Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (Full Version)

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xltherapy -> Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (January 20, 2007 8:20:00 PM)

Started private practice 6 mths ago and averaged only 10 visits/ week. Mainly HMOs which sucks, 4 PPOs but got very few visits beacuse of their copay and co insurance. Few medi-medi and don't know how to bill for it very well yet and 2 work comp- which I wish I could get more of. Have 4-5 PT clinics( Mills/ assembly lines) in 5 mile radius and 2 small hospitals. Not done major marketing and not sure which might be the best route- yellowpage, mailers, local Chamber of commerce, local news papers and magazines, penny savers etc. I understand that there are a lot of variables to consider but please give me any ideas/ thoughts/ opinions that worked or might work AND ALSO THE ONES THAT ARE NOT WORTH WASTING TIME AND MONEY. Thanks!!



pt2005 -> Re: Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (January 21, 2007 5:56:00 AM)

Consider buying an ad space and write a little blurb about back pain, or prevention of back pain, something like that and establish yourself as an expert in msk conditions...I think something else good to do is offer free screening to folks then send them to a doc with YOUR script, later you can show that you can refer to them and you would like to be referred to...I have observed with orthos during surgery.



dfjpt -> Re: Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (January 21, 2007 8:39:00 AM)

1. If your practice is in a neighbourhood that is conducive to this, you could do the following: get a sandwich board, make some brochures that explain what you provide and how, attach a brochure holder to your sandwich board, and put it outside every day. Keep several brochures in the holder and watch them melt away. Outlay: Roughly $500 to get a nice professionally painted board, and brochures professionally printed. Good investment, ongoing payoff.
2. Get a website. If your state association offers an opportunity to be linked in to a professional PT directory, do so. Outlay: A few hundred dollars to get a website together and maintained per year. There are website editors for free out there, that you can download and use yourself - that way you have control, can keep your site updated/fresh. It will still cost a couple hundred/year for upkeep from the server however. But you'll save not having to pay a designer.
3. Hang in there. In the end word of mouth is best of all and free besides.
4. The idea about writing up columns for local papers, etc., is quite good. People will actually clip out stuff like that, and show it to their medical doctor. You will likely get some bites that way, and sooner rather than later.

One suspects you have some free time right now in which all the longer range ideas could be designed and implemented.

I presume you already have cards printed, and use them to write peoples' next appointments onto the backside. People can and will pass on something cheap and convenient like this to their friends. Don't ask them to do that, though. Let them spread the news about you on their own accord. Don't worry, they will. Make sure it's "good" news, favorable to you, which means treat them "right."

I don't recommend free screenings. It cheapens our work and degrades the profession, and we want to uphold the value of our consults, don't we? It's a chiro type of public interface tactic best avoided by PTs.

Some things in life should be inviolable, and to me, the biggest thing is our consult time and the value we put onto it.



ptdan23 -> Re: Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (January 21, 2007 1:20:00 PM)

I highly recommend bringing your business cards with you to the MD's office and asking to introduce yourself and asking only for a minute of their time. If for some reason you cannot speak with the MD then ask to speak with their PA, NP, MA, or referral coordinator. A lot of the time these people have more say on where patients get referred than the doc does. Good luck!

Dan C., PT MTC



xltherapy -> Re: Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (January 24, 2007 9:17:00 AM)

Thanks a lot - pt2005, dfjpt and ptdan for the input. I'll try some of those suggestions and keep you updated. Something that worker very well for me recently was going to a referring doctor's office with a patient of mine. That made the doctor adn the patient both very happy and hopefully I see some results from that. Will keep you posted.



james097 -> Re: Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (January 24, 2007 4:24:00 PM)

XL PT, Email me your address and I will mail you
"How to Guarantee Professional Success". Tested, Proven Techniques for Promoting Your Practice. This book is about 180 pages of everything you need. All I ask is that you forward it to anyone else that desires it when you have completed using it.
Jim Mcgregor



webrehab -> Re: Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (February 1, 2007 10:47:00 PM)

XLPT,

Give me a call and I would be happy to discuss a variety of promotional strategies and tactics. I work with over 300 practices across the nation.

I can give you some good input on websites, relationship marketing, patient relationship management, and personal sales.

My number is 800-468-5161

David Straight



wamaciar -> Re: Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (February 10, 2007 6:32:00 AM)

XLPT,
I am actually in the same boat. I opened my practice in December. I am located in upstate NY in a gym and have done most of my marketing to the gym members without significant success as of yet. I would love to check out "How to Guarantee Professional Success" when you are finished with it. How are things going with your practice? Have you had success implementing any of the marketing strategies?
Wendy



savela -> Re: Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (February 10, 2007 11:12:00 AM)

Hi Wendy,

I work out of a gym as well. I print up a news letter about different injuries and have it displayed at the front desk.

It is an info letter, but I always include how I as a PT may be able to help.

Your practice is new, once you establish a relationship with a few members, their word of mouth will help your practice grow. Good luck!



tf8560 -> Re: Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (February 13, 2007 6:20:00 PM)

XLPT

One of the things that worked well for me is that I partnered to give a CEU dinner/ minicourse geared towards family practicioners. I partnered with a local ortho who spoke on the medical aspects of LBP and I focused on the PT aspects. The family docs got a dinner, cont ed CEU's and the orth and myself got positioned as local experts. I wound up cultivating good referral relationships from this dinner.

Also I do Speed agility and quickness mini camp/seminar to local girls soccer and bring in another local ortho to speak because of the ACL injuries. He gets the surgeries I get the rehab.Fun and easy.

These are just a couple ideas. I have also audited charts for a local insurer to position myself (all perception in the eyes of the adjusters) as an expert above other local practicioners because it is "me auditing them"

Just a few fun ideas good luck

Tom Fletcher, PT



bhenchodh -> Re: Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (February 15, 2007 12:49:00 PM)

Did you put effort into your demographics research before opening up? To make the long story short I came tot eh conclusion that if you were not tied to any consistent referral source, like a dedicated MD, you can get about 30-40 new patients in one year if the town population density is 700 persons per square mile, and 1 PT per square mile (not number of clinics, you need to keep in mind there could be solo practitioners, or 10 PTs in one clinic). That seems to sound like you situation. You are looking at about max. 20-24 pt.s a week, if you can convert 1 or 2 MDs in your area to send you consistent pt. supply. That should make you about 60-70 K gross. Now what worked for me was: have a very visible sign, your street sign is very important, get it as big as you are allowed, next start working on the MDs, those are too good marketing techniques that will work, other than that your word of mouth is everything.....have fun



drbuddy -> Re: Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (February 15, 2007 1:40:00 PM)

Here's another tip, you MUST ask patients for referrals. Dont be afraid to ask. Get comfortable with asking. As a solo practitioner with no referrals from MDs, this is key. I'll usually mention it the first day during the review of my office polcies (call if you are going to miss an appointment, do your home exercises, and refer friends and family if we are able to help you), and then I'll mention it again before discharge. The other thing I'll do is as I am performing a particular technique, I'll rattle off example of other conditions I helped with that technique. I dont do this, but if you want to take it a step further, ask if they know anyone with any of those conditions. Hopefully the lightbulb goes off in their head and they call Mrs. headaches to say that you can help her.



bhenchodh -> Re: Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (February 15, 2007 1:59:00 PM)

PS: Some non MD ideas: Don't advertise in all those paper media. Believe me I tried, what a waste! of thousands of dollars, yes thousands! Business cards are necessity but so so for everyday, any place marketing. Get some cheap customized pens, and small sticky notepads and leave them everywhere! That worked for me. Also buy a dollar store dishwasher sponge holder with suction and put a bunch of business cards in it and stick em outside your business, especially if passer bys can grab some, hell put some pens in it too! I got a few pts. that way, but then I had a street front business. Sorry for all the typos but I am in a hurry!



xltherapy -> Re: Business promotion ideas that worked for you?? (March 4, 2007 7:26:00 PM)

Thanks for all the responses. I am impleminting some of these ideas as I go and really like the AHAwkins ideas of business cards. Tom, What you have going is great there. It would be great if I can hook up with an Ortho in this area- sounds almost impossible at this point but is definately a fantastic idea. I was going to advertise in papers but now, I'll hold off for a while. Have Pens done and am waiting to see some responses. So far, I ahve one MD who sends me constant referrals but they are mainly HMOs- $45/visit(better than nothing). Getting them goodies adn lunches helps. Working on getting other MDs office to do the same.
Thanks again for responses.
Dave Patel,PT CSCS



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