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The marketing tips, techniques, and mindset presented in this episode are absolute gold. I was so pumped when I finished this interview. Paul Gough is a physiotherapist and private practice owner in England with four clinic locations. What’s most impressive about this is that his business is almost 100% cash-based in a country where everyone can get physical therapy completely for free. That’s right, most of his patients pay $100-$150/visit out-of-pocket at his clinics, even though they would pay $0 to go to his competition. How in the world has he pulled this off? We cover it all in this interview. In fact, there is so much detail and information I had to cut the interview into two parts to keep them reasonable in length.
In Part 1 of this interview, we discuss these cash-practice topics:
- Why Paul chose to leave his position as physiotherapist for a professional soccer team to start his own practice.
- The general structure of the health care and insurance system in the UK… Which provides free physical therapy to everyone.
- How his profits plummeted overnight due to a change in a law, and what he did to make sure he was never affected like that again.
- The definition of “direct response marketing.”
- How and why he changed his “brochure-style” website to a “direct response” website.
- What he has found people are truly looking for when they inquire about physical therapy… Hint: it is not to “get rid of my pain.”
- How and why he works to “generate leads” rather than “advertising for a sale”
- The secret to why many practices have occasional “flat lines” in the amount of new patients they generate, and how to avoid that in your practice.
- The most common objections that prospective patients have to starting physical therapy, and how to provide answers to them effectively.
- how he compels website visitors to provide their contact information, and the extremely sophisticated follow-up process he uses to keep 4 cash-pay clinics (7 staff PTs) fully booked, while his competitors charge patients nothing out of pocket.
- Why you can create the same phone and email system for your practice even if none of your staff are very “good” on the phone.
Resources and Links mentioned in this episode:
- “Make them Say Yes – 16 Objections to Booking Their 1st PT Appointment” – A highly valuable product that Paul usually sells but is giving it to us here for Free! Thanks Paul!
- Affordable Email Marketing platforms: Constant Contact, Aweber, Mailchimp (FYI: Mailchimp has an enticing free offer, but their free version does not allow you to set up the automated emails you’ll need for this marketing method)
- Paul’s New Patient Overload [affiliate link]
This is an incredible program where Paul walks you step by step through creating your own Direct Response Patient Generation System like the one he described in this episode.
Want to learn the 8 non-negotiable keys to success in cash practice?
Click here to reserve your seat for this free cash-practice training
I’ve been listening to your podcasts over the past year and have enjoyed and learned something from every single one. But, this one with Paul really hit home with great, very doable information. I’ve been following some of the other PTs who are also providing great info for marketing and put some of their ideas in place. But, Paul really explained sales and marketing for PTs in a very user friendly way, that made so much sense and I feel I can follow through on. I can’t wait to get started on my free download able pdfs.
Thank you Jarod for providing such great podcasts. I usually listen to them when I am on my long runs.
Denise Schwartz, PT
Thank you for this awesome comment! Yes, I agree this episode (and next 🙂 provided some of the best content I’ve had on the podcast so far. I’m really looking forward to meeting Paul in person at the Ignite Conference this Oct 16-18. You should come join us! (if you do, make sure to use the discount code “drcarter” during check out to get $50 off)
Hey Denise,
Thanks so much for the kind words — I’m happy to be able to pass on my tips and glad it was received in a manner that was easy for you to take action on!
What was the number 1 thing you learned/found most interesting from this interview so far??
Paul Gough.
Hi Paul,
The primary piece I learned from you is not to sell that we treat pain, but that we will help patients not lose their independence, mobility, and function as that is their biggest fear. I may have to reevaluate my new marketing card as both pain and loss of mobility are addressed but the emphasis might be off.
I also liked the pdf give aways in exchange for their phone number and email and the immediate followup.
Thank you for the great info,
Denise
Dr. Jarod Carter,
Excellent Podcast! As a second year PT who is looking into the business side of the Physical Therapy, this was an insightful podcast that provided valuable nuggets of applicable knowledge into marketing! One of my friend asked me what I did for a living, and I told her that I help patient restore mobility and independence through physical therapy. Thanks Paul!
Shi-Feng Lin, DPT
Great response to your friend’s question!
Thanks for the comment. So glad you appreciated the episode.
Paul, such great information. I feel like I’ve been touching upon the concepts you mention (appealing to the “loss” and emotion of the patient – their fear of losing independence, not being able to run etc – vs simply addressing their pain or impairments) in my marketing but after listening to your interview it helped me take it to another level! I can’t wait to listen to Part 2!
Hey Paul and Jarod,
You guys hit it out of the park!! Great stuff, rich content, and great system! Marketing doesn’t matter if we cannot convert the potential patient into one.
Thanks guys!
Karn, NY Sports and Spinal PT
Thanks Karn! Glad you got a lot out of it!
Hey guys. Wonderful interviews. Paul when you first started, I imagine you did everything from generate content, answer/return calls, and of course treat. At what point did you begin to hire/train staff to do some of these critical functions? I imagine developing that level of trust wasn’t easy to develop.
I’m definitely interested in learning more about how this works. Thank you both.