Amazing Ways to Attract More EES Center Business
Ultimately, Repeat Business and Referrals are Key!
Lead generation, lead capture, and lead conversion are vital to the health of your center business. The functions are often seen as the “Holy Grail” of business because collectively they have the most direct and measurable return on investments (ROIs).
But understand that no amount of lead generation will make up for a poor service experience. That is because repeat business and word of mouth referrals are ultimately the most important tools you have for building a sustainable business.
Influencer – Unifyd
Unifyd Healing has done more to bring awareness to EESystem than anyone else. Without the May 2022 interview with Sandra Rose Michael and Jason Shurka none of us would be here. The video published on Unifyd TV created a firestorm of awareness for Scalar Wave technology and potential wellness benefits.
Unifyd is creating category awareness and lead generation. But understand that lead generation will vary by your market size and demographic. Let’s compare four markets with dramatically different expected returns:
Personal and Professional Networking
Personal and professional networking is a great way to generate initial leads. This includes friends and family. New Insurance and financial advisors are taught to go here first.
Professional leads groups such as BNI and LeTip are a format where salespeople and business owners meet on a weekly basis, educate each other, exchange leads and business intelligence.
Consider joining the local chamber of commerce. Chambers frequently have networking events and mixers that will allow you to expand your business contacts and generate exposure for your center. Learn how to build and sustain your business without breaking the bank.
If your center is in a business park or retail center, just meeting and getting to know your neighboring businesses can help. Give them passes to your center.
Directory Listings and Ads
Printed Yellow Page directories have been largely replaced by Google business profiles, Yahoo, and internet/app versions of the yellow pages (yp.com). YP.com is used by nearly 80 million consumers each month in the U.S.
Direct Mail Postcards
Direct mail postcards, sometimes known as junk mail, has been extremely effective with certain kinds of health businesses – namely Dentists. While it is more expensive per exposure, it has the potential to stand out better than email spam.
The post office offers a program called EDDM (every door direct mail) with greatly reduced postage and list costs. Essentially the mailer is sent to an entire zip code or zip sub code. Response rates vary based upon competition and “call to action” offers. We are beginning to experiment here.
Direct mailers to targeted recipients is an additional way of getting in front of potential influencers. Partnering with other practitioners, sharing email lists, and cross selling services is another idea.
Flyers and Door Hangers
Is your center in a retail center or near a residential area? Consider putting flyers on nearby cars in the parking lot. Visit retail centers with stores that might match your demographic. Door hangers can be an effective way to reach residents near you without doing a full mailer. Add a “call to action” offer. The key is to experiment, track, and calculate financial returns.
Print Advertising
A number of markets have lifestyle magazines. These magazines are places to reach potential customers in your neighborhood. Healthcare providers, interior designers, and contractors often advertise here with the intention of reaching a higher end demographic. Today, many magazines also offer online banner advertising.
In some markets there are holistic or alternative healer publications that are freely distributed at grocery stores and other outlets. They target markets that might be receptive to innovative healing technologies.
Google – Business profile
Google Business Profile, formally Google MyBusiness, has essentially replaced yellow page directories.
Google offers free map listings to all qualified local businesses.
When someone searches for a local service, they will see providers of those services in their areas.
A challenge for the energy enhancement system (EES) is that it is a relatively new service with no distinct category. Google offers a category called “health and wellness center” but it is unlikely that a large number of people search on that.
Established categories such as “chiropractor” or “massage therapist” are more likely to receive searches.
Pay-Per-Click Google Ads
Google PPC Ads have the potential to be a “game changer” for EESystem centers. Essentially, your ad comes up when people are searching on key terms.
We looked at over 100 terms to see how they were searched on Google. Since EESystem is a new category, we explored terms that described diseases, alternative therapies and thought leaders in the space.
We ran an initial Ad campaign and tallied the results. Google’s algorithm identified the terms that provided the most “click throughs”. Based upon that initial run and lessons learned, we have created additional campaigns to focus on conversions to sale.
Initial results look promising.
Google Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Google “robots” regularly search the internet, read websites and index them. The higher the ranking the better. Google offers a number of suggestions to improve organic ranking including:
- Embed appropriate key words and metatags into the site.
- Have a unique domain name. These generally come straight to the top when searched.
- Gain authority by having other sites link to yours.
- Have a .com, .net or .org domain name that contains the exact terms being searched. A partner and I once had “webdesigncompany.net” and we received “free” search traffic from all over the world.
All of these strategies depend upon whether key terms are being searched in the first place. If there are no searches, no amount of optimization will increase lead flow. So beware of SEO scammers.
YouTube Ads
When most people think of YouTube they think of being a content creator. They think of building a channel and receiving advertising revenue from YouTube.
Being an advertiser on the platform is an incredible opportunity! The reason is that you can pick the channels, videos, and geographical locations that you want to sponsor.
Imagine sponsoring or piggybacking on a video regarding alternate health. We create the 15 or 30 second spot and it comes before the sponsored video. If the viewer skips the video, you are not charged. We are bullish on this vehicle and looking for centers to help us develop advertising campaigns.
Facebook Postings
Posting on Facebook is so obvious that most center owners have already done it. Facebook is a great way to reach friends and family – your personal sphere of influence. Also, there are ways that you can encourage clients to post about their experience at the center.
Facebook Ads
Understand who is attracted to your center. Facebook Ads can put you in front of “look-alike” prospects that are not friends and family. This can be a game changer because you have the opportunity to introduce people to energy enhancement who didn’t have it on their radar!
I once worked with a company that made a product for pregnant women experiencing morning sickness. Facebook had the ability to get this product and its benefits in front of over 3 million pregnant women.
LinkedIn Networking
LinkedIn targets professionals. It is one of my favorite platforms for connecting with professionals via company, title or experience.
Use the platform to proactively find alternative healthcare providers in your area. Find people you know in common. Introduce yourself via in-mail.
Retargeting
It is common knowledge among marketers that it takes upwards of seven exposures before a prospect buys.
Retargeting is a way to get back in front of people who have visited your website with a billboard ad. Here is how it works:
When visitors come to your website their browser is given a “pixel” which identifies them as a visitor. After they leave, they are presented with ads on their browser promoting your service.
Retargeting, though used by most large company marketing departments, is often ignored by small businesses…until now. Because we share brands, we are able to more effectively implement retargeting strategies.
Retargeting is a potential gamer changer …especially if we work together.
Referral Programs
We believe in “word of mouth” advertising. Friends telling friends is how a business can really grow. And this is the natural outcome of providing an outstanding client experience.
Facilitate referrals with more formalized referral programs. This might be by offering gift cards or “bring a friend” discounts.
Many centers are starting to offer overnight sessions. One way to encourage referrals is to offer a friends and family overnight session.
There might be a base overnight rate to reserve the room such as $400 and just $100 per additional person.
Repeat Sales
Repeat sales is a favorite way to increase business. The fitness industry has figured this out and most gyms and fitness clubs offer a membership model.
These are those in your audience that find value in the service and want to experience that on a regular basis. Repeat customers are gold. Treat them well and cultivate them.
Promotional Items
One of my favorite pizza restaurants is named “Pizza My Heart”. They offer free t-shirts to their customers. Those who wear the shirts become “walking billboards” for the restaurant. Other “merch” you might offer are water bottles, mousepads, key chains, refrigerator magnets or pens. The goal is to stay top of mind with current customers.
Periodic emails
Sending permission emailers to your base customers is a great way to stay in front of them and offer extra value. Consider offering an email newsletter that gives health tips. The point is to offer extra value to customers wherever you can.
Signage
Signage is a great way to build impressions and credibility – especially if you are in a retail location. You may note that Massage Envy, Orangetheory, and Restore Hyper Wellness studios have both external building and internal reception signage. It is not just the number of impressions you make, but the quality of the impressions you make. (having a good brand and logo matters here)
Vehicle wraps and signage is a great way to turn your van or car into a mobile billboard. Some entrepreneurs have learned to park their vehicles near their stores, GeekSquad, acquired by Best Buy, was legendary for doing this.
Location
My MBA retail channels professor said that the three most important decisions made in retail are “location, location and location”. Ultimately, location is one of the most important decisions that you will make. EES units have been placed in homes, commercial and retail centers, but the jury is still out on what type of locations offer the best revenue to cost metrics.
Chat Software
Engaging website visitors early is a way to convert traffic into sales. Chat software comes in both AI ( Automated Intelligence ) and Live versions. We are researching and plan to test a number of platforms to determine which solutions are most appropriate and price effective for EES centers.
Holistic Health Shows
Holistic health shows are ground zero for both potential clients and practitioner networking partners. Exhibiting at shows will create awareness for the energy enhancement system and your center.
Targeted Promotions
Offering sessions and special pricing to veterans, seniors, first responders and other niche market segments is a great way to build center attendance and to give back to the community.
Special Events
Partner with other healers and holistic providers to offer special events. Yoga, sound and massage therapy are examples of other modalities that synergize well with EES.
A synergistic multiplier effect
While good lead generation is very important, it is important to realize that no amount of leads will make up for poor customer experiences. It is as if the seeds of your business land on rocky soil. Customers that have good experiences tell others. Customers that have bad experiences tell others. Integrated marketing leverages everything and has a synergistic effect.