What to Do When You're Feeling Stuck and Having Trouble Finding Clients
Recently, I hosted a 4 day mini course called Marketing Rescue. However, before that was developed, I designed this 4-step process that became the pillars of that mini course. It was developed when one of my clients was feeling stuck with his patient inflow and thought something could be done about it. We worked together to put this list together and I want to share it with you. I like being able to create things that are tangible and have check lists because you have an exact plan, like a roadmap (you can learn more in my blog This Month's Efforts Are Next Month's Results: The Key To Consistency In Entrepreneurship). That's how my brain works best to complete projects, and I know that a lot of other people also feel that way. A good example is my Therapy Business Basics mini course. This is pretty similar to that checklist.
This 4-step process is good anytime you're feeling stuck or feeling like you're having trouble finding clients. This comes after you have already set up your business entity. You have your business registered with the state or town, you have whatever paperwork you need in your local area, you have your business bank account set up, documentation set up, what your prices are, etc. It essentially comes after Therapy Business Basics is over. Then, we move on to step two of my DPT to the CEO program: Practice By Design. Being able to have a really clear service or product that you offer is so important to your business.
Having a Clear Offer -- Do You Know What You're Selling?
Let's say you've had a handful of clients here and there, but you're feeling like you're in a rut and you aren't sure what to do. This is where step number one comes in. This whole thing honestly is like a self evaluation. The first part you need to evaluate: do you have a clear offer? Furthermore, do you know what you're selling? You could have therapy sessions as what you’re selling, but you need to have some result or transformation, like a dream life description, of what you’re selling to your patient. Your client is coming to you because they have a problem right now that's preventing them from being where they want to be in their life, so you need to have a clear understanding of what that is. What that dream life is that they want because that's what you're going to market and sell. Having a clear offer is a little bit more about the logistics and details of what you're selling. As far as time, money, and how everything works, that needs to be very clear. That way, if somebody just came up to you on the sidewalk and said, "Hey Morgan, what do you do?" or, "how does that work?" That needs to be clear, and if this part is not clear, then this is what you need to focus on right now. Do not move on to trying to figure out what is the number one marketing tool that you could be using. If you don't know what you're selling, it will not make sense and you'll end up spending a lot of time spinning your wheels and feeling frustrated. If your answer is anything but a 100% yes on number one, then that's what you need to be focusing on.
Do You Have a Clear Sales Process?
Now, you do number one and you're like, "Yes, I know exactly what I'm offering. I know exactly what I'm selling", then we'll move on to number two which is, Do You Have a Clear Sales Process? Remember, you are, as their therapist, the professional helping them. You are the one that is in charge of guidance down a path to help your client get from A to Z, and you have to have some kind of outline of what that process looks like. That way, you can take people from an inquiry or a conversation at the gym to talking in a more formal setting like a discovery call or going right to an evaluation, ( > a plan of care > another plan of care > maintenance program > etc). It needs to be very clear what the entire process is because I've found when I could not tell somebody exactly, things got a little gray. I talked about being in this spot a lot of with my client. If you're in a gray space and potential clients aren't really sure where they stand with you, or what you're doing next, it's not very helpful for your business. It's also ultimately not necessarily going to help the client or patient you're working with.
I would even recommend writing out your workflow on a whiteboard or paper. When somebody makes an inquiry or you approach them to do an outreach, you need to have what needs to happen step-by-step; what is everything they need to go through in order to complete the client journey. That way, as you are talking to them about where you could be going, they can visualize it.
Do You Have a Clear Marketing Message?
On to number three! Do You Have a Clear Marketing Message? Another way I approach this is, do people know you as "that person" that does the thing. For example, I know a PT in my DPT to CEO program who specializes in equestrian (that is her niche). If for some reason I came across somebody who is an equestrian and they're looking for physical therapy, I know to send them to Suzanne. Here in Henderson, I work with a lot of CrossFit athletes, so that tends to be "my thing". Kyle is the "running guy". If I came across a runner who needed help I would know it's not me but it’s Kyle. That is a huge part of your marketing message that I feel sometimes gets left behind in figuring out who can be referred to you. People need to know you as "that person" so if they hear of someone having a problem, they know exactly who to recommend to them.
Is Your Marketing Consistent and Systematized?
If you have a clear offer, a clear sales process workflow, a clear marketing message, and you still feel stuck and are having trouble finding clients, number four is Are You Consistent and Systematized With Your Marketing? If you're not being consistent and it's very sporadic, it becomes really hard to keep track and see what is leading to the results that you're getting. If you are consistently marketing, you will be able to track over time what is leading to your audience expanding, getting more inquiries, your website traffic going upward, downloads on our website going up, etc. You can start to link it to specific marketing tactics. If everything is all over the place, that's probably why you're getting clients all over the place, it becomes a bit chaotic.
Finally Get Unstuck!
These four basic principals have been very helpful with helping my clients take a step back and follow their roadmap to get out of that rut. Since then, I have developed this process into a mini course that has helped give my clients more direction.
If you're looking for more direction on how to climb out of that marketing rut, reach out to me at morgan@thewellphysio.com . I'd love to talk with you more about how you can boost your client inflow.
Listen to the full episode on my podcast by clicking the picture below!
