1. Identify a target audience to which you want to market.



You cannot market to the world, so choose an audience which you know has a need for, and could derive great benefit from, your services. Consider who you truly enjoy working with, and what your special service strengths are. Then, identify your ideal clients: those who need your services, are easy to find, have the means to make the decision to use physical therapy services, and whose problem your services will solve.

2. Research your target audience to understand what they want and need.

In your research, find answers to these questions:

---what keeps your target audience from enjoying life fully

---what is your target audience afraid of

---what are their top three frustrations

---what trends are occurring in their businesses and lives

---what do they desire most

---where do they typically go for help?

When you have answers to these questions, you'll know how to market to your target audience, what to say to them, where to reach them, and how you can help them.

3. Make sure people know about you.

The most common reason private physical therapy practices do not have business coming through their doors is simply because people do not know about them. Tell everyone you know, personally and professionally, what you are doing, and ask for their help.

Begin by making a list of everyone you know, not only your professional connections, and send out an informative email, or pick up the telephone and call them. Tell them about your recent initiatives, new achievements, and new target market.

4. Create an identity for your practice and then share it with others.

Build your reputation with an identity that is your very own, unique to you. Don't waste time and money on advertising and marketing without having an identity that is interesting and engaging, so that it will attract people to you.

Here are some key steps you can take in creating an identity for your private practice:

A. Think about your practice's identity in the same way as you do your personal identity.

Describe your practice using these points:

What you do.....target audience, equipment, programs

Who you are.....name, location convenience, achievements, history

Your staff/team.....special skills, training, unique offerings

What you believe in.....mission, policies

What others say about you.....testimonials

Who your associates are.....MD recommendations, community, partners

B. Now answer these questions:

--What do your clients/patients want from you?

--What is unique about what you offer? What is your edge?

--What are you passionate about offering?

--Who are you passionate about serving?

You now have an identity! Creating an identity can make a real difference to your level of success.

5. Market your services with your existing clients and ask for their referrals.

In addition to having a target audience, client referrals are at the top of the list of marketing strategies. Here's a secret about clients who refer to you: the person who refers once can and will refer many more people, many more times if motivated to do so. This is such an easy strategy and a fast way to get clients. Try it.

Be sure to give recognition and appreciation to your clients who refer. Sending a quick thank-you note or making a telephone call will show your appreciation. This should be done right away. If your clients continue referring, you could send some type of thank- you gift as your appreciation. The client who refers once and fails to get recognition and appreciation will likely never say anything to you but will say to others that they sent you a client and never got as much as a thank you. He'll never refer again.

Spend your non-billable hours with the prospects that matter most. Make your business building hours more productive by applying these five easy-to-implement strategies, and watch your client referrals and revenues double.