To be a truly successful physical therapy business, you must set yourself apart with the right language in your interactions and marketing. Consumers are conditioned to identify with and respond to the message that makes more sense to them.
Your patients value your message less over a period of time. In addition to consistency of contact, the relevance of the message determines the impression of your physical therapy private practice.
The average patient is so overwhelmed with information and misinformation, that they are less likely to come to you and refer your services to their friends unless the benefit is immediate and powerful.
It takes a lot of effort, and more importantly the right words to convince doctors and move patients to take the most wanted action (refer to you).
In this new age of physical therapy business , you must be able to convey the right message with the right words to a precisely targeted audience.
In the words of the legendary marketing expert Dan Kennedy, this is called the ‘message to market match‘
Components of the right ‘message’
Having attended a lot of physical therapy seminars, it still amazes me that no one talks about this. The “headline” or, “attention” grabbers draw patients toward your practice. This is a specific comment designed to promote your practice and stimulate curiosity. An ideal headline is a glorified truth, not any empty overstatement.
It should appeal to emotional triggers and propel the patient to pick up the phone to call you. Don’t make this message too intellectual, because you want the patient to take action as opposed to simply nod in agreement.
With the right headline, the reaction you want is “I have to call them”.
Some examples of a strong headline include:
A major breakthrough in _____________.
You owe yourself a ____________.
Not just another _____________.
They don’t call us _______________ for nothing.
What they never tell you about ________________.
How many times have you said to yourself?______________________.
Anyone who knows _________________ will tell you _________________.
Discover the real truth about _____________________.
In the next six weeks, you could be_____________________.
Get all the facts about_____________________.
Don’t make these ______________________ mistakes when you _______________________.
The best kept secret in _____________________________.
Use precise language to outline the benefits of your physical therapy private practice and convey the most important advantages for the patient. It’s important here to use language that patients understand and identify with. Avoid the temptation to describe or praise your own practice. Patients hear less than 5% what is important to you and 95% what is important to them. You must be able to convey, in less than 10 seconds how you will relieve pain, improve function. Always speak with the patient’s perspective in mind. Patient centered language reinforces your clinical efforts and boosts patient compliance, enhancing the standard of care.
The biggest asset in your physical therapy business is your patient list and you want to cultivate it.
Some examples of descriptions and benefits include
We were the first to ___________________ in our community.
_____________________ is just a partial list of our services for you.
Everything you have always wanted in a __________________.
We have rewritten the rules with______________________.
The States most respected ___________________.
Discover how easy it is to __________________.
_________________ is what we have always done better than any other provider.
The kind of ____________________ you have only dreamed about.
We have taken great pains to ___________________________.
We give you the power to ________________________.v
You are in control.
The choice is yours, ______________________ or ____________________.
Once you can understand your audience, cater to their specific needs and desires with the right phrases. With the 
right words, you can position yourself as a leading physical therapy provider in the community. Strike a balance between “marginal hype” and statements of fact.
In an effort to avoid an excessively dry and boring tone, don’t overcompensate with ‘hypey’ words like instant relief, which can impact your creditability. With the right expressions, you function as a gentle, but persuasive coach and proponent of your service. You are steering the patients toward your services without creating unnecessary hype. With the right combination of clinical skills and patient centric terminology, your patients will become referral machines and generate the hype for you.
Comments like ”they are excellent”, “they can give you instant pain relief” and “I had an outstanding experience with my physical therapist” are the powerful closing statements that clinch public opinion in your favor.
The words you use can segment your audience, transforming strangers into patients and patients into referral sources, building you an army of raving fans.
Choose the right words to convey your practice, and the right words will then be spoken of you.
For Inner Circle members, I just updated a brand new phone script that guides a brand new caller from a prospect to patient. The manner in which incoming patient calls are handled and converted to patients is very important part of your practice. It is the first impression that a patient has of you, and you have to get it right..
