The Silent Killer of Brisbane Health Practices
I was sitting down with a physio in Indooroopilly last month. He’s brilliant at what he does, his clinic looks professional, and he’s spent a small fortune on a fancy website. But he had a problem that’s becoming all too common across South East Queensland: his phone wasn't ringing.
He asked me, "Why are people going to the guy down the road? I know for a fact he’s not as experienced as I am."
I pulled out my phone and searched for "Physio Indooroopilly." My mate had three reviews and a 4.1-star rating. The guy down the road? He had 154 reviews and a 4.9-star rating.
In that moment, it didn't matter who had the better degree or the nicer waiting room. To a potential patient in pain, the choice was obvious. The guy with the reviews gets the booking. The guy without them gets ignored.
If you run a health or wellness practice—whether you're a GP, a chiro, a dentist, or a naturopath—your online reviews are your most powerful sales tool. Or, if you’re making the common mistakes we're about to discuss, they are the reason you're losing money every single day.
Why Reviews Matter More Than Your Degree
Look, I know it sounds harsh. You spent years at university, and you take pride in your clinical outcomes. But patients don't know how to judge your clinical skills. They can’t see your transcript. What they can see is what Mrs. Higgins from Chermside said about how you treated her back pain.
When people search for a health provider, they are looking for trust. They are usually in pain, stressed, or worried. They want to know two things: 1. Can you help me? 2. Are you a decent person to deal with?
Reviews answer both of those questions instantly. If you have a solid list of happy patients talking about their experiences, you've already won half the battle. If you don't, you're constantly fighting an uphill battle to get more patients without spending a fortune on ads.
Mistake #1: The "Ghost Town" Profile
The biggest mistake I see Brisbane business owners make is having a Google profile that looks like an abandoned building. You’ve got one review from 2019 and maybe a 3-star rating from a disgruntled person who couldn't find a car park.
When a potential patient sees this, they assume one of three things: You’re out of business. You’re so bad that nobody has anything nice to say. You don't care about your reputation.
None of these help you get more bookings. You need a steady stream of fresh reviews. Google likes this, sure, but more importantly, people like this. A review from last week is worth ten reviews from three years ago.
Mistake #2: Ignoring the Bad Eggs
We’ve all been there. You do your best, but someone shows up in a bad mood and decides to take it out on you online. Maybe their appointment was five minutes late, or they didn't like the music in the waiting room.
Many practice owners make the mistake of ignoring these bad reviews or, worse, getting into a public shouting match.
I’ve seen a clinic owner in Ascot write a 500-word essay back to a negative reviewer, basically calling them a liar. It felt good for him to vent, but it looked terrible to everyone else reading it.
When you ignore a bad review, it looks like you agree with it. When you fight with a reviewer, you look difficult to work with. The goal isn't to win the argument; it's to show potential patients that you are professional and reasonable. A simple, "I'm sorry you had this experience, please call us so we can make it right," does wonders for your credibility.
Mistake #3: Not Asking for the Win
Most health practitioners are too humble. You feel awkward asking for a review. You think it’s "salesy" or unprofessional.
Here is the reality: your happy patients want* to help you. They are grateful that you fixed their shoulder or helped them manage their anxiety. But they are also busy. They aren't going to go home, log into Google, and find your business just for fun.
You have to ask. And you have to make it easy.
If you don't have a system in place to ask every happy patient for a review, you are leaving thousands of dollars on the table. This is one of the most effective ways to fill your wellness clinic without having to resort to pushy sales tactics.
Mistake #4: The "Incentive" Trap
I’ve seen some businesses offer a $10 coffee voucher or a discount on the next session in exchange for a 5-star review.
Don't do this.
First, it’s against Google’s rules, and they will eventually find out and delete all your reviews (or worse, hide your business from search results). Second, in the health industry in Australia, AHPRA has very strict rules about testimonials and incentives. You can get into serious professional trouble for this.
It’s not worth the risk. You don't need to buy reviews; you just need to provide a great service and remind people to talk about it.
How to Build a Review Machine (That Actually Works)
You don't need to be a tech genius to get this right. You just need a process. Here is what I tell my mates who run local businesses:
1. The "Moment of Peak Happiness"
Ask for the review when the patient is at their happiest. For a physio, that’s right after a session where they feel significantly better. For a dentist, it’s when the braces come off.Train your front desk staff or your practitioners to say: "I'm so glad we could help you today. If you have a spare 30 seconds, a Google review would really help other people in Brisbane find us."
2. Make it Dead Simple
Don't expect them to go searching for you. Have a QR code on your reception desk that links directly to your Google review page. Or, better yet, send a quick text message or email 15 minutes after they leave the clinic with the link right there.3. Respond to Everyone
When someone takes the time to write a nice review, say thank you! It shows you value your patients. It also encourages other people to leave reviews because they see that you actually read them.What This Means for Your Bottom Line
Let’s talk about money.
If you have 50 five-star reviews and your competitor has 5, you can charge more. You can be pickier about the patients you take on. You spend less on Facebook ads and Google ads because your "organic" presence is so strong.
I’ve seen Brisbane clinics double their monthly enquiries just by focusing on their Google reputation for three months. No fancy website changes, no expensive marketing campaigns—just getting their happy patients to speak up.
If you're a personal trainer or a small studio owner, this is even more critical. People are literally choosing where to sweat based on these stars. If you want to fill your PT roster, you need to prove that you get results. Reviews are that proof.
The "Wait and See" Cost
Many clinic owners tell me, "I'll get to it eventually."
Every day you wait is a day your competitors are pulling further ahead. In the local Brisbane market, once someone has a 100-review lead on you, it's very hard to catch up. They become the "default" choice for your suburb.
Think about how much a single new patient is worth to you over a year. Now think about how many people are looking at your 3.8-star rating and clicking on the 4.8-star clinic instead. That’s the real cost of poor reviews.
Summary of Action Steps
If you want to stop losing patients to the clinic down the road, do these three things this week:
1. Claim your Google Business Profile. If you haven't done this, you don't even own your reputation. It's free and takes ten minutes. 2. Print a QR code. Put it at reception. Make it impossible for people to miss. 3. Ask three people today. Don't overthink it. Just ask your three happiest patients if they wouldn't mind helping you out.
It feels a bit awkward the first time, but I promise you, when the phone starts ringing more often, you’ll be glad you did it.
Most of what you read about "online reputation management" is overcomplicated rubbish designed to sell you expensive software. At the end of the day, it's just about being good at your job and making sure people know about it.
If you’re too busy running your practice to handle this—or if you want a professional team to build a system that gets you more calls and bookings automatically—reach out to us at Local Marketing Group. We help Brisbane health practices grow by focusing on what actually moves the needle.
Get in touch here: https://lmgroup.au/contact