Top 5 Big Ideas To Attract New Telehealth Clients In 2022

Telehealth has grown in popularity, and its benefits are clear—so why aren’t more clients asking about it? It may come down to marketing. You probably feel comfortable with the technology and understand that it’ll make treatment more accessible, but potential clients may not feel the same way.

Clients who are a good fit for telehealth may not be the same clients you currently see in-person. Therefore, your strategy needs to change when marketing telehealth services to new or existing clients.

Which clients are a good fit for telehealth?

You’ve been seeing clients in-person and are ready to move to a virtual practice, good for you! When making this shift, keep in mind the unique benefits telehealth offers. You may find the reasons your clients choose to work with you initially aren’t the same reasons they would want to work with you virtually.

Consider your current niche and practice area, and think about clients who may benefit from telehealth. These could be your current clients, or ones you typically haven’t connected with.

Telehealth is a viable solution for:

• Responsibilities at home that make it difficult to travel to an appointment
• Difficulty traveling during inclement weather
• Embarrassment about seeking help or anxiety about face-to-face appointments
• Remote location
• Reliance on public transportation and a limited budget
• Hesitation to develop a relationship with a provider
• Difficulty coordinating a time that works for a multi-client session
• Sharing videos, goal tracking, worksheets, or anything else on your screen

Develop messages that appeal to these pain points

Start by developing messages that address the problems your customers may face and the benefits of your telehealth services.

Example: Your current marketing may include a message such as “Are you looking for help controlling your diabetes while still living the life you love?” Reposition the message to focus on the benefits of virtual counseling, with “Are you struggling to control your diabetes but don’t have time to see a dietitian with your busy schedule? We’ll develop a plan to get you back on track, no travel required.”

Focus on:

• Convenience
• Lower cost
• Video and goal tracking via screen share
• Specialized care
• Long-term success due to more frequent, timely counseling appointments and support
• Multi-client calls for additional support at home

Help people understand what working with you looks like, because telehealth may be a foreign or unfamiliar concept. Include these details on your website in a simple process, a handout, or a quick video of you explaining how appointments will be carried out.

Potential client concerns:

Technology comfort level → Look how easy it is to use your platform, including supporting multiple clients and sharing your screen

It’s less personal → Let your personality show in the messages, photos, and videos you present

It’s less effective → Feature client testimonials speaking to their experiences with virtual appointments

READ MORE: How To Measure The Value Of Telehealth Program? (3 Quick Steps)

Reach Out to Your Current (and Previous) Clients

It may be surprising to you that when trying to attract NEW Telehealth clients, one of our first tips suggests reaching out to current clients.

However, there is an important reason for this.

You may have found that some of your regular clients ‘dropped off’ when they could no longer attend their in-person sessions. Often, clients may not be technologically savvy or have other concerns about Telehealth that they haven’t vocalized.

Proactively addressing these concerns and providing them with information about how you conduct telehealth sessions can go a long way to retaining existing clients or encouraging previous clients to return.

Better yet, this outreach will help you understand how to target your messaging and allow you to have a good idea about how to talk about Telehealth when developing strategies for connecting with new clients.

Build Out Your Referral Network

Including testimonials from current Telehealth clients on your website, on social media, and in your email newsletters is a great way to further promote your online services. People love hearing about how someone just like them was successful, and in return, instantly become more likely to book a session with you right then and there.

READ MORE: How To Choose The Best Telehealth Software For Perfect Virtual Care?

Leverage your current network. Even though in-person meetings might be out of the question right now, calling other local therapists and establishing new relationships can drastically help boost your referrals. When speaking with them, let them know you offer Telehealth services for [insert your specialty here]. This way, if someone reaches out to them for a particular service that may not necessarily fit into what they specialize in, they can refer them to you.

Final Thoughts

Telehealth continues to grow, and it’s a great way to expand your business and help more clients. Marketing your telehealth practice can attract new clients and help transition existing in-person clients to your new offerings.

If you need more guidance on telehealth solutions?