Why Your Vet Clinic Isn't Growing (And It’s Not Your Medicine)
I was sitting down with a vet practice owner in Chermside last month. Let’s call him Dave. Dave is a brilliant surgeon, his staff are lovely, and his clinic is spotless. But Dave was stressed. He was spending three grand a month on a 'social media package' that posted pretty pictures of kittens three times a week, yet his phone wasn't ringing any more than usual.
"I don't get it," he told me. "Everyone likes the photos, but I'm still staring at an empty diary on Tuesday afternoons."
Dave’s problem is the same one I see with dozens of small business owners across Brisbane. He was following the 'marketing rules' written by people who have never had to pay a commercial lease or manage a payroll.
Most of what you’ve been told about marketing your vet clinic is rubbish. It’s designed to make agencies look busy, not to make you money. In this post, I want to tear down the myths that are draining your bank account and show you what actually works to get more pet owners through your doors.
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Myth #1: "You Need to Be on Every Social Media Platform"
If I hear one more person tell a busy vet they need to be on TikTok, I’m going to lose it.
Unless you have a burning desire to spend your nights editing videos of Labradors instead of seeing your family, stay off TikTok. Most social media is a giant time-suck that produces 'likes' but very few bookings.
The Reality: Your customers are on Google. When a dog eats a tray of chocolate brownies at 8:00 PM on a Sunday, the owner doesn't go to Instagram to find a 'fun' vet. They go to Google and type in "emergency vet near me" or "vet open now Brisbane."
If you aren't showing up right there, at that exact moment, you’ve lost the job. It doesn’t matter how many followers you have.
What to do instead: Focus entirely on your Google business profile (that little map listing). Make sure your phone number is correct, your hours are updated, and you have recent photos of your actual team. One good Google review from a local in Ascot is worth more than 1,000 followers from overseas.
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Myth #2: "Discounting is the Only Way to Get New Clients"
"$20 off your first consult!" "Half-price vaccinations!"
Stop it. Right now.
When you lead with a discount, you attract 'price shoppers.' These are the people who will leave you the second the clinic down the road offers a deal that’s $5 cheaper. They don’t value your expertise; they value your cheapness.
The Reality: Pet owners are terrified of something happening to their 'fur baby.' They don't want the cheapest vet; they want the vet they can trust.
I worked with a clinic in Coorparoo that stopped all discounting. Instead, we changed their messaging to focus on 'Total Care' and 'Peace of Mind.' We showed the faces of their long-term nurses and talked about how they treat every cat like it’s their own.
Their prices went up, their 'cheap' clients left, and they were replaced by loyal locals who actually pay their bills on time. You can fill your clinic with high-quality clients without ever touching a '50% off' coupon.
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Myth #3: "Your Website Needs to Look Like a Work of Art"
I’ve seen vets spend $10,000 on 'award-winning' websites that are impossible to use. They have slow-loading videos of grass blowing in the wind and fancy animations that break when you try to view them on an iPhone.
The Reality: Your website has one job: to get someone to book an appointment.
Most people looking for a vet are on their phones, likely holding a wiggly pet in the other hand. They need three things: 1. Your phone number (clickable so they can call immediately). 2. Your address (with a link to Google Maps). 3. A 'Book Online' button that actually works.
If your website doesn't load in under three seconds on a phone, they’re gone. Google likes sites that load fast, and so do your customers. Forget the fancy design. Focus on making it easy for people to become customers.
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Myth #4: "Marketing is Only for Finding New Customers"
This is the biggest mistake Brisbane vets make. They spend all their energy (and money) trying to find new people, while their existing clients haven’t been in for two years.
It is five times more expensive to get a new customer than it is to get an old one to come back.
The Reality: Your goldmine is your database. Most clinics have thousands of names in their system, but they only contact them for vaccination reminders.
Think about the 'lapsed' clients. The ones who haven't been seen since 2022. A simple, personal email or text message saying, "Hey, we haven't seen Buster in a while, hope he's doing well," will do more for your bottom line than a month of Facebook ads.
We call this 'database reactivation.' It costs almost nothing, and it works. When you focus on keeping your profits steady by looking after the people who already know you, the pressure to constantly find 'new blood' disappears.
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Myth #5: "You Need a Huge Marketing Budget"
You don't need to spend $5,000 a month to see results. In fact, if you’re a single-location clinic in a suburb like Morningside or North Lakes, spending that much is probably a waste of money.
The Reality: Marketing is about 'turning the taps.' You should start small, see what works, and then put more money into the things that actually result in phone calls.
Here is a realistic breakdown for a local vet: Google Ads: $500 - $1,000 per month. This gets you to the top of the page when someone is searching for a vet right now. Google Profile Management: $0 (if you do it yourself) or a few hundred if you pay someone to keep it updated and respond to reviews.
- Email/SMS: Minimal cost for the software.
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The "Brisbane Vet" Strategy: What to do First
If you were my mate and you asked me how to grow your clinic without losing your shirt, here is exactly what I’d tell you to do in order:
1. Fix Your Google Map Listing
This is the most important thing you can do. Go to Google, search for "Vet [Your Suburb]" and see where you show up. If you aren't in the top three (the 'Map Pack'), you are losing money every single day.Ask your happy clients to leave a review while they are still in the clinic. "Hey, if you were happy with how we looked after Max today, would you mind leaving us a quick Google review? It really helps us out." Most people are happy to help if you ask.
2. Make Your Website "Phone-Friendly"
Open your website on your own phone. Can you find the 'Call' button in two seconds? Is the text big enough to read without zooming in? If not, call a developer and tell them to fix it. Don't let them talk you into a redesign; just tell them to make it work on phones.3. Start a Simple Referral Program
Word of mouth is the lifeblood of a local vet. Give your best clients a reason to talk about you. Give them a few 'referral cards' that give their friends a free dental check or a nail clip. When the friend comes in, give the original client a credit on their account. It’s cheap, it’s local, and it builds a community of loyal owners.4. Stop the 'Ghosting'
Go through your records. Find every pet that hasn't been in for 12 months. Send a friendly, non-pushy text message. Mention the pet's name. You’ll be amazed at how many people say, "Oh, I've been meaning to book that in!" and call you immediately.---
How Long Until You See Results?
Marketing isn't magic. If you start Google Ads today, you’ll see the phone ring this week. But building a reputation on Google Maps takes 3-6 months of consistent reviews.
Database reactivation (texting old clients) works almost instantly. I’ve seen clinics book out their entire next week just by sending 200 text messages on a Monday morning.
The Bottom Line
Most marketing 'experts' want to make things complicated so they can charge you more. They’ll talk about 'synergy' and 'engagement' and 'algorithms.'
Ignore them.
Focus on being the easiest vet to find on Google and the easiest vet to book with. Treat your existing clients like gold and remind them you exist.
In a city like Brisbane, where people love their pets and value local businesses, that is all you need to do to beat the big corporate clinics and build a profitable, stress-free practice.
Need a hand getting the phone to ring? At Local Marketing Group, we don't care about 'likes' or 'shares.' We care about how many new bookings you get. If you want a straight-talking partner to help grow your Brisbane clinic, get in touch with us. We’ll tell you exactly what’s working and what’s a waste of your hard-earned money.