In a recent conversation with a newly graduated acupuncturist, I learned that in acupuncture schools they say it takes about five years to build an acupuncture practice.
This has to be one of the biggest myths in the acupuncture field. Unfortunately, too many practitioners believe this to be true and cheat themselves out of growing their acupuncture practice in just one third of the time. If you pace yourself to see results in five years that's exactly what you'll get.
I'm going to share with you a simple but powerful approach that can sky rocket your acupuncture practice in just 12 to 18 months. I'm also going to tell you exactly what to focus on so you don't waste your time implementing tactics that don't work, or that work but take too long to produce results.
The secret to growing your acupuncture practice in record time is in the marketing. Yes, I know you're thinking to yourself... "duh Frank," but stick with me here for a moment because I'm going to show you exactly what tactic works best, but first you need to think outside the box.
Too many practitioners are confused about how to market themselves. One of the biggest obstacle they face is they see themselves as healers and not business people. The fact that acupuncture works so well, ironically contributes to this thinking. They feel people should be knocking down their door to get acupuncture treatments because acupuncture works so well.
From a logical standpoint, you might think this makes sense. "Why advertise" you might say. Maybe you feel advertising is for products you have to shove down people's throat. Maybe you feel doing marketing is selling yourself and you feel selling is sleazy or unethical. Why should you have to sell people on an alternative form of health care that's been around for more than 3,500 years, that is natural, safe, effective, drug free and doesn't produce side effects.
The logic might make sense, but the problem is you're not the only game in town. Acupuncture schools are cranking out more practitioners than ever before. Many of today's acupuncturists were regular people who experienced the benefits of acupuncture and where so impressed with the results they enrolled in acupuncture school. Maybe you're one of them.
This is all good, but when it comes to making money practicing acupuncture, you've got to understand this very important principle; "You're not in the acupuncture business, you're in the business of marketing your acupuncture practice." Until you take this to heart, you won't see dramatic results.
So which are the marketing strategies that yield the best and fastest results? Well if you apply the 80/20 rule to your marketing you'll discover that you will acquire 80% of new patients from your website. Why? Because more than 80% of the people that search for products and services do so online. The yellow pages are almost extinct, so you need to have an online presence so those 80% of new patients searching online can find you.
Acupuncture practice building is like fishing-If you're going to catch fish, you have to go where the fish are biting. Now please don't make the mistake of thinking that just slapping up a website is going to solve your marketing problems. Your website first must be easily found by prospective patient's searching for an acupuncturist in YOUR area. If they can't find you it's like you don't exist. Invest in a website, but most importantly invest in learning about search engine optimization so prospective patients can find your website. This is how you grow an acupuncture practice in record time. The five year rule is just a myth.
Frank Prieto
To get the free report on acupuncture practice building by Frank Prieto, with killer acupuncture marketing strategies to explode your practice go to http://www.newacupuncturepatients.com/blog/
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