How ‘Word of Mouth’ Marketing Can Help Grow Any Private Therapy Practice

August 2, 2015

Marketing your physical, occupational or speech therapy private practice can be tricky.

Most clinicians have very small marketing budgets (if any) and are trying to build caseloads to waiting list levels.

When you find strategies that work – you want to do more of it.

For me, one of the greatest marketing strategies is simply known as “word of mouth” marketing.

Our industry is very “referral” based.

Our clients want to make sure they are getting high quality clinicians as time, money or both are precious.

Let me show you with a story that literally unfolded hours ago.

So this happened earlier today:

I’d be lying if I didn’t say that this made me really, really happy.

How did it happen?

Because my friend from grad school (and fellow SLP) knew that I:

had a private practice
was taking new clients
provide high-quality services

I wrote back immediately (don’t delay when you get an easy invitation like this!) and provided my speech therapy private practice contact info.

Then I didn’t just add my own name.

I wrote back and told her to add the name of another SLP who has openings in his private practice because:

a.) she had asked for additional providers and

b.) it is the right thing to do

Everyone is going to win in this scenario.

This isn’t luck.

This speaks to the effectiveness of work of mouth marketing.

It’s free.

It’s low-tech.

It’s simple.

It’s about building and developing relationships with possible referral sources.

Bottom line:
Make sure that your friends (especially your clinician friends!) know how to refer to you.

#wordofmouthworks

In a few weeks I’m going to release my new book, Grow Your Private Practice.

I want to make sure that it includes everything you need to know to:

easily find your target market
create a marketing plan
find ideal clients on little to no budget
use tried and true strategies that working for me and other private practice owners

with checklists and “printables” to get you organized.

In the meantime, if you need help with your private practice marketing, join the:

Jena H. Casbon, MS CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and private practice consultant. She started her own speech therapy private practice in 2006. She is the founder of The Independent Clinician and author of The Guide to Private Patients and The Guide to Creating a Web Presence for Your Private Practice. Since 2008, she has helped thousands of clinicians get the flexibility, income and freedom they desire from starting their own private speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy practices.