Editor’s Note
By Kristen Wilson, PT, DPT
Upon finishing and submitting this August’s Editor’s letter, I’m hopping in the already-packed car and taking the kids to the beach for the day.
Southeastern Pennsylvania is in the midst of a heat wave, and while driving to work the other day, I caught a glimpse of a billboard picturing a person sitting oceanside with a cool drink in hand. The image was planted, and that message’s seed festered over the past week into an unrelenting longing to be near the sea with my toes in the sand. Nothing quells a restless summer soul like the repetition of waves and seagull cries.
It seems fitting that as a “victim” who succumbed to a messaging scheme, I write today’s note supporting the importance and effectiveness of a well-planned marketing strategy for your physical therapy business. Marketing is everywhere … it’s in the media we consume, the books we read; heck, it’s even in the titles of your favorite Impact articles! (See the Content page for a hearty laugh.) Through their products and information, marketing messages compete for our attention, and often, the loudest or most repetitive message wins. As you reflect on your message in your community, consider assessing how you perform, not only in volume and frequency, but effectiveness: Do consumers recognize your brand? Understand the product you provide? Associate your name with high-quality? Have a clear picture of what physical therapy is? We have the power as business owners to create the message that not only serves our practices, but our profession as a whole. And as a Section, we shape how that message is heard.
This month’s issue is among my favorites of all-time, offering many tools to help you shape your message. The content is variable, covering the soft and logistical aspects of marketing for physical therapy. If you’re like me and have struggled to understand and implement Google Ads, then online marketing expert Chris Mesigian’s “Hello? Is it Me You’re Looking For?” will act as a roadmap to help navigate this powerful tool. Or if you’re looking to improve your presentation content and community presence, don’t miss Madison Brinson’s piece on “Becoming an Influential Content Expert.” And if you need a little data to support your decisions, Steve Stalzer delivers in “Simple Steps to Understanding your Marketing ROI.” It’s a rich issue that will satisfy beginner and expert owners alike.
Messaging and marketing are powerful tools that affect our ability to reach our customers and, in turn, promote the profession we love dearly. Our words matter in shaping the future of how our businesses perform and the presence we will continue to play in the healthcare setting as the experts of musculoskeletal dysfunction. Success is ours together, as long as we stay focused collectively on the same horizon with a consistent message that is expressed loudly and frequently for all to hear. Loud enough to be heard above the waves and seagull cries. So quit beaching, and start crafting our profession’s message to share on behalf of your business. The Section thanks you!
With care,
The next Board meeting will take place Aug. 10, 2021 at 3 PM EDT.