Be a Pundit

By By Tannus Quatre, PT, MBA

Our clients want to learn from us, and, in turn, we want to teach them. However, who has the time? This is an issue faced by physical therapists everywhere. Outside of the patient care itself, how do we find time to educate, improve, and show value to our clients?

One way is by being a pundit.

While sometimes taking a bad rap (especially in the political arena) as “talking heads” or ideologues, pundits serve an important purpose in today’s media market. Pundits are (or should be) experts in a specific subject. They offer commentary and opinion and, through this guidance, provide value by creating a bridge between often complex information that could be of benefit to a patient if it could be understood.

Pundits do not produce the news; they make it relatable and interesting. They do not create the market, they speak to it. They do not publish the reports, they comment on them. They carry a light load.

As an expert in the movement sciences, your load can be light as well, all the while providing meaningful insights to those around you.

To be a pundit:

• Be on the lookout. Look for news and current events for which you have a relevant opinion, and share it with those around you. Topic areas may include news coverage of notable injuries, sporting events, or other health-related topics.
• Form relationships. To be a pundit, someone has to know you are (or want to be) one. It is the media’s job to make the news interesting. To do so, they need us—resources who can make their stories relatable and understandable. Reach out to local media outlets and nurture these relationships so you will be at the top of their minds when a pundit is needed.
• Be social. You do not need to wait for a news reporter to contact you in order to be a pundit. In today’s world in which all news is a mere click away, use your own social media channels to provide commentary about current events pertaining to your expertise. In many ways, your own social media channels can be the most effective for purposes of engaging a market.
• Share. Even if you do not have the time to formalize a written opinion about a trending topic, by virtue of sharing the information with those around you, an invitation to partake in discussion can be openly extended. A daily habit of sharing online links, quotes, or trending topics can take mere minutes, and provide vast opportunity to share your expertise with those who need you. 
  

  Tannus Quatre, PT, MBA,lives at the intersection of physical therapy and entrepreneurship, spending his time helping physical therapists build and operate successful practices through his company, Vantage Clinical Solutions. He specializes in marketing, finance, and business planning, and authors and speaks regularly for the APTA and PPS. He can be reached at tannus@vantageclinicalsolutions.com.