Transcript

Welcome to Business Kickstart! Our mission is to help you build your personal business toolbox and in the process inspire you to embark on your own entrepreneurial journey. Your business toolbox consists of knowledges, skills, resources, and strategies needed to start and run your own business. 

Episode 10 – Marketing Your Business

Marketing is defined as “Any actions a company takes to attract an audience to the company’s product or services through high-quality messaging. It aims to deliver standalone value for prospects and consumers through content, with the long-term goal of demonstrating product value, strengthening brand loyalty, and ultimately increasing sales.” – Source: HubSpot

Marketing activities vary between businesses because each company operates in unique markets, targets different customer segments, and offers distinct products or services. The industry type, competition, customer preferences, and overall business goals significantly influence marketing strategies. Tailoring marketing activities ensures businesses effectively engage their target audience and differentiate themselves in their respective industries.

The goal of this episode is to provide you with selected marketing information that would be most relevant to physical therapists marketing a product or service.

1. Identify Your Target Audience

Determine who needs your services?

• Athletes: Sports rehabilitation, performance training, injury prevention
• Seniors: Post-surgery rehabilitation, mobility and flexibility, fall prevention
• Post-surgical patients: Joint replacements, spine surgeries
• Chronic pain sufferers: Long-term pain management, ergonomics
• Children: Developmental milestones, strengthening and motor control, prevention and education

Understand their needs: What challenges does your target audience face and how can your product or service address these needs.

2. Create a Strong Brand

• Name and logo: Choose a memorable name and logo that reflects trust, health, and expertise.
• Message: Your brand message should communicate what makes your product or service unique.
• Website: Create a user-friendly website with information about your products or services, credentials, and client testimonials.

3. Develop an Online Presence

• Social Media: Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn can help you connect with potential clients. Share valuable content such as:
  • Exercise tips and injury prevention
  • Patient success stories (with consent)
  • Behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business
  • Health and wellness information
  • Questions and answers
• Content Marketing: Write blog posts or create videos about common physical therapy topics. This can establish you as an expert and help with search engine rankings.
• Google My Business: Create a Google listing for your business and encourage satisfied clients to leave positive reviews. This can assist to build credibility and improve local search visibility.

4. Referral Networks and Partnerships

• Build relationships: Partner with local healthcare providers (physicians, orthopedists), industry associations, trade groups, influencers, and bloggers.
• Join local community groups: Connect with gyms, fitness centers, retailers, senior living facilities, sports teams, and community groups.

5. Offer Free Workshops or Webinars

• Education-based marketing: Provide free workshops or webinars on topics like injury prevention, proper posture, or stretching techniques.
• In-person or virtual: Depending on your location, offer in-person sessions or virtual webinars to reach a broader audience.

6. Utilize Paid Advertising

• Google Ads: Target people in your area searching for physical therapy or related services.
• Facebook/Instagram Ads: These platforms allow highly targeted ads based on location, age, interests, and a multitude of other variables. For example, individuals interested in fitness and health or those with chronic pain.
• Local Sponsorships: Sponsor local events, health fairs, or sports teams to increase visibility in your community.

7. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

• Optimize for local search if applicable: Terms, like "physical therapy near me" or "rehab clinic in your city." Limiting SEO to your target audience will significantly increase your return on investment.
• On-page SEO: Use relevant keywords through your website, including your service pages, blog posts, and location pages.
• Content SEO: Create valuable content regularly (blog posts, videos, FAQs) that answers common questions related to your business.

8. Collect and Display Testimonials and Reviews

• Showcase success stories: Ask satisfied clients to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, or social media. Positive testimonials provide social proof and build trust.
• Before and after stories: With patient permission, document their progress with before-and-after pictures or detailed case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of your product or service.

9. Nurture Leads with Email Marketing

• Build an email list: Offer a free downloadable resource (such as a blog or newsletter) in exchange for an email address.
• Regular newsletters: Share useful tips, success stories, and updates about your services. Keep the content informative, but not overly promotional to maintain interest.
• Follow-up: After use of products or services, send follow-up emails to check on your clients’ satisfaction or progress and remind them of any relevant business news or developments.

10. Measure and Adjust Your Marketing Efforts

• Track your results: Use tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, and email campaign reports to determine what’s working.
• Adjust strategies: Determine what isn’t working and be open to tweaking your approach. Marketing should be both flexible and adaptive.

Summary
A "one-size-fits-all" marketing approach is not effective since it fails to account for the unique needs, preferences, and behaviors of different customer segments. Every business, especially new ones, needs to target specific audiences with tailored messages and strategies to build relationships and trust. 

Customizing marketing efforts based on factors like demographics, interests, and challenges ensures that the business resonates with potential customers, increases the likelihood of conversions, and helps build a loyal customer base.
Without this level of personalization, new businesses typically struggle to differentiate themselves from competitors and fail to capture attention in a crowded marketplace.

Action
Use the 10 marketing concepts discussed in this episode and begin to develop your customized marketing plan. Start a marketing journal and dedicate a unique page to each of the 10 concepts.

1. Identify Your Target Audience
2. Create a Strong Brand
3. Develop an Online Presence
4. Referral Networks and Partnerships
5. Offer Free Workshops or Webinars
6. Utilize Paid Advertising
7. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
8. Collect and Display Testimonials and Reviews
9. Nurture Leads with Email Marketing
10. Measure and Adjust Your Marketing Efforts

Don’t worry about being overly precise, but begin to commit your initial thoughts to paper in each area. Write down whatever comes to mind – ideas, areas of emphasis, do’s and don’ts. Nothing is off limits. Think of this as a thought exercise to kick off the creation of your marketing plan.