Acupuncture & TCM Articles

Internet Marketing Tips For Acupuncturists
Author: Kevin Doherty

Is it true that the internet can be a powerful resource for building your acupuncture practice? Absolutely! There is nothing better than a steady stream of patients contacting you without you having to do the constant legwork to bring them in.

Many acupuncturists, including myself, use the internet as one of the primary means to bring new patients in the door.

But very few of us are really tapping into the unlimited potential that the internet has to offer. In fact, I would guess that about 10% of the hundreds of alternative health sites I have seen offer the total package that makes the viewer want what is being offered right NOW. Why?

COPYWRITING 101

Copywriting is basically sales speak. It is a way of communicating that makes people want to buy from you. Joe Vitale, one of the stars of the movie the Secret and a master marketer, calls this hypnotic writing. Basically, you want your reader to be hypnotized by the power and persuasion of your writing. How do you do this?

Write from their perspective. Get into their ego and solve the problems they may be having. Always do this instead of talking about yourself! How many sites have I seen where the homepage is all about the practice, the philosophy, etc. NO! Talk to that reader, solve their problems right away, ease their mind.

It's all about the benefits vs. the features. Talk about the benefits you reader will receive when they see you, not the features of your practice. They don't care about that yet. They only want to know if you can solve their problem. And, on the internet, where everyone has A.D.D. you have about 3 seconds to do this. So the copy has to be hypnotic! Get them to pay attention.

Also, make sure that you have a call to action on your home page. Many sites have a ton of good information, but it does not naturally guide the viewer to take immediate action.

If you write from the perspective of solving your patients problems, not only for your website but in ALL of your marketing materials, your success level will go nowhere but up.

There is more to a site that sells than copywriting, but that is a HUGE piece of the puzzle. Infuse all of your marketing materials with this approach and you will undoubtedly find them to be much more effective. Take it a step further and learn how to speak to your patients in this way. Getting into their ego and seeing life through their eyes is one of the hallmarks of being both a skilled practitioner and an astute marketer.

Kevin Doherty, L.Ac., MS is a licensed acupuncturist in private practice and a business coach to acupuncturists all around North America. Kevin has helped many acupuncturists overcome a variety of obstacles to success. Be sure to opt in to his website to receive a FREE chapter of his ebook Build Your Dream Practice: A Success Manual For Alternative Healthcare Providers. Go to http://www.buildyourdreampractice.net to learn more.