It’s been awhile since we had a marketing-oriented post, eh? Let’s hop to it!

Here’s a quick idea to help increase awareness of your business in your local area:

Consider allowing other groups to use your office space during down-time.

I’m not talking about renting your space to other practitioners. While this is also likely to increase awareness of your business, because of the new clients another practitioner would introduce to your space, renting requires a commitment and legal paperwork.

I’m talking about something more casual here. Ideally, you’d be letting someone you already know and trust, and someone who’s willing to speak well of you and your acupuncture skills, use your reception area when you don’t have other patients.

The take home message is that if you have a time when you have NOTHING going on in your office, it’s in your interest to do something that brings people in. Why sit around alone when you could have an office filled with people? The goal is that some of these people will eventually become patients.

Let’s say you have down time in your office from 1:00-3:00pm. One of your patients mentions that her book club is looking for a new place to meet after lunch, and she likes your office space. Maybe she likes the size of your reception area, the style, the comfort, or all of the above.

The idea is that you let her bring a new group of people to your office (while you’re there) who may not even realize that your business exists. They’re bound to ask questions about what usually goes on in the space. They get introduced to you, the owner of the space, they can explore and peek into your calming, cozy treatment rooms, ask questions about acupuncture, and take your cards and brochures home.

Essentially, they get to know you and to feel comfortable in your office, which is an important part of recruiting patients – making them feel comfortable. Would you agree that people who have already met you, and/or who have already spent time in your office, are more likely to become patients?

Now, obviously, if you’re very busy and don’t have a block of time without patients, this marketing angle probably won’t work for you. But then again, if you have that many patients, you probably don’t even need it.

There are two reasons I recommend that you are present in your office while this other group meets:

1. The people in the group get to meet you, which is essential for the marketing aspect of this idea.
2. Liability. If you’re not making these groups sign a formal legal agreement, you probably want to be present to make sure no one walks off with your things, damages your property, or uses the space for something inappropriate. (Has anyone ever seen the episode of Two and a Half Men where Charlie uses Alan’s chiropractic office as a brothel while Alan’s not there?) Just in case.

What kinds of groups might work well for this kind of arrangement?

I would think anything that is relatively quiet, doesn’t make a mess, and that you feel aligns well with (or at least doesn’t contradict) the values and goals of your business could make a good fit.

For example, if you’re really into prescribing Eastern nutrition for your patients, maybe having the Butter Appreciation Club host a meeting in your office is a no, eh? (Wait, is that a thing? Because I want to join.) Or, maybe this concept is not that important to you. It’s really up to you and what you feel comfortable with.

Groups that Might Work Well Occasionally Using Your Office Space:

• Book clubs
• Writer’s groups looking for a quiet place to write
• Aromatherapy or other wellness lectures or lessons
• Non-profit groups for their administrative meetings
• Bible study
• Quilting or knitting clubs
• Networking groups
  • You could suggest a rotation between the offices of the different networking groups you’re a member of, starting with your office.
• Other groups that you’re already a member of.

You could also host a Wellness Night where you invite different practitioners in your area to speak about their specialties. This would be a more organized event and would involve more planning on your part, but the outcome – getting new people into your office space – remains the same.

If the group wants to meet regularly and you don’t want to be present for all the meetings, I’d consider drawing up a rental agreement and making the arrangement formal/legal, so that you can feel comfortable leaving the group there to lock up.

Who Should NOT Use Your Space Casually:

• I wouldn’t allow other practitioners (like massage therapists, etc.) to casually use your space because of legal issues. People performing a service, and/or those running a business with that service, should have a formal, written lease agreement with you.

One last thought:

Here are a few groups that my boyfriend suggested could use an acupuncturist’s space. I do not recommend you let these kinds of groups use your office space, but my boyfriend seemed pretty pumped about these options:

1. Pretzel makers (???)
2. The local deli     (He seemed to think this was a very good idea!)
3. Portable ice cream or other food cart.    (Sorely tempting…)

What about you?

Do you let other groups use your office space? Do you feel that it helps bring in new patients? What suggestions would you make for others who are considering giving this a try?