to psychologically associate the color with a discount. You can use orange subtly so as to not conflict with your brand and marketing style guide. Think about adding an orange flag to the corner of your marketing or a dashed, orange border around your coupon.

Avoid excessive capitalization and punctuation

It can be tempting to add @#!! to EVERYTHING to draw attention to the offer. But extra punctuation and all caps doesn’t equal increased engagement or patient visits. You want your practice to maintain a professional voice and consistency in its marketing communications. Reference the advertisements for corporate services, high-end retailers etc. These promotions typically use a clean, readable font and standard grammar. Mirror these style guidelines for your promotions.

Keep key details minimal, but prominent

If you have a coupon or printed promotion, be sure to include your practice logo, name, and phone number so that the patient can call to redeem the offer. Even if this promotion is included with other marketing materials, the paper may become separated and thus needs to stand alone as an individual component. For digital promotions, such as social media or email offers, include a link to your appointment request form or contact us page to facilitate easy booking.

For more tips on physical therapy marketing and promotions, check out our blog posts or call us today!

The post Discounts and Promotions that Generate Patient Appointments appeared first on Practice Promotions.

from Practice Promotions http://ift.tt/1QktW1l
via IFTTT

How to Get More Referrals for Post-Surgical Rehab

For many patients, post-surgical rehab and physical therapy go hand in hand. After a orthopedic surgery, joint replacement, or injury, PT can be one of the most effective treatment options that both restores mobility and function, while keeping the patient active. Rehabilitation patients are often known for coming to all their appointments, working hard, and achieving great results—creating a mutually favorable relationship. So how can you get more physician referrals for post-surgical rehab?

Network with surgeons and specialists

Even in large communities, there are often only a few top doctors that perform orthopedic surgery, joint replacements etc. This niche market is prime for a strong referral network. Start by researching who the key doctors are in your local area. See who already refers to you and who you want to start referring patients. Once you have this list, begin your referral marketing campaigns and public relations efforts.

• Check that these professionals are on all your mailing lists for direct mail marketing campaigns.
• See if you have extra copies of your post-surgical rehabilitation mailer and send one to each physician at least once a quarter.
• Look for patient testimonials from past referrals. Send a personal note or card and include a copy of the testimonial inside.
• Call the office and see if the physician is available for a quick coffee or lunch. In person meetings can be both marketing and PR opportunities. Use that time to make personal connections, share stories (ie. “talk shop”), and build a relationship.

Promote your post-surgical rehabilitation services

As a key source of both referrals and patients, post-surgical rehab should be prominently featured in your print and digital marketing. Look for opportunities to reference these treatments, special equipment, and staff certifications in all your key services. Do you have a webpage on knee pain? Include a short paragraph about post-surgical rehab post knee replacement surgery. Marketing campaign and promotions ideas include:

• Newsletters and physician mailers on post-surgical rehab. Include patient testimonials and results to personalize the content.
• Brochures and rack cards. Keep these on hand to distribute to doctors, at events, and in the office. If you frequently work with athletes or sponsor sporting events, these can be included in the giveaway bags.
• Website. Have a dedicated page on your website that describes post-surgical rehab, the PT treatments, and the improvements to recovery. Include specific testimonials on the page to highlight your successful care.
• Postcards, email campaigns, and social media. Post-surgical rehab is not for every patient so be careful about over-marketing the service. Consider sending a targeted promotion once a year—say during the spring or fall sport seasons, to market your practice’s treatments.

Defining and growing small segments of your practice’s patient population can lead to big results for both your marketing and business. Post-surgical rehab may only be a few patients a month, but you can turn that service into a major source of physician referrals, patients, and revenue for your practice.

For more marketing tips and business consultation, contact the experts at Practice Promotions today!

The post How to Get More Referrals for Post-Surgical Rehab appeared first on Practice Promotions.

from Practice Promotions http://ift.tt/219Isne
via IFTTT