The majority of businesses believe that the ultimate key to lasting success is getting as many new clients as possible. However, the real master key to success lies in patient retention. The more effort you put into your retention strategies, the more you realize that client loyalty is what truly keeps your clinic afloat. In this article, we will cover the importance of it, strategies for implementation, and how to prevent patient churn.
The Importance of Patient Retention
Now, we’re not saying to discard all your physiotherapy marketing tactics and only focus on your current clients. Both need to be utilized and balanced out to ensure optimal success for your practice. Once you’ve gained a new client, that’s when you begin using optimized retention strategies to keep them coming back to a positive environment.
Client loyalty is not just good for reputation; it’s good for business, too. Think about it: when you lose a patient, you’re also losing money that repeat visits and referrals could have generated. By putting in the effort and focusing on clinic retention, you can not just build a good reputation but also increase revenue.
Patient Churn: What Is It and How Do You Avoid It?
Before we go over the essential physiotherapy marketing strategies for clinic retention, let’s discuss the one big negative you may encounter. In this particular industry, the key term is “patient churn,” but what does it mean?
In short, patient churn occurs when individuals who are in the midst of their care plan suddenly decide to discontinue attending. Statistics show us that a staggering 40% of physiotherapy patients choose to leave in the middle of their treatment plan set for them.
Now, how do you avoid this from happening to your clinic? The good news is that there are numerous retention strategies you can begin implementing today! We’ve divided them up into four main categories for you below.
Clinic Retention Strategies:
1. Consider the Competition and Diversify your Services
One of the best things you can do is to scope out your competition and see what services they’re offering, and then outshine them by providing better options for your clients. Take a moment to review the needs of your current clients and the overall demand from newer ones. Then, see if there are ways you can upgrade your services.
Be sure also to have a variety of treatment plans available and avoid being a one-stop clinic. Offer multiple types of exercise and manual therapy plans, allowing patients to combine them to achieve optimal results. With more options available, your clinic will be able to significantly increase its retention rate.
2. Presentation Matters
When it comes to physiotherapy patients, it’s essential to maintain a consistent image. That means the way you have set up your clinic online should be mirrored in your physical office. The majority of your patients will most likely find you on an online platform, and that is where the initial impression of your practice will be set up for them.
The second, however, is your clinic, and having a space that makes them feel welcome will do wonders for client loyalty. Ensure the area is tidy and clean; no one enjoys having a service done in an unsanitary area.
Have your staff trained to greet all patients politely with a friendly demeanour and to introduce themselves to establish a connection. Furnish the rooms you have with comfortable furniture, simple colours, live plants, and soft finishes.
Avoid using any bright white lights, as those give the impression of a cold doctor’s office. Instead, opt for warmer-toned lighting and have some music playing to help your patients feel at ease. All of these tips help ensure that any first-time client you have becomes a regular patient.
3. Appointment Reminders
Going hand in hand with the last point, another effective way to increase client loyalty is through appointment reminders. It’s a simple concept, but as they say, a little effort goes a long way.
You can take the time to set up appointment reminders through a call, text, or email, but always ask them for their preferred choice of communication. The ideal timeline is to send a reminder 3 days in advance, and then another an hour before their appointment.
4. Practice Patient Follow-up
After a client finishes a service or treatment process with you, the last thing you want to do is never communicate with them again. Take this as the perfect opportunity to establish clear communication and a line of trust. If you have a patient on a treatment plan that requires multiple sessions, send them a follow-up email, call, or text message to inquire about their progress and remind them of their next appointment.
Be sure also to encourage them to ask you any questions they may have, which is an excellent patient engagement technique; however, if your client has completed their in-house treatment plans. In that case, you can still maintain open lines of communication by checking in on their home exercises or stretches you’ve previously provided.
All in all, this is one of the most effective retention strategies, helping to establish a positive relationship between you and your clients.
Physiotherapy Marketing for Clinic Retention: The Ultimate Master Key
All in all, these strategies are crucial for the success and growth of your physiotherapy clinic. By understanding what patient churn is, analyzing the competition, offering a variety of services, creating a welcoming environment, and doing regular follow-ups, you can significantly increase client loyalty.
The bottom line? When you focus on implementing and optimizing patient retention strategies, your clinic will experience steady growth in revenue, reputation, and clients alike.
For more information on how a physiotherapy marketing agency can help your clinic with patient retention strategies, call PhysioMarketing at 833-410-2735 or contact us online.