There is a difference between knowing where your clients come from and having an advertiser tell you that your ads with them will bring you clients because their track records produces “x” amount of clients for your particular market.
And knowing the answer to this question will save you money and let you produce better results.
If, for example, you do no advertising whatsoever and the bulk of your clients come from referrals, whether from other professionals or client, then perhaps for your practice there is very little you may need to do.
If, on the other hand, you also are spending money on, say, a display ad on a bus bench somewhere, but you don’t know how many clients come as a result of seeing this add, then perhaps this is money better spent elsewhere (or not spent at all).
The solution is simple: your staff (or you, if you’re a true solo practitioner) should be trained to on ask callers who want to make an appointment with you how they heard about you. Keeping track of this in a simple Excel spreadsheet will be an eye opener. The key is to do it consistently for at least six months. With the results, you can decide where and how you should consider spending money to market your practice.
A simple spreadsheet can include other things, such as the types of inquiries you’re receiving, and the types of clients you are getting–pretty much everything you want to track. Just remember to keep it simple so you’re more inclined to do it.
Vivian