by Gilly Woodhouse | Nov 20, 2018 | Business building, Business Vision, Confidence, Inspiration, Marketing, Patient list growth |
Sometimes in my work, I can initially feel a bit of resistance from new Clients, to doing things differently. Moving out of our comfort zones, even if they’re unpleasant, can still feel daunting.
However, a point has clearly been reached where reality is worse than the effort required to change things.
So we work together to create a shift, approach marketing from a completely different angle and learn new skills to attract new patients. Because our world is evolving at breakneck speed, it’s vital that we keep up lest we get left behind!
However, once I’ve developed my Clients’ mindsets, I can notice a shift in their confidence. And once I’ve coached them in highly targeted marketing they begin using their bespoke strategies to easily attract new patients.
Watching children at play
Sitting on the tube the other day, I noticed two little girls swinging around the central pole by the doors. It was delightful to watch their simple pleasure and also to note that their mother wasn’t micromanaging them! They spun around in opposite directions, the smaller child skimming under the arm of the taller girl, her fluffy topknot ponytail bobbing back up each time.
I realised after a few minutes that they were largely oblivious to us onlookers. They were living in the moment, playing with what was available to them and exploring their surroundings. They didn’t care what we thought and they had no regard for ‘rules’ or what was ‘expected’ of them.
It’s a shame that during our teens we start overthinking everything, something which can often continue into adulthood. The fears in our heads are almost always about what others will think of us or, worse still, peer judgement. Our thinking can ‘make up’ stuff that has no basis in truth but which stifles our ability to reach our potential.
And in business that can threaten our success because if we can’t market ourselves confidently, our results will likely be mediocre.
How to easily attract new patients
That’s why the first thing I work on with Clients is clarity of purpose, playing the long game and developing their expectation of success. They soon shift up their thinking, get over themselves and get out into their communities with powerful messages.
Then they’re soon coming back to me on their coaching calls saying:
“3 new patients yesterday.”
“6 new patients booked in this week already!”
“35 patients last week – and that’s the most ever.”
“I’m so busy I need to look for an Associate soon.”
and after only one week of opening a brand new clinic…
“3 new patients last week, 5 new patients this morning and 3 more booked for Friday!”
It may surprise you to know that these are all actual Client quotes from only the last TWO days!
So strip back that stifled persona and unleash your inner child on the world.
I promise that your new patients will applaud you for it.
by Gilly Woodhouse | Nov 13, 2018 | Business building, Confidence, Patient list growth |
The problem with a heart centred business is often the tricky matter of money! Asking for the money can feel so – well – almost dirty. And sometimes it can pierce our ‘lack of confidence’ skin and bring up uncomfortable feelings. I hear this a lot.
In severe cases this results in giving our skills away for nothing. Free treatments. Discounted offers. Groupon giveaways. Then there’s the fear of putting prices up. What might happen? Will nobody rebook? Will people think we’re greedy? So we stay stuck, strugging to make a living and wondering how to change things.
Sometimes this fear around money and charging people for our services can show itself up as the inability to ask a Patient to rebook for next week. It can feel pushy. It can feel desperate. It can feel downright repulsive. So sometimes it’s just easier for us to leave that decision to them.
How does that feel for the Patient?
This fear around money can feel awful for the person on the receiving end of this kind of vibe. They can pick up on our reticence to confidently charge them for the service they need. And in particular that resistance to book them in again when they likely need another treatment can leave them feeling unsupported.
I’ve received this very feedback from people who have booked in to see an Osteopath for a first visit. The key feeling they were left with was that they had no certainty about their ongoing care. They didn’t feel held or confident to decide what to do next either. They believed that the Osteopath was the expert and should be confidently leading the way on their journey back to health.
However, when they were not booked back in for another treatment but told “see how you go” that left them feeling highly unsettled. Because for them it most certainly was not about the money. It was about being cared for whilst they were feeling scared about the pain they were in.
Make it about your mission not the money
If you flip this over and think about what your mission is in your work, you take out the money element entirely. What do you want for your community in particular? What are you doing this for? Who is your work for? Who benefits from your skill, experience and expertise?
For instance, my mission is and has always been about helping more people to find Osteopathic treatment and rely less on drugs. That’s how Osteobiz started five years ago. I saw how treatment dramatically helped my own son Toby’s heart condition whilst he waited for a transplant. It was incredible. I knew there were people who went around and around the NHS system getting no answers and no relief for their pain. I wanted to change that – one Osteopath at a time! And on a daily basis, that’s what drives me on.
Define your mission
Take five minutes now to jot down what drives you. What is it that spurs you on every day? What are you most grateful for? What do you most love about your work? What feedback to you hear?
Working from our higher self or from a place of love changes everything. In this mission, there is a newfound confidence to recommend that the Patient is booked in again because we know they need it.
The focus is on the greater good and on the outcomes of our work not on the money – or lack of it! When that shift occurs, the intention is strong and laser focused on them not on ourselves.
Happily, the byproduct of our mission is… money in fair exchange for our gifts and talents.
And the more money we earn, the more lives we can change.
by Gilly Woodhouse | Aug 7, 2018 | Burnout, Business building, Business Vision |
Agility in sport is crucial to staying ahead of the game and winning. So too is it a vital component of a modern business.
We are lucky to live in phenominal times of massive change and opportunity. Technology is racing ahead at an incredible pace.
In the past twenty years, the way in which we use systems, market ourselves and operate in general bears almost no resemblence to back then.
The likes of Woolworths, Blockbuster and even some of our favourite pubs have disappeared from the High Street and our communities. More agility may well have saved them if they had mutated faster and provided what the changing population demanded.
Lightening speed lives!
Lives are lived faster than ever, we move less, sit more but dash around squeezing more into our days than the previous generation ever did. It’s easy to become ‘time poor’ when there are so many demands on our lives.
The problem is that as we get stressed trying to cope wiht all the demands on ourselves and our time, often the weakest link is the one to break.
This could be our close relationships, our families, friends or our business.
I’m probably guilty of putting a disproportionate amount of energy into working with Osteopaths rather than chilling out with friends! But I know this about myself and I’m good wth it. Having spent long, long weeks and months stuck in hospitals with young Toby over two decades, I’m only now able to forge ahead with my own dreams and goals.
Agility in business
In general then, it’s a good idea to reflect on how the business is working and uncover the areas which don’t work so well.
- Which parts of it drive you nuts?
- Which aspects take too much time and make you feel under pressure?
- What do you dread doing?
- How could you farm out ‘£10 tasks’ so that you don’t become exhausted with it all?
- Where are there savings to be made?
Look at every expense and make it count, reduce it or ditch it!
The costs in a business can be the difference between making a profit and working for a pittance! Perodically check through these and strip out unnecessary expenses.
Plot your patient journey
However, agility in business doesn’t just mean looking at the structure of the business and weeding out waste.
Providing the kind of superb experience your patients deserve is also critical.
Here’s a simple checklist:
- Is it easy for them to find you online?
- Do you promote consistently to ensure potential patients understand your primary role?
- Is your image, character and values obvious or is there only a dull logo representing you online?
- Is it easy to book?
- Are people reminded of their appointments?
- Do they know where you’re based and how to get there?
- Is the waiting area comfortable and uncluttered?
- Are the treatment rooms clean and fresh?
- Are all linen, covers etc new and appealing?
- Are they sure of the process as a new patient?
- Are they clear on what happens next?
- How can you further improve the patient experience?
- Do you follow them up once treatment has ended?
- Do you keep in touch generally?
- Is there an opportunity for them to give referrals/testimonials?
Monitoring what happens at the centre of your business is crucial to maintaining osteibiz agility. Keeping abreast of the constant changes in our online and offline worlds will help to ensure that you operate in peak condition.
Osteobiz agility
Indeed, I’ve been working through this exact process in my own business. It’s now obvious that some changes will enhance my offerings and better serve my Clients and community.
Products, services and prices will be adjusted over the coming month and systems streamlined. There’s only one of me and it’s become apparent that my time has to be used more effectively. If my business is to continue to grow as rapidly as it has in the past year, this streamlining exercise will enable growth.
As small business owners, we can become exhausted automotons who go through the motions each day. Never reviewing our practices or coming up for air can mean that either our business collapses one day or we do ourselves!
If you’d like a quick chat about how I might help you to stay on track and prosper, why not book into my diary? Let’s unpick any issues and decide the best solutions.
by Gilly Woodhouse | Jul 10, 2018 | Business building, Business Vision, Marketing, Patient list growth |
Out in the Osteobiz fast lane, I work with action takers who want results.
And I urge and inspire you to drop any limited thinking and dream big. Let’s not accept the limitations of average. Let’s go in search of sensational.
Because on the Osteobiz Motorway, you’ve got control of the wheel, you’ve got your foot on the gas and I’ve got the map to where you want to go!
Osteobiz Gold is by far the fastest way to a fully booked diary. We work out the exact strategies for YOUR unique Osteobiz and what you want it to look like when we’ve finished building it.
Join the Osteobiz fast lane and create a thriving Practice in the shortest time possible. In return, I invest my complete attention on your business development and sustained results for as long as you need it.
But hold on tight because we are going to crack on at lightening speed! Destination Osteobiz Success is where we’re heading…
We’ll look at every aspect of your Osteobiz. We’ll look for where savings can me made. We’ll look at your pricing, your team, your strategies and your systems.
And then we’ll work together to get it all sorted, once and for all.
Osteobiz Blueprint and Osteobiz Whiz are my two most popular online CPD courses.
Osteobiz Blueprint does exactly what it says on the tin. It simply consists of the key elements of the strategies I share with my VIP Clients but delivered via online modules in a step by step manner. So you still get quick results but in a fabulous and supportive group setting.
The current group of global Osteopaths (Bluepers) are tight knit and support each other in their journey together. If they’re stuck they come to the group. If they have a great win they share with the group. They are real trailblazers and I’m very proud of them and the massive results they are achieving.
Osteobiz Whiz is perfect for those who don’t know where to begin with their marketing. This entry level course gives you the tools to understand who you’re trying to attract and what to say to get their attention. We work out how to perfectly present yourself on social media and out there in your specific community.
Say goodbye to feeling stuck and start finding out how to attract hundreds more patients who need your help.
Osteobiz Mastery is very low investment monthly subscription support group but still has great tools and resources. This is less about strategic business building and more about what’s new on social media, what’s working right now etc.
My graphic designer makes us lots of beautiful memes each month. All you have to do is add your website so they are your property and pop them out on social media – simples! There’s tips, advice and Q&A sessions. We take the strain out of markeitng, so you can get on with treating! Roadtest it here for only a tenner.
No matter how Osteopaths work with me, I’ve noticed that there is one key element to all my Clients who grow and are successful.
It’s their mindset.
They don’t whinge. They don’t worry about stuff they can’t control. They don’t blame organisations,competitors, the weather, the time of year or the economy.
They pick up the Osteobiz baton and they TAKE ACTION and IMPLEMENT!
They pay attention to the course strategies and my specific advice. They stay accountable to themselves, to me and to the process and they GET THINGS DONE!
Think Alex Polizzi and ailing hotel owners!
Investing time, energy and money into working with me is vital if you’re fed up with the status quo and want to create a thriving health hub for your community.
If you put in the effort, your return on investment will stagger you. More than that, you and your family deserve to be enjoying the fruits of your labour rather than muddling by.
And instead of FEELING like a local charity, you can now start properly GIVING to charity.
Out on the Osteopathic Motorway, you can reach your desired destination quickly or slowly. It really is your choice.
But I highly recommend the Osteobiz fast lane.
Where shall we go today?
You can decide right now.
by Gilly Woodhouse | Jul 3, 2018 | Business building, Coaching, Patient list growth |
Continuing Professional Development or CPD is an important part of our professional and business life. Obviously, unlike yourself, I’m not required by anyone to partake in any self development. However, I would be a fool not to choose who I partner with very carefully.
In the past few years I have literally poured tens of thousands of pounds into my own development. (The Old Boy’s toes would curl if he knew…)
It’s simply not enough to have the kind of expansive and creative mind that I’m fortunate to have been born with.
You see, as a child I was accused of having an ‘overactive imagination’ which was apparently a bad thing. However, it turns out that in my business life, it’s a very good thing. Ideas for innovative marketing cascade out of me constantly! I literally have book shelves full of my scribblings! Indeed, an absolute corker of an idea popped into my mind just this morning and already I’m on it!
But if I have no real direction and strategy to my business development and skill set, whether or not I’ve got ideas, then I run the risk of extinction.
Five years ago there was no such thing as online CPD business development specifically for you
The key is to be different from the rest, to be utterly focused and to be as tenacious as a bulldog.
For instance, there’s new coaches and CPD providers popping up all over the place, who see other people’s results and want to emulate them. But copying others is not entrepreneurial and without offering anything new, it’s too early to know if they’re any good or will stay the course.
Just as in the animal world, we must all continue to evolve in all areas of our lives. Remaining static in these massively changing times, refusing to stay ahead of the curve or limping along into the sidings is just not an option. Simply doing what worked in the past is no guarantee that it will work in the future. Indeed Osteobiz has evolved massively since I had the original idea several years ago. And I also have massive plans for the future – not only for myself but for you too. I call it:
PLAYING A BIGGER GAME
And that is now my new signature presentation. Indeed, if you’re going to the Osteopaths New Zealand AGM in August, you’ll be the first to hear it as I am being beamed in from London to deliver it! I’m massively honoured and excited about that opportunity.
But I digress.
Of course, you’ve seen it in larger companies where they have failed to innovate, failed to expand their markets or failed to recognise the new road ahead. Where are Woolworths, British Home Stores and Blockbuster now? If you could pick up an old phone directory from years ago, I wonder how many small businesses are still there in your area now?
Asking better questions
Whilst it’s more comfortable to stay rooted in the familiar, it’s a more dangerous place to stay than you might imagine.
My eyes and deliberations are always firmly focused on the future. I constantly ask myself, “What else does my community need?” or “How can I better serve my mission to help more people find Osteopathy?” or “How can I continue to inspire and empower my Clients to ensure their ongoing success?”
It’s vital that you take time to also reflect on how you can better serve your community. Does your voice need to be louder so that people in pain hear you above the deafening din of modern life?
Does your message need to be less generic and more profound so that people understand how you can help them?
And does your image need to be less ‘formal’ and more approachable, so that people are not intimidated by your austere appearance and encycopedic knowledge of all things human?
Tapping into innovative and cutting edge CPD
I love the work that Steven Bruce, Claire Short and their talented team are doing at Academy of Physical Medicine. We’ve been established for about the same time and have collaborated regularly. We have great synergy together and I think their CPD offerings and opportunities are fabulous.
We’ve often talked about further collaboration as we are such a great fit with each other.
However, as you may know, I’m an action taker…
At my recent Osteobiz Inspiration Day (it was fab and there will be more!) I tackled Steven with a spinning toe hold, half nelson choke and an elevated double chickenwing hold until the deal was done! (Don’t worry #OsteopathyWorks and he’s all good now.)
CPD WITH APM
The Academy of Physical Medicine doesn’t simply provide more than double the CPD hours you need each year (including the “Learning With Others”). There’s so much more – access to research reviews (digested summaries of current research); discounted MMI with Balens; cost-price clinic equipment; done-for-you blogging; free, bespoke website videos; business-building assistance and so much more! As a member of APM You can now even get Gilly’s famous Osteobiz Blueprint course for half price – that’s a saving of hundreds of pounts!
Run by practitioners, for practitioners, APM is one of the most trusted resources of its kind anywhere.
If you’re new to online CPD, then check out the APM deal and pssst – when you get to the order form, you can add in this nifty coupon code -> -> GILLY20 and get 20% off the annual fee. Even better value is that there are all kinds of benefits to joining as well as saving you time, money and energy dashing around the country to attend events.
So one option is:
– Low Commitment (£6 sign up, £40.30 per month, cancel any time
BUT HERE’S THE DEAL:
– Low Cost:
– No sign up fee
– £288 per year, or £24 per month (but these are instalments on the annual fee, not a monthly subscription)
– One year rolling contract
– All prices on the annual contract are 20% discounted with the code GILLY20. (It’s not available on the Low-Commitment option.)
So the big question is – would you love to get your hands on a year’s worth of valuable CPD you can dip into at leisure AND get an epic deal to work with me and build a thriving Osteobiz?
My friend, it’s a phenominal time to be alive.
Let’s crack on and make the most of it.
Always by your side…
~ Gilly x
PS: Talking of great questions – what’s the most critical thing for you to resolve in your life right now?
PPS: And what’s going to happen if you don’t?
by Gilly Woodhouse | Jun 26, 2018 | Business building, Business Vision, Patient list growth |
Time can be so elusive.
What’s the biggest complaint I hear about getting things done so as to result in Osteobiz growth and development?
I’ve got no time!
Which, when you think about it, is weird as we all have the same amount of hours in the day:
“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.”
― H. Jackson Brown Jr.
So it’s not about the hours and minutes themselves but the WAY in which we use them.
I believe it’s all about our perceived priorities. If we don’t like doing something particularly, then we prioritise something else and shove the other thing down the list. And then we blame time.
That’s why I implore each and every Client – and you too – to priortise slots in your diaries for business development. Whether these activities are social media posts, newsletters or contacting local groups, it’s vital that you take charge of your Osteobiz growth and take positive action.
As you may know, I started this business several years ago from a standing start. There were NO coaches focused only on Osteopaths. I passionately wanted more people in pain to find Osteopathy. To do that I believed that I would need to work with groups of Osteopaths around the globe as well as working one to one.
Those many hundreds of Osteos who listened and then chose to ringfence specific slots to work solidly on the development of their Osteobiz, found that new Patient numbers and weekly bookings very quickly rose.
Funny that…
You never WASTE your time
When you are exchanging time for money, as you do, you are also giving treatment to help them back to health alongside that time. Which is the greatest part of what you do.
What then, when you get a ‘no show’?
Are they wasting your time? Do you feel angry or miffed?
Or do you flip the event and reframe it as a short period which has been released to work on Patient list growth and to up your game on social media? Time to write the bones of that newsletter? Time to investigate getting rid of the time-consuming and boring accounts to an enthusiastic number cruncher?
Or even some space to reflect on what you want to bring into your skillset, family, Osteobiz and general life experience in the next six months?
The Old Boy will return later and no doubt will ask why we have no dinner prepared.
And I’ll just tell him that I was soooo busy with my exciting Osteobiz work that I simply didn’t have the…
