Play It Forward

I had a GIFT Fellow comment recently about having watched the movie Play It Forward, with Keven Spacey, Hellen Hunt, and Haley Joel Osment - perhaps you remember it. The Play I Forward philosophy says, when someone does you a favor, don't pay it back but instead play it forward. Suppose that philosophy caught on... how could such a chain reaction change the world, your world? She posed the question, what would a play it forward strategy look like in a physical therapy Practice.

That's an interesting question...

A fundamental premise of Applied Functional Science is encouraement,or "positioning people for success". There are important pay-it-forward marketing strategies that have significant business implications for those commited to excellence and growth. I'd like to share with you some ideas over the next several postings that create pay-it -forward, word-of-mouth marketing opportunities that can benefit clients, community, and practice.

In addition to client benefits, there is a tangible business asset side to it as well that builds practices and provides rewards.

First a little perspective…Keep in mind that people buy from, and support, those they like and trust. But before they can like you they need to find you – that’s where marketing comes into play. So consider a strategy to build a pay-it-forward element into your marketing plan (if you don’t have a marketing plan consider this model as a potential foundation for building one). This is not an overnight marketing scheme that exploits people, but rather a marketing strategy that is built on relationships and respect – one that builds sustainable growth and loyalty.

Here are three marketing insights that you ignore at your expense…

1. New clients are the result of someone making a decision. So the question to ask is, “What can I do to make decisions to use my Practice easier and faster?” Remember faster decisions mean more decisions because a deferred decision too often results in no positive action being taken – i.e. a passive “no”.

2. People are too busy to research and fully consider every decision they must make. Many people also feel unqualified to make decisions about complex issues pertaining to everything from health matters, to vacation destinations, to automobile selection. When it comes to these matters people tend to defer to the advice of others whom they trust. Think of it as a shortcut (faster and easier) to a decision.

3. People are generally adverse to risk. That’s why "try it before you buy" offers tend to be so effective – they provide low-risk opportunities to experience and experiment. And, that is also why "word-of-mouth" recommendations are so powerful.

So how does one practically turn these “TRUTHS” into an encouraging and empowering pay-it-forward marketing strategy that can produce the chain reaction that culminates in growth for the Practice and more people benefiting from your expertice? More on that next time...

Bob

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Performance Builders