The Reality of Running a Clinic in Brisbane
You didn't spend years at university studying physiotherapy, podiatry, or psychology just to spend your Saturday nights staring at a Facebook Business Manager dashboard feeling confused.
I’ve sat down with dozens of practice owners across Brisbane—from small physio clinics in Coorparoo to busy speech pathology practices in Chermside. The story is almost always the same. You’re brilliant at helping people get better, but when it comes to getting new people through the front door, it feels like throwing money into a black hole.
Most marketing advice you read online is written by people who have never had to pay a commercial lease or manage a team of clinicians. They talk about 'brand awareness' and 'engagement.' But if you’re a business owner, those words don't pay the rent.
What pays the rent is the phone ringing. It’s a full diary. It’s patients who show up, pay their bill, and tell their friends about you.
In this guide, I’m going to strip away the jargon and show you exactly how to grow your allied health practice using common sense and proven tactics that actually work in the real world.
Why Most 'Marketing' for Health Practices Fails
I’ll be blunt: most marketing agencies treat a podiatry clinic the same way they treat a clothing brand. They focus on making things look 'pretty' rather than making them work.
Here is why most of what you’ve tried probably hasn't worked:
1. It’s too technical: You don't need to know how Google’s 'algorithm' works. You just need to know that when someone in Indooroopilly searches for 'back pain specialist near me,' your name shows up first. 2. It’s too expensive for what you get: Spending $2,000 a month on social media posts that get three 'likes' from your mum and your receptionist is a waste of money. 3. It doesn't build trust: Health is personal. People aren't buying a pair of shoes; they’re buying a solution to their pain or a way to help their child. If your website looks like a generic template from 2005, they won't trust you.
To see real growth, you need to focus on how to fill your clinic by focusing on the things that actually move the needle.
Step 1: Your Website Must Actually Work on Phones
Think about how you find a service these days. You’re sitting on the couch, or you’re at work, and you grab your phone.
If a potential patient clicks on your site and the text is tiny, the buttons don't work, or it takes ten seconds to load, they are gone. They’ve clicked 'back' and gone to your competitor down the road before your logo has even finished loading.
What a 'working' website looks like:
The Phone Number is Huge: It should be at the very top. People shouldn't have to hunt for a 'Contact Us' page to call you. Online Booking is Easy: If I have to fill out a 10-field enquiry form just to ask for an appointment, I won't do it. Use a simple booking system like Halaxy or Cliniko. It Loads Fast: If it’s slow, Google hates it and patients hate it. Real Photos: Stop using stock photos of smiling people with perfect teeth who clearly aren't from Brisbane. Show your actual clinic. Show your face. People want to see who is going to be treating them.Step 2: Google is Your Best Friend (If You Do It Right)
When someone has a sore knee or needs a dietitian, they go to Google. They don't go to Instagram to scroll through hashtags.
There are two ways to show up on Google: the 'free' way (which takes time) and the 'paid' way (which is instant).
The 'Free' Way (Google Business Profile)
This is that little map that shows up with the three local businesses. For a local clinic, this is your most valuable asset.Get Reviews: This is non-negotiable. I’ve seen clinics in New Farm double their bookings just by going from 5 reviews to 50. Ask your happy patients to leave a review before they leave the building. Make it easy—print a QR code and put it on the front desk. Keep Your Hours Updated: Nothing makes a patient angrier than driving to a clinic that says 'Open' on Google but is actually closed for a public holiday.
The 'Paid' Way (Google Ads)
If you want the phone to ring tomorrow, this is how you do it. You pay Google to put you at the very top for specific searches like 'Physio Carindale.'The Trap: Most people set these up wrong and waste thousands. They bid on general terms like 'health' or 'exercise.' You only want to pay for people who are actually looking for your specific service in your specific suburb.
If you do this right, you can get health clients without feeling like you're a sleazy car salesman. It’s just about being there when they need you.
Step 3: Stop Ignoring Your Existing Patients
It costs five times more to get a new patient than it does to keep an old one. Yet, most practice owners I meet are so obsessed with 'new leads' that they forget about the 500 people already in their database.
If someone came to see you six months ago for a neck issue, they probably have something else bothering them now, or they need a maintenance check-up.
Simple ways to win back old patients:
A Monthly Newsletter: Not a 10-page medical journal. Just a quick update. '3 tips for avoiding desk pain' or 'Meet our new exercise physiologist.' Recall Reminders: If your service requires regular visits (like podiatry or dental), have a system that automatically texts them when they are due. Birthday Vouchers: A simple $10 discount or a free 'wellness check' on their birthday goes a long way in building loyalty.Step 4: The 'Referral' Engine
For allied health, GPs are often the gatekeepers. But building GP relationships is hard. They are busy, stressed, and bombarded by people wanting their time.
Don't just drop off a box of chocolates and a stack of business cards. That doesn't work.
Instead, focus on reporting. When a GP sends you a patient, send back a high-quality, concise report. Show them that you are taking great care of their patient. If you make the GP look good, they will keep sending people your way.
Also, think about 'Cross-Referrals.' If you’re a podiatrist, you should know the best physio in the area. If you’re a psychologist, you should know the best GP who focuses on mental health. Build a small network of local business owners who can send people back and forth.
Step 5: Social Media – Don't Overcomplicate It
I’m going to say something controversial: Most allied health practices don't need to be on TikTok. They don't need to be posting three times a day on Instagram.
Social media for a local clinic should serve one purpose: Proof of Life.
When a potential patient looks you up, they want to see that you are a real business with real people.
Post a photo of the team having a coffee. Post a quick video explaining a common stretch. Post a 'Patient of the Month' (with permission).Spend 20 minutes a week on this, then get back to running your business. Don't let it suck your time. If you find yourself spending hours on Canva, you are wasting money. Your time is worth $150+ an hour—act like it.
How Much Should This Cost?
I get asked this all the time. 'How much should I spend on marketing?'
If you are a solo practitioner just starting out, you can do a lot of this for free with your own time. But once you have staff and a lease, you need to be professional.
Website: A good, professional site that actually works on phones will cost you between $3,000 and $7,000 once. Avoid the 'monthly rental' website traps where you never own the site. Google Ads: Don't bother starting with less than $30 a day. Anything less and you won't get enough data to see if it's working.
- Management Fees: If you hire an agency like us to do the heavy lifting, expect to pay for the expertise. But the goal should always be that the profit from the new patients pays for the fee and then some.
What to Do First (Your 30-Day Plan)
Don't try to do everything at once. You’ll get overwhelmed and do nothing.
1. Week 1: Fix your Google Business Profile. Upload 10 real photos of your clinic and ask 5 recent patients for a review. 2. Week 2: Look at your website on your phone. Try to book an appointment. If it’s hard, call a developer and fix it. 3. Week 3: Export your patient list from your booking software. Send one simple, helpful email to everyone you haven't seen in 6 months. 4. Week 4: Set up a simple Google Ads campaign for your most profitable service (e.g., 'Clinical Pilates' or 'Custom Orthotics').
The Local Marketing Group Way
At Local Marketing Group, we don't care about 'viral' posts or 'brand identity.' We care about your clinic being busy.
We’ve seen this work for dozens of Brisbane businesses over the years. We know that a physio in Morningside needs a different approach than a specialist in the CBD.
We don't use big words to hide the fact that we aren't getting results. We give you a straightforward report every month that shows you exactly how many people called you or booked an appointment because of what we did.
If you're tired of wondering where your next patient is coming from, let's have a chat. We’ll look at your current setup and tell you exactly where you're wasting money and where the opportunities are.
Ready to get more bookings? Contact us today and let's get your clinic full.