The Problem: You’re a Great Clinician, but the Diary is Empty
You didn't spend years at university to sit in an empty office in Chermside or Coorparoo wondering where the next booking is coming from.
Most allied health business owners—whether you're a physio, podiatrist, or speech pathologist—get stuck in a frustrating cycle. You’re either flat out seeing patients with no time to think, or you’re staring at a quiet week and panicking.
Marketing usually feels like a dirty word. You see other clinics using 'salesy' tactics that make you cringe, or you spend thousands on a fancy website that looks nice but doesn't actually make the phone ring.
I’ve seen this work for dozens of Brisbane businesses, and I’m going to be blunt: most of what you read online about marketing is rubbish. You don't need a viral TikTok or a complex 'funnel'. You need local people with local problems to find you, trust you, and book an appointment.
Here is how you actually grow a profitable clinic in the real world.
Stop Chasing 'Likes' and Start Chasing Bookings
Let’s get one thing straight: social media likes don't pay the rent. If you’re spending three hours a week making pretty pictures for Instagram but your phone isn't ringing, you are wasting your time.
For an allied health practice, your marketing needs to do one of three things: 1. Get new patients through the door. 2. Get existing patients to come back (when appropriate). 3. Get other professionals to refer to you.
If a marketing activity doesn't do one of those three, stop doing it.
Why Most Health Marketing Fails
Most health professionals try to get more health clients by talking about themselves. They list their degrees, their equipment, and their 'holistic approach'.The patient doesn't care.
They care that their back hurts when they pick up their kids. They care that they can't run the Bridge to Brisbane this year because of their knee. They care that their child is struggling at school.
To make money, your marketing must pivot from "Look how great I am" to "I understand your pain, and I can fix it."
Your Website: A Digital Front Door, Not a Brochure
Your website is your hardest-working employee. It works 24/7. But for most Brisbane clinics, the website is just an expensive digital brochure that sits on page 4 of Google where nobody finds it.
It Must Work on Phones
This is non-negotiable. Most people searching for a 'physio near me' are doing it on their phone while they're on their lunch break or sitting on the couch. If your site is slow, or if the text is too small to read, they will leave in two seconds. Google likes sites that work well on phones, and they will reward you with better rankings.The '3-Second Rule'
When someone lands on your site, they need to know three things within three seconds: 1. What do you do? 2. Can you solve my specific problem? 3. How do I book?If they have to hunt for your phone number or a 'Book Now' button, you've already lost them. Put that button at the top right of every page. Make it a bright colour. Make it impossible to miss.
Google: The Only Place That Really Matters
When someone has a health problem, they don't go to Facebook to find a solution. They go to Google. If you aren't showing up when someone types in your service + your suburb (e.g., "Podiatrist North Lakes"), you are handing money to your competitors.
Google Business Profile (The Map Pack)
You know those three businesses that show up next to the map when you search for something? That is the holy grail of local marketing. It’s free, and it’s more important than your actual website for getting phone calls.How to win at Google Maps: Reviews, Reviews, Reviews: You need more 5-star reviews than the guy down the road. I know it’s awkward to ask, but you have to do it. Make it part of your discharge process. "Hey, we loved having you in. It would mean the world if you left us a quick review so other people can find us." Photos: Don't just use stock photos of smiling models. Take photos of your actual clinic, your waiting room, and your team. People want to see where they are going. Keep it updated: Post a quick update once a week. It can be as simple as "We have two spots left for Friday afternoon."
The Referral Trap: Why GPs Aren't Enough
Many allied health owners rely 100% on GP referrals. This is dangerous. If that one GP moves away or a new clinic opens up next to them, your business dies overnight.
You need to fill your clinic by going directly to the public. When you have your own flow of patients coming from Google and word-of-mouth, you aren't at the mercy of a busy doctor who forgot you exist.
Building Real Relationships
I’m not talking about dropping off a box of chocolates and a stack of business cards at the local GP clinic. That doesn't work anymore.Instead, send the GP a concise, professional letter about a shared patient. Show them you’re getting results. Make their life easier. If you make the GP look good to their patient, they will send you more.
Stop Wasting Money on These 3 Things
I’ve seen Brisbane business owners pour money down the drain on these, and it kills me:
1. Yellow Pages (Digital or Print): It’s 2024. Nobody uses it. If they say they’ll help your SEO, they’re lying. Put that money into Google Ads instead. 2. Generic 'Brand Awareness' Ads: Putting an ad in a local school newsletter or on a bus back might feel good, but you can't track it. Unless you have a massive budget, stick to marketing where you can see exactly how many phone calls you got for every dollar spent. 3. Cheap SEO Services: If someone emails you promising "Page 1 of Google for $99," delete it. They will use dodgy tactics that will eventually get your website banned by Google. Good work costs money because it takes time.
Google Ads: The Fast Track to New Patients
If you need patients this week, Google Ads is the only way to go. You pay to show up at the very top of the search results.
The trap: Most people set up Google Ads themselves, let it run on 'Smart Mode', and Google eats their budget while showing the ad to people who aren't even looking for them.
The right way: Target very specific 'buying' keywords. Don't bid on "back pain" (too broad). Bid on "physiotherapist Carindale". You want the person who is ready to book now.
Email Marketing: The Goldmine You’re Ignoring
It is five times cheaper to get an old patient to come back than it is to find a brand new one.
Do you have a list of everyone who has ever visited your clinic? If you aren't emailing them at least once a month, you are leaving thousands of dollars on the table.
Don't send 'newsletters' about your staff's weekend. Send helpful advice. "3 stretches for office workers" "Is your child's school bag too heavy?" "How to know if you need new orthotics"
At the bottom of every email, have a clear link to book an appointment. You’ll be surprised how many people say, "Oh yeah, my neck has been stiff, I should go see them."
Pricing and 'The Gap'
Let’s talk about money. Many clinic owners are terrified to raise their prices because they think patients will leave.
Here’s the reality: the patients who only come to you because you’re the cheapest are the biggest headache. They cancel at the last minute and complain about everything.
If you provide a great service and your marketing makes you look like an expert, people will pay for it. I’ve seen a clinic in Paddington raise their rates by $20 a session; they lost 5% of their 'price-shopper' patients but their profit went up by 30%. They were less busy but made more money. That’s the goal.
How Long Until You See Results?
Marketing isn't magic. It takes time to build a reputation.
Google Ads: 24-48 hours. You turn them on, and the phone starts ringing. Google Maps/SEO: 3 to 6 months. This is a slow burn but has the best long-term result because you don't pay per click.
- Email Marketing: Instant. Send an email to 500 past patients today, and you’ll likely have 3-5 bookings by tomorrow morning.
Your Action Plan
If you’re overwhelmed, do these three things in this order:
1. Claim your Google Business Profile. Fill out every section and ask five happy patients for a review this week. 2. Fix your website's 'Book Now' button. Make sure it’s huge and works on a phone. 3. Send one helpful email to your database. Remind them you exist.
If you do those three things, you’ll already be ahead of 80% of the clinics in Brisbane.
Running a clinic is hard enough without worrying about where the next patient is coming from. You don't need to be a marketing genius; you just need to be consistent and focus on what actually moves the needle.
Need help getting the phone to ring? At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in helping Brisbane service businesses grow without the fluff. Contact us today and let’s get your diary full.