Did you know more than 80% of patients research healthcare providers online before booking an appointment? If you're not leveraging social media, you're missing out on a massive patient pool. That's why we're thrilled to have Dr. Tim DiFrancesco, a renowned Physiotherapist and former strength and conditioning coach for the L.A. Lakers (including the legendary Kobe Bryant!), join us for this exclusive vlog.
In this vlog, Dr. DiFrancesco dives deep into his strategies for building a thriving online presence. He's amassed over 54k engaged followers on Instagram, plus 15.8k on X (formerly known as Twitter), and he's sharing his top 5 secrets for success here, exclusively with Campus subscribers.
But, there's more! This blog post provides a written summary and analysis of Dr. DiFrancesco's tips, making sure you can easily implement them in your own practice. Let's jump in and discover how Dr. DiFrancesco leverages social media to attract new patients.
Secret #1: Identify Your Target Audience and Their Pain Points
Dr. DiFrancesco isn't just growing his audience on social media; he's building a community of engaged patients. How? By truly understanding his target audience. Forget generic demographics like "35-55 year olds who like pickleball." This secret goes deeper.
What keeps your ideal patients up at night? What frustrations do they face when it comes to their health and well-being? Are they weekend warriors battling nagging injuries or active seniors seeking ways to maintain mobility? Understanding their aspirations and pain points is key.
Real-life Example: We don’t have to look very far to find a killer example for the first secret. Dr. DiFrancesco is an expert at creating content for his target audience. This is just one of the many examples!
Actionable Takeaway: Take a moment to reflect on your ideal patient and their challenges. What are their biggest concerns related to physiotherapy or more broadly, their health and wellness? Jot down some ideas, and use them to craft a winning social media strategy in the next section.
Secret #2: Provide Simple Solutions
Think "snackable solutions," not lectures. Instead of in-depth anatomy explanations, offer quick, easy-to-follow exercise demonstrations, hacks for building and maintaining healthy habits, tell patient stories, and focus on results, not jargon. For example, headline your post with the benefit, like "3 Simple Exercises for a Stronger Pickleball Serve."
Real-life Example: Dr. Gretchen Hawley is a PT with 35K+ Instagram followers who specializes in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) treatment and exercises. She provides tips to those living with MS (her target audience) by creating short, easy-to-follow videos like this:
Actionable Takeaway: Create a short video demonstration that showcases effective exercises or stretches relevant to your target audience's pain points.
Secret #3: Make it Personal
People connect with people, not logos. Feature your passionate staff in your social media content. Highlight their unique skills and personalities and let your audience see the human side of your practice.
Go beyond introductions: Don't just show faces! Create engaging content that allows your staff to shine. This could be short Q&A sessions where they answer patient questions, "Day in the Life" vlogs following them through a workday, or even featuring patient testimonials highlighting positive interactions with specific staff members.
Real-life Example: It doesn’t always need to be focussed on treatment. Have some fun with it like our good Friends from Body Waves Massage Therapy
Actionable Takeaway: Create a "Meet the Team" style post and introduce your audience to a staff member or members. but don't stop there. Highlight a staff member's unique skillset relevant to a specific patient concern, feature their favorite healthy recipe or self-care tip, or get creative with other ideas that showcase the personalities behind your practice. Remember, have fun with it!
Secret #4: Collaboration is Key
Building partnerships with local businesses that cater to your target audience is a win-win strategy. Not only does it expand your reach to a brand-new audience, but it also positions your practice as a trusted resource within the community.
There are many ways to collaborate with local businesses. Leave thoughtful comments on their posts, offer guest blog appearances on their websites, or suggest a joint post on Instagram. Think beyond basic interaction. Consider co-hosting a social media challenge or giveaway related to health and wellness. You could also collaborate on creating educational content, such as a video series on common injuries or post-workout recovery tips.
Real-life Example: Foundation Physio has done a fantastic job of collaborating with many local businesses and brands, including the Toronto Raptors North Side Crew!
Actionable Takeaway: Identify 10 complementary businesses like gyms, sports apparel stores, or even fitness influencers. Follow them on social media and actively interact with their content. Look for creative ways to collaborate that can benefit both your audience and theirs!
Secret #5: Pick a Platform and Crush it
Don't waste time and resources spreading yourself thin across every social media channel. Focus on mastering one platform where you can truly connect with your target audience. Identify the platform where your ideal patients are most active and dedicate your efforts there. The focused energy will pay off.
Actionable Takeaway: Analyze your existing audience demographics on the platforms you currently use. Research where your ideal patients spend their social media time and shift your focus to that platform if needed.
By implementing these tips and tailoring them to your specific practice, you’ll get better and better at creating content that resonates with your target audience. As a result, you’ll leverage the power of social media to attract new patients to grow your practice.
