How to “sell” your healthcare services

By BEN MEYER
Guest Contributor

People tend to shy away from the word, “Sales,” especially when used in a healthcare context.

Sales has become this icky thing that no one wants to do. Just hearing the word can conjure up thoughts of a used car salesman trying to coerce you into buying a car that you don’t really want.

The truth is, every professional needs to possess the skill of selling; especially professionals in the field of physical therapy, although this can apply to many healthcare providers, including chiropractors, massage therapists, dental clinics, general practitioners, psychologists, etc.

Have you ever wondered why, when the general population thinks about treatment for “back pain,” their mind goes straight to “Chiropractor,” and not “Physical Therapist?” This is because, in general, chiropractors are better at selling than physical therapists, despite having similar training and educational requirements.

So, how do we sell someone on physical therapy, specifically?

Here’s the trick: You don’t.

Many people, including general practice physicians, don’t understand the nuances and potential patient benefits of physical therapy. And no one will ever buy something they don’t understand.

Instead of selling physical therapy, for example, it is much more fruitful to sell the BENEFITS of physical therapy – or massage therapy, or regular dental appointments, or routine lab testing – depending on the particular area of healthcare specialty.

In the case of physical therapy, I often tell therapists that the next time a doctor or potential patient asks them what they “do,” they should stop themselves before answering, “I’m a physical therapist.” Instead, I recommend they say something that illuminates and educates them on the benefits of their services, such as, “Too many people want a quick fix, relying on risky surgery and addictive medication. As a certified physical therapist, I use exercises to strengthen and repair areas of pain, helping them to get on with their lives. We have a great track record of very successful outcomes.”

A therapist who responds in this way won’t even have to worry about “making a sale.” Instead, people will be asking how they can get on this therapist’s schedule.

Don’t be the car salesman trying to sell something no one wants. Be the physical therapist – or dentist, or massage therapist, or psychologist, or general practitioner – who clearly communicates the value of their expertise, experience and service.

If your patients seem to “discharge themselves” and drop off your schedule early, your medical practice clearly has a sales problem. With a few tweaks, we can turn these patients into advocates who cannot wait to tell their family and friends how great you are.

Send me an email and I’ll show you how: Ben@alliedpt.com

Make sure you follow me on LinkedIn! I’ll be posting more tips there.

In case you missed it…

Allied Physical Therapy Wellness Community clinic construction update. Dr. Matt unveils our reDiscover theme and outlines our upcoming monthly Wellness Connection seminars. You don’t want to miss it!