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Local search is one of the least talked about features of Google but it is one that is gaining popularity very rapidly.

Local search is catching on because search engines are getting very good in recognizing when people are searching for something locally. In most cases these local business listings are shown on top of the other search results. Do a search for “physical therapy rehab and (put your zip code)” and see for yourself which are the search results that Google will serve you on the front page. Is your physical therapy business listed there? If not keep reading on!

Local search is also catching on because of its ease of use, large number of results served, a Google map of the local listing being searched and the ability to read reviews about that local listing.

Do you remember the last time you opened up the Yellow Pages to look for a local business? Most people will tell you they are using phone books in their home as step stools to get into hard to reach areas. Everyone is using Google for search. This is a known fact. People are looking for all types of services online from haircuts to auto mechanics and of course physical therapists.

It is in your best interest to have a Google Business listing for your physical therapy business so that you appear on top when people search for such services. If done correctly, this can mean a large number of potential patient referrals, clients or customers without ever having to pay the typical cost associated with using traditional advertising .



Let me take you through six powerful benefits of listing your physical therapy business on Google’s local business search listings:

1. People are searching for your physical therapy business online: This is so basic it goes without saying but I need to say it anyway. A large percentage of searches on Google pertain to local search and out of these searches a good number of them can translate into new referrals, clients or customers for your business . If you are not present on Google’s local business search listings, you are missing out on a lot of new patient referrals, clients and customers. Think about that.

2. Results are near the top of the page: Study after study of search engine users show that they scan a triangular area which includes the area of the first result and then gradually diminishes as you go down the page. Most people never go beyond the first half of the first page. Putting your business listing into Google’s local business directory ensures that your listing will show up in the area where people have the maximum chance of noticing it.

3. Easier than getting on the first page of Google: In most cases getting a business listed in the directory and appearing on the first page for a local business search term is easier than paying high fees to an SEO consultant to have your website appear on the first page for a general search term. When you have your listing listed through Google’s local business search directory you still enjoy the benefit of a large number of views without having to go through the struggle of getting on the first page for your website and paying high fees to an SEO consultant to do it.





1. Google Provides A Map Of Your Business Location: Google will show a map of your business location to web users and even provide them with directions to get to your doorstep. Now that’s powerful! Your front office secretary can focus on coding and billing while Google handles the directions to potential new patient referrals and clients.

2. Google’s local search Listing is free: You don’t have to pay anything to get listed in Google’s business listing. There is absolutely no investment involved and the listing is working for you 24hrs a day all year long. This is a no brainer for anyone with a tight marketing budget.

3. Reach a large number of potential referrals or clients locally: The best part about this is people who engage in local search obviously have a need that has to be met. So when someone calls your physical therapy business through a Google business listing , there is a high chance that person contacting you needs your service and is ready to come through your door almost immediately.

If you take action on including your physical therapy business into Google’s local business search listings, you will enjoy the benefits of getting targeted local patient referrals and potential clients. Most importantly you will have done this simple inclusion of your physical therapy business into Google’s listings at no cost to you. This is a great marketing strategy for your physical therapy business and something you should consider doing soon.Similar Posts:

• Improve Your Online Physical Therapy Marketing By Understanding Basic Keyword Research?
• The Benefits Of A Facebook Fan Page For Your Physical Therapy Business And How To Create One
• Top 5 Physical Therapy Marketing Mistakes To Avoid In 2010
• 5 Reasons To Start A Physical Therapy Blog That Attracts Patient Referrals Than To Have A Boring Static Website
• Podcast: Physical Therapist Monique Serpas Reveals How She Uses Her Blog And Social Media To Connect With Her Patients

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If you didn’t know already Facebook is one of the top social networks in the world. They average over half a million new members joining every single day and currently have over 400 million members. Those numbers are amazing! That is enough members to populate a country the size of the United States don’t you think? Imagine the connections that are being made on a daily basis.

Facebook has helped many people reunite with family members, old friends, colleagues, and even business associates. What’s even more interesting is that very few physical therapist are not taking advantage of Facebook’s popularity to grow their physical therapy businesses. Well that is going to change because I’m here to share with you the benefits of having a Facebook Fan page and the steps you need to do to create one today. Let me break down some interesting statistics for you about the average Facebook user:

• Currently there are more than 400 million active users.
• 50% of active users log on to Facebook in any given day.
• The average user spends more than 55 minutes per day on Facebook.
• More than 5 billion pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc.) are shared each week.
• More than 1.5 million local businesses have active Pages on Facebook.
• More than 20 million people become fans of Pages each day. ( That is a lot of fans!)
• Average user becomes a fan of 4 Pages each month. (One of those pages could be yours.)
• Pages have created more than 5.3 billion fans. (Some of those fans could be yours.)

These Facebook statistics should not be ignored. Facebook offers many ways for your physical therapy business to interact with your local online community and the best way to do it is by creating a Facebook Fan page. I will take you step by step on how to create a Facebook Fan page for your physical therapy business but first let me highlight the benefits of having one:

1. Explain You’re Business: People join your fan page because they want to know more about your physical therapy business. This is the place where you can highlight what your company is about and how it can serve them. Do this by posting quality content articles on your fan page wall that is relevant to your physical therapy business. Add photos of your staff and place of business for fans to see. Post the expertise level of your staff in specialized areas of physical therapy. Send out informative and funny physical therapy videos so fans can connect with you more. Most importantly hold discussions on your fan page to engage in conversation with your fan members.

2. Announce Events And Updates To Your Fans: One of the greatest features of fan pages is you can send updates or announce events whenever you have something planned. For example, if you are having a learning event at your clinic or announcing a new product soon to be released then you can announce it on your fan page. It is a great way of building a list of interested users for your product or potential referrals for your private practice.

3. Interaction: When your fan page reaches a critical mass of fans you will find that they are interacting with each other and giving you great feedback and word of mouth advertising. This is invaluable and although it takes a little time to build, once done it is the greatest asset you can have.

Now that you know the benefits of creating a Facebook Fan page let us look at the step by step tutorial below to create your own.

1. Visit the Facebook Fan page website and select “Create Page” http://www.facebook.com/pages/

2. Enter your business category and the name of your fan page.

3. Enter your Facebook Account Information. If you don’t have an account you will need to create a new one.

4. Congratulations! Your Facebook Fan page is created. Now it’s time to customize it.

5. Start entering information about your physical therapy business to share with your fans.

That’s about it folks. Real simple steps to create your own Facebook Fan page. If you would like more in depth training on creating and promoting your Facebook Fan page, you can enroll in the PT Marketing Academy. We have live online workshops that show you how to create and promote your Facebook Fan page for your physical therapy business. Please leave your comments below if you have any questions about this tutorial. Re-tweets on Twitter and social bookmarking are always appreciated.

Similar Posts:

• 6 Reasons Why Your Physical Therapy Business Should Be In Google’s Local Business Search Directory
• Improve Your Online Physical Therapy Marketing By Understanding Basic Keyword Research?
• 5 Reasons To Start A Physical Therapy Blog That Attracts Patient Referrals Than To Have A Boring Static Website
• How To Manage All Of Your Physical Therapy Social Media Profiles In One Place
• Top 5 Physical Therapy Marketing Mistakes To Avoid In 2010

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For physical therapists, just as for most business owners, physical therapy marketing is a necessary tool if a business is to prosper. The overall goal, of course, is to increase the number of clients / patient referrals you have and to magnify the amount of revenue coming in. Good marketing is about being proactively aware of the mistakes you could make, then taking steps to avoid those mistakes. Below are five significant marketing mistakes physical therapists will want to avoid making if 2010 is to be a profitable year.

1. Not having a "Target Audience" – As a physical therapist, not defining your target audience is a very big mistake. You can’t possibly expect to reach everyone, so you should really research which specific types of people can benefit the most from your particular services, products, and CEU courses.You’ll also want to target those who need the services you specialize in, as well as those who are close enough geographically to come to wherever your physical therapy practice or facility is located.
   
   
2. Not knowing what your prospective clients / patient needs are – Once you’ve found your target audience, you’ll need to do some further research to determine what they need if they’re to live a full life, what their main concerns are, what they’re expecting from the treatment they receive, and where they usually go to receive treatment.Once you find out this information, you’ll have a better understanding of the types of marketing strategies you should use to make them aware that you’re the physical therapist who will best meet those needs for them.
   
   
3. Not giving your business it’s own "personality" – You need to create a certain personality, or identity for your business. In the marketing field, this is called “building your brand.” Build it up and then stick to it. You’ll want to decide on your business’s personality before putting yourself in ads or on business cards because people will start associating your “brand” with you.Things to consider in this "branding" process are:- What you specialize in – The equipment you have available – Where you’re located – Your history and accomplishments – Who your staff is and what training they have – Your mission and vision for your physical therapy practice Add a little personality to your business by thinking of what you truly enjoy doing or what treatments in particular you feel very strongly about. Put all these things together to form your business’s personality. A "This is who we are" profile, if you will.
   
   
4. Not "Getting yourself out there”- By “getting yourself out there” I mean physically getting yourself in front of people who can help bring in new business for you, but also getting your name “out there” on the internet as well.The internet is fast becoming the main way people find information they need – from a good ice cream shop to the best physical therapist in their area. If you don’t have a well designed website that draws people to you and lets them know you’re the physical therapist they should rely on, your business will suffer greatly. And once you’ve built your website and it’s live on the internet, there are all kinds of online marketing strategies you can use to bring in new business.Also, don’t be afraid or ashamed to tell everyone you know, both friends and business associates, about what you do. Use phone calls, business cards, and emails to draw attention to your practice because you never know who you might be talking to that is either sending a new client your way or becomes your client themselves.
   
   
5. Not building your social contacts – Going right along with “not getting yourself out there,” is not building your social contacts to include other professionals who might be able to send new clients your way. This could be physicians, social workers, attorneys, etc. So, try to expand your contact list to include other professionals in addtion to doctors in the areas where you do business. This will work out well because if these professionals get to know you, and see the high quality of services you offer, they’ll most likely refer their patients or potential clients to you.
   
   

These five marketing mistakes should definitely be avoided in 2010 if you want your physical therapy practice to thrive this year. If you’ve been making any of these mistakes, don’t worry as all five are easily fixed. Make a list of ways you can stop making the mistake this year and set a goal for yourself so you can feel good when that mistake is no longer hindering your marketing efforts. If you have made any of these mistakes in the past, please comment below and tell us what were the things you did to correct them. We would love to hear your thoughts!

Similar Posts:

• 6 Reasons Why Your Physical Therapy Business Should Be In Google’s Local Business Search Directory
• The Benefits Of A Facebook Fan Page For Your Physical Therapy Business And How To Create One