By Kaleigh Robinson
Have you ever felt invisible in a sea of competitors, struggling to get your practice noticed?
It can be challenging to stand out, especially if you’re offering similar services as other clinics in your area — but don’t despair: Lisa Simone Richards is here with a lifeboat.
A seasoned PR and Visibility Strategist, Lisa Simone has a passion for helping small business owners like you. Here, she shows you how a few small tweaks can make a world of difference in attracting attention.
Get creative with social media
Social media has evolved. Once a space for people taking photos of their lunches, it’s now a powerhouse business tool — one that, if used correctly, can give your practice a major promotional push.
Lisa’s advice? Get creative!
Today, influencers are a driving force on social media. Consider partnering with local creators to introduce yourself to their audiences. For example, if you own a physical therapy clinic, you could reach out to a fitness influencer and collaborate on a video about stretching exercises to prevent injuries. You’re showcasing your expertise, and potentially gaining clients from their follower base.
User-generated content (UGC) is another effective way to get noticed. Encourage your clients to post about their experiences with your practice, and don’t forget to offer incentives so it’s a win-win for both of you.
Lisa shares a story about a UGC campaign she once ran for a fitness boot camp — before influencer marketing was the phenomenon it is today. She ran a contest where recruits had the chance to win eight free weeks of boot camp. All entrants had to do was change their Instagram profile photo to a thought bubble that said “I love boot camp because…” and fill in their answers for one week.
“That was a great way to have some user-generated content, but of course there are way more advanced ways to do it. This was almost 10 years ago,” she says. “But I think something that’s worth saying is that the practices that I used 20 years ago, I still do today. It’s just in a different medium, in a different setting. I love that it’s still relevant, it’s just the tools have shifted. And there’s always ways to modernize. If you have a good idea, you can apply it.”
Take a holistic approach with radio, TV, and the web
In the digital age, the reach and influence of traditional media channels is often overlooked — but local radio stations can be a goldmine for reaching your target audience.
Lisa has definitely leveraged the power of radio. She was once working with twin chiropractors who wanted to pitch a story around elbow and wrist alignment. As a publicist, she had to tell them the hard truth… the subject wasn’t very captivating.
Here’s how she turned a dry segment into a timely message: “The week after that conversation, Kim Kardashian went to the UK and reportedly took 1500 selfies in seven days. We piggybacked off of what taking selfies does to your elbow and wrist. We pitched that to a bunch of stations and a TV station picked it up. One of the twins did a national morning news segment and got national exposure.”
The television segment brought the twins brand awareness, but what really boosted their revenue was when the story got picked up by a local radio station, and the people who lived in the area discovered their brick-and-mortar location. Hyperlocal stories are incredibly beneficial when you’re trying to get people into the door of your clinic.
No matter your medium, however, Lisa’s anecdote highlights how important it is to tell a story. “There’s a difference between an ad saying, ‘Hey, come on down to Sports Specials Rehab center.’ Versus like, ‘Hey, here’s what you could be doing to your elbow and wrist. A doctor is going to help you out with that,’” she explains.
Dust off your awards shelf
Let’s stay on the traditional media train. Next stop? Local community awards.
Many awards go unapplied for, so Lisa suggests always seizing the opportunity to showcase your practice’s excellence. A quick Google search will show you what newspapers or local organizations can offer in terms of awards out there. And if you don’t see your category, don’t get discouraged. As Lisa notes, it’s an opportunity to say, “‘Hey, you know what category you guys should include in there? Ours.’”
If you do win an award, make sure to display it. Print out the certificate, get it framed, and place it somewhere with high visibility in your clinic. You’ll also likely receive a downloadable digital asset that you can add to the homepage or footer of your website.
Awards will help you gain credibility among your clients. Lisa compares it to food shopping. “If I’m going to the grocery store and I have a choice between no-name ketchup and Heinz, I will spend the extra 20 cents to get the brand name stuff, even though it’s probably made in the same plant.”
“To have that endorsement is helpful.”
Visibility is as easy as A-B-C
Lisa’s ABCs of Visibility — Awareness, Buzz, and Credibility — are vital elements to consider in your marketing efforts. Get clear on which one you want to build, and let that influence your decisions and the path you take towards visibility.
Awareness
Remember, it’s not about being everywhere — it’s about being in the right places where your ideal clients pay attention. Ask yourself, who is your ideal client? Think about that person. Are they listening to a specific radio station? Following a certain influencer? Watching a particular TV show? How can you insert yourself and get featured on that platform so that they know you exist?
If you need some help figuring this out, check in with your favorite clients. Ask them where they get their news and who they follow. You’ll build your relationships and gain some important marketing insight!
Buzz
There’s an old adage that says it takes seven touchpoints for people to make a purchase. Nowadays, it’s more like 17. Lisa stresses the importance of buzz in today’s era of short attention spans.
“For example, if you’re launching a practice, you can’t just say once, ‘We’re opening.’ You need to hit people over the head with it.”
You want people to hear about your clinic over and over again to the point that they’re curious enough to book an appointment. To build your buzz, Lisa recommends cross-promotional strategies, for example, Instagram takeovers with businesses that fit your niche. If you’re a physical therapist, can you collaborate with a gym? If you’re a naturopath, can you collaborate with a health food store? Think outside the box.
Credibility
When it comes to credibility, it’s not necessarily clients you’re positioning yourself in front of — maybe it’s investors or your peers. That could mean showing up at a trade show or appearing in a peer-reviewed journal. Your clients aren’t necessarily in these spaces, but knowing their practitioner or clinic is included will help them think of you as an expert in your field.
Establishing yourself as an industry leader among your professional network can also lead to cross-promotional opportunities, such as speaking gigs or social media collaborations you wouldn’t have otherwise had access to. These opportunities will have a domino effect that makes you more likely to be seen by your ideal clients.
The best marketing tool is your story
One common roadblock to visibility is underestimating the value of your own voice and story. Lisa encourages practitioners to overcome self-doubt and share their expertise with confidence. Pump the brakes on any imposter syndrome you may be experiencing!
“Remember that you’re doing somebody a favor when you put it out there. The way I like to think about it is with morning TV shows, they air between 6:00 and 9:00 am five days a week. That is 15 hours of television that about six producers are responsible for. That’s a lot of pressure. If you can reach out to them with a good idea, they’re so grateful.”
Lisa says, “You’re probably a lot closer to publicity than you think. Just work on that confidence. Really lean into the results that you’ve gotten for your clients, the results you’ve gotten for yourself, and your own personal methodology. Get out of your own shell, be brave, and put yourself out there.”
If you’re not loud enough, someone else could potentially poach your ideal client. Work on your confidence and stick to what makes you you, and you’ll create buzz-worthy visibility that will cut through the noise of your competitors and reach who you want to work with.
Make your clinic’s brand shine with expert advice ✨
We know you’re busy and marketing can often fall at the bottom of your to-do list. That’s why we’ve put together helpful articles (like this one!) to make your day a little easier. 😉
For more advice like Lisa Simone’s, make sure to check out Front Desk magazine. You can even sign up for print issues — delivered right to your clinic! 📖
This article was originally published in issue 2 of Front Desk magazine and has been modified and updated.