The Secret Framework That Any Private Practitioner
Can Use to Generate Endless Referrals
Over the week or so, we’ve been on a wild journey to discover the truth about what it takes to get more clients for your private practice.
We’ve learned that most clinicians are completely overwhelmed when it comes to marketing: from not knowing where to begin - or what is effective - or spending too much time / money on the “wrong things."
I know exactly what this feels like - and it’s not a good feeling.
I am a helper (by nature) and desperately needed help myself to figure all of this out.
I wanted to find the BEST way for clients to find me, the BEST way to market my services to physicians and the BEST way to get it all done while I was doing a million other things. I knew I needed to find and follow an effective marketing system that allowed me to:
- Have consistent referrals so that I would have a more steady income
- Avoid the feast / famine cycle
- Have enough diversity of referral sources (so I wasn't not dependent on too few sources)
It was only after spinning my wheels for… years… that I finally figured out what I was going wrong and where I should be spending my time and money.
(Once I uncovered this approach, everything fell into place and referrals for my private practice took off.)
I knew I had to get organized and come up with a plan. I figured that I must be doing the wrong things (or not enough of the right things) but I had no way to figure out which was which. I knew I needed more clients and I had to figure out what to do - quick. What marketing strategies should I tackle first - and what should I forgo altogether?
You see, I was actively marketing my private practice. I was hanging up flyers. I had a website. I got some referrals from some old co-workers (although this seemed hit or miss).
I knew that some things seemed to be working and some didn’t - but I didn’t understand why or what I could be doing to make things happen more consistently.
Then I made a list of everything I had personally tried (or heard of other private practitioners doing) and I started grouping them into categories and finally realized something:
There are distinctly different ways to get new clients.
Three different types in fact.
I was operating under the (wrong) assumption that all referrals were created equal and that they all kind of came from the same place.
WRONG.
(Once I uncovered this approach, everything fell into place and referrals for my private practice took off.)
I knew I had to get organized and come up with a plan. I figured that I must be doing the wrong things (or not enough of the right things) but I had no way to figure out which was which. I knew I needed more clients and I had to figure out what to do - quick. What marketing strategies should I tackle first - and what should I forgo altogether?
You see, I was actively marketing my private practice. I was hanging up flyers. I had a website. I got some referrals from some old co-workers (although this seemed hit or miss).
I knew that some things seemed to be working and some didn’t - but I didn’t understand why or what I could be doing to make things happen more consistently.
Then I made a list of everything I had personally tried (or heard of other private practitioners doing) and I started grouping them into categories and finally realized something:
There are distinctly different ways to get new clients.
Three different types in fact.
I was operating under the (wrong) assumption that all referrals were created equal and that they all kind of came from the same place.
WRONG.
It turned out that all referrals came from three distinct sources:
- Being found by clients
- Increasing awareness in your community
- Establishing referral relationships
Once I discovered this, I didn’t just say, GREAT and go crazy. I started testing it - and testing it.
And it worked!
Once I spent my time focusing on specific marketing strategies in those three areas, my phone started ringing and my email dinging.
It felt like magic… and I felt silly all at the same time. (Duh - I thought to myself. Why didn’t I figure that out sooner!)
Oh, well. Once I figure it out I realized that formulating a marketing plan was literally as easy as making sure that I was consistently implementing marketing strategies from the “Big Three” areas.
And the best news?
And it worked!
Once I spent my time focusing on specific marketing strategies in those three areas, my phone started ringing and my email dinging.
It felt like magic… and I felt silly all at the same time. (Duh - I thought to myself. Why didn’t I figure that out sooner!)
Oh, well. Once I figure it out I realized that formulating a marketing plan was literally as easy as making sure that I was consistently implementing marketing strategies from the “Big Three” areas.
And the best news?
I only had to add 1-2 new things per month - just as long as I was spending my time on those three areas of:
- Becoming findable
- Increasing awareness and
- Establishing referral relationships
Being an SLP nerd, I love acronyms and decided to call this strategy The FAR Framework.
I want to help you use this strategy as well.
There is no need to reinvent the wheel!
Here is a list of the “Big Three” elements of the FAR Framework and some examples of specific marketing strategies that fit into each.
I want to help you use this strategy as well.
There is no need to reinvent the wheel!
Here is a list of the “Big Three” elements of the FAR Framework and some examples of specific marketing strategies that fit into each.
For example, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that:
- Having a search engine optimized website is part of being findable
- Putting up enticing and well-written flyers at places like “Mommy and Me” classes or public libraries is part of raising awareness
- Having short (3-5 minutes!) meetings with doctors, specialists and their staff will help you build referral relationships
Print it out and take a few minutes to check off the things that you’ve tried.
You're looking to see if you're too heavily in one area (I suspect that you are.)
Chances are, you’ve been focusing much of your energy on the same area and not taking a three-pronged approach.
Also, you probably haven’t tried everything on the list - so here’s your chance to take these ideas and get going!
If you have lots of checks but feel like those strategies haven’t worked for you, chances are there are 1-2 small tweaks that could turn an ineffective marketing strategy into an effective one.
Now that you’ve taken a look at the “Big Three” checklist, you’re ready to create a marketing plan.
Of course, there is specific information that will make these ideas work for private practitioners, as well as action steps to make each of those strategies comes together and results in referrals. (I can’t fit all of that info into ONE blog post).
Once you have your "Big Three” checklist all done, there are other exciting questions to answer:
You're looking to see if you're too heavily in one area (I suspect that you are.)
Chances are, you’ve been focusing much of your energy on the same area and not taking a three-pronged approach.
Also, you probably haven’t tried everything on the list - so here’s your chance to take these ideas and get going!
If you have lots of checks but feel like those strategies haven’t worked for you, chances are there are 1-2 small tweaks that could turn an ineffective marketing strategy into an effective one.
Now that you’ve taken a look at the “Big Three” checklist, you’re ready to create a marketing plan.
Of course, there is specific information that will make these ideas work for private practitioners, as well as action steps to make each of those strategies comes together and results in referrals. (I can’t fit all of that info into ONE blog post).
Once you have your "Big Three” checklist all done, there are other exciting questions to answer:
- Which strategies should you try first?
- Which strategies are best for those with small vs. large private practices?
- Which strategies have the highest return on investment and which are more likely to fall flat?
If you’re interested in finding detailed, step-by-step answers to these questions, I’ve got good news.
The “Big Three” checklist is just one very small part of the more in-depth program I hinted at a few days ago. The program is available tomorrow and is perfect for private practitioners who want more, ideal clients (and don’t have time or money to waste figuring out how to get them).
If you’re ready to create a marketing plan that’s based on narrowing your focus and taking specific actions to grow your private practice, be on the lookout for an email from me tomorrow.
But for now, I want to challenge you to do just ONE THING in the next three minutes.
The “Big Three” checklist is just one very small part of the more in-depth program I hinted at a few days ago. The program is available tomorrow and is perfect for private practitioners who want more, ideal clients (and don’t have time or money to waste figuring out how to get them).
If you’re ready to create a marketing plan that’s based on narrowing your focus and taking specific actions to grow your private practice, be on the lookout for an email from me tomorrow.
But for now, I want to challenge you to do just ONE THING in the next three minutes.
If you’re going to "up your marketing game", leave a comment below and let me know which of the “Big Three” areas you’re going to focus on first and why
Here’s what you should post:
“I’m going to focus on increasing my _____________ (findability, awareness, relationships) so that my private practice will _______________________" (your referral goal)
Post your comment below and remember to be on the lookout for an email from me tomorrow.
“I’m going to focus on increasing my _____________ (findability, awareness, relationships) so that my private practice will _______________________" (your referral goal)
Post your comment below and remember to be on the lookout for an email from me tomorrow.
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Jena H. Casbon, MS CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and private practice consultant. She started her own speech therapy private practice in 2006. She is the founder of The Independent Clinician and author of The Guide to Private Patients and The Guide to Creating a Web Presence for Your Private Practice. Since 2008, she has helped thousands of clinicians get the flexibility, income and freedom they desire from starting their own private speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy practices.
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