7 Mistakes Medical Exercise Professionals Make When Approaching Medical Professionals

Medical Exercise Specialists want to connect with medical professionals to establish relationships and get referrals. MET started 25 years ago with the first Medical Exercise Specialist course. Since then Medical Exercise Specialists have approached physicians, physical therapists and chiropractors. Many of these medical professionals do refer their patients but many medical exercise professionals are commiting the "7 Mistakes Fitness Professionals Make When Approaching Medical Professionals”. This post will review these 7 mistakes.

1. Talking about your fitness certifications – many medical professionals have no idea of fitness certifications nor the organizations which offer them. Most medical professionals in physical therapy, orthopedics and sports medicine know of ACSM. But they have no idea of the certifications fitness organizations offer. In your presentation, if you focus on your fitness certifications, you might find the result does not include referrals.
2. Not doing homework on the practitioner or the practice – before you approach the practitioner you should know their specialty and subspecialty as well as the office manager of the practice. Now you don’t have to know every bit of personal information on the practitioner and office manager but know enough so you can easily communicate. Remember, the office manager can be your best friend when trying to establish a referral relationship with the practice.
3. Don’t focus on fitness – Rather focus on the outcomes you can achieve using your fitness skills, equipment and knowledge to manage medical conditions with exercise. Many medical professionals are not up on the latest techniques and trends in fitness. Focus on using fitness to manage their patients.
4. Don’t focus on your equipment – Some of the new equipment coming available in the fitness industry is amazing. It’s great stuff but the equipment doesn’t produce positive functional outcomes…..the application of your medical exercise training expertise using the equipment does.
5. Lacking a presentation – this is the one I hear most often. A medical exercise professional finally gets a meeting with the therapist or physician and but doesn’t have a presentation. It’s a off the cuff discussion regarding their services and certifications. This usually results in no referrals.
6. Lacking marketing materials – this is the second most common situation I hear about. The brochure or marketing materials don’t make the practice but they are important when making the presentation. The items you leave behind continue to represent you once you are gone.
7. Lacking MET practice management systems – these systems are absolutely necesssary to allow you to produce the outcomes, maintain communication/documentation and effectively manage the clients. A MET practice requires practice management systems.

I know it’s a lot but medical exercise training isn’t personal training. MET is focused on a higher outcome and standards. Avoid these mistakes and you will find there are huge opportunities for the medical exercise professional ready to approach the medical community.

For more information on marketing your MET practice while avoiding these mistakes join our Medical Exercise Jumpstart program. Our next session begins September 12th.