Physical Therapy Advertising Is A Lot Like Dieting...
Lots Of Advice, But You're The One Who Actually Has To Make It Work
For most PTs, deciding to advertise is challenging enough, but ultimately, the challenge is not deciding IF you should advertise, but HOW to get your advertising dollars to translate into CASH (Yes, this really can be done by PTs).
With advertising, like dieting, deciding to start is just the beginning of the success formula - the remaining work requires knowledge, discipline, and an unshakable belief in the path chosen. But even with the right knowledge and lots of discipline, if you don't have that unshakable belief, chances are the program will be over as soon as you face your first setback.
There are two basic sides to your strategy; one side is your content, and the other your tactics. Your content is what you say and how you say it. Your tactics are where you say it, or the medium that you choose to deliver your content.
Your content needs to do three things: 1) Capture the attention of your target audience, 2) provide important and relevant information for the intended audience, and 3) give them a low risk way to take the next step in the information gathering that facilitates their decision.
Think of your tactics this way - you need to choose the media that most efficiently reaches your target audience. For example, how would you choose to communicate with 450 of your most important potential referral sources?
a) Broadcast ads
b) Executive letters
c) Lunch meetings
If you chose b, we think you've made the right choice. As far as broadcast goes, not only is that unecessary to reach a definitive list of physicians, but it doesn't work as well as either b or c. If you chose c, lunch meetings, let me ask you this - how long will it take and how much will it cost to have lunch with 450 physicians? With executive letters, you can communicate with the entire list with frequency, at a tiny fraction of the cost, never leave the office, and if your content is well crafted you WILL get RESULTS.
For those who want to experience what it's like to run a professionally managed strategy with no cost (except the advertising and/or mailing costs), sign up for a PTRM Test Drive. If you are good at providing care, and deserve more business, it's a lot easier than you think to get results (generate cash) with a professionally managed program.
