Sign In
Start a Free Trial

How to get more patients in your practice

The Best Practices Guide to Acquiring More Patients

Part 1: The Best Practices Guide to Acquiring More Patients

A Modern, Practical Playbook for Sustainable Practice Growth

Quick overview: Most practices don’t really have a “new patient” problem. They have a messaging, workflow, and experience problem that makes it harder than it should be to attract and convert the right patients. In Part 1, we focus on getting more of the right people in the door. In Part 2, we’ll talk about what happens after they say yes.

Growing a healthcare practice today looks very different than it did 10 or even 5 years ago. Patients have more choices, more information, and higher expectations. At the same time, practitioners are busier than ever and often don’t have the time, staff, or systems to market effectively.

The result? Many practices assume they have a patient acquisition problem, when in reality they often have a patient experience problem or a workflow problem masquerading as an acquisition issue.

But let’s start with the sexy part everyone cares about: getting more of the right patients in the door. (we’ll talk about part 2 below)

This guide breaks down the best practices, strategies, and simple improvements any practice can use to attract new patients predictably and affordably — whether you’re a medical practice, wellness clinic, functional medicine office, weight loss center, or cash-pay specialty provider.

Why Patient Acquisition Feels Harder Than It Should

Many practices don’t struggle because their services aren’t valuable. They struggle because:

  • Their messaging isn’t clear or specific enough
  • Their website overwhelms or confuses visitors
  • They aren’t following up with leads consistently
  • They lack educational content that builds trust
  • They haven’t created a smooth path to becoming a patient

The good news: most of this is not about spending more on ads or hiring more staff. It’s about tightening the fundamentals that make patients want to choose you.

The 7 Core Principles of Effective Patient Acquisition

Below are the pillars shared by the fastest-growing practices today.

1. Clarify Your Message (Talk Like a Patient, Not a Provider)

Patients don’t speak in clinical terminology. They speak in problems, goals, and outcomes:

  • “I’m tired all the time.”
  • “I can’t lose weight.”
  • “I’m overwhelmed by medications.”
  • “I want to feel like myself again.”

Too many practices show us their websites and the problem is immediately obvious. Instead of speaking about the patient, you’re speaking about yourself:

  • Offering functional medicine
  • Double board-certified in x, y and z
  • Holistic alternative medicine

Patients don’t know what you’re talking about. Tell your colleagues about that stuff. And by all means, include it on a page that is appropriately “about us” or “about the practice”. But on your main page and on the pages where you offer services, think about what the patient wants.

Your messaging should meet them where they are.

Use simple, empathetic language:

  • Identify pain and problems they have
  • Talk about what they want
  • What’s standing in their way
  • How your care helps them get the result

When patients see themselves in your message, conversion increases immediately.

2. Make Your Website a Conversion Engine (Not an Encyclopedia)

Most practice websites are filled with explanations, biographies, and philosophy — important things, but none of which drive action.

A high-performing website needs to do three things:

  • Explain what you do, simply. Patients must understand your value in under 8 seconds.
  • Show the outcomes they can expect. Use social proof, testimonials, before/after content.
  • Drive one clear action. Examples: “Schedule a Consultation” or “Book a Discovery Call.”

Remove clutter and friction. The easier it is to act, the more people will.

3. Use Educational Content to Pre-Sell Your Expertise

Patients want a guide they can trust. The fastest way to build trust is to teach something useful before asking for anything.

High-performing topics include:

  • “Why weight loss programs fail — and how to fix it”
  • “The real causes of fatigue that most tests miss”
  • “What every patient should know before starting GLP-1 medications”
  • “How inflammation impacts weight, hormones, and energy”

Formats that work:

  • Blog articles
  • Short videos
  • Webinars
  • Downloadable guides
  • Email sequences

Education reduces skepticism, builds authority, and lowers the “mental cost” of becoming a patient.

4. Create a Simple, Predictable Follow-Up System

This is the #1 leak in patient acquisition — and the easiest fix.

You can’t assume a lead who doesn’t book immediately isn’t interested. Life gets busy. Kids get sick. People forget. Follow up, repeatedly.

You need a simple follow-up plan:

  • Day 0–1: Confirmation + what to expect
  • Day 2–7: Educational content + reminders
  • Day 7–21: Weekly value emails
  • Ongoing: Monthly updates/newsletters

5. Reduce Friction in the Intake Process

Every additional step is an opportunity for someone to quit.

  • Long forms required before scheduling
  • No online scheduling
  • Phone-only booking
  • Slow response times
  • Confusing instructions

Modern patients expect a clean, digital-first experience.

6. Showcase Real Patient Success Stories

Stories inspire confidence. They answer the question: “Will this work for someone like me?”

  • Video testimonials
  • Written stories
  • Case snapshots
  • Before/after comparisons when appropriate

Always follow HIPAA. Stories don’t need names — just outcomes.

7. Track What’s Working (and Stop Guessing)

You don’t need a marketing department to track acquisition. Just answer:

  • Where do new patients come from?
  • Which messages resonate?
  • Which content improves conversions?
  • Which referral sources produce long-term patients?

Putting It All Together: Your Patient Acquisition Roadmap

When practices implement these principles, they often see increases in:

  • Website conversions
  • Lead quality
  • Consultation bookings
  • Patient readiness
  • Referrals
  • Revenue per patient

The best part? Most improvements require no additional ad spend.

Key takeaway: You don’t need a fancy marketing agency to grow. You need clear messaging, a simple website that converts, consistent follow-up, and a process that makes it easy — and enjoyable — for patients to choose you.
Want help putting systems like these in place for your practice?


Schedule a BodySite demo

But Acquisition Is Only Half the Story…

Patient acquisition without patient success leads to burnout, inefficiency, and stalled growth.

Once more patients are coming in, the real questions become:

  • How do you manage them efficiently?
  • How do you keep them engaged?
  • How do you increase compliance and outcomes?
  • How do you scale without overwhelming your team?

That’s what we cover in Part 2: Managing Patient Success for Better Outcomes (and More Referrals).