Good reviews are essential in helping any small business grow, including your private practice. Unfortunately, authentic reviews are often hard to come by for therapists. With these few simple strategies, you can start collecting the reviews you need to expand your reach and connect with more new patients.
Many therapists, wary of potential ethical issues, are hesitant to broach the subject of reviews with their patients. While this is certainly understandable, we believe it's possible to do so in an ethical and tactful manner. It's important to consider each client individually to avoid any situation in which they may feel pressured or vulnerable to undue influence. Some therapists also prefer to remind clients that reviews are helpful and appreciated rather than overtly requesting them.
When people buy products, watch movies and eat meals at restaurants, leaving reviews is often a natural and expected part of the experience. When it comes to attending therapy, however, things are very different. Because it's such a personal and intimate service, the idea of reviewing therapists simply doesn't occur to most patients. When you do receive a review, sharing it on social media can remind and inspire others to do the same. Just make sure you have permission before posting!
To consistently generate reviews, make them a key part of your practice's online presence. The simplest way to accomplish this is by creating a space on your website specifically for patient feedback. A dedicated reviews or testimonials page makes it easy for visitors to read past submissions and easily contribute their own. You may also wish to incorporate testimonials elsewhere on your site to highlight how valuable they are to your practice.
Although patient reviews are extremely impactful, the opinions of colleagues and other businesses also carry a lot of weight. In fact, positive reviews from other professionals can go a long way in establishing the credibility and authority of your practice. While it's acceptable to ask colleagues for reviews directly, it's more effective to begin by offering your own. The more proactive and generous you are in leaving reviews, the more likely others will be to reciprocate.
Actively soliciting reviews is awkward and uncomfortable, so why not let technology do it for you? By utilizing basic automation tools, you can make it easy for clients to leave reviews without making them feel obligated or pressured. Convenient options include adding gentle reminders and review links to your email signature, automated email responses and other communications.
Yelp is a potentially powerful and influential advertising tool for local businesses, but it can be quite difficult to gain traction. That's because the platform strictly forbids directly soliciting or incentivizing reviews. You can, however, encourage people to visit your business profile by displaying signs, stickers, web links and other reminders. Another powerful tool is Yelp Check-In Offers, which allow you to offer rewards when patients check in at your practice. After they've completed the offer, Yelp will automatically prompt them to leave a review.
For better or worse, reviews are an invaluable tool for demonstrating social proof and building a successful practice. By approaching it the right way, you can start generating more reviews and establishing yourself as a trusted provider of marriage-friendly therapy services.
