How to Market and Grow a Vestibular & Physical Therapy Clinic 

The Importance of Branding in Physical Therapy

Let’s talk about the importance of your brand. In my view, understanding your brand is crucial for creating a successful and lasting business. If you already own a practice or are a physical therapist, it’s essential to consider the specific equipment needed for a vestibular wing. Remember, as a professional in this field, you are already an expert in musculoskeletal health, which puts you ahead of most of the general population. Today, we’re focusing on elevating that expertise specifically in vestibular therapy.

Defining Your Brand

Your brand is your voice, especially if you’re a solopreneur. For those owning a clinic, whether it’s a single site or multiple locations, your brand shapes your clinic’s identity. It’s vital that everyone in your clinic understands and believes in this brand. So, who are you? What makes your clinic unique? What makes you stand out from the competition? These are critical questions that define your brand. Remember, your brand is not the same as your reputation—these are two distinct concepts.

Differentiating Brand from Reputation

A lot of people confuse brand with reputation, but they’re not the same. Your brand is crafted by you to market to and reach your community and customers. In contrast, your reputation is what others perceive and attribute to you. It’s important to understand this distinction because knowing your brand lets you control the narrative around your business, instead of someone else shaping it for you.

Finding and Emphasizing Your Unique Voice

Remember, your voice is unique, and there’s definitely someone in your community who needs to hear it. Always aim to help at least one person. This mindset will guide you in making meaningful connections and impacting lives.

Helena: I have a quick question about uniqueness. What exactly does that entail? Is it just about my qualifications, or does it also involve how I connect with specific community members, like those who are homebound or belong to the geriatric or neurologic populations?

Exploring Uniqueness in Business

Dr. Litzy: Uniqueness can encompass many things. For instance, my unique selling point has been my home visit service, which allows patients to receive care without leaving their work or home. This aspect has been incredibly valued by patients like a fintech executive who couldn’t spare the time to visit a clinic. Also, consider technological uniqueness, like using vestibular goggles, or service uniqueness, such as spending more time with patients or creating a fun clinic atmosphere. Your uniqueness could also stem from strong community partnerships or your online presence through a robust website and active social media.

Helena: And that uniqueness helps attract the right people to your practice, right?

Dr. Litzy: Exactly. It’s about attracting those who will benefit most from what you offer. Your brand helps you connect with these individuals, ensuring that when they choose your service, they are exactly the kind of patients you are equipped to help.

The Importance of Branding in Attracting the Right Team and Reducing Burnout

Your brand is critical not only in marketing but also in the hiring process. A strong, well-defined brand attracts the right employees who share your values and vision. This alignment can reduce burnout, which is significant in healthcare. Over 30,000 physical therapists have left the profession recently, highlighting the importance of a supportive work environment.

Building Trust and Credibility Through Branding

Differentiation from your colleagues, trust, and credibility are key outcomes of a strong brand. People are more likely to engage with and purchase from those they trust and like. With the right brand, you can convey trust and credibility, control the narrative about your company, and prevent others from imposing false narratives.

Breaking Down Branding Into Manageable Elements

Branding is a complex field of study, but we can simplify it into essential elements: purpose, personality, and impact. Let’s start by discussing your purpose, which is expressed through your mission statement. We’ll also look at vision and values, which are crucial but we’ll discuss later.

Understanding the Mission Statement

A mission statement reflects what your company offers right now, not in the past or the future. It should clearly state who your primary market is—in this case, individuals with vestibular issues—and how you differentiate from competitors. It’s about understanding why your physical therapy clinic exists and answering these tough questions thoroughly. Large companies invest significantly in crafting these statements, often involving extensive interviews with employees to gain diverse insights. Whether you’re a team of one or thirty, engaging with your colleagues in this discussion is crucial.

The Importance of Crafting a Detailed Mission Statement

Crafting a mission statement takes time and should be revisited often. I went through numerous drafts myself. This process is vital because it clarifies who you are as a business and whom you’re serving. A clear mission statement informs the public about what your company does, the customers you serve, and the value you currently add to the marketplace.

Mission Statements in Action

Your mission statement is about the present—what are you doing now to address the needs of your community? This clarity helps not only in aligning your business strategies but also in ensuring you’re effectively solving the problems faced by those you serve.

Personal Branding for Individual Professionals

Even if you don’t own a practice, this concept applies to personal branding. Replace ‘company’ with ‘me’ and consider what you personally offer. Every professional has a brand, and understanding this can significantly impact your career trajectory.

Introduction to Vision Statements

Moving on to vision statements, which project where you want your company to be in the future—say, in five, ten, or fifteen years. This is about setting a high, aspirational goal for your business. It’s less about immediate practicalities and more about motivating your team and setting a direction that attracts both employees and customers.

The Aspirational Nature of Vision Statements

Your vision statement should be ambitious and serve as a morale booster within your company. It’s not about modest hopes like merely staying open or slightly increasing client numbers. Instead, think big and aspirational. For example, envision transformative goals that position your clinic as a leader in your field.

Applying Mission and Vision Statements to Business Decisions

Helena: It sounds like the mission and vision serve as guiding forces. If I’m considering adding something new to my practice, like dry needling, I should evaluate whether it aligns with my mission and vision, right? For instance, if dry needling helps with neck issues related to dizziness, it fits my goal of reducing dizziness and imbalance. However, if it attracts a demographic that doesn’t align with my focus on geriatrics, then perhaps it isn’t the right fit.

Dr. Litzy: Exactly, Helena. Every business decision should refer back to your mission, vision, and values. Whether it’s a new partnership or a new service, you need to ask if it aligns with these foundational elements. If it does, proceed; if not, it’s okay to pass on the opportunity. Keep these statements at the forefront of your decision-making process, and revisit them regularly to ensure they still represent your goals.

The Dynamic Nature of Mission and Vision Statements

It’s also important to recognize that your mission and vision can evolve. As your personal and professional circumstances change, so might your values and goals. These documents are living, breathing entities, not set in stone. It’s entirely acceptable—and advisable—to update them as you and your business grow and change.

The Role of a Vision Statement

A vision statement lays the groundwork for future planning. It’s not just about current operations but about inspiring potential growth and attracting the right people—employees, contractors, and partners—who are aligned with your future goals.

Examples of Mission and Vision Statements from Major Companies

Let’s look at examples from well-known companies to illustrate these points. Consider LinkedIn: their mission is “to connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful,” which addresses immediate, actionable goals. Their vision, however, is “to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce”—a far-reaching and aspirational goal that builds on their mission.

Exploring Nike’s Mission and Vision Statements

Let’s examine Nike, a familiar giant. Their mission is to “bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.” Nike defines an athlete as anyone with a body, encapsulating their inclusive approach. By all accounts, they are achieving this mission. Their vision extends this idea: “We see a world where everybody is an athlete, united in the joy of movement, driven by our passion for sport and our instinct for innovation.” They aim to make sport a daily habit, a much broader and aspirational goal than their current mission.

The Boldness of Vision Statements

This example illustrates the boldness required in vision statements. It’s about thinking big, even if the goals seem unattainable. Large companies like Nike set expansive visions that might sound unrealistic, but they guide the company towards significant achievements. Your vision should be a stretch—it’s meant to inspire and drive your company forward.

Understanding Your Brand’s Personality

Moving on to defining your company’s personality, this is crucial for aligning your brand with your target audience. I challenge you to answer several questions that will help you pinpoint this.

Question 1: Company Character

What is your company’s character? Are you fun, serious, innovative, trustworthy? How do you, your employees, and your customers perceive your company’s environment? This understanding is critical as it directly influences how clients interact with your business.

Question 2: External Perceptions

How do others perceive your traits? Asking friends, family, and patients for their honest opinions can provide valuable insights into how your brand is viewed externally.

Question 3: Uniqueness

We’ve touched on this before, but it’s worth revisiting: What makes your brand unique? This could relate to the services you offer, the technology you use, or the atmosphere you create. Identifying what sets you apart is essential for carving out a niche in your market.

Discussing Brand Impact

Finally, let’s talk about the impact of your brand. How do you measure the influence your brand has in your community and industry? This can be assessed through direct feedback like reviews, awards, and recognitions. For example, I recently advised a podiatrist in Canada who had forgotten she won an award for Best Podiatry Clinic. Remembering and promoting such achievements is vital—they underscore your credibility and success.