Transform Your Homepage into a Patient Magnet: Copywriting Essentials for Physical Therapy Website Home Pages

Complexity Results In Confusion, And Confusion Means You Get Nothing Done – Start With This For A Quick Win

Navigating the complex world of digital marketing can be confusing.  For a practice owner, there are constant distractions, this company promising 30 new patients, that company promising double digit growth etc.  For a small practice owner, the key is leveraging your money to buy the time of other niche experts.  One example of this is physical therapy website design and development – one of the core services here at E-rehab.com .

Understanding your market’s fundamentals, like how they use the web to find you and become a new patient, and implementing the right strategies can significantly amplify your success and save precious time.

PT practices on average get about 150 visitors to their website every month.  Converting more of those viewers to patients (i.e. conversion rate optimization), is an easy way to generate more new business without breaking the bank.

Focus On Your Home Page To Increase Conversions

In the past, I’ve talked about Donald Miller’s copywriting strategy that he discusses in Marketing Made Simple.  In this post, I’m going to delve into a slightly different way for practice owners to think about how they can write good copy for their home page…the most commonly visited page on your website (and therefore, the most important).

The Important Sections Of The Physical Therapy Website Home Page From Top To Bottom

1. The Hero Section: Your Digital Handshake
Your website’s hero section is the virtual equivalent of a firm, warm handshake. It’s the initial interaction a potential patient has with your physical therapy website, and it sets the tone for their entire experience. Ensure this section succinctly communicates who you are, what unique benefits you offer, and how potential patients can engage with your services. A compelling headline about what you offer, a subheadline about the main benefits of your services, and a clear call-to-action (CTA) are not just elements; they are your first conversation with a potential patient.

2. The Problem Section: Addressing Pain Points
Understanding and articulating your clients’ challenges resonate more than listing services. Your website should empathize with the common issues your patients face, be it chronic back pain or post-surgical rehabilitation needs. This section is about connecting at an emotional level, showing that you not only understand their struggles but also have the expertise to alleviate them.

3. The Solution Section: Showcase Your Expertise
After highlighting the problems, it’s time to present your services as the antidote. Detail how your approach to physical therapy can transform your patients’ lives. Be specific about the benefits of choosing your practice. This could be your innovative treatment techniques, your personalized care plans, or your supportive, experienced staff.

4. The Journey: Guiding Through the Process
Like a treasure map, your website should guide potential patients through their care journey. Outline the steps from the initial evaluation to the completion of their treatment plan. This not only demystifies the process but also builds trust. Transparency in your service delivery process reassures potential patients that they are in capable hands.

5. Social Proof: The Power of Testimonials
Leverage the power of social proof. Share success stories, testimonials, and case studies. Let your satisfied patients speak for you. Seeing real-life examples of how your services have improved others’ lives can be a powerful motivator for potential patients to choose your practice over others.

6. The Call to Action: Nudging Towards the Next Step
Every section of your website should have a purpose, driving visitors towards a decision. A well-placed CTA can make the difference between a visitor and a patient. Whether it’s scheduling a consultation or simply making a phone call, make sure your CTAs are clear, compelling, and lead to a straightforward next step.

7. Let Them Know How They Can Pay For Your Services

Let’s face it, health care is expensive. Your website should communicate how patients are expected to pay for services.  Do you take insurance?  Are you in-network? Are you a cash-based practice?  Let patients know how they will pay for your services and it will bring them one step closer to becoming a new patient.  Note, make sure not to include too much information.  You don’t want to dissuade a viewer from calling.  Detailed money discussions are best done over the phone.

Reminder - You Provide Exceptional Value, But You Have To Sell It
There are literally hundreds of research papers that suggest that physical therapy is the best first choice for musculoskeletal disorders. If you haven’t read the information at valueofpt.com, it’s worth a read.  It’s a great refresher of how we can save patients time, money, and help them get back to enjoying life again.

Crafting the copy for your physical therapy private practice website is more than just listing your services. It’s about creating a journey for your potential clients, one that acknowledges their pains, presents solutions, and guides them towards a healthier future.

By integrating this approach, you can create a website that not only stands out but also effectively converts visitors into patients Remember, in the digital world, your website is your storefront, your receptionist, and your best salesperson all rolled into one. Make every pixel count!

Want An Expert To Do All This Work For You?
That’s What We Do Here At E-rehab.com. Contact Us At (760) 585-9097 or Click Here To Request An Appointment

Unmasking the Secrets of Physical Therapy Marketing: Know When Numbers Can Deceive

 

For most physical therapy private practices, and in fact, most healthcare businesses in general, new evaluations are the practice’s lifeblood. Indeed, you’ve probably heard the saying, “There are only three ways to increase revenue – more new patients, more visits per patient, and getting paid more each visit.” 

Marketers know this and pledge to contribute to a practice’s growth, often using statistics or impressive numbers to substantiate their claims. As the saying goes, “Numbers don’t lie.” But what if some marketers are misusing numbers to paint a rosier picture than reality presents?

Let’s use an imaginary physical therapy digital marketing agency, Acme Marketing, as a case study to understand how marketing outcomes can be skewed to encourage trusting PT business owners to pay for services that don’t generate the promised returns. 

Understanding Correlation vs. Causation 

Acme Marketing enjoys attributing any business success to its services, irrespective of whether it contributed to that success.

They state: “Within six months of implementing our marketing program, ABC PT doubled their new patient acquisitions.”

This statement might have you believe Acme Marketing is exceptional. But what if ABC PT expanded into a new location that attracted high foot traffic and lacked competition?

The assertion of causation based on correlation (X resulted in Y) should invite skepticism and a deeper inquiry into other potential contributing factors.

A correlation can signal four scenarios:

  1. X caused Y
  2. Y caused X
  3. A completely unrelated factor, Z, led to X or Y (like opening a new clinic, in our example)
  4. No causal relationship exists
Take-home Message:
Be alert to misleading correlations that seem to suggest causation but are, in fact, unrelated or influenced by a third, unmentioned factor.

Deciphering Data Visualizations: A Double-Edged Sword 

Data visualizations aim to simplify complex data. However, they can distort information just as efficiently. Let’s explore a couple of ways this could happen.

The Truncated Y-Axis

One common manipulation method is truncating the Y-axis in a graph or chart. The brain expects the Y axis to start at 0 and end at the highest number. Let’s see what happens when this expectation is violated. Suppose your practice spends $500/month on marketing, and

Acme Marketing proposes a program that costs $2000/month plus the existing ad expenditure.

At first glance, the growth seems remarkable. But note the truncated Y axis, starting at 4.70%, which amplifies minuscule increases to appear more significant. Also, note the tiny range (increasing in 0.10% intervals) on the Y-axis.

Let’s Look at the Data with a Change to the Y-Axis and 1% Point Intervals

How likely will you now spend an extra $2000/month on this program?  The answer is that it depends on the true number of new patients represented by a 0.10% percent in patient volume each month.  Is 0.10% growth equal to 3 additional new patients per month or 30?

Take-home Message:
Beware of misleading charts. The narrower the Y-axis range, the more dramatic the results seem.

The Case of Missing Data

Marketers might manipulate data by omitting unfavorable details. Acme Marketing, for instance, might exclude information that contradicts the narrative they want to promote.

The chart initially presents Acme as a no-brainer solution until you discover what they didn’t include: the cost of the new program and its implementation.

To get a fair comparison, we need to consider these numbers:

  • Current marketing cost = $400/mo. or $4,800 per year.
  • Acme plan costs $1500/mo + ad spend of $1500/mo = $3000/mo.
  • Acme plan also requires a $5000 investment over the first three months to build out the sales funnel.
  • The annual cost per new patient before Acme plan = $4800/131 new patients = $36.64/per new patient
  • Annual cost per new patient after Acme plan = $41,000/180 new patients = $227.78/per new patient

Once you factor in these costs, the new patient acquisition costs with Acme turn out to be 522% more than the marketing investment before the implementation of Acme’s marketing program. 

At that cost of acquisition (i.e. $227.78/new patient), it eats up all of your profit from each new patient acquired, and it’s highly likely that this marketing program is operating at a loss.

The decision now seems clear.

Take-home Message:
When calculating ROI, ensure to factor in both the ongoing investment and the implementation costs for an accurate opportunity cost calculation.

Acme Marketing Company Promotes Outlier Case Studies

Here’s a typical example: If 99% of companies saw less than 15% growth in new patients with Acme’s plan, but one company experienced a doubling of new patients, the latter would become the case study, skewing the perception of potential success.

Case studies should represent a typical scenario, but a common practice by some deceptive marketers is to select outliers that skew results positively. 

Note, that Polly PT has only been in business for 6 months.  How many new patients was she seeing each month for the first six months?  Context matters.

Take-home Message:
When assessing a case study, bear in mind that it might present an outlier. Always request the mean average for a more accurate picture.

Unraveling the ‘Average’ Mystery

From school, we know the term “average” might be misinterpreted to represent the mean, median, or mode. But when marketing data only includes the mean, the overall picture can be distorted.

Let’s review how to calculate the average, median, and mode

The Average is the arithmetic mean and is calculated by adding a group of numbers and then dividing by the count of those numbers. 

The Median – Arrange the data points from smallest to largest. If the number of data points is odd, the median is the middle data point in the list. If the number of data points is even, the median is the average of the two middle data points in the list.

The Mode is simply the number that occurs most often in the series.

Take a look at this chart:

Average = 19
Median = 11
Mode = 6

If the breakeven point of Acme Marketing’s strategy for your practice is 12 new patients per month, and you are told the average number of new patients per month from Acme’s marketing strategy with other practices is typically 19, you could make a very costly decision…one that could put the practice in a financially difficult position.

In other words, if you only looked at the red line or the average, you might think that you’re likely to get about 19 new patients per month. Knowing the median and mode demonstrates that the most common number of new patients is 11, and 8 out of 12 practices got less than the average number of new patients per month.

The Allure of Cumulative Numbers

Big numbers are compelling. But without context, they can be misleading. When a company like Acme touts a large cumulative number without a date range or averaged results, tread carefully.

Over 100,000 have connected to PTs with our Acme promotional program.” Over what time period is what you should be asking?Debbie Millman

Marketing Numbers are Important, but View Them with Healthy Scepticism

This article isn’t meant to deter you from investing in sales and/or marketing. On the contrary, without investing in a marketing system, PT practice owners will struggle. Nevertheless, you must equip yourself with the skills to interpret the data you receive and make informed decisions about your marketing investments. 

Here are Some Final Thoughts

  • Researching before signing a contract
    (BTW, E-rehab doesn’t have any contracts), 
  • Consider the company’s reputation
    (E-rehab has a 98 Happiness Score, over 360 Google reviews, and 20+ years of experience)
  • Don’t be embarrassed to ask the hard questions,
    (We love questions, transparency, and setting real expectations)
  • Seek feedback from others.
    (We are happy to provide references) 

These steps can reveal potential blind spots and expose hidden data that could guide you in making more intelligent decisions.

Have Questions About Physical Therapy Marketing?
Click Here to Schedule a Time with Us.

Chat GPT and Physical Therapy Marketing – We’re Just Getting Started

This Post was Written (for the most part) by Chat GPT

 

In today’s tech-driven world, we’re constantly hearing about AI or artificial intelligence. But what is AI, and how is it shaping the future of marketing, specifically in the physical therapy realm?

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is a branch of computer science dedicated to creating systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. These tasks could include understanding natural language, recognizing patterns, solving problems, or learning from experience. AI is powered by algorithms and large amounts of data, allowing it to process information and make decisions in a fraction of the time a human could.

One of the most remarkable implementations of AI is ChatGPT, a conversational AI developed by OpenAI. Short for “Generative Pre-training Transformer”, GPT was trained on a vast amount of internet text, and can generate human-like text based on the input it’s given.

Now, how is this relevant to physical therapy marketing? Well, imagine having a virtual assistant that works round-the-clock, responding to patient inquiries, generating engaging social media content, reaching out to prospective clients, and even crafting personalized treatment plans. That’s the potential power of AI and ChatGPT.

Here are 15 ways you can harness this advanced technology to elevate your physical therapy practice.

First you need to visit the website – chat.openai.com .  From here, you need to sign up for the service – I recommend using a gmail account so you can simply sign into Chat GPT through your Google account.

Generating text from Chat GPT first starts with you typing in/Prompting the AI to perform a task.

This was my prompt:
Act like an expert copywriter that understands Chat GPT and AI. For the target audience of physical therapy practice owners, create a blog post that’s at least 500 words long. The topic of the blog post is 15 Ways to Use Chat GPT for Your Physical Therapy Marketing. Then give me 15 ways that a PT practice can use AI/Chat GPT to help promote their physical therapy private practice online, offline, to physicians to generate referrals, to past patients, and to get patients to refer too.

Here’s Chat GPT’s Response:

Physical therapy practice owners, brace yourselves for the future of marketing. It’s here, it’s smart, and it’s called ChatGPT – an advanced AI that’s set to supercharge your marketing efforts. Here are 15 ways to leverage this incredible technology to elevate your practice.

  1. 24/7 Customer Service: Deploy ChatGPT to provide immediate, round-the-clock support to prospective patients. It can answer questions, provide information, and guide them through booking appointments.
  2. Automate Social Media Engagement: Engage with followers, answer questions, and maintain a consistent presence on your social media platforms. This keeps your practice top-of-mind for when those followers need physical therapy services.
  3. Email Campaigns: Use ChatGPT to write compelling content for email newsletters and campaigns. It can also handle automated responses, increasing engagement with minimal effort.
  4. Manage Online Reviews: ChatGPT can monitor and respond to online reviews, providing personalized responses that show you value feedback and improve your online reputation.
  5. Educational Blog Posts: Utilize the AI to draft educational content about physical therapy. This helps in establishing you as an authority in the field and aids in SEO efforts.
  6. Optimized Website Content: AI can create keyword-rich content for your website, improving your search engine ranking and increasing your online visibility.
  7. Telehealth Chat Support: As telehealth services grow, use ChatGPT to provide real-time chat support during online consultations.
  8. Physician Outreach: ChatGPT can assist in drafting personalized, persuasive outreach emails to physicians, encouraging them to refer patients to your practice.
  9. Patient Follow-ups: Automate follow-up messages with ChatGPT to ensure patients are progressing well post-therapy and to remind them about future appointments.
  10. Patient Testimonials: Use AI to craft compelling narratives from patient testimonials. These stories can be used across your website, social media, and email campaigns.
  11. Referral Program Promotion: Leverage AI to promote your referral program, explaining the benefits and how it works to your existing patients.
  12. Local SEO Content: Generate location-specific content for your website to rank higher in local search results, drawing more patients from your community.
  13. Offline Marketing Material: Create compelling brochures, flyers, and posters with the help of AI. It can generate eye-catching copy that speaks directly to your local audience.
  14. Health and Wellness Tips: Use ChatGPT to provide regular health and wellness tips across your digital channels. This will keep your audience engaged and your practice relevant.
  15. Personalized Treatment Plans: Allow ChatGPT to generate initial treatment plans based on patient input. This will showcase your practice’s personalized approach and advanced tech capabilities.

The power of ChatGPT is immense and vastly untapped in the world of physical therapy marketing. By leveraging AI in your marketing strategy, you’ll engage with your audience more effectively, stand out among competitors, and ultimately drive more patients to your practice. It’s time to step into the future of marketing.

So, all of the content above the horizontal line above was written by Chat GPT.  It’s interesting for sure and improving at such a rapid rate that it will have a significant impact on what we do in the not too distant future – think months, not years.

ONE QUICK NOTE: if Chat GPT does write something you are interested in but it’s incomplete or too vague, prompt the AI to expand on it.  If you don’t like the result, ask it to rewrite it.  There are endless ways you can use the technology. Start playing with it.

Chat GPT is Only as Good as the Prompt…and Doesn’t Know the PT Market Very Well

Most of the tactics were general in nature.  For example, “Leverage AI to promote your referral program…”.  You would have to ask for considerable clarification, specific examples, and even then, you’d need to find software to help with this.

Nevertheless, when it comes to writing content, Chat GPT can write as good or better than most humans, certainly faster, and provides a great starting point for a number of communications that you may need for your practice marketing strategies.

 

Physical Therapy SEO for Your PT Private Practice Website

 

In today’s competitive online world, finding a reliable and effective physical therapy SEO company can be hard. Unfortunately, many SEO companies just aren’t good enough, and their sub-standard methods can hurt your physical therapy clinic more than help it.

As an expert in the field, I’m here to tell you about the five clear signs of a bad SEO company that you should know about.

1. The “One-Size-Fits-All” Method

Be wary of SEO companies that say they can handle SEO for any business…in any market. SEO is a dynamic and complex process that has a lot of moving parts for different kinds of businesses (e.g. retail businesses, e-commerce, service area businesses, and bricks & mortar businesses [like outpatient PT clinics]). Look for SEO companies that focus on certain areas, like website design, conversion optimization, and customer service. By focusing on these key areas, you can ensure that your SEO efforts align with your general business goals.

2. Using Old and Outdated Physical Therapy SEO Strategies

Meta tags is a great example of an SEO ranking factor that used to be very important, but their value has decreased over time. If an SEO company talks to you a lot about meta tags, that’s a clear sign that they may be using out-of-date methods. A good SEO company knows that meta tags are only one part of an overall SEO plan. Instead, they will stress how important it is to have good content, a good user experience, and keywords that patients use that will actually convert your website viewers into patient calls & digital appointment requests. Look for an SEO company that stays up-to-date on industry trends and puts modern optimization methods at the top of its list.

3. Promises that You will be on the 1st Page of Google (especially if it is in a short time period)

Stay away from SEO companies that promise to get you on the first page of Google. Most of the time, these claims are false and confusing. Remember that the true measure of SEO success is getting targeted traffic to your physical therapy business and making money from it (not where you rank). Look for companies that focus on long-term growth tactics like content marketing, building links, and showing up in the maps listings. Showing up in the natural listings for service-based searches (like vertigo treatment near me) can matter too. Information searches like “back pain treatment in (your city)” are a waste of money in most cases. A trustworthy SEO company knows that it takes time, work, and a plan to get results that matter.

Bottom line, Google is constantly changing their algorithm and your top rankings today can be gone tomorrow – it’s part of the SEO game, and Google knows it.

4. They Old PT SEO Audit Report (Translation = It’s a Sales Report to Make You Think Something is Wrong)

If an SEO company gives you a generic audit report with generic advice, it’s important to understand that these are primarily sales tools to peek your curiosity (and make you think something is wrong).  As an agency that works only with small PT private practices, there are lots of similarities between businesses; however, a good SEO company will take the time to learn about your subtle nuances, your practice’s goals, target audience, and the landscape of your competitors. They create a plan for you that features your particular service expertise and helps you stand out from your competitors. Look for an SEO company that does more than just the basics and gives a personalized service.

5. A Website that Hasn’t Been Update in Years

An SEO firm’s website can tell you a lot about their company. Explore their website, read what they have to offer and consider some of the following:

  • Do they appear to be knowledgable?
  • Do they have an up-to-date blog?
  • Are they ranking for common search phrases?
  • What’s their mission?
  • Do they have great social proof & examples of success?

You can learn a lot by checking out the website and seeing where they rank with common search phrases. There are a number of tools you can use to look at their organic traffic numbers and get a sense of how knowledgeable they are.

Bonus Tip: Look for an SEO company that has worked with other clients in the physical therapy business and done a good job.

If you want your PT practice to do well on the search engines (Google is the big one, and arguably the only one that matters), you need to find the right physical therapy SEO firm. Keep the above points in mind, make sure that the firm demonstrates expertise in the PT niche, provides PT specific strategies, and good communication.

Let’s Connect and See How We Can Help Your Physical Therapy Clinic SEO

If you’d like to learn more about how E-rehab.com is helping PT practices with their SEO, give us a call at (760) 585-9097 or click here to schedule a time with us. 

Physical Therapy Website Design 2023 – Stick with a Good Story

 

About physical therapy website design in 2023 – think about the primary function of your website…it’s to sell, so the words matter when creating a 2023 physical therapy website design.

In the digital age we live in now, every physical therapy business needs a well-designed website. But your website needs to do more than just show off your services and skills. It also needs to convince people to become patients. One of the best ways to do this is to tell a story that your audience will remember and that leads them to your call to action (CTA).

In this blog post, we’ll talk about why storytelling is such a powerful marketing tool and give you a step-by-step guide to writing a gripping story that will help you turn website visitors into loyal patients.

1. Why Storytelling is Important in Marketing for Physical Therapy Websites

Storytelling has always been an important way for people to talk to each other and bond. They make us feel something, help us relate to the knowledge, and help us remember it. This is why telling stories has become an essential part of marketing in recent years. Storytelling has been used by successful brands in many different industries to build strong emotional connections with their audiences, which leads to engagement, loyalty, and, in the end, sales.

2. Creating a story for your physical therapy website that people will remember

Finding your unique selling proposition (USP) is the first step to telling a story that works and sticks with people. What makes your physical therapy business stand out from the rest? It could be the way you treat patients that is on the cutting edge, the knowledge of your team, the unmatched customer service you provide, or the inspiring success stories of your patients. When you know what your USP is, you can start to build a story around it.

Using story aspects like characters, plot, conflict, and resolution is the key to making a story interesting. Regarding the text that’s on your home page of your physical therapy website, the characters are your patients, and the story is about how they get better. The problem is their illness or injury, and the answer is the better quality of life they get from using your services.

To make a story about the patient, you should focus on the problems you help them solve and the changes they go through with your guidance. This will not only build trust and give your story more credibility, but it will also make it easier for people to understand and remember.

3. Adding your story into the design of your website

The next step is to work your story into the design of your website, using layout and video to lead people through the story. Start by setting the scene on your home page with a catchy headline (your offer statement) and text that makes people want to read more (your benefit statement). 

On the “About” page, you should talk about your team, corporate values, and practice philosophy and show potential patients how committed you are to thir success.

On your services page, you should list the solutions you offer and explain how they can help your patients solve their problems and reach their goals. Use the testimonials page to show that your services are of relatable by sharing the stories of real people who have used them.

Think about adding high-quality pictures and videos, infographics, and interactive features like a chatbot or virtual tours to your story to make it more interesting. These can help you give your viewers a more realistic and interactive experience.

4. Lead people to your call-to-action (CTA).

Once your story has gotten your audience’s attention, it’s time to send them to your CTA. This could mean setting up a consultation, requesting an appointment, or contacting you by phone. Make your CTA clear, straightforward, and convincing. Use language that makes people feel like they need to take action now and emphasizes the benefits of doing so.

Put your call to action (CTA) in strategic places on your website and at the end of blog posts or stories. Use analytics to track conversions to demonstrate that the investment in time and money for your website is worthwhile.

5. Selling Your Services from Your Website is Priority One – and a Good Story Can Help

There’s no denying the power of stories in marketing, and physical therapy offices can use this tactic to turn website visitors into patients. By finding your unique selling proposition (USP), writing a memorable story, and guiding readers to your call to action (on Desktop, Tablet, & Mobile Devices) you can increase the number of calls/sales…and it’s one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies you can implement!

And Here’s Our Call to Action – Need Help Capture More New Patients from Your Website?

Contact us today at (760) 585-9097 or click here to schedule some time to talk.

Why You Still Need a Great Physical Therapy Website in 2023

As a physical therapy business owner, you know the value of a strong, effective website. Think about it for a second. If your target market is 35+ years of age, they use websites all of the time when making buying choices.

A great website can be the key to attracting new patients, engaging with current ones, and ultimately growing your business. In today’s digital world, having a professional, user-friendly website is essential for any business, and this is especially true for physical therapy practices.

Here are a few key reasons why physical therapy business owners need a great website:

  1. A website is your online storefront. Your website is often the first point of contact that potential patients have with your business. It’s important to make a good first impression, and a well-designed website can do just that. A professional website with clear, informative content and easy navigation can make it easy for potential patients to learn about your services and make an appointment.
  2. A website can help you stand out from the competition. In a competitive industry like physical therapy, it’s important to differentiate yourself from other practices. A great website can help you do just that by highlighting your unique services and expertise.
  3. A website can improve patient engagement. Your website is more than just a way to attract new patients; it’s also a valuable tool for engaging with current patients. By offering resources like exercise guides, blog posts, and patient testimonials, you can provide value to your patients and keep them coming back for more.
  4. A website can improve your search engine ranking. Having a website that is optimized for search engines can help you rank higher in search results, making it easier for potential patients to find you. This can be especially valuable for small businesses that may not have the budget for other forms of advertising.
  5. A website can help you collect patient information. A website with a contact form or appointment scheduling tool can make it easy for patients to get in touch with you or schedule an appointment. This can save you time and help you collect valuable patient information that can be used to improve your services.
Having a professional, user-friendly website is essential for any business, and this is especially true for physical therapy practices.

A Website is More than an Online Brochure – You Need to “Work” It to Maximize Conversions

Of course, having a great website is only the first step. It’s also important to regularly update your website with fresh content and keep it optimized for search engines. This can help you attract new patients and keep current ones engaged.

In summary, as a physical therapy business owner, a great website is essential for attracting new patients, engaging with current ones, and growing your business.

By offering valuable resources, improving your search engine ranking, and making it easy for patients to get in touch with you, a website can be a powerful tool for success. So, invest in a great website and watch your business thrive.

Want Help Converting More Website Viewers to Patients?

Click Here to Schedule Some Time with Us and We’ll Show You How We Can Help.

50 Physical Therapy Marketing Tips for the New Year

 

2023 is just 6 weeks away.  Are you preparing for next year?

Review these strategies and tactics so you can get some clarity on marketing, implement some of these easy strategies, and generate more new and repeat business.

  1. What is marketing – it’s finding someone with a need and getting them to know, like, and trust you.
  2. Marketing messages should first take into account your target marketing, the media they use, and the message should match their needs.
  3. The most common need for most orthopedic patients is singular – pain relief.
  4. The goal of marketing is to create campaigns that convert and help the practice grow.
  5. Marketing is not a linear process, but there are steps to follow in order to be successful.
  6. After you determine the market you wan to serve, the next step is to determine the offer.
  7. Researching the competition is important in order to understand the market and create a unique offer.
  8. The marketing message should be clear and speak to the target market’s pain points and needs.
  9. Different marketing channels should be tested to determine the most effective way to reach the target market.
  10. Marketing efforts should be measured and analyzed in order to continually improve and refine the campaign.
  11. You must learn to sell – the sales process should be streamlined and optimized to increase conversions.
  12. Marketing should not be viewed as a one-time event, but rather a system of continuous efforts.
  13. Building a community or network of loyal patients is important for long-term success.
  14. Physician referrals are one of the best opportunities to generate rapid new business. Are you doing this?
  15. Collaborating with local micro influencers can help reach a wider community audience.
  16. Storytelling on your website can be a powerful tool to engage and connect with potential patients.
  17. Offering value through free discovery visits, a phone call, or great content can help attract potential patients.
  18. Consistency in branding and messaging is crucial to building trust with the target market.
  19. Emotional appeal can be more effective than logical arguments in marketing (i.e. avoiding risky surgery or addiction).
  20. Patient reviews and video testimonials can be one of the most powerful ways to build credibility and trust. It’s a top 3 priority!
  21. Creating a sense of urgency can increase conversions by motivating the target market to take action. The longer you wait, the more costly care will be.
  22. Offering incentives movie tickets or a coffee card can encourage the past patients to refer to you.
  23. Using scarcity tactics, such as limited time offers or limited quantities, can increase demand for the offer.
  24. Personalization can be effective in making the target market feel valued and connected to the practice.
  25. Providing exceptional customer service can help build loyalty and encourage word-of-mouth marketing. 
  26. Positioning – One way to position your practice – you always are “on time”.
  27. Offering free trials or demos can help potential patients experience the value of the offer before committing to including a cash treatment in a patient plan of care.
  28. Using social proof, such as showcasing the number of patients or followers, can increase the perceived value of the offer.
  29. Utilizing video marketing can help create an emotional connection with the target market.
  30. 80% of consumers will remember a video.
  31. Creating a sense of exclusivity, such as through a VIP program or limited edition offer, can get patients to come back.  Do you have a VIP program?
  32. Utilizing email marketing can help build relationships and keep past patients informed about new offers or promotions.
  33. Checking in with all of your patients after 3-4 visits is a great way to keep them coming…assuming they still have the need for PT.
  34. It may be against your insurance contracts or your practice act, if not, offering a money-back guarantee can help increase conversions by eliminating risk for the target market.
  35. Creating a sense of urgency through countdown timers or limited availability can increase conversions on landing pages.
  36. Using scarcity tactics, such as limited time offers can help encourage patients take advantage of an offer.
  37. Offering bundle deals on your Facebook ads can help increase the perceived value of the offer.
  38. Utilizing content marketing can help attract potential patients through valuable and informative content – if you want to own a niche topic on Google, plan on publishing a lot of content. E-rehab has you covered here.
  39. Utilizing influencer marketing can help reach a wider audience and increase credibility.
  40. Having your name, address, and phone number above the fold will make it faster and easier for patients to connect with you.
  41. Having an easy to use appointment request system will generate more business – we’ve generated over 100,000 appointments for our clients since we started measuring a few years ago.
  42. Quick access buttons will generate calls – make it easy to click and call on your website. We’ve generated over 600,000 calls for our clients since we started measuring a few years ago.
  43. Email marketing content should include both educational information and will keep you top-of-mind.
  44. Email marketing still provides the best ROI – if you’re not doing it, you’re missing out on a fundamental strategy.
  45. Optimize your Google Business Profile – include all of the different categories of service you provide.
  46. Using technology to capture reviews is the best way to NOT get them. Have a system in place to capture reviews.
  47. Social media posts from PT practices, get on average, less than 1% engagement. Not one of the top priorities – yes, not a top 7 priority.
  48. Google Ads can generate 5-10 new patients per month but you must test. 
  49. You should be capturing and recording calls when running Google Ads.
  50. Does your receptionist make a great first impression and ask the Golden Question of each no prospect, “How soon can you come in?”

If you have questions or want to know how E-rehab.com can help you, give us a call at (760) 585-9097 or schedule some time by clicking here. 

 

These Mistakes Can Scare Physical Therapy Patients Away Online


Here we are sharing some common mistakes that practice owners make online.

While it’s easy to think these aren’t that big of a deal, they’re actually scaring new customers away.

1. Having a Website that’s Not Mobile-Optimized

physical therapy mobile website

Almost everyone and their grandma is using a smartphone or tablet these days. If your website is not optimized for mobile, it can be nearly impossible to navigate.

While you may get a teeny percentage of patients who will switch to a computer, most will get frustrated, close your site, forget all about you and move on…likely to your competition who does have a mobile friendly site. As a result, you’ll miss out on potential new business.

2. Not Updating Your Social Media Accounts

More and more people are validating, cross-checking, and learning more about PT practices on social media platforms. It’s obvious that not having a social account can hurt your practice, but few realize that having a poorly updated page can cause damage as well.

For example, if a patient searches for physical therapy in your city on Google, clicks on the link to your Facebook page, and sees that you haven’t posted in months or even years, there’s a good chance they’ll assume you’re not organized, not up-to-date, and aren’t a quality practice.

Simply having these accounts is not enough. Make sure you post regularly so patients can clearly see you’re still in business and are using social media to communicate.

3. Getting Defensive while Responding to Negative Feedback



It’s hurtful when patients leave negative feedback. Especially when it’s a particularly difficult patient (you know the ones I’m talking about) who was the main cause of the problem.While it’s our first instinct to protect ourselves and our good name, getting defensive and causing an online argument for all to see can really hurt your reputation.

Instead, acknowledge the patient’s frustration and invite them to take the conversation offline. This will demonstrate your commitment to good service and will make future patients more comfortable doing business with you.

4. Not Responding to Positive Feedback

Just as it’s important to have a thoughtful response to negative feedback, it’s equally important to respond to positive feedback.

Think of it this way, the patient has taken time out of their day to share their thoughts with you and refer future clients. By not responding, it gives the impression that you don’t care.

By taking the time to respond, it not only makes that patient feel appreciated but also, it’s another way to demonstrate your commitment to good service.
 

Why This Works…

The Internet has revolutionized the world of marketing for PT private practices and completely changed how we, as business owners, need to manage our reputation and marketing.

Taking care to ensure you have an active presence online will not only help patients discover your clinic(s) and also get a sense of what kind of service they can expect.

A practice that is responsive, available, and ensures patients have a friction-free experience will be much more appealing.

What do you get out of all this?

By caring for your online reputation and making sure you’re easily accessible, patients will be drawn to your practice. 

As a result, you’ll have a much easier time attracting new clients, keeping long-term patients, getting more referrals, and growing your business. 

4 Steps to Create the Perfect Elevator Pitch

What is an elevator pitch? An elevator pitch is defined as a succinct and persuasive sales pitch.

Elevator pitches are also known as a talking logo by John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing or Your One Liner by Donald Miller of StoryBrand.com . Each of these marketing experts have their own take on what makes up a quality elevator pitch; however, at the end of the day, there are far more similarities than differences between the three.

Why is an elevator pitch necessary?

Well, let’s say you are at a networking event, an industry event or you happen to bump into someone who requires your service. An elevator pitch is designed to entice people to stop, listen and develop an interest in your service. It’s an excellent way to connect with important contacts and potential clients.

Here are 4 important steps to creating the perfect elevator pitch:

Keep Your Elevator Pitch Brief

You don’t need to deep dive into your extensive work history and experience. An elevator pitch should be a quick recap. Ensuring your audience can quickly grasp who you are, what you do, and most importantly, how you can benefit them. You should keep your elevator pitch to under 60 seconds. 

Understand Your Target Audience and Identify their Pain Points

The easiest way to grab someone’s attention is to identify something that they’re struggling with. By demonstrating that you understand the problem, you’re instantly placed in a position of credibility. 

Can everyone on your team answer the question, “What do you do?” A great way to answer is to with a question.  “Have you ever had any pain in your muscles or joints?”

An orthopedic physical therapy practice most certainly deals with patients that have pain – it’s their number one concern in most cases.  Pain is what your patients want to avoid, get rid of, and learn how to prevent from returning.

Highlight the Biggest Benefit of Your Physical Therapy Service

Your elevator pitch should highlight the biggest benefit of your PT service. It may be difficult to limit which benefits you share. However, it’s a good idea to base it on the pain point you’ve identified as well as the features that make your business stand out from the competition.

At this point, I suggest you create some curiosity.  After you’ve asked the question above, respond to their “yes” answer with something that creates curiosity.  You might say, “So many do, that’s why I learned how to alleviate pain with my hands.”

This should inspire the person you are speaking with to ask the question, “How do you do that?”

The response could be something like this – “As a physical therapist, I’ve learned a number of manual therapy and therapeutic exercise techniques that addresses the underlying cause of pain and helps people avoid unnecessary drugs, expensive tests, & surgery.”

 Finish with a Call to Action

Once you’ve completed your pitch, what action do you want them to take next? For example, should they call to book an appointment? 

At this point you need to read the person you are speaking with.  If they follow up with more questions, ask them this, “Would like to come by for a quick free exam? I might be able to help.”

If they say they know someone with pain, ask them if they are nearby – offer them a free exam.

Don’t leave anyone up to their own devices. Be very clear about what action they should take next to secure your PT services.

Why This Works…

More often than not, PT practice owners are incredibly passionate about their care and the opportunity to help. It’s easy to get caught up in conversation and launch into a long-winded explanation about how wonderful their care is, etc. Though well-intentioned, this often loses the attention of the audience. Even worse, it decreases the chance of them doing business with you.

An elevator pitch keeps your explanation concise and direct. Getting right to the important key points that will motivate them to take action. 

What do you get out of all this?

Having an elevator pitch ready to share who you are, what you do, and how you can benefit the potential client is a quick and easy way to get your business on their radar. It tells them what they need to know so they can make an informed decision on your services. 

As a result, it allows you to successfully generate more new business and book more clients.

An Elevator Pitch is a Sales Tactic…For PT Marketing, You Also Need These Strategies

An elevator pitch is important and especially useful if everyone in the office is using one to communicate your practice’s value.  However, when it comes to online marketing, you want to do these things first:

  • Create a great website that tells a compelling story and funnels viewers to your call to action.
  • Email marketing to retain your past patients.
  • Rank on as well as you can on Google – Google is where almost everyone starts their online search for a physical therapy clinic.
  • Have the best reputation in town – trust is the number opportunity for small clinics to differentiate themselves from the big corporations.  There’s no better place to show your community that you can be trusted, than with ratings and reviews on Google and your website.

If you would like to learn more about how E-rehab.com can help you get your online marketing right, click here to schedule some time with David Straight, DPT and co-owner of E-rehab.com

Physical Therapy Blog Posts that Make Patients Take Action

Blog posts are an excellent tool for providing value to your audience.  They convey expertise, authority, and passion for your profession of physical therapy…not to mention, the posts are great content to publish on your social media channels like Facebook.

But, if you want your blog posts to motivate your audience to take action, such as booking an appointment with you, this is how you should structure your posts.

Opening Paragraph: Identify a Key Pain Point (& use keywords for Google)

In your opening paragraph, you need to identify a common pain point that your audience may be having. This is how you grab their attention.

Be sure to go into detail about the problem. By showing you have a genuine understanding of their struggle, they will be much more likely to believe you are the person capable of solving it for them. As a result, they’re much more likely to listen to you and follow your instructions.

 Body Paragraphs: Share a Simple Solution or Steps to a Solution

After you’ve explained the problem in detail, transition into discussing the solution. This section is all about providing value.

You can make it easier to read by providing 3-5 bullet points that discuss multiple solutions. You can also lay out a single solution into easily digestible steps.

In addition to providing value, this section will give your audience a taste of your expertise. By proving that you are able to solve their problem, you’ve positioned them perfectly. Increasing the likelihood that they will take action in the final section of your blog post.

Closing Paragraph: Call to Action

This is where you ask them to book an appointment with you. To seamlessly transition into the call to action, point out how your PT services will make their life even easier than if they only follow the solution you provided.

For example, let’s say you’re sharing ways to relieve neck pain and want your audience to book a therapy session. You can share a few simple exercises for at-home relief in your post. Then tell them that if they want to maximize their healing, a personalized care plan that’s tailored to their specific needs will drastically improve their results. 

Why This Works…

This structure provides a natural flow that first builds trust, provides value and then seamlessly transitions to a soft, but effective pitch. 

Empathizing with the reader’s pain point early on is key. If you’re the person who knows the problem they’re having even better than they can understand it themselves, you’re immediately projected into a position of authority and established trust.

Putting you in the most ideal position to motivate them to take action with you.

What do you get out of all this?

This blog style will improve the amount of action taken on your posts. Not to mention, it will further establish you in your niche while endearing you to your audience. People will genuinely appreciate the value you provide.

Even if they don’t take action the first time, this gentle blog style will give them enough value to motivate them to come back for more.

Before You Take the Time to Blog, You Should Do These Things

Blogging is one of those appealing marketing strategies that many recommend. Afterall, it’s part of a solid marketing strategy that can help establish you as the go-to provider if you are consistently publishing quality content and (super important) circulating it via social media to your community.

However, we don’t recommend you do this before you get these strategies right:

  • A great website that tells a compelling story and funnels viewers to your call to action.
  • Email marketing to retain your past patients.
  • Rank on as well as you can on Google – Google is where almost everyone starts their online search for a physical therapy clinic.
  • Have the best reputation in town – trust is the number opportunity for small clinics to differentiate themselves from the big corporations.  There’s no better place to show your community that you can be trusted, than with ratings and reviews on Google and your website.

If you would like to learn more about how E-rehab.com can help you get your online marketing right, click here to schedule some time with David Straight, DPT and co-owner of E-rehab.com

Should You be Using TikTok to Marketing Your Physical Therapy Practice?

It’s not an easy question (and if you’d like our short answer, scroll to the bottom for a list of what you should be doing before TikTok).

What many people don’t realize is that Tiktok is the fastest growing app of the decade.  The statistics are mind boggling. 

It’s rapidly growing to a wide audience. Giving you ample opportunity to grow your customer base and engage with your community.

Here’s the biggest reason your practice should be on Tiktok…

In the digital age where ad blockers are prevalent, your advertising strategy needs to adapt. Users are much more likely to engage with content that feels authentic. Tiktok gives you the opportunity to engage your audience with marketing that doesn’t “feel” like marketing.

Here are a few video ideas that you can share on your practice’ Tiktok account:

Take Your Audience Behind the Scenes

People are curious by nature. That’s why taking your audience behind the scenes is so effective. Show them how your practice runs in a way they wouldn’t typically get to see. 

You can walk them through your daily prep process before you unlock the doors. Maybe you and your staff have a fun ritual to kick off the day. You could even share some “day in the life” videos that reveal a typical day for someone in your profession.

 Share “How-To” Videos and Provide Physical Therapy-Specific Advice

Users love helpful content that will show them how to solve a common problem. Not only does this provide genuine value to your audience, but it also endears them to you. Giving reason for them to follow you and regularly check out your content. 

 Take Part in Fun TikTok Trends that Relate to Physical Therapy

Tiktok trends are a fun way to engage with your audience and build some steam behind your account. They’re also an excellent way to show some personality behind your practice and allow customers to truly connect with you. 

It’s important to only jump on trends that relate to your niche. You don’t want to post videos just because they’re popular. Be sure to stay on brand and consistent with your Tiktok approach.

Why This Works…

Many aggressive advertising styles are falling short, especially with younger generations, forcing practice owners to find less invasive ways to attract customers and grow their practice. Creating content on the Tiktok platform will help market your practice in a much more organic way. 

What do you get out of all this?

Tiktok provides an opportunity for customers to truly get to know you. In the long run, this approach will build a much stronger and long-lasting connection with your audience.

Before Social Media Marketing, You Should Do These Things

Social media marketing is appealing.  So may use social media on a daily basis and with the rapid adoption of TikTok there are compelling reasons to use this marketing channel. However, we don’t recommend you do this before you get these strategies right:

  • A great website that tells a compelling story and funnels viewers to your call to action.
  • Email marketing to retain your past patients.
  • Rank on as well as you can on Google – Google is where almost everyone starts their online search for a physical therapy clinic.
  • Have the best reputation in town – trust is the number opportunity for small clinics to differentiate themselves from the big corporations.  There’s no better place to show your community that you can be trusted, than with ratings and reviews on Google and your website.

If you would like to learn more about how E-rehab.com can help you get your online marketing right, click here to schedule some time with David Straight, DPT and co-owner of E-rehab.com

Don’t Make This Mistake – It Will Cost You New Evals

For over 19 years we’ve been helping PT private practices market their services online.  We’ve seen a lot of silver bullet, online marketing, promise you riches marketing companies come and go because:

  1. They extract all they can out of the PT private practice and move on,
  2. They don’t adapt to the changing market,
  3. Most Important – they don’t have any idea how patients buy physical therapy services.

Here I want to review some information to help you, the practice owner, better understand how your patients buy and better yet, help you avoid paying for a marketing service that doesn’t work…but costs you a lot of money.

Physical Therapy Marketing – Is it a Bad Word to You?

Many clinicians underestimate the effort, time, and money that is required to succeed in their local market.

When things don’t go as planned, they follow this predictable pattern:

  1. I don’t know enough – I have to learn.
  2. I have learned but I never executed what I have learned.
  3. I need an outside company to save me.
  4. I bought the silver bullet solution – the one that promised me riches, and nothing happened.
  5. Marketing sucks and I can’t trust marketing companies.

We see this regularly.  In fact, I just had two conversations with clients yesterday – one tried Facebook ad funnels and it cost him five figures.  Another was told by their marketing company that they had over 100 new leads. When I asked how many converted into patients, they had no idea.  They received a lot of data, but had no idea if it had any impact on their bottom line (i.e. generated more revenue).

Neither one of them made a profit with these fly-by-night marketing companies.

80% of PT Marketing Strategies Sit on the Shelf and Nothing Happens

You’ve probably heard this before – if you want to succeed, know your market.

Define your ideal target market, your ideal clients, etc., etc.

These exercises often leave small practice owners with a piece of paper, the start of a strategy, but no action, and no results…no new patients. I’d invite you to step back, just ask a few of your patients, and look at some of the basic numbers that you most likely already have right in front of you.

Good Marketing Starts with Knowing How Patients Buy Your PT Services

Ask yourself these questions:

A. What is the age of the patient population I want to serve?  Usually it’s 40+ years of age…this is when orthopedic injuries become more common.

B. How do 40+ year olds buy?  They use Google, they look at clinics’ reputation, some visit the PT website, and then they call or request an appointment from the website.

C. What percentage of patients do a search before they visit a physical therapy practice?  The answer is astounding – 84% as reported by LSA (which is localogy.com).

D. It gets better. The research results also noted that that percentage of healthcare consumers of physical therapy, contacted a physical therapist 100% of the time after they did a search!  Of course this behavior doesn’t happen 100% of the time across all communities, but most follow this pattern.

E. Finally, take a look at your website visitors – how many do you get each month?

Quit Missing Out on Easy Opportunities – Focus on the Low-Hanging Fruit First!

I just shared with you how a large percentage of consumers buy PT services – Google first, some visit your website, then they call.  So, you simply want to optimize/focus your time and energy on this.  The good news is this is what E-rehab has known this for some time and it’s what we do everyday for our PT private practice clients.

The bad news is that newer PT business owners, don’t know this yet.  They focus on media channels that often times don’t matter much – Instagram and social media for example.  If you don’t believe me then consider these survey results.

When PT Practice Owners Don’t Consider Their Market’s Buying Process, They Lose

We looked at 100 PT private practice websites in the greater Los Angeles county area, and here’s what we found:

  • 48% of PT websites have basic mistakes with their addresses.
  • 45% of PT websites don’t even have a phone number that’s easy to find or above the fold.
  • 67% of PT websites don’t even have an address above the fold

The Take Home Messages – Focus on GMB, Your Reputation, and Your Website (design, imagery, and the copywriting [copywriting is the words that persuade website viewers to take action])

  1. Focus on Fast, Easy, Friction-Free Mobile and Desktop Website Experience
  2. Make It Painfully Easy for New Patients (and existing ones too) to Contact You
  3. Put Your Energy Into Your Google Business Profile – that means get those reviews too!
  4. Put Your Time, Money, and Energy Into Your Website!!!

There’s no need to struggle.  There’s no need to get lost in pages of irrelevant data. There are no silver bullets – successful practices will master the basics and knowing how your target audience buys from you is one of those basics.

You Can Avoid All of These Problems, Execute Your Marketing Strategy, and We Can Help.

Contact us and we’ll provide you with all of the online marketing services you need at a price that any practice can afford.

We Guarantee It!

You can reach David Straight, DPT, co-owner by setting up an appointment – just click here.