Author Archives: Paul Gough

About Paul Gough

PAUL GOUGH is one of the top Marketing and Business Coaches in the physical therapy industry and his Systems are helping clinic owners all across America run more profitable clinics. He is a published Author, Newspaper Columnist and before his stunning success in business was hired by top professional soccer teams. HIS SUCCESS STORY is one that inspires many pt's around the world - at the age of 26 Paul QUIT a high profile job in professional soccer to begin his own clinic. He had NO money, NO business or marketing skills and NO experience - and yet now owns and runs 4 pt clinics and has a proven track record of growing a physical therapy business from 0 - $2m in record time.

“Three Feet From Gold” With Your PT Clinic Marketing?

by · 24th July 2015

Been reading “Think and Grow Rich” (By Napoleon Hill), again lately.

Amazing book.

Has many ideas and concepts that I’ve been able to adapt to make my marketing (and my life) more successful.

And of them is the story of the guy who was “three feet from gold”.

Incase you don’t know it…

It’s a story of a guy who starts to dig for gold in an area of California, 100% sure that he’ll find gold.

And so he digs.

And digs.

But no gold appears.

And so he gives up on digging.

Then decides to sell his mining equipment to a scrap merchant in town for a few measly dollars to try to pay back some of the money he borrowed to finance the digging in the first place.

And as the story is told, what happens next is a lesson that you and I can take forth in our clinics marketing.

See, the very clever scrap materialist took it upon himself to take the machinery back to the same site where the dig ended — and continue to dig for himself.

Guess what was waiting for him just three feet further into the dig?

That’s right…

“Gold”!

The point?

It’s often the same with your adverts.

Sometimes you’re just 3 feet from gold with something like a newspaper ad, EDDM piece, Valpak promotion or a newsletter.

Except in this case, you’re looking for NP’s and in return for your manual labour you’re gaining “trust”.

(Which leads to “gold”).

See, just because an advert didn’t work first time, doesn’t mean you should stop there.

No.

Not all.

It just likely means the you’re audience didn’t trust you.

Think about it:

People who read newspapers, read them every week.

Every word.

And if you show up in that paper announcing your great “offer” to help ease low back pain… chances are your going to encounter a little “skepticism”.

And rightly so.

“Where have you been all these years while
I’ve been reading this paper?”

(Is what they’re initially thinking).

And if it isn’t trust…

It’s that you’re offer isn’t compelling enough to make feel like they just HAVE to respond.

Either way, it’s easy to fix.

And what is near certain, is that if you make one or two minor improvements to your ad, you’ve done your research on who your audience is… the words that you use are compelling… and you KEEP on showing up, chances are you’ll strike GOLD with your ads.

How else could you explain why nearly everyone of my clients has experienced this “sorcery” for themselves.

See, it’s not uncommon for their “ads” in newspapers to do something like this:

* First ad does ok (maybe 6 calls)…

* Second ad, gets better (maybe 10).

* Third ad, BLOCKBUSTER (up to “45”)!

Now if we’d have stopped at ad 1 because it “only” got 6 calls…

… we may not have gotten to Ad 3 that got “45” calls and dozens of new patients.

My tip:

Move your clinic marketing from a series of “one hit wonder” ads… to implementing a clear marketing plan where your ads build on them selves, month on month – over a sustained period of time.

Accept that one or two individual ads will “fail”…

(It’s a near certainty).

But, if they’re ran as part of a much bigger, long term, very clear STRATEGY for marketing success – you’ll win in a much bigger way than you currently believe.

Trouble is, most business owners don’t think long term.

Do you?…

If so, go here next:

– Show Me How To Create A Marketing Plan That Works ! >

Sincerely,

Paul Gough.

Marketing: How Patients Make Decisions And Why “Free Screen” PT Adverts And Promotions Rarely Work For Attracting New Patients

by · 23rd July 2015

Lets do a little “psychology” lesson today…

Following is a typical conversation that people have, most nights.

In a nut shell, it explains away how each and every one of your potential patients make their decisions…

…and when you read it, you’ll soon realize why it’s near impossible to make “free screen” advertising work (unless you have a HUGE budget!) for your PT clinic.

Ready?

Here, we, GO :-

===

“Let’s do something tonight. What do you want to do? I don’t know, what do you want to do? I don’t know, you decide.

No, I decided last time. It’s your turn to decide.

Ok, lets go out to dinner. Awe, out to dinner AGAIN? Ok, lets go out to dinner.

Well, where do you want to go out to dinner? I don’t know, where do you want to go out to dinner? Well, what would you like to eat?

I don’t know, what do you want to eat? Well just pick something.

No, I picked something last time, you pick this time.

All right, lets go to the Italian. Oh Italian.

All right, so lets go get Italian. So where do you want to go get Italian.

I don’t know…”

===

And so it goes on.

And on.

And on!

(Sound familiar?…)

The point I’m raising in todays lesson?

If two people between them can’t decide what they’re going to eat and where they’re going to eat on a Friday night, are we really expecting these same people will make a decisive decision about their health, from seeing *one* advert?

A decision for which they know they have to pay a lot of money to make.

Commit time and effort to.

Hope they get right.

And, RISK looking (and feeling) like a fool if 12 visits later, their back pain is no better?…

See, decisive action isn’t in the hard wiring of your potential patients.

And is the number 1 reason why most adverts for a “free screen” at a PT clinic fail miserably.

The solution?

Simple.

Start by understand that most people don’t know how to make a decision.

So, help them.

Begin a relationship by offering to provide them with more information to help the decision making process feel less overwhelming.

Then, follow up.

Ask the right questions.

Build some TRUST (over a few phone calls, emails and with some direct mail).

And even put your own ego aside that says these people “should” already know the value of what a PT does.

(Because they don’t!)…

It’s why “Lead Generation” advertising works so well for small PT clinics like you and I.

And if you implement it at your clinic…

…you apply the rules faithfully, (and consistently) and you do so with a simple understanding of how people make decisions (…like I just described), then you’ve got yourself a game changing marketing strategy for your clinic.

One that means you can say “bye bye” to relying upon doctor referrals or paying for marketing that doesn’t work.

Want some help to get there faster?…

If so, start here and lets get to know each other before you ask me to work for you:

– Help Me Get A Real Marketing Strategy In My Clinic ! >

Sincerely,

Paul Gough.

Why The Physical Therapy Clinic Next Door Is Hurting Your Profits – Marketing Ideas.

by · 21st July 2015

There are many reasons why people won’t choose to see a Physical Therapist.

One is, they’ve been let down by another, less than satisfactory therapist who did not much to earn their “copay”, except for some “ultrasound” and a couple of minutes of exercise that could have been done in a local gym anyway.

Another is, their friends and family have had a very similar, less than satisfactory experience.

The result?

A “negative” opinion of PT – and we’re all affected by it!

Even though, we know, labelling all PT’s the same… is akin to comparing the meat from Mcdonalds, with that from “Morton’s”, people still do it.

Why they do it?

Because to protect our self from harm – we’re hard wired to say “no”, to just about anything (at first!).

Whats more, finding any excuse possible to avoid making a decision is something that we humans continuously do to avoid getting it wrong.

And because PT was “bad” before, we’re able to rationalize away from ever having to consider that decision, ever again.

(Some deep psychology there for you!)….

Why I bring it up?

Because it happened to a client of mine just this last week.

Here’s the story:

So we ran an advert in the local newspaper promoting a freebie report.

And many people called to request it (…”Lead Generation” at work).

But there was this one lady (from Scottsdale, Phoenix) who called the number to request the report, (looking for help with easing her low-back pain), and yet abruptly ended the call when the voice on the answer machine said “physical therapy clinic”.

So what happened next, was this:

Noticing no message had been left, my client re-dialed the number (we use call tracking) to ask why she didn’t leave a message.

Her answer?

“Because you’re a Physical
Therapist and I went to see
one of those before and it
did nothing for me”.

Irrational behaviour ?

Absolutely “yes”!

But, fortunately, also very predictable.

And to get this lady on side, all this owner had to do was find out what the other therapist had done (…or not done) in the past, and then clearly articulate why his services is “DIFFERENT”.

In this instance, his “ace card”, was “dry needling”.

This lady had never heard of it.

So when she was presented with the opportunity to try something “different”, she took it!

And within 2 hours – of her putting the phone down and not even being interested in a free report written by a PT – she’s booking an appointment to see one.

Surprised?

Don’t be.

I hear these stories all day long.

Both at my own clinic…

…And now in the clinics of the PT Owners I’ve implemented a “Lead Generation” strategy for.

This lady was “converted” simply because of a 10 minute “follow up” call.

Made possible by having the ladies contact details to be able to do it – and an understanding that if patients say “no”, it just means they have doubts that needed addressing, before they say “yes”!

Another example of why “free screen” adverts or promotions rarely ever work.

And even if they do “work”, my bet is that you’re missing out on a small fortune by ignoring all of the people who just aren’t ready to buy from you now… but who would if you just took the time to answer some questions.

Want to know more about how to do this in your clinic?…

Start here, with a “Strategy Call” with me where you and I will map out a plan for the success of your clinic:

– Yes! I Really Need To Stop Relying On Referrals From Doctors! >

Sincerely.

Paul Gough.

Omni-Presence – Why Most PT Marketing Fails.

by · 17th July 2015

In-cometh’ a question from “Long Beach” this week from a PT Owner interested in working with me.

Word for word, here’s what she said:

===

“I have to be honest with you Paul, I am being a little gun shy from my past experiences working with other PT business coaches and marketing consultants.

I spent thousands of dollars while not really making a return on investment. I implemented their tactics only to keep gaining new patients from my own efforts.

I need to be very thorough with what I am getting out of your service before jumping on board and knowing that it’s a good fit.

I never really questioned these past consultants before signing on so learning from my past mistakes, I have to be very thorough with you.

My question is simply, what makes your program so different?

Please be as specific and transparent as you can.”

– Andrea, Long Beach. (Ca).

===

Here’s what I wrote back:

…The reason why a lot of PT Marketing FAILS is because of something I call “one hit wonder” campaigns.

And what I mean by the that is the PT owner is often given a wonderful new “postcard” to send, or shown how to write a cool, new, very informative and “pretty” looking newsletter…

And he (or she) fires it out.

Hoping for the best.

(And expecting to have the phone ringing off the hook within days).

More:

This type of thing usually happens when the Owner is desperate for business.

It’s a case of… “the phone isn’t ringing” or “doctors ain’t referring, lets send out a newsletter!”.

Fine.

But the problem is that there’s NO clear “strategy” in place here.

No thought gone into how to use that newsletter to create an “omni-presence”, as part of a sustained, on going, relentless, never ending, multi-media campaign to rhythmically and constantly acquire new patients.

And so it doesn’t work.

No bodies fault.

Not the owner, nor the marketing “guru”.

It just wasn’t part of a bigger, marketing strategy.

The solution?

Instead of that newsletter offering yet another “free screen” (yawn!)…

It might work better if something like this was to happen:

***

Step 1.) Send the Newsletter with the OFFER of a FREE REPORT.

Step 2.) Ask the past patient (or friends or family) to go online to get it (easy).

Step 3.) Make them “opt-in”.

Step 4.) Collect their contact details.

Step 5.) Follow up with email.

Step 6.) Retarget on Facebook and Google.

Step 7.) Have your front desk give them a call.

Step 8.) Send out a postcard (maybe two) reminding them of the initial offer in the newsletter.

***

Now what you’ve just read is the NEW (2015!) way to ensure that your PT adverts or promotions bring a SIGNIFICANT return on investment.

Times are changing.

And the problem is that not many people actually do this (…or did it before they sold out)!

So it’s hard for them to teach.

How do I know how to do it?…

I’m doing it EVERY SINGLE day in my own practice “killing it”, selling against a completely free health care system.

If it sounds a lot of work…

It is.

But if you want what it offers (…an abundance of new patients and an end to worrying over a lack of “MD” referrals)…

…Then my advice is to just go get some help from someone whose *actually doing it*, to short cut the process.

(And as luck would have it…)

I’m waiting for you, here 😉 :

– Show Me The Strategy I Need To Make My Marketing Actually Work! >

Have a great weekend.

Sincerely.

Paul Gough. 

Facebook Marketing: Why Social Media Sucks For Selling Physical Therapy Appointments

by · 16th July 2015

Ever ran an advert or promotion on Facebook that didn’t work?

And now think that “social media” flat our just “sucks” for selling your PT services?

Well, it does!

(Suck!)

I’ve been saying it for years.

And yet, I make tons of money from advertising on it.

Confused?…

Ok, let me explain —

“A new report by marketing data outfit called “Custora” found that in the last four years, online retailers have quadrupled the rate of customers acquired through email (…using *Lead Generation*) to nearly 7%.

Facebook, over that same period, barely even registered as a way to make sales – and the tiny percentage of people who do connect and buy over Facebook has stayed flat”.

So said the anchor man on “CNN” recently.

News worthy?

Not for me.

Been saying it for years.

That social media is NOT for selling Physical Therapy.

That “likes” don’t pay the rent at the end of the month and no matter how good your “book an appointment today” promotion on Facebook is (…even if it’s free!), if you’re asking people for anything more than their contact details, you’re going to waste your hard earned advertising dollars.

And so it seems “email” – more than ever, is a vital “tool” in your PT marketing kit that you’re going to need to grow your practice.

Thing is, almost all business folks get that wrong, too.

Bad news for them as they waste mucho’ dollars (and time) on trying to get new customers using the wrong strategy.

Good news for me and my “Next Level” Coaching Program guys who are sharpening our “email” writing pencils, combining it with adverts and promotions that actually lead to sales on Facebook… and using the profits we make to re-invest in even more “new patient acquisition”.

(Marketing really is a simple game when you know rules).

So here’s the point:

Now.is.the.time.

To stop trying to be “liked” by everybody in your town.

Time to start writing one or two emails… put them into a “system” and pre-ceed those emails with a free “tips” report or something of perceived value to your ideal patients…

And, start building relationships with the many people out there, who are on Facebook, and who are currently suffering with some kind of pain or movement restriction that you can help them overcome.

Aka: “Lead Generation”.

I’ve long since used “Facebook” and email to generate new patients for my own business.

And I had suspected that my competition would catch on.

Have they?

Happily, not yet 😉

The guys in the PT industry who ARE making revenue from Facebook and email combined?…

They’re NOT my competitors.

They maybe yours though.

And they’re inside my “Next Level” group coaching program where I share my knowledge (…even write their emails and free reports for them) as well as reveal secrets and strategies for actually making sales on “social media”.

The cost to join?

Probably a lot less than those newsletters and patient re-activation postcards you keep on mailing each month that fail to bring any significant return on investment.

It’s 2015.

And time to catch up with the NEW ways of acquiring new patients.

Anyhoo.

That’s it for todays lesson.

If you want to know more about how to get more NP’s from “Facebook”, just let me know by filling out this form and I’ll help you implement the current best strategy:

– Show Me How To Get New Patients From Facebook ! >

I’ll “see you in your newsfeed”.

Sincerely,

Paul Gough.

P.S Note to physical therapist looking for Marketing Ideas…

Sign up to Pauls email list and get Marketing ideas and strategies for your pt clinic sent to you by email:

Click Here to Subscribe to Paul’s Marketing Tips Email List >>>

Why Most PT Clinic Marketing And Referral Programs Don’t Work

by · 14th July 2015

Comes a question from “Florida” about getting referrals:

===

“Paul – how would I go about
firing up a referral program
primarily online?”…

– Ramon, Miami.

===

The answer?

Start “off line”!

Let me explain:

See, a few years back now there was a distinct difference between advertising media that was primarily “online” (…Facebook, google etc), and media that was “offline” (…newsletters, postcards, flyers etc).

But now, the game has changed.

The two are now completely intertwined.

Meaning you CAN have one with out the other…

But, it’s much easier to get success if you use them both together.

An example would be something I create for my private clients called a “referral flyer”.

It’s akin to a “promo-card”… (just a bit bigger)… and instead of advertising the PT facility, it simply advertises a “Free Report” and can be physically given to patients when they arrive for treatment and or, placed inside envelopes that get mailed to their homes.

The “flyer” does NOT promote physical therapy in any way shape or form – only solutions to a common problem, such as “low-back pain”.

It conditions patients to tell patients about helpful INFORMATION.

So when “Betsy’s” friend complains of another bad night sleep thanks to low back ache – she’s able to tell her about this great new, easy to access, free report that will help her!

And the “referral flyer” directs people to a web-site or a free recorded message, to get it (the free report).

(Mixing online with offline)

And what happens when they get to the website?…

We collect their contact details in exchange for the free report.

Simple.

And the result?

A “relationship” has begun.

You have the contact details of someone with low back pain – the prospect has some valuable information on a problems they’re having and more than that, because you GAVE first, is now open to learning more about how you can REALLY help them. i.e in person at your PT clinic where the dollars are very soon to be exchanged!

Are more people likely to refer to you for information than appointments?

Absolutely “yes!”.

Not for debate.

And for the PT clinic that becomes the “go-to” place for trusted advice and information… the “riches” will undoubtedly follow!

To sum up todays lesson:

Asking people to refer their friends or family to you is hard.

You’re asking them to be a “salesman” for you and they have a LOT to lose if it doesn’t work out.

The answer to “how do I create a referral program” is, as always, found in the “relationship” with your patients.

And how you condition each one to recognise that you’re a trusted source of reliable information FIRST… and some one who is happy to give your knowledge away, BEFORE you get any dollars in return!.

If you can do that, I guarantee, you’ll.win.big.

Referral Flyers is just one of many ways to do it.

I can show you many more.

Let me know if you’re ready for some help with this type of thing by requesting a Strategy Call with me where we’ll map out a marketing plan for your clinic:

– Help Me Create An Unstoppable Referral Program At My Clinic ! >

Cheerio.

Paul Gough.

The New Way To Get More New Patients At Your PT Clinic – Without Relying Upon Doctor Referrals

by · 10th July 2015

If you’re NEW to Marketing your Physical Therapy Clinic, you might NOT be familiar with the term “Lead Generation”…

…but it’s an important one for you to know more about if you want to BOOST New Patients if doctor referrals are drying up… so please let me help you out with an explanation of what it is and why using it in your marketing could be a game changer for your clinic new patient numbers:

“Lead Generation” is simply running adverts with the sole goal of beginning a relationship with some one you can help.

In the beginning, you’re NOT asking for any money or an appointment in your ads.

No… You’re just going run adverts (in newspapers or magazines etc) with the sole intention of getting *contact details* so that you can have MULTIPLE attempts at following up on that initial enquiry – because not enough people know enough about pt and are ready to say “yes” straight away.

Why does this method work so well for pt’s in particular?

Well, it’s because in society there’s just too much confusion over what a pt actually does.

Some people think we only help sports people, others think it’s all about exercises or machines and most people with back pain think of a chiropractor before a pt – yet we’re just as able to help (if not more, given we get to the root cause of the problem!)

And because Direct Access is just as confusing for pt’s as it is patients, the smartest thing to is just forget about both completely in your ads.

Don’t try to explain who you are or what you do…

And most definitely do NOT try to explain the laws of direct access in ANY adverts or on your website.

Why?

Well, people are not really interested in it – and if you do highlight how easy it is for people to go and see a pt, you also run the risk of advertising on behalf of your competitors across the street who might see a bump in their referrals as result of your “it’s easy to self-refer to see a pt” style adverts (!!).

So, Lead Generation means you’re NOT asking for the person reading your adverts to call and book an appointment – you’re only asking for people to call your clinic and request something of perceived value to them (that you’re happy to give in exchange for contact details).

Now, that something of perceived value could be a “How To” style pdf or report that you’ve wrote containing your best advice to help some one recover from, say, “back pain” (or knee pain, etc).

Something that might look like this:

Marketing ideas for pt's

(This report ^ is the EXACT one I use for my own clinics marketing when I want to get the attention and contact details of people with back pain).

Now, you might be thinking that if people call to request FREE advice, they won’t go on to become a patient?

Well, there’s no need to worry about that, and here’s why:

No body really wants to do this on their own… they initially just think they do but are just too confused, unsure and even frightened of getting the decision wrong to actually pick up the phone and call a pt to book a pt appointment.

The fear of the unknown stalls most people from doing just about everything!

Advertising free appointments works for Chiropractors because 9 out of 10 people on the street would know that those guys specialise in back or neck pain.

So they almost automatically go and see one if they have either – simply because they know everyone else does – and all chiropractors have to do to help the referral process along is provide their phone number in the local newspapers.

But, unfortunately it’s not like that with physical therapy.

And when people are unsure, confused, skeptical, or even nervous about a decision that could result in both time and money wasted – not mention embarrassment about calling the wrong place – then they will do NOTHING!

It’s just too big of a step for most people to “cold call” a pt clinic and book an appointment right off the back of seeing an advert in a newspaper or google.

You’ve got to first earn their trust…

Give them a little hope and a reason to respond to your advert that isn’t going to cost them in either time or money – and give people a “lower barrier to entry”.

Give them what I call a “little win” (by following the tips in the report so they can see for themselves your advice works) and make it super easy for them to reach out to you with their resistance levels lowered.

And a free tips report which offers some expert advice on how to ease their pain WITHOUT any commitment needed (financially or in time) does both.

And of course, one of your tips is to visit your clinic 😉

So here’s how to make this Lead Generation strategy work for boosting self referrals even in a small town crowded by chiropractors:

If you run an advert in the local newspaper and promise a free tips report on ways to end back pain – the only people who call are people with what?…

That’s right, “BACK PAIN”.

(Or whatever pocket of people you want to target).

And so when they’re on the phone telling you all about their back pain troubles, why don’t you simply drop into the conversation that “you help people like them every day at your pt clinic?”

Explain how easy it is to “self refer”.

Maybe offer a free first visit.

And make it almost impossible for them to say no by offering to diagnose their problem (everyone wants to know what’s wrong!) and promise to provide much more specialist advice and hope for the future, if they come for a free visit to your clinic?

Explain that no referral from a doctor is needed.

Thats there’s no insurance or payment forms to sign and they’d be under no obligation to book any appointments after that first session?

Do you think that one or two might say “yes”?

Of course they would!

Having a conversation on the phone with someone is way cheaper than trying to explain all of this in an advert, or even on a website, as it can often and so very easily be mis-interpreted.

So know you know that the goal of your advert was simply to get the phone ringing off the hook with people wanting information about a problem that you know how to solve.

An example of how the dollars might stack up:

If a quarter page advert costs $300-400 to run, and your initial upfront patient value is “$1000”, then even just 2 people who “YES” is a very healthy immediate NET profit return of $1600 on your advertising.

But it gets better.

Because you’ll also get people who call and say “not right now thanks”, to your offer of pt.

But they are still somewhat interested and have a need for your skills.

So, what do you do with those people?

Well most clinic owners do nothing.

But those people are where the REAL gold is.

And all you have to do is put them put them into a follow up system… and continue to keep in touch with them using things like email, telephone calls and direct mail – providing the prospective patient with more information so that they can make a better, more educated decision about pt – as most times all that is holding them back is they just want to know a bit more first i.e. you need to earn their trust!

Some of the people who originally said no will “yes” within a week, others, maybe 30 days or so!

And as a general rule of thumb, the longer you stay in touch, by sending emails or direct mail, the more likely they will say “yes”.

After all…

WE know that chronic lower back pain isn’t going to go away unless it gets looked at properly — just stay in touch until they’ve realised it too and the patient decides for them self that pt IS the right choice to make 😉

So there you go – a proven strategy to boost self referrals at your pt clinic.

Paul Gough
Founder at the PT Profit Academy.

Click Here To Get Regular Tips To Boost Self-Referrals Sent To You >>>

P.S I say it’s PROVEN, because it is…

And just incase you think “this strategy won’t work for me in my state”… Talk to my client “Oliver Patalinghug” over at Restore PT LLC in Michigan – a state which has THE strictest Direct Access Laws in the whole of the United States…

…we made this precise lead generation strategy for him work to deliver a continuous stream of hot new patients that come to him first – and then HE decides which doctor to send them to for the necessary referral.

If it can work EVEN IN Michigan, it will work for you, too. 

Click Here To Get Regular Tips To Boost Self-Referrals Sent To You >>>

How To Get More Referrals From Past Patients Using Helpful Information As The Bait.

by ·

This is for PT’s who don’t get as many referrals from happy patients as they think they should.

You know how it goes…

Patient comes to see you with a problem and within a few weeks you’ve solved it.

You take them (with your PT skills) from a deep, dark, turbulent place where life is painful and restricted…

…over to a much nicer place, where the sun shines and the water is clear and calm.

And by the end of their “POC”, they’re telling you how happy they are with your service.

That they’ll tell everyone about what you do.

How great you are.

And that they even have one or two friends who they’re going to tell should come and see you.

But do they come?

Not always.

In fact, I’d wager that if you worked out the number of people who your happy patients tell about you Vs the ratio who actually call you, the numbers would be below 1%.

So how come?

Simples.

Telling people to go some where like a PT clinic comes at a high risk.

What if it affects their friendship if it goes wrong?

What if they don’t get as good a result?

What if they say the WRONG things about what you really do?

(PT is painful at times remember!)…

But the big thing, is this:

After they leave your care, the level of “love” and motivation that they have to want to please you, significantly drops.

Very easy for someone who’s leaving your care on high at the end of their session to promise they’ll return the favour and help you out.

Thing is, we’re often a “fickle” and “forgetful” bunch.

Life transpires to get in the way of our good intentions.

The solution?

Make it easy for past patients to refer people to you for “information”.

Helpful, tips or advice based information that lets you begin a relationship with your patients friends or families, first.

Create a system in your clinic that ensures all patients are able to, at the very least, tell their friends about where to get reliable information on “back pain” (…or whatever).

Being the “go-to” place for trusted information is an easier thing for your past patients to tell their friends about than telling them to call to make an appointment.

And for many of the same reasons why this type of thing works to attract completely new patients to your clinic (from media like Facebook and Postcards), it sure works just as well (if not better) for getting referrals from past patients.

Sure… your current referrals will still continue to come in.

But this will give them a significant boost.

Which would be nice, right?

Well, want some help to create a more effective referral system in your clinic?

Just let.me.know, here:

– Yes! I Want More Referrals From Past Patients! >

Have a great weekend.

Paul Gough.

P.S This is just one of the many things I’m working on with other owners just like you in my (Area) Exclusive “Next Level Coaching Program”… if you want the details, just HIT REPLY and lets talk

Email Marketing: What They’re Not Telling You About How Easy It Is To Get Referrals From Past Patients.

by · 7th July 2015

Comes an email from a PT Owner asking about my email strategy:

===

“Paul… I’ve been following your emails for sometime now… I look froward to reading what you have to say and consider you to be very generous with information you give away.

I note recently you have mentioned “email marketing” as a means for getting past patients to come back to your clinic.

I’m curious about the open rates you get – just I keep hearing that email marketing is dying and I believe that less and less people are opening their emails these days due to the excess volume we all receive.

Keep up the great work.

– Dylan. PT. Washington State.

===

First up…

Let me say the that “irony” is NOT lost on me that someone is questioning the effectiveness of email marketing – by replying/responding to my email marketing.

Untitled design-8

Go figure.

Anyhoo.

About the open rate thing.

First up, it’s pretty irrelevant.

Let me explain:

The only thing that I’m ever interested in when I send out emails to past patients is the response that I get.

Now, I NEVER sell directly in an email.

All that I’m looking to do is to get a handful of people to show an interest in a particular topic that I’m writing about – say, an article I’ve written on ways to ease “back pain”.

At this stage … most of the “clickers” (on the article) they have NO intention what so ever of calling me.

They’re just looking.

Inside the “store” (so to speak)…

…holding the dress or shirt out in front of them, but not really serious about buying it!

Yet.

But, when I note the interest, my follow up goes to work.

And with a little help of a few more emails and one or two phone calls – in the end, how ever long it takes, we get the referral.

And as a happy by-product of this strategy…

We will ALWAYS get a call from a past patient who reads the post, remembers he has back pain, and just calls the clinic.

And will often say something like this:

“When I got your email, it was like a “sign”
that I needed to do something about
my back pain…”

Well, guess what… it was!

A sign from me that I’m here, my phone line still works and I know how to solve the problem that you’re having.

And about the open rate “dropping” thing.

People who tell you email marketing doesn’t work are usually trying to sell you on something else – such as direct mail.

But here’s what they won’t tell you:

The open rate for people aged 50+ is actually going UP.

(Not down).

It’s now the most common way that people aged 50+ communicate with each other and it’ll likely stay that way.

Open rates in GENERAL are going down because the “millennials” (…and people in their 30’s trying to be “cool”) are using everything BUT email to communicate with each other.

Those guys wouldn’t dream of sending an email or opening one unless everything else failed.

Good news is, those guys are NOT your ideal patients.

(They don’t have the cash nor do they value their health enough to invest in it regularly).

To sum up todays lesson… email marketing is likely to be an ever increasing “secret” weapon in your arsenal to boost sales at your clinic.

If, you chose to implement it.

“Spy” on how I do it, if you like??..

Here’s a secret link that lets you onto my “past patient” email list:

www.paulgoughphyio.com/free-tips
Just enter your name and email …

…and you’ll get to see how I “work” my list to keep the people on it entertained, healthy and happy to come back and see me – all in 500 words or less.

Sincerely,

Paul Gough.

Another MD Who Won’t Be Sending Referrals To ANY PT Clinic

by · 6th July 2015

Ever pulled into a “Truck Stop” for diesel or fast food and had the opportunity to get an appointment with an “MD”?…

Not something you’d expect to have the chance to do, right?

Well, you would if you were travelling up and down the I-81 of Virginia.

See, there’s a small town doc over there who INSTEAD of “selling out”, taking a job at the mega hospitals (no doubt buying up everything in site in your town too), has positioned himself to be the answer to a currently “UNDER-SERVED” group of patients.

I.e “Truck Drivers”.

Instead of expecting these often “busy”, long haul truck drivers to come to him, he’s decided to go directly to them.

(An Xtreme example of direct to consumer marketing and sales).

The result…

Dr.Marsh is often paid in “cash”, has very FEW insurance hassle or headaches, and never has to worry about where his next patient is coming from.

Why?

Two reasons:

1.) He has an abundant (meaning more than he can handle) supply of truck drivers wanting his expert services (…therefore he can confidently do business on HIS terms and charge his prices!).

2.) He’s positioned him self as the “go-to-doc” for a currently UNDERSERVED group of people.

The point?

Here it is:

There’s TONS of pockets of people out there in your town who are currently UNDERSERVED.

And it’s easier than EVER to create your own abundant supply of these “underserved” people desperately hoping for someone to offer them the help they WANT.

And all that you have to do to get their business is STOP advertising your PT services…

… STOP thinking that what people want is an end to Back/knee/neck Pain (they don’t!)…

…and START positioning yourself as the only PT in town who solves the problems that these people REALLY want some help with.

You know the ones…

Things like: being able to walk further for longer, stand in line at the shops (with LESS back ache), play on the floor with Grandkids, or even make it round 18 holes of golf without using a “buggy”.

Those are the things that people WANT.

(What they NEED, is an end to back pain to be able to do it).

Problem is…

People don’t always want to pay for what they really NEED.

Show them how you can give them what they WANT (via your marketing), and like the “MD” in the Truck Stop on the I-81, they’ll come to you in their droves, purses and wallets already out open, chip and pin number at the ready – willing and able to pay their copay.

Just ask any of my clients in my Next Level Group Coaching Program.

(You’ll get to meet them all when you join us).

We’re talking about things like this on a now DAILY basis – meaning the results they’re getting are happening quicker than a speeding truck driver trying to get home for lunch.

Want to know more about it?

Ok, well, you gotta’ tell me more about what you WANT first.

Do that here:

– Yes! I’m Interested In Taking My PT Clinic To The Next Level ! >
Talk to you soon.

Paul Gough.

P.S I read about this Doc’ in the Washington Post when in D.C last month on my extended “work-action” visiting some of the clinics of the PT Owners I help… mixing that with a nice break with my family.

(It’s a nice way to work…)

Here’s a picture of me and my boy “Harry” (…in his “New York Knicks” kit) outside of the White House at sun set, hoping to get a glimpse of the President.

whouse photo

Didn’t see him though…

(Maybe he was out playing another round of golf himself 😉

An Independence Day Firework Display of Love (…For Your Past Patients!)

by ·

Meanwhile…

As most PT Owners head back to their clinics today to *wait* for referrals to arrive from doctors…

…one owner I know is busy scheduling the past patients he emailed over the weekend offering them a chance to come back and see him.

His reason for emailing and making his past patient list an offer (of claiming a limited number of free sessions this week…)

Simple.

“Independence Day!”

Why not?

What better “excuse” to show an Independence Day firework style display of LOVE (…and appreciation) to your past patient list, than on the 4th of July, with an offer offer a free “screen” to check over any nagging back or knee pain (…or whatever!)?…

Everyone else is doing something like it.

(Why should you miss out on the extra revenue in your business?)

And guess what…

It worked!

Here’s the word for word message my client (in California) sent me yesterday:

===

“Paul… I sent the email
at 10.15am.

By 10.18am I had the first one
(past patient) ask if I they
could have one of the
sessions.

Got him on the schedule right away!”…

===

Anyhoo.

The point?

There’s sooooooo many ways that you can quickly and easily re-activate past patients and boost revenue at your clinic.

And often times it’s much quicker, cheaper and easier to do it than you think (…or others are telling you!)

Like “email”, for example.

See, with email it’s easy to react to topical things happening in the news and create your own “promotion!”

An example:

I know if my clinic was the other side of the pond… the first thing I’d be doing today is making a big push to target FEMALE SOCCER players in my marketing, with an irresistible offer to make contact with my clinic.

Why?

Because they’re likely to be on a HIGH this week after winning the ladies world cup last night.

Right now (…and for the remainder of the summer) women soccer players are likely to be more MOTIVATED than ever to want to play at their best.

And what’s the one thing that will get in the way of those ladies playing at their best?

That’s right… “injuries”.

That said, why not shape your newsletters, emails and or past patients postcards to target this group of people… and make it easy for them to get fitter, quicker, than “Carli Llloyd” scored her first two goals against Japan last night!…

(In less than 5 mins!).

Anyhoo.

Finding your own supply of new patients is actually really simple.

Easier than it’s ever been.

That said, if you’ve spent the last 10 years inside your treatment room working all day as a practitioner treating patients… I can understand why you might feel as though you’ve lost touch with all of these new ways to market your practice.

That’s why my “Next Level Group Coaching” Program would be perfect for you.

There’s a “Facebook Secret Group” full of success hungry owners from all parts of the U.S already onboard with me… and we’re talking through strategies like this on a DAILY basis.

It’s the next.big.thing in PT Practice Marketing (…and Sales) and we want to know when you’re going to join us all?…

Apply in time, here:

– Tell Me More About How I Get To The Next Level ! >

Be quick.

Just 3 new Owners per month and if some other PT from your town gets in first, the doors get locked shut!

Sincerely,

Paul Gough.

Note to physical therapist looking for Marketing Ideas. >>

Sign up to Pauls email list and get Marketing ideas and strategies for your PT clinic sent to you by email:

Click Here to Subscribe to Paul’s Marketing Tips Email List >>>

Confessions Of A Loss Of Sales From My Own Physical Therapy Clinic

by · 3rd July 2015

Ever noticed a drop off in the number of people who don’t follow through on your POC?…

Ever blamed “they don’t have the money” or heard your therapy staff saying “they say it’s too expensive” as the reason why it’s happening?…

Well, I noticed something similar beginning to creep into my own clinic these last few weeks.

Here’s the story:

So we offer “prescription foot orthotics” to any of our patients who needed them to aid recovery and or prevent future problems.

And they’re not cheap.

The equivalent of $600 a pair and the profit margin is HUGE for us.

Even better, they really do make a difference to people with low back pain, knee pain, flat feet, etc.

The problem we run into is that the government funded health care service in Britain (the NHS), also offers what look like “orthotics”.

And even though they’re nothing like the “made to measure” ones that we offer in terms of their success – patients will often tell us they’ll try the freebie NHS first.

And so over the last few weeks, more and more patients were doing just that.

Hurting our sales and jeopardising their own health choosing to opt for the “crappy” inserts given to them free.

(They rally are bad!).

So here’s what I did:

In our weekly “con-ed” meeting on Wednesday, I asked every therapist to explain to me the reason “why” I should invest in a $600 per of orthotics (and not get the freebie ones off the government).

A.k.a “role play”.

We do tons of it.

Here’s some of the responses I got from my staff (as I played patient):

* “They’ll stop you from suffering again”.

* “They’ll make sure pain doesn’t come back”.

* “They’ll re-align your body so that your bones and joints are in the right place”.

Yawn. Yawn. Yawn… And so my therapists went on.

Giving me different (but still boring!) versions of the same “prevention of pain” line hoping it would motivate me enough to buy.

Thing is, it rarely does.

Despite what we’ve been taught… very few people are motivated enough to invest in prevention of pain.

What does motivate the patient?

“Value alignment”.

Clearly articulating how these, what seem to be expensive (and must be paid in cash!), orthotics can help solve their real problems.

Something like…

===

“And if you want to be able to get round that golf course and continue to play 18 holes of golf for another 15 years Mr Smith, my recommendation is that you invest in a pair of prescription orthotics that will help you to do so.

I appreciate that you have another (free) option, but it’s my absolute duty to inform you that although they might look like our orthotics, the ones you will get from the NHS will, in my experience, not be the ones will help you to do that.

How would you like to pay?”

==

…Would probably work better!

The difference?

It’s about their “why!”.

(Why I’m “REALLY” here!).

Thing is…

“Prevention” is way to hard to sell.

Most of your patients… they can’t see into the future to imagine what life will be like if they don’t take your advice.

All they care about is getting out of pain or being more active in the NOW.

Anyway, the result of the chat I had with my therapists?

An immediate bump in sales.

Want some help to get more people to follow through on your POC?

Start here if you do:

Show Me How To Get More Patients To Agree To My POS! >

Have a great weekend 4th of July weekend 😉

Sincerely

Paul Gough.

Relationship (…And Marketing) Advice For Physical Therapists.

by · 2nd July 2015

Let’s talk about “relationships”.

No, not the “romantic” kind…

…but the ones that you (should) be building with the endless number of people in your community, currently “suffering” with something that you can help.

And I’ll do it at the same time as sharing with you some extra-ordinary results (just in!) from members of my “Next Level Group Coaching Program” for PT’s which is now in full swing.

First, a question:

“If I could write you and advert that got “36” people currently suffering with chronic lower back, (who all live just minutes from your clinic), to call your clinic… how confident would you be of being able to get say, even just “10” of them, to come for treatment with you?…

Very?…

Sure you would.

Any PT with a little authority could.

(And what difference would it make your profits?…)

Well, “36” people (and climbing) called the office of Intecore PT (Ca) this week in response to my carefully written advert.

(Yes, “36”!… And I know what you’re thinking… “how” did he do it?…)

Well, all I had to do was figure out a way to *motivate* people to call… and I did that by offering “information” in the form of a quick and easy to consume free report which promised to help people with low back pain, and “BOOM”, they started to call in their droves!

And so “Andrew”, the owner, he now gets the chance to begin a relationship with all those people and show them why HIS therapy service is the logical next step to ease their concerns.

(Wont take him long).

Now let me take you over to “Arizona”…

And talk to you about another owner in my group from Canyon PT.

He’s been with me for 3 weeks now.

And in that time, the Marketing that we’ve done has generated “25” enquiries at his clinic.

It gets better:

“16” of those enquiries (inside three weeks!) agreed to an Evaluation at his clinic and most went on to be a paying patient.

Even better:

We did it by sending out just 4 emails to his past patient list, running one newspaper advert, and by spending just $140 dollars on a Facebook Ad.

The result?…

Almost $20,000 worth of business.

Now that’s what happens when you have great marketing AND great sales in place.

Want to know what I loved about this story the most?…

Of the 16 initial enquires who said yes to an Evaluation, “5” said “no” to treatment.

Want to know what the owner did after they said “no”?

He followed up… and got back on the phone two days later to continue the relationship… and “3” of them said yes.

The point?

Almost all patients are conditioned to want to say “NO” (not right now) in the beginning.

Successful marketing is simply about building relationships with the people in your community who are DESPERATE for help, but who right now are just a little fearful of making the wrong decision so chose to make no decision, and accept it!

Saying:

“Hey, lets get to know each other first… and when you’re ready, we’ll be happy to have you by our clinic to show you some more about what we do…”.

(Rather than, “book now!”)

Nothing much more too it.

Alright, “relationship” lesson over for today.

Must get back to my coaching group guys…

We’re all having a great time sharing our “wins”.

Want to join us?…

If so, lets get to know each other first to see if we’re a good fit:

– Yes! I Want Results Like This Too! >

Area Exclusivity applies.

(So please be quick to decide).

Sincerely,

Paul Gough.

The New Way To Market And Grow A Physical Therapy Clinic

by · 30th June 2015

Did another “Radio” interview yesterday.

My third in 7 days.

And the exposure that I’ve gotten… and the “expert status” that is perceived from doing such live, on-air interviews – has been nothing short of “explosive” for my clinic.

This one was BIG.

I made it onto the “BBC”…

Radio Tees Image

(Turn on images to see your pic).

…which is the UK’s premier radio station and the average age of the people listening to the show was “50”.

The IDEAL target audience for me.

I was on there to talk about the launch of my new book “The Healthy Habit”.

Amongst other things… one of the questions the radio presenter asked me, was this:

“Paul… Why did you write
this book?”.

Straight forward question.

But I had a couple of answers.

The one I gave him “on-air”, was this:

“I want to help people in their 50’s and 60’s to make better decisions about their health – I think there is so much mis-information out there that too many people are deciding to do nothing and accept pain and restriction in their life, when really, it’s a often a simple case of “do this, but don’t do that”…

Reasonable answer to his question?

I thought so, too.

And LASER targeted to the people listening to the show WHO I want to be calling my clinic some time soon.

But it’s the answer that I gave him “OFF AIR”… that is most interesting to YOU and your PT clinic.

See, my new book… it’s a “LEAD GENERATION” tool.

Meaning, the SOLE purpose that I went to the lengths to write a 60,000 word book was so that I could make a million dollars from it — without selling a single copy of it!

See, I’m now positioned as a “trusted author” in the health field.

Which immediately lifts me above my competition and allows me to charge even higher prices than I already do and makes issues like copay or deductibles, well, just go away!…

But where I make the real money on writing a book like this is when we give it away FREE to new leads and potential customers.. and have those customers give it to friends and relatives, who end up calling my clinic.

“Cha—ching”!!!

Take this scenario for example:

Just yesterday, one of my clients over in California got “27” new leads from an advert we ran in a Sunday newspaper (yes, “27”!) – and all we did was offered some free information on ways to ease back pain.

Now, one of the ways to move 50% of these people even closer to his treatment room more quickly, could be to offer them some more information – as a gesture of even more goodwill, building even more trust.

Now imagine how those leads would feel knowing that my client had written that same book they were getting into bed to read each night?

Impressed?

You betcha’!

More likely to want to hand over $500 in copay or pay the excess in full for his services?

Absolutely.

Why?

Because of one simple thing called “trust”.

Something that is granted immediately when they see your name and face on a published book.

Anyhow.

The point?

“Information” is what people crave these days.

They NEED it before they make decisions.

(Just like you!)

And positioning yourself as the leading provider of trusted information is now the NEW way to grow a PT business.

And it gets better:

When you learn how to “re-purpose” all of the great content and information that you sit down to write…

…you can write it once, and get paid out on it multiple times over, for the rest of your life.

Want to know how I do it?

Ok then, take a look at this:

– Investigate Your Opportunity To Quickly Become A Trusted Celebrity Expert! >

On here I show you the same short cut I took to writing a book that simultaneously boosted new visitors to my clinic web site, attracted more clients than I could handle, AND, even landed me TWO weekly columns in the local newspapers as a result.

…and best, it only took me 30 minutes per WEEK to do!

– Investigate Your Opportunity To Quickly Become A Trusted Celebrity Expert! >

Maybe I’ll see you on the Radio? 😉

Sincerely,

Paul Gough.

Why It’s Wrong To Assume Patients Know What They Want From PT.

by · 26th June 2015

“Success in PT is about giving people what they want”…

That’s what one (awesome) PT told me this week during a strategy call.

Would you agree?
.
.
.
.

Maybe?

I didn’t.

Not one bit.

See, I’m 110% convinced that most patients have no clue what so ever why they’re coming for therapy.

(Hence why so many are so difficult to keep on schedule!)

And I say this in my own clinic, to my own staff, that it’s the job of the therapist to clearly determine the “why”.

Sure, they’ll tell you it’s for back pain etc etc, but it’s much more than that.

Way more.

Let me explain it like this:

You walk into a TV store at your local shopping mall… and you’re ADAMANT that you want a 42”, Sony Plasma TV…

And that your budget is $1000.

Now what will happen is that MOST sales people, will sell it to you.

Why wouldn’t they?

You told them that’s what you want.

But, what if the sales person stopped to ask you just a couple of questions BEFORE the purchase…

Just to make REAL sure that you’re going to get what you really NEED!…

(Not just what you currently think you want!).

Questions like:

* “Do your kids like to play video games, Sir?”

* “Do you like to watch action movies and have the volume up loud?”

Or,

* “Do you love to watch baseball and NFL… and is watching it in the clearest possible picture, really important to you?”…

And once he has the answers to those questions…

It’s then HIS job… as the expert on selling TV’s.. to ETHICALLY tell the customer that the purchase he’s about to make, isn’t the one he needs.

Even, tell the customer that he’d be much better off ordering the panasonic TV with surround sound and HD, that is $400 more expensive…

But if he did, he would leave the shop a LOT happier – even though he paid MORE!…

The point?

As therapists we ASSUME that what patients want, is what they tell us.

The problem is, they have no idea what we can REALLY do for them.

Just like the guy in this story wanting a new tv…

…he would have no clue that there is a specialist TV for his needs – or given any though to what his REAL needs are – as the average consumer assumes they’re all the same.

(How most people see PT).

Yet when it’s pointed out that more specialist options exist – ones to suit is CORE desires and based on a TRUE understanding of the customer – the more he is happy to PAY.

The relevance to you and your team?…

Learn how to ask the RIGHT questions.

Spend an extra minute really trying to GET the people you serve at their core level.

Then offer *specialist* PT solutions to your now emotionally charged patients.

Figure out how… and you’ll kiss good bye to problems called “copay” and “deductibles”.

Want to know how you do it?…

Easy.

Get some one to teach you more Powerful “Prescription Strategies”…

I’m waiting here, to teach you:

– Yes! I Want To Boost My PT Income Without Finding More Patients ! >

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Paul Gough.