Ever slept in a castle?  Was it made of great stones or blankets and chairs on the living room floor as mine were on Saturday afternoons when I was a young boy.

I’ve seen and visited a lot of castles in Europe but the one I’ve been residing in the last two nights is just as impressive as in the picture though the weather is better.  You might think that the owners would be some high falutin’ snobby hard folks but they are just as warm and friendly as the owners of my blanket castles.

I’m typing this from the great room looking at the tallest trees to the left and rear of the picture as I type.  Hopping bunnies, purring kitties, licking dogs, and curious chickens guard the perimeter.  Everyone here is friendly.

So what’s the moral of the story?  As you know I practice and teach about cash based physical therapy. You also probably have figured out that I take a lot of long vacations.  I pay for many of the accommodations and fees but many of them are free and this is how the accommodations have been the last two nights.  My gracious hosts have a stucco sprayer small business providing equipment that makes it a lot quicker to apply stucco than by trowel.   It is approximately twice as fast to use their equipment to apply plaster and stucco than to do it by trowel.   Now if you have a great way with patients and good techniques to get people better faster and more permanently people will pay for it.  Don’t be ashamed to ask for money if you’re providing a great service.  Once you’ve done it once it’s easier the second time.   When blessings come your way do be sure to pass them on in other ways.   Great hospitality is certainly a good way to do this.

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT

Cash Physical Therapy Secrets

I am a good therapist but everything I know as a cash-paid physical therapist can be learned.  I am well-paid for my visits but some of the best “payments” I get are the kind words that come from my patients.   Before we came on our vacation I recorded some patient testimonials on my camcorder.   I’ve just put some of them on youtube(TM) so if you click here you can hear and see what one of my cash-paying patients says about me.   To hear another click here.

Gather testimonials from your patients daily if possible.   A marketer earning $50-60,00/month told me by phone, “Facts tell, testimonials SELL”.   What besides your physical therapy services could be a better value?  Get testimonials from your patients on video, voice recording (you can do this on your cell phone or ipod(tm) probably), or at least jot them down from the “S” in your “SOAP” notes.  Get your patients’ written permission to publish them.

“I wish we could stay here forever!” my firstborn exclaimed up as I gave the tire swing a hearty push yesterday afternoon.   I wish we could stay here forever too – at least until the first snowfall.   The atmosphere at this fantastic bed and breakfast is superb.  Our hosts are possibly the most gracious gourmet breakfast cooks I’ve ever met.  Kids love the ponies, dogs, and cats.  They like watching the llama, sheep, and chickens.  They collect the eggs (when they can find them) and then we eat the eggs.  We’ve even fished in the creek.  I dug the worms from the compost pile myself.  My wife told me I needed a shower after that.  As I type from my forest-view bed the woods are truly “lovely, dark and deep”, but I do “have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep”.

Why did I cry?  Our well appointed cabin comes with a lot of good reading material.  I grew up reading Patrick F. McManus’ hilarious hyperbole and picked up a copy of one of his more recent books near the doorway of our cabin.  My wife told me I probably would read the whole book and she wasn’t far from being right.  I laughed sooo hard there were tears streaming down my face many times.  It really was therapeutic.  If you sent one of these books home with your patients every week I’m pretty sure they’d come back happier no matter the physical therapeutic results.  I love to have fun with my patients.  Laughing a lot myself makes it easier.  If you need a laugh click the button below to buy the set for your clinic.  It will be the most fun business investment/expense you’ve had yet this year.

I also have been in contact with the two other PT’s that are seeing my other cash paying clients thanks to Alltel/Verizon.  Wifi here at our awesome cabin is a big plus.  I like to keep these posts current so this is where my feet drew me today.  Ever since my embryonic days I have gravitated toward water.  If I’d had my swimming trunks with me I’d have been out in this lake at least for a little bit.  I also love having a good view.  The pictures don’t do this place justice at all.

At and before the turn of the century doctors advised patients to take vacations for their health.  The advances of modern medicine have somehow left this behind although the relative cost of transportation has decreased dramatically.

As I continue to take therapeutic time for myself my practice goes on.  The best news however comes from one of our aspiring cash practice secrets students.  More on that in the next post.

Here’s how to find where the money is:

1) Go to www.wikipedia.org

2) In their search window type the name of  the city you’re thinking of opening your practice.

For Example if you type in “Payson, AZ” you’ll find that the median income for a family is $38,713.   One of our course contributors opened her cash practice in a seniors-only mobile home park.  Now she’s expanded to having built a clinic on her home which is on horse property.   Her fees were the most reasonable of any in our course and her cash percentage is 65% .   This is quite  respectable but is also the lowest in our course.   Cindy, our PT course contributor is GOOD!  I met her through one of her patients who said, “Try to learn what she does!”

I live and choose to work in Mesa, AZ doing house calls.   Type in Mesa, AZ and you’ll get a median family income of $49, 232.  I can pay all my household and work expenses on what I earn from my cash clients.    It feels awfully good to deposit $800-2500 at a time in advance for the visits I do.

Another of our course contributors has a 100% cash fee at or before the time of service in Corvallis, OR.  Type that into the wikipedia search window and you’ll find a median family income of $53,208.  Now this is a  little better area but our PT course contributor there is a GREAT PT.   If you aspire to be a cash-paid PT you must be great.

Now if you want to be where the money REALLY is look to where our politicians live and thereabouts.   Jennifer Gamboa, PT who practices in Arlington, VA, runs a cash practice.  Type Arlington, VA into your wikipedia search window and you’ll find under the demographics section the median family income is $120,556.

If you live in Anytown, USA and can’t find a place with high enough incomes to support your dreams, remember:

1) You don’t need that many cash PT patients to have what I call a “Therapeutic” life.  If you do GREAT therapy and learn from the best you can leverage their word of mouth to those that can afford it.

2) A cash physical therapy practice can be a huge savings to those even without insurance.  If you can get your patients feeling a lot better or knowing what to do about it in 1-6 visits, you can save them a lot of money. You also earn considerable “Therapeutic Wealth” part of which is the great feeling that people really, really value your services.

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT

In many cases the person who pays the bills can’t be present for the therapy sessions so I use my cell phone (I do house-calls) and text (usually a few words only)/ picture message them at least once per week.  This is only safe to do with explicit written permission but it really increases appreciation.

Today I practiced putting with a cash pay client for whom I was a day early in a large assisted living facility.  I called the patient’s spouse afterwards to report on what we’d done.  She REALLY appreciated it.    I appreciate my cash paying clients because they enable me to have the life I choose to have.   Putting that appreciation in writing will help your cash pay side grow!  Linda Bruseth in our Cash Physical Therapy Secrets home study course really takes this the next level.  When’s the last time one of your patients handed you a check $800-2500 as advance payment?

Have a Profitable and Therapeutic Week!

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT

Therapeutic Wealth to YOU!

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT

Cash Practice Secrets

today.  If you wanted me to SHOW YOU the MONEY there it is just above!

That’s just one check I deposited today for 20 PT visits.  See my website for details.  The other “cash” I was paid today was for eight visits but that was swiped into my credit card machine.  At 9:15 a.m. another POA for a soon to be discharged pt. found what I charged and very likely will continue her client with cash-paid PT.  All cash payments I receive for PT are in advance or at the time of service.  It takes too much time and energy to chase the money.  Someday you may see a picture of my coming cash-pay client and me on this blog or on my web-site but I’ll get back on track here.

“Show me the money!”  That’s what I told a MLM representative several years ago who was selling me on the idea of prepaid phone cards.  “Show me the money!  If it’s not worth it I don’t want to do it.”  Well the representative who came to me with one of my recently- discharged PT patients DID “show me the money” (copies of the commission checks written out to his immediate upline) and I thereby wasted a couple of hours of life’s most precious gift – time.   Sure I got a phone card out of the deal but If I had focused on my primary business – Cash – Paid PT – I would have gotten ahead a lot sooner.

Stay tuned here but remember the “accellerator package” which is investing in yourself!

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT

Cash Physical Therapy Secrets

I’m still learning to give value but give great care, keep in touch and the rewards will come back to you if you are prepared to receive them.

In an assisted living facility here in Mesa the administrator today told me that a different Canadian who’d paid me to see a gentleman with late effects of CVA wanted me to see him again for cash as I’d done last year.   I’ll try and keep you posted but keep your eyes open for opportunities around you too!

“What’s your “Premium Plan”(He’d seen my website) …..  “Can you come to our house tomorrow and tell us your plan of what you can do for my dad?” .   Though the rest of my day was booked I had the 8:00 slot open.   Friday morning I donned my tie and strode up to the house’s wooden 10-foot door.  When it easily swung open I smiled as I beheld the most verdant colorful view of Red Mountain I’d ever seen.   From the glass dining table I answered their questions and inquired as to the potential patient’s interests and hobbies.  I checked out their home environmentfor safety and gave the recommendations I’d give my own family members which was for 5-day per week therapy initially.    A couple of coyotes sauntered by just outside their property line and 4-foot plus iron bars above that fencing.  The son also reported that javelinas are quite big there too.

“Do you take Visa and American Express”?

“Yes”. ” I do however ask for the payment in advance.  It’s one way I keep the cost so low.”

“I don’t want my parents to pay for this.  Money isn’t a problem.”

How would you like to develop YOUR cash pay PT clinic.  I’ve recorded how 20 PT’s have done it in my home study course.   Are you ready to decrease your stress level by starting or growing your cash practice.   Start on your plan today!

As usual I’m wishing you Therapeutic Wealth,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT

Cash Physical Therapy Secrets

The three things that are necessary for getting your practice to “go viral” are 1) committing to giving your patients a “WOW” experience  2) Recording that “WOW” as it comes from your patients and 3) Spreading the word in every allowable method possible.  In Pat Croce’s clinic he sent every referrer a thank-you card for the patients they referred.  He got the reports to the doctor the next day and he called the new clients the night of their first visit to make sure they understood the exercises.   The above is a system that can and WILL work for you.

We are camping in our trailer out this week due to water damage in our house.  (AAck!)  Every minus has a plus and it has been REALLY nice to be out with the cacti and coyotes and birds and family.  In fact it’s been what I call “therapeutic”.  I am thankful to “The Hartford” for good homeowners insurance.  I did take time out to attend Tom Dalonzo Baker’s “Total Motion Release” seminar last Sunday.  It was a nice surprise to see one of our contributors (Cash Practice PT’s) in attendance.  The good news is that she is now ready to transition from being 6-7/8 cash to 100% cash fee at the time of service.  It’s such a blessing to be helping PT’s achieve their dreams and goals.

Lance

Cash Practice Secrets (Home Study Course)

My most recent cash paying customers came to me by the referrals of both a successful care home owner and a PT clinic.  I am a genuinely friendly but not overly outgoing therapist and and keep in touch with both.  I have sent both of them holiday cards.  I treated the care home owner for free once when his back was really bothering him.   That was a half an hour well spent because that care home owner works hard to help me when he can.  He knows that Medicare and other insurances will only pay for so much and is considerate to call me for those clients for whom there is no other option but cash.

Next time I’ll go over word of mouth “advertising” and how to leverage it.   If you want to hear how to leverage word of mouth advertising in my interview with multi-millionaire PT Pat Croce click here to check out and then click to subscribe to our free email / internet training.

Therapeutic Wealth to you!

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT

Cash Physical Therapy Secrets

Every “problem” can be seen as a challenge.  Every challenge is no more than a situation that may in fact need to be attended to.  If you are a physical therapist with a little extra time on your hands due to the recession it can be a great opportunity for you.  I heartily recommend our own “Cash Physical Therapy Secrets” home study course.  The intro is both excellent and free.  When you sign up for our “online training” you’ll really be glad.  Invest in our course and you’ll likely earn more than you did last year and feel better about it.  I’m trying out a free clinical home study course and will let you know how it makes MY “no longer 21 year old joints” feel.  If you’re still BUSY at work or busy studying to be a PT learn all you can to prepare you for possibly tougher times ahead.  You can only reap what you sow so…. Sow Seeds of Success!

All of us physical therapists must think of ourselves as marketers.  We should always be thinking of ways ways to boost sales. Here’s what physical therapy marketers should do during the period of recession:

• Reflect on what has been done.
• Analyze the problems that have encountered.
• Review goals.
• Research your product and services.
• Adjust your budget.
• Learn how to stand out among others.
• Make an exceptional offer to all your clients.

While having a cup of coffee, take a piece of paper and write down what needs to be done. Mark priorities and focus on them. Make these goals time sensitive.  Think positive no matter what happens and you will survive during the period of recession.

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT
Cash Physical Therapy Secrets

Yesterday after telling the patient’s daughter Marie how much it they could save by buying eight visits in advance she said, “That’s a good deal!” . My fees are about 25% above the Medicare fee schedule.

After Wilbur’s first and second walk in over 6 weeks a mighty cheer went up from the family. Wilbur, my newest cash paying patient has a VERY good chance at improving his function no matter if he is on hospice.

From what I learned at a lecture I tonight I think that the scientific answer to how this positive physical change is possible in a positive environment and with a positive attitude will one day be explained by stem cells and genes. For now the family wants to give him the best opportunity for success. The daughter making the initial investment drove over an hour to be there and pay me with her own check.

Inspiration for All of Us

Let’s be even more positive and supportive of our OWN families. They are our real treasures. If we can make life better for our loved ones even for a few minutes or days let’s do it. I want you to have experiences like mine which is why I developed the Cash Practice Secrets home study course. I know Christmas is coming but if I gave you the course it wouldn’t work. You wouldn’t value it. Today’s experience however was priceless!

(pseudonyms used)

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT
Cash Physical Therapy Secrets

Lance (by cell phone): “I’ll be there to see your husband in ten minutes Mrs. Smith”.

Mrs. Smith: “Sounds good”! “See you then!” .

Ten minutes later I rang their doorbell, opened the door as usual and my jaw crashed to the carpet. The eighty plus year-old Mr. Smith was sprawled out in front of, instead of IN his recliner. I gasped.

Before I could say anything Mr. Smith piped, “How are you?”. He was thinking of ME first!

He was fine! He had simply slid down and out of his well padded recliner to the floor due to uncontrolled movements related to his progressive neurological condition. Maybe this wouldn’t be a bad hair day after all. His good wife suggested we exercise with him while on the floor and minutes later we were into our established progressive routine.

Today Mr. Smith, who couldn’t sit up, feed himself or live at home six months ago, walked across that same floor with the walker and some help. It had to have been a positive feeling for him too. Would any third party payer have paid for the six months of therapy required to enable this? I don’t think so. Has it been a value? His wife and he both agree that it has been.

Thank-you for reading. Kindly take the time to comment on this post. I value your feedback. I also would like to speed you on your way to your dream cash physical therapy practice

Therapeutic Wealth To YOU!

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT

One secret that is very effective not only for cash practice but for anything under the sun is to take a home study course. In physical therapy, home study courses can help physical therapists to infuse more cash in their careers. This is the cutting edge of education.

Physical therapists taking home study courses do not need to reschedule sessions with their patients just to attend special classes anymore. Physical therapists taking home-study courses can study and work anytime and anywhere. Nobody controls them but themselves.

Through taking and applying the right home-study courses, physical therapists from new grads to specialists can learn to become independent. They can learn from the triumphs and mistakes of others not just from their own mistakes.

Home study courses created by other physical therapists always stay on-topic. Home study courses save the expense of an airline ticket which can be substantial. With the right home study course you’ll never “go home disappointed”. I once sponsored a class that left me feeling disappointed though it was well-attended. I regretted that I had enrolled and sponsored that course. Though others felt good about the course, it just didn’t meet my needs.

In my case, I never expected to be this successful. In order to help other physical therapists, I interviewed a multi-millionaire physical therapist and decided to share the info and start my own training, Cash Practice Secrets. You can hear that great interview for free on our web-site. My home study course is my secret to cash physical therapy practice success. You can unlock and apply the secrets or ignore them. It is up to you.

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT

Fewer support staff.

An average traditional PT practice has 2.5 support staff per physical therapist. This includes a receptionist, a biller, possibly a PTA, and an aide / back office staff. With a cash practice no medical biller is needed and many practices have no support staff at all.

A very savvy cash PT friend of mine believes that once a cash PT is up to 70% capacity he or she should hire a single support staff to assist in all areas. Having a $15/hour assistant however decreases your hourly income by just that amount or about $30,000 / year .

This assumes you are actually paying the staff member about $12/hour and saving the $3 / hour to pay the taxes and employment expenses. Independent contractors can be used in some limitied capacities but as support staff the government tends to call them employees.

Lower Rent

Cash Practices don’t tend to be located in the slums but tend to have very little unused space. Frequently a second story office will have lower rent than a ground floor office and appeals to the type of customer that is willing and able to invest in his or her health. As you start your cash practice rent the minimum of space. There are ways to “pay” sustainable free rent to the benefit of all involved that we cover in our cash physical therapy practice home study course.

Little Equipment Cost

No cash practice has a $30,000 Biodex/Cybex machine. These are great brands and models but do they make you more money. The founder of Northwest PT , Alvin Haunch confided in me that as he expanded his practice he’d spent too much money for equipment. Equipment is important but don’t think that you need to spend a lot for it. Find out what adds value for your customers and give it to them.

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT

Physical therapy marketing needs a lot of effort to attract, serve and retain customers. Positive feedback from previous customers is essential because it proves you, as a physical therapist has provided service with satisfaction guaranteed. Remember, the customer is always right and what they say to others matter most.

With the power of blogs, positive customer feedback is more enhanced with a combination of text, images, videos and audios that can show proof of how exactly you have performed the service and what your clients felt during that experience.

Blogs readers are allowed to comment or email you directly of what they think on your blog post, it depends on your preferences. If you want your blog to be interactive, allow readers to comment right on the blog post. If you want to talk to your readers personally, just tell them to email you for their concerns.

For physical therapists, you can blog about your private practices, the products you offer and guidelines that you want to share to the world. In that way, you can keep touch to your readers and you will be surprised that you have just created a community of physical therapists and physical therapy patients. The community respects you based from your expertise that can have the possibility of turning them into customers.

Some reasons why blogs are good for physical therapy marketing are Google-friendly, easy to set-up and affordable. You can even set-up a blog for free but free blogs have limited features. I said it was Google-friendly because blogs can top Google queries for specific keywords. Anyone can be online through blogs.

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT

Free publicity however is nearly priceless. This can be in the form of radio interviews, TV spots, or articles you write for targeted local papers or newsletters.

Larger cities however may ask you to buy advertising in order to write an article for their paper. That has never agreed very well with me. If you’re good at writing and put the word out, your copy will eventually get picked up. See the previous post and my physical therapy practice site for proof.

Scott Musgrave, a cash-pay PT and excellent (I know because I spent a day with him in February) PRRT practicioner, got a very good radio interview in Denver. Here’s the cash practice podcast for the first hour which I edited to about 20 minutes.

Scott also has a link to the interview (two hours on everything from real estate to law to PT) on wellness and performance. I am making the files available to Scott and likely will remove the audio files from this site soon so enjoy listening now!

Here’s another link for the physical therapy podcast content in the second hour which also takes about 20 minutest to play.

I would also like to thank John Iams, PT . John developed the “Primal Reflex Release Technique” which I have found to be quite helpful with my customers as well. John is both skilled and sincere.

If you acquire the skills and the knowledge and keep your “gumption” to get your message out you can have a cash practice. Our cash physical therapy practice course is an accelerator to that pleasant end. These days cash practice business and practice skills are a MUST!

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT
Cash Practice Secrets

This article came out when I was away from my physical therapy practice in Europe for vacation so I haven’t had a chance to see the print version yet.

You can find the article featured at Advance for Directors in Rehabilitation.

Read that article and come back here at least weekly for tips. For faster results check out our cash practice course.

When you write me, kindly let me know how you have heard about this blog and our Cash Practice Secrets (for physical therapists) course.

It’s an honor and a pleasure being in touch with you!

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT
Cash Practice Secrets

People, whether they be your friends or only acquaintances, should pay for your PT services at or before the time of service because it’s in their best interest to do so.

I’ve gone into a little more detail in other posts on this blog and a lot more detail in our cash practice course but the WHY question is so important. We all should invest in the future of our health.

Paying for some skilled PT is a good way to do that.

As PT’s if we’re not constantly learning to improve our practices we’re going away from what I call therapeutic wealth. Each missed learning opportunity moves the finish line farther away.

If that finish line is farther away than the end of your useful time as a PT it’s too late. Investing to be a cash physical therapist in your future is always the right thing to do. Go take that home study course!

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT
Cash Practice Secrets

The time schedule for our life on this earth is limited so make it good. By the end of this post you’ll have a good dose of inspiration and at least one smile!

I wrote this article on Sept 15 which was the “live” day. In a little bit I’ll re-file it but I didn’t think you’d want to miss it.

You might also want to check Sept 27′s post which was added just recently.

Have you ever jumped rope beneath a ski run? Neither had I but that’s what the weather required here in Ukynice (pseudonym) today.

There weren’t any skiers zooming overhead but they could have been as the over-road slope was the only way to stay out of the rain.

When visiting an alpine village the weather is frequently “alpine”. This was true here as we had rain and a chilly breeze for most of the day. I jumped rope under a ski run.

Actually the skiers ski over a bridge over the road and down to the ski lift which is just outside my relatives house. I also stretched my brain by reading a good business-related book.

Cold Cash and Cold Marble for PTs

The sobering trek my wife, her father and I made this afternoon in the blustery weather was a trip into town and up the hill to the graveyard where “grandpa’s” parents were laid to rest. The grave stones were quite up-to date with pictures of some of the deceased both affixed as well as etched into the stones.

A lady was there tending flowers atop her parents grave. I could hardly believe the amount of cut flowers in place there. The lady was familiar with my wife from her previous visits before our marriage. She had brought a watering can to make sure the freshly cut and the potted flowers had enough water. As expected great grandpa and grandma were resting quietly.

At our last visit of 9 years ago great grandma had peeped out the window at us as we arrived and also as we had our first tea (along with a grand assortment of homemade cakes) time on the porch. Great Grandpa who was quite tall was still able to enjoy a museum nearby with us at the time. It was quite obvious great grandpa and great grandma loved each other.

When great grandma departed great grandpa followed her less than a year later. We are occupying their apartment presently. I’d rather have them with us and be sleeping in the attic as we did on our last trip…. No matter how well or poorly we live our lives we are all on a limited time schedule. Are we enjoying the time we have left on our biological clocks?

My wife’s dad walked by a tombstone and remarked, “I borrowed the motorcycle I had a wreck on from that guy”. He also commented that another used to own a chalet only accessible by a tough hike in or more recently a ski lift or snow machine in the winter. Regardless of deceased’s status they all proved to be on limited time schedule.

On a Lighter Note.

While descending the slope toward the exit gate of the Dvorak Cemetery

My father in law said, “I had to pay to use the bathroom in the town of Semily the other day.” The lady taking the money asked if I was to pay five crowns or two crowns. “How can I pay two crowns here when I usually have to pay 5 crowns ( 31 U.S. cents) elsewhere?”

The attendant answered, “Well it’s only two crowns to “pee” but it’s five crowns to “poop””. Continuing to explain he continued, “So I paid my two crowns and began “doing what I had to do in the bathroom”. In just a little while the lights dimmed a notch, then another and then …I was left in the dark”.

To avoid HIS fate and realizing that probably few people would look behind the large trees at the far right side of the cemetery I made an about face, then a right and a left turn heading for the back side of a huge tree. I knew what I had to do right there and right then. Maybe this would make it easier for the ancestors to push up the daisies I thought as a steady stream of well-hydrated “results” flowed freely.

I though I heard something so I did a quick zip and turn and looked straight into the face of….. No, I didn’t see great grandma or great grandma or even the undertaker as I made that about face, but that cemetery wasn’t quite as deserted as I thought it had been! Maybe that two crown $0.125 bathroom admission would have been a good deal after all!

If physical therapists will focus their attention just as one focuses attention when speeding our way the bathroom door we all could have awesome cash practices. Invest for a home study course today!

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT
Cash Practice Secrets

I’ll try to share some pictures if I can but it won’t be tonight as it’s getting late for me. You my fellow Americans, have several hours of work ahead of you likely but I’m headed to bed. I’m not doing any hands-on physical therapy for over another week!

I DO recommend getting treated yourself by another PT on a wellness basis and my family HAS been treated by a physical therapist on a wellness basis. That PT is Lori Zeltwanger of Sedona, AZ. Her practice is called “Advanced Release Therapy“.

Check it out! Lori’s practice is in a beautiful setting with windows looking out at awesome red rocks. She happens to be a contributor to our physical therapy course and does have a cash practice.

Once again do treat yourself to some wellness therapy. This way you’ll be practicing what you preach!

It is an honor and a privilege being in touch.

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT
Cash Practice Secrets

My cash practice continues to run while I’m on vacation in Europe. I think all of us want our practices to FREE us so if you like travel I’ll tell you a little more about my day. It is hard for me to avoid drawing practical business applications from my daily vacationer’s life lately so have a read!

Today after lunch here at our hilltop retreat I took the time to watch a very pleasant family movie. When the movie ended we took a long country walk to the house where the movie had been shot filmed. The place in fact looked better now than it did then.

The roof had been raised, the house painted and updated, but the grassy roof of the semi-underground cellar where the goat in the movie (it was about a cottage in the country) had been grazing was still there. The renovations to the movie house really had made it look good.

Still no other houses were visible from that house. Unfortunately I didn’t take my camera with me. The film was a Czech language film so I’m sure you wouldn’t know it. I enjoyed it via English sub titles. Incidentally the cottage we are staying has absolutely no traffic going by and no houses or building are visible from it either! It’s therapeutic for sure.

The business lesson: Visualize your cash based clinic. I say, “Dream it. Draw it. Do it!” That can be quite hard if you’re going it alone. It’s hard to know what would work unless you hear what does work from those of us that do it. It’s a lot easier to follow behind someone who’s done it already.

With the Cash Practice Secrets Home Study Course we have a team of 20 practice owners each doing a successful practice. They can be your trailblazers as you advance towards your dreams! You however must act by studying the home study course! You can do cash practice in no time!

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT
Cash Practice Secrets

We left Friday and toured Cesky Krumlov which is a MUST SEE. Here’s the link to some of the photos that nowhere nearly do justice to the beauty of the place.

Saturday and Sunday we spent the day at a lakeside retreat which worked out well. We hiked around the ski hills on Saturday and I took a long electric boat ride on Sunday. This link is a little harder to make work but here’s one link that MAY work. I’m pretty sure you’ll have to browse on the left side to “rent sports equipment” to see the yellow and white boat I piloted. FUN!

This is made possible by my cash practice. It can be possible for you as well if you will take the time to get the knowledge to be a cash practice physical therapist.

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT
Cash Practice Secrets

This includes taking time off for yourself and your family as well exercising for your own health. I know I’m preaching to the choir. Here’s how I lived a the 27th of September pretty well true to those principles.

This is still the 27th of September about 8:00 p.m. here on the Northern edge of a lake that is created by damming up the Vltava river. From near the shore of the 25 km long lake we can see a windmill across the border in Austria that rotates about 14 times per minutes by my timing.

The lake’s water also generates a good amount of hydro electric power.About an hour North of here we passed a nuclear power plant with four huge cooling towers. You’d think that electricity might be a good deal here but really it’s quite expensive. Almost no one has a clothes dryer. They all hang clothes up to dry. In snow ski country this can be a job so most hang it inside.

The air quality where we are is good. This is a resort area though and there are few year-round residences. We are here enjoying this resort town compliments of my wife’s cousin. They have added considerably more sleeping area to the condo as well as divided it so two families plus their own can all enjoy the place.

They make it economically feasible by renting out the units for three months in the summer and one month in the winter. They also built six electric boats which they rent out for tourists. You could roll out of bed and coast to the lake from here and within three minutes could walk to the bottom ski lift.

Unlike much of Europe this place has been developed recently. It has all the amenities a resort town should have. It is clean and new. The biggest blessing however is that all the family members are clean and nice.

None of my wife’s family members smokes and they are all hard working and inventive. We have had no trouble with drunkenness of family members on this trip either. This is no small feat as the Czech Republic consumes the highest per capita alcohol amount of anywhere in the world.

In the pursuit of the very best low-stress cash practice it is good to upgrade the people you hang out with. Also upgrade your “neighbors’ neighbor” to the highest level of health possible. This will help you attract people who want to be like you.

As a health practitioner it is of utmost importance to practice what you preach. Our exercise today was walking half way around the ski resort. It was cool but I found myself stripping down to my T-shirt on the way up the hill and bundling back up on the way down. We saw some all season bobsleds being towed uphill before quick trips down the metal chutes. Looked like fun! Have a Fun Day!

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT
Cash Practice Secrets

I’ve seen Canaervon, Edinborough, and a lot of other really cool castles but they all were missing one key ingredient – a moat with water in it. Today’s castle had a great moat that went all the way around it. It also had a bridge and huge doors. The bridge could have held a Mack(TM) truck so for this castle a drawbridge would not do.

The main doors were on vertical hinges but still you will enjoy the pictures of cool castles. The OUTside really was the highlight of the Castle. The bridge, entry and grounds are really a lot more impressive in person than in those photos though.

As we arrived during the lunch break we began our exploration by hiking around the moat. The weather continued to be cloudy but it didn’t rain on us. A miniature long-haired dacshund adopted us for the time of the walk around the moat lake but fortunately went on it’s way once we got back near the restaurants.

A fisherman worked the moat pond/lake with two long poles. At a couple of spots there was only a hand rail to get us over the rocks around the moat. The moat was wider than necessary at most spots and likely would have made an attack on the castle a one-way trip.

A few seconds after paying our three crowns (at $0.19 a better deal than some places) we were brought into the first chamber where the tour had just begun. “Get your slippers on!” the tour guide quickly ordered. “You need your SLIPPERS!” We could not go any farther without them. Scuttling back around the corner we reached the castle-supplied slipper rack. After hastily donning them over our shoes we reached the first chamber and the waiting tour group.

My father-in-law pointed out that the castle had been remodeled from three separate towers into one solid fortress with a courtyard (plus a clock tower). He also pointed out that the floors were simple wood floors and not necessarily hardwood. Because the slippers were clean and made of soft fabric on the bottom all the 40 or so feet in the tour group were gently polishing and cleaning the floors as we walked.

How does this relate to cash practice physical therapy? “Find your client doing something right and compliment them on it.” This is my habit and Zig Ziglar recommends it too. If the objective test is good news, compliment the patient on making the wise investment in coming to you for physical therapy. If you see your patient giving you a good effort say, “That’s a GREAT Job!”.

Make giving sincere compliments your way of life not just with your patients but with all those you contact. This builds warm fuzzies and trust. Every step you take, every gester you make and every word you speak should improve your patients attitude and health just like those slippers cleaned and polished the floor as we walked. When your patients feel great about you and trust you there’s a lot better chance they’ll agree to pay you cash for your services.

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT
Cash Practice Secrets

They did this because of his clinic’s superb service and follow up with clients. Sure you’ve got to put in your email to hear that message at Cash Practice Therapy but it’s a good investment. I’m going to give you one idea here that he didn’t share with me then that will increase what you learn there.

Try your hardest to get a WOW experience from EVERY customer you get at your clinic. One way Pat did this was by phone follow up. When you get a customer with a great experience ask them, “If your best friends were here right now would you introduce and recommend them for my services? Ninety percent says they’ll say yes.

When they say “yes” get the names and numbers of those friends or have a blank card for them to write a short note to their friends recomending your services. Copy that note before you send it and use it on your web-site or other promotional material. If you’ve been following my cash practice training series you’ll know what I do to be able to use every patients testimonial. I get permission to use it at the first visit. Always maintain confidentiality though.

I hope your day has been as peaceful as mine. I’m still vacationing in the Czech Republic where the weather is drippy. I got good news from my staff at home today which is nice too. Time does fly when your having fun. Earning the cash from physical therapy patients to pay for this vacation was fun too!

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT
Cash Practice Secrets

The weather this time however hasn’t been better. We have seen little sun in the last 8 days we have been here. Ten years ago we didn’t have to use a jacket but the temperature has been in the fifties most days and has varied less than two degrees celsius. We didn’t bring coats.

Fortunately we have relative who work with a disaster relief society who were able to lend us coats for our kids. We can easily afford to buy our kids coats but really will have no use for them when we get home. These coats today’s outing complaint-free though we walked all over a HUGE zoo safari park for most of the day. The coats they are using are in great shape and were donated by people that likely earn less than $1000/month.

Economic Details:

An above average wage is 14,000 crowns / month which translates currently to about $875/month. Gas is $8/gallon. Food is about the same cost and motel rooms are about the same. Cars cost about 30% more here. Taxes may be less to good benefit. I am complimenting the Czech people here because they are so generous as to be sending clothes to even more needy people in the Ukraine.

It is a privilege to be in a position to help those who need it. How do and how will you use your wealth to good benefit of your family and others?

Action step for your coming cash practice: I suggest and have successfully tried doing PT demo treatments 15 minutes long. We donated the proceeds to a children’s home. It was a success and the process maintained the value of my therapy while doing a good thing otherwise. You must have a GOOD treatment technique to make this work however. Primal Reflex Release Technique (PRRT) was what I used that day to good results. The Mulligan technique may also work. Several in our course use these techniques.

Physical therapists are inherently compassionate. Running a cash practice will enable even further good acts. I’m here to help!

All the best,

Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT
Cash Practice Secrets

I didn’t know his assistant was going to remove my foot from the bath to a single basin and rinse it off and then take the other foot out and give it the same treatment but I positively felt pampered.

I plan to look into this this treatment further but from how it made me feel treated in that office it was extremely positive. When we relieve aches and pains or help our patients get around better it should have the same effect. That is worth a tangible investment. Sometimes a valued therapy-provided service can be traded for a profit to both parties. Below I’ll write today’s example of that.

In a fine children’s museum here in the Czech Republic today, I saw a display of very very fine glass beads that could be woven into very fine artistic jewelry. If you’ve ever wondered where the Native, the native americans got their beads to make their fine works of art this is the place.

What if the European traders HADN’t traded with the native Americans? We’d never have seen those elaborate bead works that they have done. Both we and they would be and would have been poorer.

To get a client up on his or her feet even if there is a poor long term outlook IS an enriching experience when done skillfully as only we can do. Getting those smiles back on those clients faces even for just the length of the treatment is more effective than any anti-depressant on the market and can even be more economical.

Another good way to enrich both you and your client is trading services. Web-site design for therapy is a good trade. There are many other good services that can be traded. Try to think of some other good trades. Many in our course have traded services to good benefit. If you’re like to try before going all out toward a cash practice try the electronic course.

It’s enriching to be in touch with you.

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

As I am now, I try to learn every bit of every language I can whenever I can. This month it’s Czech. When I return stateside it will be back to improving my Spanish, maintaining my Czech and I’m tempted to learn some German too. This month’s blog posts have a lot of the benefits of my cash practice listed.

Today at a very pleasant gathering in the Czech republic, I had fun talking to a Spain-born lady and her local boyfriend primarily in Spanish, but also in English and a little bit in Czech. This is fun!

Learning that Spanish has given me another tool to make people feel good. Of course I try to upgrade my PT skills as much as I can but we must remember that making people feel good about us is a very good way for them to feel good themselves.

They will be more likely to pay us if we take a few minutes to hear what they’re interested. If you greet him or her in their mother or even in an acquired language that’s interesting to them they’ll think, “That therapist really cares about me.” Be genuine, make the effort and it will be more likely to pay cash for your services.

Today’s hike was to up to the base of the second and highest ski lift here where I’d seen a log cabin ( Say “srooob“, spelled “srub” in Czech and no I didn’t just look that up) being built. Actually it was an addition on a previously existing house but had interlocking logs that were being notched on the spot. Sorry but I didn’t get a picture. If I go back I bet it will be farther along.

Again if you seek to attract cash paying clients into your physical therapy business make a habit of showing genuine interest in the client especially when first meeting them each time.

Next outline your plan for that treatment and ask if there’s anything else they’d like you to address on that day. Before you leave go over your list and ask the patient if you covered everything they wanted you to cover or had something they wanted you to work on either this time or next time.

If you have a little extra time give them an extra like an upper shoulder massage while the client rests. In this way you are under promising and over delivering. Consistently exceed expectations and the money is a whole lot more likely to flow your way.

I’ve got lots more to share directly on the cash physical therapy subject and will be adding more daily. I’m pretty sure you’ll profit by reading further posts and beginning with our home study course on Cash Practice Secrets. It’s a jump start on your cash practice and a small sample of the full gold mine of how-to stories found in the unabridged Cash Practice Secrets home study course.

As always it’s an honor and a pleasure to serve you!

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

We PT’s need refreshment, and relaxation in order to BE therapeutic to our patients. I myself plan to get a little physical therapy treatment over here before getting back to work and will report on it too. I am working on my wife’s uncle’s computer and getting the pictures up takes a little doing but I’ll try to get them up as soon as possible. Come back and see the pictures as soon as you can. I’m going to try to add posts daily…

Plant the seeds of a cash practice as soon as you can. At the private practice section meetings in San Diego I heard the words, “The traditional physical therapy business plan is getting a little tired.” It takes about 30 times as much energy to get a new customer as to keep an existing customer.

With many physicians going to referral for profit this is an even greater challenge for the motivated PT. Follow up fitness and regular re-checks can be of great benefit to the patient. If you have a cash service that is beneficial and feels great when do you think would be the best time to introduce that to your patient. The answer comes from the forest I hiked today in the formerly communist Czech Republic but first a story…

During the communist era not even your own land was your own. My father-in-law lived in a small community where everybody knows everyone else. To fell even one of their own trees to use as needed was strictly forbidden. The alternative to having enough wood for heat in the winter was freezing to death so great grandpa went to the woods and a few stokes at a time and listening closely for the ranger he began to saw or chop down a tree.

Footfalls interrupted the silence just before he was ready to make the last of the few chops or saws required to fell the tree. Great grandpa looked up into the oncoming face of the ranger who stopped and spoke. Great grandpa knew he could be punished for working in woods that “weren’t his”. What would happen? “That’s a pretty big tree”, the ranger noted.

Beginning on his way he said over his shoulder, “Be careful when it falls so that no one gets hurt!”. The forest is quite healthy and gets planted harvested selectively and carefully. On my hike today I saw seedling trees planted to replenish the forest. I got a picture and hope to get it up. Patients and trees take tending to be healthy. I only “sell” to my patients because I entirely believe in the benefit of my therapy even if it isn’t covered by insurance. Find out what your patients want. Plant those seeds of success early and they’ll reward you.

Energy and Crystals and Summer Snow today

Toward the north slope of “kettle mountain“. I noted large patches of white in the shade of trees. A little later I saw this right close to where we were walking. Some of the crystals were adhering to the trees. I had gotten a bit thirsty and melted some of these in my mouth which relieved my thirst. Fresh wild blueberriess also helped with my mild hunger. While we were near the summit sure enough we got snowed on but it didn’t slow our progress.

The trails here are quite improved though they go to heights where farmers who were haying in the high meadow years ago perished when they got caught in a July snow storm.

Today’s adventure tood us to the head waters of the Elbe river which flows through the Czech Republic and Germany. The Vltava river, which runs through Prague, is a tributary farther downstream. There was some nice mosaic artwork adjacent to the spring which is where I got a picture with my wife. The mosaics were the coats of arms of all the communities served by that river. It was worth the trip.

Give your love freely as you go down life’s road. Love is just like that stream which brings life to all it comes near.

Give your appreciation freely to your patients. I look at my valued patients every time I see them and affirm, “It’s a real pleasure to see you today”. “I enjoy coming to see you!” I have to admit that when patients pay cash for their physical therapy it is pretty easy to remember what an honor an a pleasure it is to be of service to them as it is to you!

All the Best to YOU! Start Planning YOUR Vacation from your cash practice NOW!

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

We started our hiking day with a “lift” on one of the 160 quad chair-ski lifts which took us about half way up the resort.

It was a good deal at about $4 USD. Had we not had that lift our three hour long outing would have been lower and probably produced grumbling from the younger set.

What you’re seeing at left is a few ski runs including one half-mowed ski run. They dont look it but many of them are STEEP!

On our way to the falls we came by an OLD truck that had fresh horse manure by its tail ramp. We guessed there might be a logging horse with its logger nearby. About 1 km down the trail I heard, “giddap”, the rattle of chains, a “gee” and then a “haw”.

Just before reaching the creek we would follow we sighted the husky draft horse pulling three sturdy logs down the steep mountain grade. The logger only used voice commands to control the horse down the steep grade. They were an amazing team.

Down the creek, over a bridge and through the forest past fresh bluebery bushes we reached the falls.

The story “grandpa” (my father in-law) told us was that owners of a chalet adjacent to the falls would place a low dam to hold water for a half hour or so at which time they would let the water rush down the falls in a torrent to make a good show.

I’m sure the falls drew more tourists becuase of this.

Today the sun was just coming out and and the picture isn’t the best.

The business lesson: If you can easily do something your customers like that keeps them coming back be sure you do it and do it every time!

There was good food to eat compliments of the spa factory and my good wife. I would call them tasty wafers. They can be bought at a spa near here. If you use your imagination you can see our mouths watering as we munch these lightly sweet treats just outside the chalet adjacent to the falls.

These wafers are branded with the name of the spa that markets them. Business lesson: If you put your name on anything make it GOOD! If this is your PT practice have some services that feel absolutely like pampering.

If your make your clients feel like a million dollars they’re more likely to PAY you for the feeling! Nobody ever pays for physical therapy. They pay for the BENEFITS of that PT.

Business lesson: One must stay on target if he or she is to succeed in the world of business.

Pictured at left is probably one of the greatest hunters in the world who has never killed more than a pesky pigeon.

That’s me in a deer hunting stand on stilts.

Actually at least three of the posts used to build the stand grew and are still rooted in the ground.

If I had to feed my family and had nothing else but a few bullets I would change my veggie ways but for now please pass the tofu. Those little deer are just too pretty.

The flip side is that here the hunting clubs feed the deer.

Rejuvenation and focus are what I’m up to here. I am working to get some projects done while here but am remembering it’s ok to relax and refresh. If you’re in the states right now you’re probably just waking up.

Regardless of what happens with banks or the economy if you help enough people get what they want you will rise to the top. I can’t take credit for that but I REALLY am looking forward to helping you achieve your dreams and goals. You can begin piece meal or go for it all!

As always it’s an honor and a sincere pleasure to serve you.

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

While preparing for your cash practice it is important to keep the end in mind. You can do it if you just will get the tools to have the skills to do so! If you want more details please read posts below this one and check out our physical therapy course. If you’d like to share in my day I hope you’re not too hungry!

I am blessed to have family in Europe in a ski town. In my father-in-law’s day you hiked up the hill and got one or two runs down per day if you were lucky. Now the house he lives in can be framed by a skier’s bridge that goes over the road.

The weather has been chilly with snow on the highest mountains. I did little hiking today but enjoyed a birthday celebration for an 11 year old local family member. I most days I skip one or two meals which means I am back down to three instead of four plus “tea time”. Today tea time was augmented by the birthday celebration and I had no extra space after that. My relatives are not exactly thin but they are strong. They walk and hike a lot. They can’t help it. Almost everywhere they go is up or down a hill.

The horseshoe-chapped birthday cake was topped with fruit which made it slide down. It was accompanied by lots of beautifully-prepared one or two bite sandwiches and juice or tea. Yes, we had candles on the cake and I we sang just like at home. Due to some colds going around the children didn’t get the customary handshakes and kisses.

I congratulate you on reading this and look forward to boosting your PT career to the most delicious heights. I can only do this if you will prepare though.

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

It is 6:37 p.m. and the backs of my hands are still chilly from a 10k hike over the ridge. To warm myself, I’ve had a couple of cups of hot herb tea sweetened by Uncle B’s own honey. I also enjoyed, gingerbread, tvaroch (slightly similar to cottage cheese) pasta and tomatoes since hiking over the mountain back to our families’ house / great grandma and great grandpa’s cabin.

We are here in Ukynice (say UkyNeetSay (fictional)) and hiked from the even more developed ski town of Harrahov.

While hiking up to the ridge with my father in law from Harrahov however I had to strip down to a shirt and t-shirt but coming back down the mountain I pulled one sweatshirt back on.

It is about 5-7 degrees Celsius here and must have been colder up there but due to exertion I really didn’t get cold. We took our time getting out of Harrahov on foot which is a nice town with many glass and other souvenir items for sale.

One side trip was to the base of one of the summertime ski jumps there. It can be used in the winter too I’m sure and has rope tow leading to the dizzying height at the top. Ski flyers land on stiff plastic fibers all heading downhill. They are quite slippery but only if going downhill. I had to try standing on them.

Where Everybody knows You and Your Dog?

Against our wishes a canine adopted us and we couldn’t shake him for the entire 10k hike. My father in law who is as nice as any person can be spoke gruff Czech to him and even threw some rocks in the dogs direction.

When we had almost arrived back “home” here at the log cabin some folks working out in their garden commented “I’ve seen that dog over in Harrahov!”. The dog didn’t bite but was quite social though it didn’t seem to have a clue where it’s home was.

Europeans here are quite frugal with resources. They have to be. Wages are low and prices are high. Diesel is about $8/gallon so listen up. A good 60-minute massage in that ski town right near the main drag will cost only $37.50 USD when converted from Czech money. I’d like to get some comments on how PT’s save resources in their practices and lives without decreasing the customer’s perceived value.

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

That slowed my steps as I rounded one corner of an assisted living center. “How much does this physical therapy cost?” the wheelchair-seated physical therapy-patient asked the therapist who apparently was ahead of her down the next hall.

“Medicare covers it”, the capable physical therapist who still was just around the corner to my right and just out of my sight answered”.

“No one could afford physical therapy if they had to pay for it directly,” he confirmed. I resumed my pace, rounded the corner, smiled, said “Hi Ted (not his real name), and passed the physical therapist. “Ted” did not realize that he’s never going to have patients paying him cash for his services with a belief like that. Worse than that he’s also selling both the patient and himself short.

We all know that when we discontinue care with the elderly, continued progress – regardless of the quality of the home exercise program – is the exception rather than the rule. I’ve had patients repeatedly pay me $150 for single 45-minute visits in that same facility and $800 for a short series. He didn’t realize that the “nobody’s” he spoke of lived all through that facility. They’d been my patients. Their families had thanked me and sent me cards!

People can afford to pay you even if it’s as high as $350/hour as one of our physical therapy course contributors charges. If I and they can do it would it benefit you to find out how? Do you want to know how to do cash paid PT? If so when would be the best time to start learning how on the best physical therapy course?

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

I don’t know why she doesn’t roll rather than walk by now. I guess it’s because they are always walking up or down a hill from here.

Back home in AZ my associate is doing my cash visits by the way. All PT’s need breaks from our work. We know how to work and also must know how to rest.

My second hike which was with the family started with a lift from teh “vlek” which previously only worked in winter before downhill mountain biking came into popularity.

The “vlek”, or ski lift, did a good job taking us up several vertical meters where we were able to circle the valley and come down the families’ private ski hill behind their house. I have heard the kids use their private tow which is a disk at the end of a spring loaded pole that either goes between the skier’s legs or under their arm. We went by a gurgling spring and by some new condos available but that would only be accessible by snow machine or ski lift in the winter.

The trees in some spots were HUGE ar at least a lot bigger than our “giant” saguaros in AZ. We took some pictures but I haven’t hooked MY laptop to this internet yet. I’ll do my best to post some pictures but will have to get better connected than I am now to do so.

Tomorrow I’ll report again. Yes I took some time to train my brain along business lines which was fun. I also learned a little of the local language which is a passion of mine. I really like to know what’s going on and sure can’t now. If I work for 5 minutes or so I can pretty well get the idea of a single sentence or two of it. I have also checked with a private PT clinic and MAY be able to send a report from there in a few weeks.

While you’re sleeping I’ll be hiking! Time difference is about 9 hours ahead of AZ.

Have a great day!

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

If a therapist doesn’t have an answer for “Why should I pay cash for my physical therapy?” and feel good about receiving cash for that therapy, he or she will never receive cash for that physical therapy.

There are many many good reasons and benefits to the patient who agrees to pay cash for PT services at or before the time of service. The benefits have to be those important to the PATIENT though and here are a few and how you might share them with your prospective clients:

1. “You’ll get better faster. Research shows (all the physical therapy course contributors agreed) that patients who invest in their health directly get better faster. This is due to many reasons but really I can do better therapy and you’ll like it better as well”.

2. “Mrs. Jones, I like to put my patients first. Do you want me to be YOUR therapist or your insurance companies therapist? If you invest in your health through my services I’ll be working directly for YOU and not for a THIRD party”.

3. “Mr. Jones do you want the best care or only the care that the insurance company approves? I want to invest all our therapy time in YOU. After all YOU’re the important one”.

4. If (and only if) the client is concerned about money you can say, “Working directly for our patients is the best way we’ve found to keep our quality high and our rates so low” (which is true). Never lower your rates to below what you think you’re worth. Phil, who is in the physical product and electronic version of the Cash Practice Secrets home study course

There are many other ways that patients can benefit from paying cash for their physical therapy. Please add your own below by commenting.

Next time I’ll share how to avoid driving away cash paying clients from your practice especially when they ask, “How much will it cost?”.

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

The author below somewhat answers it for her patient population. In an upcoming post I’ll give a few important reasons. For now enjoy this post. – Lance P. Van Arsdell, PT, MSPT

Why Physical Therapy?
by Patricia C. Winders, PT

The purpose of this article is to answer that very question. Why indeed should you invest your time and money in physical therapy? After all, you are quite right; children with Down syndrome will learn to walk, run and jump. It will take a little longer than it does a typical child, but the goals will be achieved.

Typical children walk at around 12 months of age, and the average child with Down syndrome walks at about 24 months of age. And on top of that, physical therapy is not going to accelerate your child’s rate of gross motor development.

With or without therapy, the average child with Down syndrome is still going to walk at about 24 months of age. So now that I’ve just about convinced you that physical therapy isn’t worth your time and money, let me say that physical therapy is one of the most important services that the child with Down syndrome will receive in the early intervention period, and it is during this time that physical therapy will have the greatest impact. Let me explain some of the reasons that I recommend it.

There are 4 factors which will have an impact on the gross motor development of a child with Down syndrome:

1. Hypotonia: Tone refers to the tension in a muscle in its resting state. The amount of tone is controlled by the brain. Hypotonia means that that tone is decreased. It is most easily observed in children with Down syndrome when they are infants. When you pick up a baby with Down syndrome, you will notice that he feels “floppy” or somewhat like a ragdoll.

If you put him on his back, his head will turn to the side, his arms will fall away from his body and rest on the surface, and his legs will fall open. This floppiness is due to hypotonia. Hypotonia affects each child with Down syndrome to a different degree. In some the effect is mild, and in others it is more pronounced. Although hypotonia diminishes somewhat over time, it still persists throughout life.

Hypotonia will make it more difficult to learn certain gross motor skills. For instance, hypotonia of the stomach muscles will make it more difficult to learn to balance in standing. To compensate for this, children with Down syndrome when learning to stand at a coffee table will tend to lean against the table for support.

2. Ligamentous laxity: Children with Down syndrome also have increased flexibility in their joints. This is because the ligaments that hold the bones together have more slack than is usual. Ligamentous laxity is particularly noticeable in the hips of infants with Down syndrome. When lying on his back, the legs of an infant with Down syndrome will tend to be positioned with his hips and knees bent and his knees wide apart. Later you will notice it in your child’s feet.

You will notice that when standing, his feet are flat, and he does not have an arch. This increased flexibility tends to make the joints less stable, and it is, therefore, more difficult to learn to balance on them.

3. Decreased strength: Children with Down syndrome have decreased muscle strength. Strength can be greatly improved, however, through repetition and practice. Increasing muscle strength is important because otherwise children with Down syndrome tend to compensate for their weakness by using movements that are easier in the short run, but detrimental in the long run.

For example, your child may want to stand, but because of weakness in his trunk and legs, he can only do so if he stiffens his knees. You will be able to help him develop the strength he needs so that he can stand properly without locking his knees.

4. Short arms and legs: The arms and legs of children with Down syndrome are short relative to the length of their trunks. The shortness of their arms makes it more difficult to learn sitting because they cannot prop on their arms unless they lean forward. When they fall to the side, they have to fall farther before they are able to catch themselves with their arms. The shortness of their legs makes it harder to learn to climb since the height of the sofa or stairs presents more of an obstacle.

The purpose of physical therapy is not to accelerate the rate at which the child with Down syndrome achieves his gross motor milestones. It is to help the child avoid developing abnormal compensatory movement patterns that are common ways of adjusting for the four factors we have discussed. You can predict with near certainty that children with Down syndrome who do not receive physical therapy will develop the following compensatory movement patterns:

• Standing and walking with their hips in external rotation, knees stiff, feet flat and turned out
• Sitting with their trunk rounded and pelvis tilted back
• Standing with a lordosis (stomach out and back arched)

These patterns are likely to result in orthopedic problems in adolescence and adulthood that will impair physical functioning. These problems can be avoided by pro actively teaching optimal movement patterns so that strength is developed in the appropriate muscles.

Besides preventing the development of abnormal compensatory movements there is an additional opportunity that can be realized by the parent and child during physical therapy. The mastery of gross motor development is the first arena in which your child will take on the challenges of life.

Fine motor development, speech and education are all challenges that lie ahead, but gross motor development: rolling over, sitting, crawling and walking are the first challenges he will meet in life. Additionally gross motor skills will be an area of strength for him.

The opportunity is for the two of you to learn how to work together in meeting and overcoming the challenges. It is the opportunity for you to begin to learn how he learns. For instance, you are likely to find that he does best when information is presented in small, easily digested bites.

You will discover whether he is a risk taker or someone who needs to proceed at a slower and more careful pace. You will find that motivation is a key component to getting his best performance. What the two of you learn in meeting the challenge of gross motor development can provide you with a model for how to meet the other challenges that lie ahead in other areas.

Read the full article.

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

You can do cash physical therapy. Even if you haven’t started building a cash practice you’re closer than you think to having one. Since expenses with a cash practice can be kept so low, here’s how easy it can be.

If for example you need to gross at least $100,000 to feel satisfied as a PT how easy is it to get there?

I charge $150 for one 45-minute house call and can feasibly do six of these per day. This has never happened because most of my customers opt for the $800/8-session package. A better package would be labeled “buy six sessions ($900)and get three free”. Always establish and maintain a high perceived value in your own and your clients’ minds.

The Math:

For $100,000 yearly at $100/visit I must make 1000 visits per year. If I choose to work only 50 weeks per year I’ll need to make only 20 visits per week or four visits per day. If you choose to make 5 visits per day you can accomplish this in four days and have the other day off too do office work or start your weekend early.

If you have one cash paying client paying you $200/week all you need are nine more.

Another cash-paid PT I know charges $220 for his executive wellness (on site) visits though they are an hour long. If people buy 40 visits they get twelve for free. He can probably do five of these per day without too much trouble.

Many cash paid PT’s have no front office personnel which is a high contrast with the average of 2.5 front office or supportive personnel with an average insurance-based practice. That’s 2.5 potential headaches versus no potential headaches with no supportive personnel. Though some of the cash practice PT’s in our courses do have front office personnel they all started without it.

One cash paid PT recommended hiring (or contracting via an agency) the office help once a physical therapist has 70% of his or her schedule filled. This lets the PT get back to doing valuable therapy. Many cash-paid PT’s however use an aswering machine as a part time secretary because answering machines don’t require the filling out of a W-2 or 1099 form at the end of the year. We give a lot more specific details about start-up and ongoing expenses in the electronic physical therapy course and physical therapy product versions of our home study course.

A question I asked all the interviewees in the home study course was, “Why did you opt for a cash practice when it’s a lot easier to build up a case load when one is “in\network”? Most therapists really prefer to do therapy over paperwork. If you do your marketing as relationship building as giving customers what they want that will help them, you will succeed in building the practice of your dreams.

Where to start to stay on target?

Get your first cash paying customer! Do a GREAT job. Get his or her testimonial and permission to share it, and then get your second cash paying customer. If you read the September Issue of ADVANCE Magazine for Directors in Rehabilitation, I’ll give you some beginning steps of how to make it happen.

You can’t have too much integrity. Advise your clients as you’d advise your own family. Would you rather have your parent or grandparent pay $3-5000/month for a nursing home or pay $800-1200 / month for some “maintenance” physical therapy? It really makes sense. We can’t guarantee anything except their satisfaction and that we’ll use our best judgment.

So how did a painted ceramic two-dimensional fly remind me to “stay on target”? I’ll give you a hint. My wife didn’t see it. But any man deplaning in Munich after drinking a normal amount of fluid would have seen one of the ceramic flies.

How is it that I’m shooting arrows when my associate is making my prepaid-to-me cash visits back in Mesa? I DO believe that wealth should be therapeutic and this is the time for my therapeutic time off. There is a lot to be learned on this continent too. Stay tuned and I’ll share more!

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

The Internet is such a big place that it is becoming increasingly critical to ensure that your website collects visitor ‘s contact details.

Why? Because the alternative is that visitors click into your site, have a look around, think “hmmmm that ‘s interesting, I think I might come back later and find out more when I’ve got a bit more time”. Then they click away and they are gone… forever.

While they might intend to come back, they forget, they lose the website address, they forget to write your url down and so on. If you want each and every potential visitor to your site to become a potential client, then you need to capture their contact details and then keep in touch with them so they don’t forget about you.

The easiest way of doing that is to give something away for free on your website.

You might give them something physical like a voucher or some samples or alternatively you might give them something non-physical like an entry in a competition to win something or something digital like a recording, an e-book or a report. Digital and non-physical items are the best because they don’t cost you anything whereas a physical item does.

Regardless of whether is it is a physical product or service you are giving them or something non-physical which has perceived value, the client need to feel as if whatever you are offering is of high enough value to them for them to give you their name, email address and/or phone number.

You also need to ensure that whatever it is you are giving away is going to be of interest to your client. Giving away an e-book on “making more money” isn’t necessarily going to be of interest to a client who came to your site looking for someone who does waxing in their local area. However an e-book on ‘How to have smooth, hair-free legs in 14 minutes’ might be!

Let ‘s say for example you are a holistic therapist and all these new people are calling up or going onto your website to check out what specific types of massage you do and how much it all is. You have potential clients who are right there on your website right now, interested in the Reiki, Reflexology and Indian Head Massage treatments that you offer. What now? How do you translate those website visits and those enquiries into cash? What can tip the scales to turn those visitors into revenue or profit?

Well, what about offering them a free download of relaxation recording that they can listen to before their appointment with you? Or a guide how to let the stress ooze away after work?

Whatever you decide to give away, it needs to be relevant to your business and what those clients are looking for. It also needs to be good value for their time. If your potential clients are taking the time to enter their details and read or listen to whatever it is you’ve given them, they need to feel as if it was worth their time afterwards.

Then when they start to receive communications or newsletters from you letting them know your latest offers, they will think back to the great freebie you gave them and think “yes, I really ought to book a massage“.

This is where it comes back to truly understanding that the market has evolved from the days when all that was required to build a successful business was the odd advert in the local paper. That still works for some types of clientele but for most, we need to focus on getting those client ‘s contact details and then building a relationship with them through our newsletters and marketing until they are in the right place in their lives to book or buy.

And your website is a great place to start. Take a look at it today and see whether it is capturing potential client ‘s details for you or if those visitors are drifting away and eventually purchasing or booking elsewhere.

About the Author

Rebecca Kepple specializes in helping business owners massively increase their client base and profits. To get instant access to her free insider secrets report ‘The Top 7 Secrets for Massively Increasing Your Client Base’ visit: http://www.wellbeingbusinesssecrets.com/freereport.

Article Source: Content for Reprint

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

Emotions Are a Key Factor Determining If a Client Will Hire You. It is well known amongst copywriters and marketers that people buy a service or product based on their emotions and use their logic to back up their decision. People want to feel understood and have faith that you can help them or they won’t be inclined to buy your services. The moment your copy touches on your clients’ feelings is the moment they begin to seriously show interest in what you are offering them.

Remember, your potential clients have only the words on your website to help them determine if you might be the person they are looking for. Show them you understand their feelings and desires and they will warm up to you…and the more they warm up to you, the more likely they are to become clients.

Think about the relationship-building process as commencing when your potential clients land at your website – well before they show up in your office.

How To Speak to Client Emotions

The emotions you speak to in your website copy will vary depending on what problems your clients have and the emotions that accompany them. A mother who is having problems with a child in pain who is aggressive and acting out, may feel exasperation, frustration, embarrassment, guilt, fear for her child’s future, etc. If you are targeting this type of client you will need to show empathy for these feelings and convince her that you know what it’s like to be in her shoes.

In addition, you will need to build hope and show potential clients that healing from their pain is possible. Help them imagine what their life would be like if their problems were solved. As you know, many clients have given up hope–or are lose to it– when they seek help. You need to show them the way out of their pain and help them become motivated to do what it takes in order to heal. This is a key role of a healer, as well s a skilled copywriter.

In the example of the mother of the child in pain, you might build hope by telling her that other parents have had success bringing their children to seek pain relief which will turn around their aggressive behaviors, and chances are she can as well. Of course, never lie! But, I am confident that Myofascial Release is one of the best options poeple have!

Focus on the BENEFITS.“Paint a picture” of what her life would be like if her child behaved less aggressively–e.g. her child would be happier and have more friends, her life would be easier, she would be more calm and relaxed, she would feel more confident and in control as a parent, she could focus more of her energy on other areas of her life, etc.

If you know and understand your clients’ problems and desires, you should be able to identify and express the emotions that will touch and move them into taking action.

Use Emotional Language Throughout Your Web Pages

Strong, client-attracting copy will address emotions throughout your website. Some key places to address emotions include: the opening headline on your home page, the opening paragraph, the sub-headings on your pages, and in your “call to action”– the place where you ask the client to do something (e.g. sign up for your newsletter or call you to make an appointment). Pay particular attention to address emotions early on your home page.

You have only a few seconds when clients land at your site to show them what you offer and how you can help them. If they can’t quickly determine whether or not you have something that will provide them what they are looking for, they will leave your site.The bottom line…

If you speak to your clients’ emotions in your web copy, both you and your clients will be better served in the end. Your clients will have an easier time determining if you are the right person for them to see, and you will ultimately get more clients (and the kinds of clients that you ideally want to work with).

Stay true to your cause!

Scott
MfrSuccess.com

Focus on Benefits rather than features!

In our cash practice video, we talk a lot about focusing on benefits rather than features. This article takes a slightly different and unique look at “benefits” focusing more on the emotional needs of a website viewer, your potential patient / customer. As a therapist or healing artist, you work with people who are struggling with emotional, physical, mental or spiritual pain.

Clients come to you because they are hoping to find relief from problems they are having in these areas. As a skilled professional, you know how important it is to show empathy and caring for the pain your clients are experiencing, and to help them build faith and hope that they can overcome this pain. You also know how much your clients appreciate your showing understanding and caring towards them, and the significant role this plays in their healing.

However, if you are like many healers and therapists, when it comes to writing copy for your website, you may neglect to show this understanding and caring. Your copy may sound academic, stiff or dry–and/or it may focus too much on yourself and your healing techniques or modalities. If this sounds like your website, don’t feel badly… You were never taught copywriting skills in your professional training program. Instead, you learned how to write like an academic or professional. You learned how to distance yourself in your writing.

While academic and professional writing has it’s place, unfortunately it’s not very effective when it comes to attracting clients. So, it’s time to unlearn some of what you were taught….and to discover how to inject emotion into your writing.

Stay true to your cause!

Scott
MfrSuccess.com

In physical therapy, most beginning practice owners will beat the streets to “get the word out” and finally get some referral sources. After that, they stop marketing to those referral sources. This is something like a man’s getting married and then forgetting how to complement, hold hands, affectionately touch and kiss his wife and has the same results.

Referral sources and spouses become aloof and disconnected. We all tend to have a “What have you done for me lately?” mentality and if it’s nothing, your good will has disintegrated. Doctors (not always the best referral sources for a cash pay business) and patients (great referral sources for cash pay physical therapy) alike all LOVE to hear how great they are and how much you appreciate them.

The music they want to hear is how great they are, NOT how great you are. Let your patients do the talking on the latter and make it easy for them to remember you by remembering them first. By the way the name of that supplement is “Never Quit”.

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

What about the easiest referrals likely to come from these seminars? Are these likely to be cash paying clients? No. Will I do the work of seeing these patients? No. Will I make sure the client gets matched with a good therapist? Yes. Do I own a home health agency? No. Will and do I earn money on the transaction? Yes. Those approximate 25 cards earned me $250.

Attendees of my seminars really have good time! I get them up on their feet and moving and sometimes show them wedding pictures of my newlywed 93 year old grandpa. I also presented an incident of my sister in-law’s Uncle Frank water skiing on his 100th birthday!

If the seminar planners find someone that needs physical therapy or personal training once their insurance runs out who do you think they’ll be obligated to call? By the way I’ll share the slideshow with any physical therapist who invests in his or her future.

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

My best friend back in Illinois who visits a chiropractor from time to time told me of his chiropractor, “If he’s in the room with me for two minutes it’s a long time.” I believe there’s a happier medium if one learns from the experts and practices the right skills. I did mainly 15-20 minute treatments focusing on using reciprocal inhibition and some other related techniques I’ve learned recently to get maximum pain and stress relief.

It was really a blast to hear “wow” and “incredible”. Taking the time to listen to people’s problems was part of the solution. I wore a lab jacket with my logo along with a nice collared shirt because the people there didn’t know me at all. If they did know me I might shed the jacket. One never gets a second chance to make a first impression. Make it a good one.

Best Phyiscal Therapist Attire: I will be checking this out in the near future but I’m pretty sure none of the full time cash practice PT’s I interviewed in the course wore a lab jacket. I spoke with Alison, a PT in CA who does cash Pilates/PT this a.m.. She wears yoga attire but thinks a lab jacket is a pretty good idea for the first visit. She’s had ashes coming down on her car from the forest fires though she’s in no immediate danger. Let’s pray for rain.

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets

If you really want to do a cash PT practice, there is a place for you. Today, I spent a very pleasant afternoon with a doctor who has a cash practice. He needs help with his overhead. I’m pretty sure we can help each other. Stay tuned!

All the best,

Lance
Cash Practice Secrets