Using Workshops to Increase the Number of Referrals for PT Practice Owners

Written for PT Practice Owners by Dr. Jamey Schrier, DPT, Founder and CEO, Practice Freedom U

Public speaking is not something that comes easy for everyone – even those who do it for a living. Sure, it’s probably not as stressful every single time you get onstage if this is the case, but that doesn’t mean that getting nervous won’t happen. For people like Jamey Schrier, speaking to large crowds is normal, but so is needing to find the best (and least stressful) way to do it well.

Even professionals get the feelings of nervousness; the cold and clammy hands, the pounding heart, the racing thoughts. Speaking publicly about something that a person is passionate about should be simple, right? It should be something that comes naturally… but it’s hard not to worry, especially when you’re speaking to (and with) a new crowd. For PT practice owners, learning the tricks is essential.

What if the message falls flat? What if the audience doesn’t connect? What if when you’re speaking, you lose your place? Is the space you’re in going to be conducive to a productive seminar or speech?

Unfortunately, these types of thoughts often happen before even stepping out onto the stage… but this is not a terrible thing. Having these thoughts and fears early on can help people to take a step back and think carefully about what they need and want to do in order to be as successful as possible. 

Addressing these fears and concerns head on is essential to making a successful presentation. Stage fright is natural, but it is something that people can overcome with some practice – and keeping a level head. Most people focus on group size as the source of their discomfort and unease, but the truth is that speeches will be the same whether you’re in front of a small group of peers or a large group of potential referral sources. 

Facing any fears that you may have head on is important. 

Why? Because not doing it could be costing you thousands of dollars. The ability to engage with people in both small groups and large ones is a powerful tool for PT practice owners to wield. This skill helps you to establish yourself as a leading expert in your community, and it enables you to make connections while growing relationships that can – and will – strengthen and grow your business over time. 

What is the key to taming those public-speaking nerves? It’s simple. You’ll need to shift the attention off of yourself and onto the people that you’re connecting with. Active appreciation is the simple, works-every-time technique that can be used to refocus attention and settle nerves. The best part? It works whether you’re talking with a group of five or a crowd of 500. 

For PT practice owners, building a thriving, profitable PT practice is about making genuine, lasting connections. These connections need to be formed with patients and with referral partners. The most effective strategies for building those all-important relationships aren’t expensive or complicated.

Here’s How. 

Getting nervous while speaking in public is natural. 

Are you frightened to speak in front of a group? You may not think professionals get nervous, but they do. They get really nervous, and that’s likely true for everyone.. Sometimes, people can get so nervous before speaking to a group that they can even forget the things that they’re going to say, requiring them to stop, take a few breaths and refer back to their notes It’s happened on many occasions to many reputable and seasoned public speakers. 

Speaking at an event for the Florida Physical Therapy Association is not only a good time to reach other physical therapy professionals and speak to them about their practices and the best ways to grow and market their businesses – it’s also a great time to refocus on public speaking and the art of getting the finer points across successfully.  

Speaking in front of people can be nerve wracking and make people extremely anxious, but it,is one of the most powerful things that you can do to become an authority figure or an expert in your community. Whether you’re in front of two people or you’re in front of 200 people, getting in front of anyone and saying what you mean to say is powerful.Sometimes, the reason we get nervous is because we’re focusing on us instead of them. 

You see, they care about themselves, they care about their situation, and they’re not judging us. Sometimes, though,it can feel like the people that you try to reach are judging you and that can make you very critical of yourself. ,You start to overthink things like what you’re wearing, what you’re saying, how you look and what you’ve got planned.  But the reality is that they don’t really care about any of that stuff. They really just want to know “hey, can you help me? Can you impart some knowledge that can help me in my situation with my problem?” When you focus on this, it’s easier to make it all about them and what you’d like them to know. 

This is where the concept of active appreciation comes into play. Before speaking, take a few minutes and think:  “What do I appreciate about this group?” Usually, this focuses on the fact that they’ve taken the time and energy – and the initiative – to want to learn how to improve their business. 

They’re taking responsibility for their business and for their success, and  they want to hear what you have to say. They wouldn’t be attending the seminar or the speech or the workshop if this wasn’t the case.  That’s huge, What it does is instead of allowing you to focus on your own anxieties, it really puts the focus on them and what they’re there for, allowing you to relax and do your job. This is only one tip that can possibly help you accomplish your goals and speak efficiently to the assembled group – but it’s definitely not the only thing that can help.  

The physical therapy field is one that is filled with many qualified and capable individuals and innumerable practice owners that are looking to appeal to those in need of the services. In order to increase the number of PT referral requests and to draw in larger numbers of potential patients, it is important for PT practice owners to understand the audience that you’re trying to reach. The best place to start is with education, because until someone needs physical therapy, they may not know where – or who – to turn to for the best results.

Having the information in one centralized location, providing people with results, information, options and even advice on where to turn when they need referral for physical therapy sessions can be a game-changer for people that are new to the service … but it’s up to the practice owners to know how to utilize these services so that they can be offered in the first place. Having the ability to help patients is one thing, but connecting them to these resources is another entirely.  

Visibility is essential to making an impact on patients and potential patients, and using the correct tools to streamline the experience for everyone involved is essential. To learn more about one such offering that can change the way the patient management system is handled for your practice, visit https://www.betterpt.com/ and request a demo today.

 

Dr. Jamey Schrier is a physical therapist and founder of Practice Freedom U, which teaches PT practice owners how to grow and scale their businesses, making prospering both inside and out of the clinic possible.