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Low-cost Ways to Attract New Patients

Whether you’re already running your own practice, considering opening one or working at someone else’s practice, you’ll know that it can often be hard to attract new chiropractic patients, particularly with the state of the economy. People often don’t have the money to spend on ‘alternative’ treatments and although the benefits of chiropractic treatment are many, when money is tight, many people will opt for more traditional physiotherapy or massage treatments.  But the good news is, there are a number of things you can do to attract new patients to your practice – and before you start thinking about your budget, these are all low-cost  ways to boost your client base. So get a pen and paper at the ready and get ready to be inspired by some of these budget-friendly ideas which will help your practice to attract new patients in 2014.

Newsletters

Starting a chiropractic newsletter is one of the best ways not only to attract new patients, but to hold the interest of your current patients too. Research shows that newsletters, whether sent by email or traditional post (or even handed out at reception) can attract more prospects which could quickly turn into paying customers. A newsletter gives your business a personal touch which people will warm to, and the content you include is up to you. It doesn’t need to be all about your practice; you can include topical features on health, back and neck pain and the benefits of chiropractic treatment, to ensure your patients and potential patients are fully informed about what your practice can offer them. If budget is tight, an email newsletter is a cost-effective way to get your business noticed.

Business Cards

Having a stack of business cards available on reception, or handing them out to patients who visit for treatment is a great idea – they may pass these onto friends and family looking for treatment. It’s easy nowadays to have professional looking business cards printed at a low price and there are plenty of websites offering this service. Choose a solid color to keep your cards looking professional and only print as many as you think you’ll need – it’s best to order a small batch and see how you get on, to keep costs to a minimum at first.

Word of Mouth

This has to be one of the best ways to attract new custom to your practice – and best of all, it’s totally free! Use your imagination when it comes to word of mouth; you don’t just have to talk to friends and family about your practice, why not attend business and networking events in your area? Even health fairs and exhibitions that you attend in your personal time are a great way to get your brand noticed; take a stack of business cards with you and chat about your work to anyone who’s interested!

Social Media

Never underestimate what social media can do for your business – it’s a great tool to use, and you can do a lot with it cheaply or even free of charge! At the very minimum, you should ensure you have a Twitter account and Facebook page set up for your practice. There are a number of things you can do to market your company more effectively using Facebook and you’ll find plenty of ideas online. It’s a good idea to ‘like’ or ‘follow’ other practices and practitioners in your area as this is how you will get your business noticed. Ensure you include details of your Facebook page and Twitter account on your business cards and other stationery too to get the word out there!

Promotional Offers

Advertising promotional offers either in your local paper or online, through Facebook or Twitter, is a great way to attract new patients to your practice. Consider offering special discounts at times of the year when money is tight, such as the New Year or the summer holidays – it’s up to you what discounts or offers you put in place, but make sure you spread the word as you could find yourself inundated with new patients who have been waiting for chiropractic treatment to become affordable. Attracting new patients with discounted treatment sessions or special offers is a great way to ensure that they will remain loyal.

Calvin Ford is a freelance health writer who has ran his own chiropractic business for the last 10 years. It’s not an easy job, but he finds it incredibly rewarding and as a plus it gives him plenty to write about for the publications and websites he works with.