Celebrate!
Share your passion and celebrate your business during National Physical Therapy Month
By Don Levine, PT, DPT, FAFS
As we gear up for October, the Marketing and Public Relations Committee urges you to celebrate your profession by sharing your passion! October is National Physical Therapy Month, and we champion you to make it your own and share your passion with your community. Ask yourself: Why did you open your doors? What makes your motor run? What is your purpose? Share these answers with your clients and community!
“To be successful, the first thing to do is fall in love with your work.”1 While few may love the ever-increasing administrative burdens, we cannot deny that we have one of the most rewarding professions. Learning the skills necessary to help alleviate patients’ pain and improve their function should humble us every day. It is truly a gift to help those in our community live better lives. Now, let’s celebrate and educate!
How you share your expertise is important—but first you must decide what you would like to share. Some companies have already developed their mission statement, and this may be a great tool from which to build your message. If you have a management team, bring this group together and discuss the message you want your community to receive next month. What makes your practice valuable to the members of your community, and what most excites you and your staff about your profession? Narrow the information down to one or two concepts and then hone your message. In a smaller practice, bring key staff together to perform this task—get input from team members. Sharing their passions will heighten their desire to be a part of the process.
Sharing is caring!
Getting the word out can be done in many different ways:
- Website: List information on your website regarding any events your practice may be holding.
- Facebook: Easy and free. Not only can you post events, but you can take advantage of posting pictures that demonstrate your passion and your involvement in your community. Engage your audience so it is not just a one-way street.
- E-newsletter: This is a great way to get your information out to your fan-base!
- Media placements: Placing ads in newspapers and in magazines or on radio and on television can be expensive, so it is up to each practice to decide if the cost is worth the exposure. Do not forget to seek out free press opportunities when you invite groups to cover your event!
- Referral sources: Dropping off information to your referral sources can be more effective than mailing. Think outside the box for this group. Medical doctors easily come to mind, but remember other targets such as massage therapists, personal trainers, nurse case managers, and area coaches, too.
What’s a physical therapist to do?
The ideas should come from your practice to make it your own. Some ideas may be as simple as hosting an event to celebrate your patients or referral sources, and other events may be as elaborate as developing a road race or an obstacle course challenge. Holding a legislative open house provides lots of exposure (featured in Impact September 2013 issue). Hosting your local and state representatives is a sure way to bring in the press, so think about combining this event with something to really set your practice apart.
Physical therapists understand the health care issues that our society faces today. We cannot take this knowledge for granted, but instead should spread our knowledge and understanding to our communities. Every day that our clients place their wellness in our hands is truly a gift.
As Theodore Roosevelt stated, “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”2 Celebrate your profession and your passion!
Don Levine, PT, DPT, FAFS, is chair of the marketing and PR committee and co- owner of Olympic Physical Therapy with five locations in Rhode Island. He can be reached at dlevine@olympicpt-ri.com.
Notes
1. www.oneweekjob.com/blog/2010/11/09/the-50-best-work-and-passion-quotes-of-all-time/ Accessed July 2014.
2. http://idealistcareers.org/12-quotes-that-will-encourage-you-to-follow-your-passion/ Accessed July 2014.