When it comes to marketing your physical therapy clinic, most of the commentary out there has to do with referrals from physicians. This is no doubt a key to creating a successful practice, but there is another base of referrals that is equally as crucial to nurture. I am talking about referrals that come directly from your existing patient base. Word of mouth referrals are the most powerful.Having your services recommended is the best way to establish trust in your community. Becoming an important part of the overall health of the community is a sure fire way to create a sustainable business.

1. Ask one patient a week for a testimonial
2. Email your discharged patients quarterly with new exercises
3. Write a weekly blog & share topics with current patients
4. Ask for referrals on your clinic Facebook page
5. Volunteer for a 5K Race
6. Contribute an article to your local newspaper
7. Host an educational stretching class at your clinic for all patients
8. Include your professional business card with patient discharge documents
9. Schedule one hour per week to make follow up calls to recently discharged patients
10. Create a referral contest for current patients (the top prize could be an iPad)

The bottom line in all marketing, regardless of marketing to physicians or to patients, is to develop relationships. Meaningful relationships with the customer base you already have will lead to peer referrals that can be hugely valuable to your business.

What tactics have you employed to nurture referral patients in your practice? We’d love if you could share one idea that has worked for your practice.