Shark Tank (Part 2) : Why The Need For A Physical Therapy Marketing Plan?

by · 9th June 2015

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There I was watching watching “Shark Tank” last night…

It’s a show I love to watch (and learn from).

But I’m NOT interested in the “entertainment” value of the show like most…

No, I’m watching it with the sole purpose of listening to the types of questions the “Sharks” ask BEFORE they ever consider investing in an idea or business.

I consider those questions to be like “clues”.

Indicators of what multi-million dollar, hugely wealthy business owners consider vital to a successful business.

And of all of the guys on the show, “Kevin O’Leary” is the one I’m listening out for the most.

I like his style.

No-nonsense, tells it like it is…

And never holds back from asking the questions that need to be asked to ensure that he’s about to make the right decision – whether that be making an “offer”, or yelling “I’m out!”.

And one of the questions “Kevin” asks almost every time, is this:

“What’s your marketing plan?”

It’s as if he needs to know that before he’ll go any further.

Meaning, I don’t care how good of an idea you have… or think you have… if you don’t have a plan to take this to market – “I want out!”…

It’s because he knows that there’s a lot more to a product or service than just thinking you’re good and that people should buy from you.

(Doesn’t work that way in any industry).

The significance for PT’s?…

I see many clinic owners placing the future of their business in jeopardy by thinking that their service is the “best” PT in town …and that will be enough.

(If only).

Bad news is, it doesn’t work that way.

No way.

In fact, I find thinking this way is almost always an attempt to hide from the harsh reality that they need a real marketing plan, to go any further.

Now…

The owners who are great at service delivery, they usually do “ok”.

They get by…

Make a nice profit for the first few years or so but then what happens is profits begin to “flatline”.

And that’s the biggest indicator that there’s “no marketing plan” in place at a PT clinic.

And when that happens – it’s a sign the owner has exhausted all of the “ready to buy now” patients and is essentially living day by day, ’hand to mouth’ – hoping and praying that enough people will go an see their doctors to get a referral TODAY!

But the ones who get to the Next Level – and stay there – are the ones that recognise what’s going on…

A ceiling has been hit.

That’s it!

And what ever worked in the past to get to that ceiling… isn’t going to get them to the next one.

Enter “Lead Generation”….

It’s a *marketing plan* that creates a pipeline of potential patients who are “interested” and looking for a “solution”, but NOT ready to “buy right now”.

But, if your “marketing plan” consists of finding and then providing that person with more information to help them make a better decision about PT – then your potential patient will come to their own logical conclusion that you are the right place to go.

Sure… it may take a few weeks.

A couple of phone calls to ask “are you still suffering?”…

Maybe even one or two pieces of direct mail showing some success stories of how you’ve been able to help other people, just like them…

But if you do all of that…

You’ve got yourself an unbeatable system for generating your own patients and you will be rewarded handsomely, in the long run.

It’s a fun way to run a clinic too…

Much less stressful and brings in more compliant patients… and is so much better than being at the mercy of a couple of doctors likely to sell out (to the big hospitals) as soon as the price is right.

Anyway…

If you want some help to get to that point, give me a sign that you’re ready, by filling out this form:

Show Me How To Get My Clinic To The Next Level!

Sincerely,

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.
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