Therapists have an unspoken belief that they can help everyone.
We don’t come out and say it quite like that but it’s there–below the surface. It sounds something like this:
“Everybody needs exercise”
“Everyone has a nagging pain somewhere”
“Most people are looking for a quick fix. “
Whenever you hear yourself thinking like that, you should pay yourself a dime.
Everyone is a lot of people.
Everyone is too monochromatic, too bland.
We live in a busy, noisy world. There is a ton of competition. If we expect to be heard we must have a solid grasp on who is our audience.
As soon as we try to communicate a clear message to prospects we realize everyone is too many, too diverse.
To be more specific therapists default to areas of specialization or training. It sounds something like this:
“My experience is in orthopedics, manual therapy, and exercise. I provide personal one-on-one care. (as do most therapists)
I have an interest in working with healthy people with wellness and fitness programs.”
Really?
Who is that for?
The first step in overcoming this limiting belief is to admit:
Everybody doesn’t need you.
But someone does.
So then, who is the someone you can help?
Or better yet, the group of someones who are a good fit for your unique gifts and services.
Smallest Viable Market
The second step is to discover the smallest group of people who will buy into what you do. Seth Godin in his book This Is Marketing calls this your smallest viable market (SVM). To determine your SVM answer this question:
What is the minimum number of people you would need to influence to make it worth your while?
Rachel Coley OT of CanDo Kiddo found parents of newborns a good fit for her pediatric knowledge and products.
Ben Musholt PT built a business around one of his unique passions–Parkour, one of the fastest growing sports in the world.
Sabrina Weaver PT, pelvic health specialist discovered a group of men with pelvic dysfunction who needed her help.
If you are wanting to grow your practice, do whatever it takes to get a good grasp on your someones. It takes a lot of hard work to identify and serve your smallest viable market.
It’s not for everyone.
If you’d like help to identify your SVM click here.
