Getting your first patients: a plan for a new physiotherapy clinic

New physiotherapy clinics rarely struggle because of clinical skill. They struggle because the people who need them do not know they exist. The good news is that patients look for physiotherapists in a small number of places, and you can be present in all of them within a few weeks. Here is a plan for the first three months. Nobody honest can promise you a ranking or a number of patients; what follows is what reliably helps.

Weeks 1 and 2: be findable

Google Business Profile

Most patients search on Google Maps first. Create and verify your Google Business Profile with your exact clinic name, address, phone, timings and category ("Physiotherapist"). If you only visit patients at home, set it up as a service-area business. We wrote a step-by-step guide to Google Maps for physiotherapists.

Your Reach page

Every PhysioDesk clinic gets a page on Reach, the directory where patients search for physiotherapists by area and treatment. Fill it in completely: treatments, areas you cover, fees, timings, photos and answers to common questions, then submit it. Patients can call you, message on WhatsApp, open directions, or ask you to call them back.

Be consistent

Use exactly the same clinic name, address and phone number on Google, Reach, WhatsApp Business, Instagram and your letterhead. Search engines match these details across sites, and patients notice when they differ.

Weeks 2 to 6: people who send patients

Referrals from doctors remain one of the most reliable sources of patients:

• Visit orthopaedic surgeons, neurologists, general physicians and gynaecologists near you. Leave a short note with what you treat, your timings and whether you do home visits.

• Send the referring doctor a brief update after the first few sessions (with the patient's permission). Doctors refer again to physiotherapists who keep them informed.

• Talk to local gyms, sports coaches, yoga studios and housing societies. Offer a short talk on back pain or injury prevention.

From the first patient: reviews

Patients choosing between two clinics read reviews. Ask every patient who has done well for a review at discharge, and send them the link on WhatsApp so it takes ten seconds. Ask on Google and on your Reach page. Never buy reviews or write your own; they are easy to spot and damage trust.

On Reach, reviews are hard to fake (one per person, with a check that stops bulk posting), and a clinic cannot change its own rating, which is why patients take them seriously.

Month 2 onwards: answer questions in writing

Write short articles answering the questions patients ask you every week, and publish them on your Reach page: "Ice or heat for a new back injury?", "How long does a frozen shoulder take?", "Exercises after a knee replacement, week by week". Mention your area where it fits naturally. A patient nearby who finds your clear answer is already halfway to calling you. Our guide to writing articles on your clinic page covers how.

Make the first visit worth talking about

Word of mouth starts with how the first visit feels:

• a clear assessment, explained in plain words

• a plan with a goal the patient understands

• a home programme on their phone, not a lost sheet of paper

• the next session booked before they leave

• a clean, professional bill

What usually does not work

• paying for leaflets with no clear offer or audience

• discounting so heavily that patients value the treatment less

• claiming to be "the best" or promising cures

• posting on social media every day with nothing to say

Keep track

Ask every new patient how they heard of you, and note it. After three months you will know which of these is working for your clinic, and can do more of it. On Reach's paid plans, listing analytics show how many people viewed your page, called, messaged or asked for directions.

Start

Create your clinic account and your Reach page comes with it, on every plan including Free.