How Do I Start a Cash-Based Physical Therapy Practice?

Set up a simple website, Google Business Profile, Facebook business page, and directory listings first. Those basics give your cash-based practice a real SEO boost and make it easier for local people to find you.

Create listings on directories like Yelp, Angie's List, and Yellow Pages. Build relationships with local gyms, find space to treat out of, and generate one or two Google reviews per week, starting with friends, colleagues, and mentors who know your work.

Build a list of 100 local businesses that already serve your ideal patient, with the owner's name and contact information. Contact five to 10 new businesses each week and aim for one or two face-to-face meetings per week.

Run one or two workshops per week with any business that will have you, either in person or online. Lead with value first, not a partnership pitch.

Charge no less than $175 per visit and offer 15 to 20 percent savings when patients buy a package. Collect cash up front when you can, and start where you have full conviction in your rates.

Ben started at $135 and does not recommend it. He raised to $175, then to $225 after bringing on his first physical therapist, because if you doubt your rates, the prospect will too.

Packages let you sell the plan of care once instead of selling six to eight times. They improve cash flow and show confidence in the plan.

Tell the patient exactly how many visits they need and offer the package at 15 to 20 percent off the per-visit rate. If they will not commit, run per visit, build trust, and offer the package again at the next session.

Financial advisors, attorneys, and contractors do not sell per session. You do not need to either.

The biggest mistake is not charging what you are worth. Ben's low price made him a commodity, forced him to justify his rates more often, and attracted less bought-in patients.

It stunted his growth for the first six months.

Document every step of the patient journey and how to deliver it. Record onboarding, initial evaluations, package conversations, and follow-up before you hire.

Use a tool like Loom to record the process. It saves you months of pain when you grow your team.