Running a business can be challenging, and the world of private practice physical therapy is no exception. Every business needs to have customers, and although it seems strange to hope for injured people to walk through our doors, that’s exactly what we—as private practice owners and therapists—do. So, how do we get more patients?
By appreciating the ones we already have.
Often, we dismiss successes through statements like, “We had just two new patients this week!” The word “just” is dismissive; we have dismissed the business that we did get and have failed to honor what we created.
This mindset leads to other potential dismissing. The two new patients are also two people. Yes, people. So often we objectify new business, forgetting that these are individuals with hopes, dreams, and desires just like us.
This objectification of clients can lead to other issues with service. When we fail to recognize patients as people seeking our assistance, we fail to focus on giving them the best possible experience. This failure of presence has a trickle-down effect: without exceptional experiences, patients won’t recommend our services to friends and family. We snuff word-of-mouth opportunities.
The first step to creating more of what you want is to appreciate what you’ve already created. And then, because you’ve found success with those two patient referrals, keep doing more of what generated those two in the first place.
