83 | Finding Your Unique Path: Sustainable Success with Melissa Longo

Today I’m talking with Aurelie Martin, web designer and the founder of Imagi Web Design studios. Aurelie's specialty is helping health and wellness professionals attract patients by optimizing or building their web presence, with an emphasis on creating both beautiful and high converting websites. In this episode, we talk about: Making calls-to-action a priority on your website and what types of calls-to-action to useContent ideas to boost your SEO and improve engagement on your websiteWhy an organized website that tells people what do is key for building trustA reminder to look at your website on mobile and desktop regularly to make sure everything is functioning as expectedTips for making your website load fasterAnd moreSHOW NOTES:Aurelie's website: imagiwebdesign.comConnect on Instagram: @imagiweb.designConnect on Facebook: @imagiwebmarketingImagi Web Template Shop for Wellness ProfessionalsImagi Web Content Planner to Create High-Converting Website PagesMissed the Acupuncture Business Planathon? You can catch the replay here for a limited time.💙 This episode is sponsored by Jane— the clinic management software and EMR that I use in my practice.Change is a normal part of clinic life — maybe you’re expanding your team, introducing new offerings, or growing your [patient]* list. As your clinic evolves, it’s important to have an EMR that not only supports those changes but also grows with you.Jane’s new Balance, Practice, and Thrive pricing plans offer flexibility, allowing you to easily switch from one plan to another depending on your current and future needs.There’s no long-term commitment, either — just simple month-to-month payments that let you focus on running your clinic. And with every plan, you get features like 1:1 telehealth, email appointment reminders, and unlimited support.Visit jane.app/pricing to find a plan that fits your needs, starting at $39 a month in the US. And when you’re ready to get started, use my code ACUSCHOOL1MO at sign-up for a 1-month grace period on your new account.Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

Today I’m talking with award-winning business consultant Ildi Arlette. Idli has helped hundreds of clinic owners focus on profitability, growth, and building a positive company culture in the past 23 years. She’s also a former clinic owner, a combined medical aesthetics and surgery clinic in a 7000-foot space, which she sold in 2019. With industry experience, she has a unique perspective on the inner workings of different types of clinics, and the buying habits of consumers, across North America. Today she shares her advice for bringing in more revenue with a Black Friday or holiday event at your practice – whether that "event" is in person at your practice, or a sale on gift certificates that you promote solely through email. In this episode, we talk about:How events are a signal for our patients, and how to use themWhy you should focus your efforts on your existing patients, as opposed to spending a ton of time and money on acquiring new patientsWhy it’s important to keep sales or special offers very SIMPLEWhat is a universal offer, and why it’s the best choice if your goal is revenueWhether December or January is a better month for promotions at our acupuncture practicesAnd much moreSHOW NOTES: Clinic Transformations Program: Use code VIP200USD to save $200 on your enrollmentBook a private 1:1 call with IldiText 403-312-7510Email Ildi at [email protected]🩵 Today’s episode is sponsored by Jane — a clinic management software and EMR. 🩵We all know that choosing the right EMR can feel a bit overwhelming, especially when you’re just starting out. You’re trying to juggle both your practice needs and your budget, and that’s not always the easiest combination.That’s why Jane came up with the new Balance Plan. It includes the essential features you need to keep things running smoothly in your clinic, without the extra stuff you don’t. 1:1 telehealth, unlimited support, email reminders, and more are included, no matter which plan you choose.So if you’re looking for an EMR that helps you focus on your patients, not your costs, Jane is here for you — just like a part-time assistant.Plans start as low as $39 a month in the US. Visit jane.app to learn more — and if you’re ready to get started, use the code ACUSCHOOL1MO at sign-up for a 1-month grace period on your new account.I’ll put the links in the show notes, as always.And you’re more than welcome to email me with questions about Jane at [email protected] the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

Today I’m talking with Kate Matheson, a business strategist and coach for health and wellness entrepreneurs.Kate helps practice owners fill their schedules and create a waitlist using business systems and marketing approaches that are productive, genuine, and self-sustaining.After her own experience with intense burnout that required her to close two businesses in order to get surgery and recover, her focus is on helping wellness practitioners work smarter, not harder, so we can protect our energy while we focus on doing what we love – helping more people.​In this episode, Kate and I talk about:How burnout was brutal but made her priorities crystal clearHer experience living in ChinaIdeas for getting patients from MDsWhy any marketing strategy should be reverse-engineered from the outcome you ultimately want to achieveHer four levels of social media strategyWhy she doesn’t think social media is for everyoneWhy getting visible in the established communities of other business owners is a great way to get new patientsHope you enjoy this episode with Kate!Show Notes:Kate’s website: mathesonandco.caFree Business Strategy Session with KateFollow Kate on Instagram @mathesonandcoLearn more about our sponsor, Clinic TransformationsThis episode is sponsored by Clinic Transformations, the ultimate program for clinic owners ready to reclaim their time, boost profitability, and build a thriving team culture.If you’re an acupuncture practice owner feeling stretched thin, Clinic Transformations is here to help.Created by industry expert Ildi Arlette, this program goes beyond the basics. We’re talking a complete roadmap tailored to help you run your practice whether you have a team or work as a solo practitioner. Imagine stepping away from daily chaos and instead leading with purpose, growing your clinic’s revenue, and finally achieving work-life balance.Clinic Transformations offers coaching, interactive resources, a learning portal with in-depth video training, and templates to fast-track your success. Plus, you’ll join a mastermind community of like-minded clinic owners all on the same journey.Whether you need guidance on knowing your numbers, considering your first hire, retaining your patients, finding new ones or setting up systems that keep things smooth, Clinic Transformations is where you want to be.Plus Ildi is offering promotional code VIP200USD to save $200 on your enrollment.If you’re ready to transform your clinic and actually enjoy the process, connect with Ildi and her team at Clinic Transformations:Learn more here: Clinic TransformationsVisit Book a private 1:1 call with IldiText 403-312-7510Email Ildi at [email protected] the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

Today I’m talking all things wholesale and retail with Tori Paide and Marla Peoples, acupuncturists and founders of the clean skincare line, TOMA Skincare.Tori and Marla are business partners who both left corporate careers to become acupuncturists. They met in acupuncture school and after going their separate ways after graduation, eventually decided to work together to build multiple practice locations.Today they run The Stillpoint, a wildly successful clinic in Maryland with a huge retail income offering cosmetic acupuncture, microneedling, massage and more.They also teach excellent microneedling classes and facial gua sha online – which is how I discovered them years ago.In this episode, we talk about:How to choose products that sell and also align with the ethos of your business as well as your passionsWhere to buy products at wholesale prices (Faire.com)How to dip your toe in the water with retail, with minimal riskHow to pay your rent from retail income aloneWhat kinds of products sell well at Marla’s practiceBrands Tori and Marla recommendAnd much moreSHOW NOTES:Faire.com – Wholesale retail with low minimumsTOMA Skincare Products Wholesale Website for PractitionersTOMA Microneedling Classes Online and In-PersonTOMA on Instagram @tomaskintherapiesSupport the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

Join me and Gabrielle Juliano-Villani, a business consultant and former therapist who helps business owners scale sustainably without burning out.Gabrielle shares how she rapidly scaled her therapy practice to 15 employees in just four years, as well as how burnout played a role in deciding to sell the practice. In recovering from burnout, she discovered polyvagal therapy, a way to regulate the nervous  system. We discuss acupuncture and other polyvagal therapies, and Gabrielle shares how gratitude fits into the picture of burnout recovery. Plus we discuss tips for selling a practice (including one big thing to avoid), as well as facing your fears as a business owner in order to make progress, and more. I hope you enjoy this episode with Gabrielle! Announcement! I’m thrilled to share the launch of Acupuncture Marketing School Live, a six-week Zoom course where I show you how to set up strong, effective marketing for your acupuncture practice. Learn how to increase the visibility of your practice, attract more patients, and build your marketing confidence.Classes will be held on Friday mornings from 10am to 12pm Eastern Time starting this week, Oct. 25th, and running through Friday, Dec. 6th. We’ll be skipping the week of US thanksgiving. Learn more about the live class here. This live class includes all the same content as the self-paced, video-based version of Acupuncture Marketing School, and I’m excited to teach it live so that we can work through your marketing together. You’ll have the opportunity to get your questions answered in real time during classes, as well as support, accountability, and motivation.Prefer self-paced classes that you can complete on your own schedule? The self-paced version of Acupuncture Marketing School is on sale this week for $200 off with the code AUTUMN200. Click here to learn more. SHOW NOTES: Gabrielle's website: gabriellejulianovillani.comGabrielle's Instagram: @gjvconsultingGabrielle on LinkedIn: @gabriellejulianovillaniAcupuncture Marketing School LIVEAcupuncture Marketing School SELF-PACED (Use code AUTUMN200 to save $200 through Oct. 23rd.)Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

This week I’m talking with Michelle Hamilton, acupuncturist and founder of the online program, Community Acupuncture School. Free PDA Class! Community Acupuncture 101 with Michelle Hamilton, D.Ac.Date: Wednesday, Oct. 9thTime: 9:00 am Pacific / 12:00 pm Eastern TimeFree Registration: Click here to sign up.Michelle will be teaching about how to get started setting up a community acupuncture clinic, what you need to have in place, what equipment she recommends, how to market a community acupuncture clinic, and more.In this episode, we talk about:Michelle’s journey of building a very successful hybrid community practice that generates half a million dollars annually in revenue, where she sees 100 patients a weekWhat motivated her to shift into the community clinic modelHow providing a menu for patients helps with patient education and referralsThe benefits of subscription-based models of treatmentWhat you need to have in place to make the subscription model successfulAnd much more.Before we get into today’s episode, I have a quick request for you. This October/November, I'll be teaching Acupuncture Marketing School live on Zoom for the first time.This first live Zoom version will be a beta test to determine what format and delivery work best. So I'd love your feedback!The Questions Are: When Should We Meet? And How Often?If you’re interested in joining me, please click here to answer those two questions. It shouldn’t take more than two minutes.Thank you! I can’t wait to work with you in real-time over Zoom. I think this class is really going to be special.Show Notes: Register for the Free PDA Class: Community Acupuncture 101: bit.ly/CommunityAcuSchool101 (Live on Weds., Oct. 9th at 12 pm Eastern Time. A replay will be available if you can't make it.)Michelle's website: drmichellehamilton.comCommunity Acupuncture School - On sale Oct. 7 - Oct. 18 for $200 off with discount code 200DISCOUNTAcupuncture Marketing School Live Zoom Class Survey (2 questions, 2 minutes)Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

This week I’m talking with Melissa Longo, a multi-passionate chiropractor with 22 years of experience and a business coach who helps wellness entrepreneurs build sustainable practices, have fun while they do it, and avoid burnout.In this episode, we talk about:Knowing yourself to build a business that’s meaningful and sustainable to youLetting go of other people’s definitions of successWhat marketing is working for Melissa right now in her practiceHow she rebuilt her practice after separating from her partnerMelissa’s podcasting tips after launching 5 podcastsThinking about content creation as a library of your knowledge, a resource for your current and potential patientsAnd moreI hope you enjoy this episode with Melissa!Show Notes:Melissa’s website: drmelissalongo.comRock Star Doctor Life WebsiteMelissa’s podcastsMelissa’s Instagram @drmelissalongoMelissa’s FacebookFree Email PDA Course (1 NCCAOM PDA Credit)Sign up for a free demo of Jane App / Code for one-month grace period applied to your new account: ACUSCHOOL1MO💙 Today’s episode is sponsored by Jane, a clinic management software and EMR.Your evenings and weekends should be spent with loved ones, not chasing down your patients and clients for payment. That’s why Jane has designed a secure payment solution that helps reduce the amount of time you spend manually following up with patients.Patients can save their credit card details and insurance policy information securely through your intake form, which can then be conveniently processed after your time together.And, if they’ve got an outstanding balance, you can send a payment request email or SMS that allows your patients to pay off their balance online from the comfort of their homes.To see how Jane can help you reclaim your after-work hours, click here to book a personalized demo. Or, if you’re ready to get started, you can use the code ACUSCHOOL1MO at the time of sign-up for a 1-month grace period applied to your new account.Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

Today I’m talking with Amrit Singh, cosmetic acupuncturist and creator of 6BabeBeauty, with a combined 90,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok. I’ve been following her on Instagram for years, watching her social media channels grow, and she’s one of my favorite TCM content creators. In this episode, we talk about:What kind of content Amrit has focused on to grow her followingHow committing to her brand and her message has helped her get media exposureWhy creating video for social media feels like so much work, and how you can reduce the barriers and distractions to get better and faster at itWhat marketing efforts bring the most patients to Amrit’s practiceHow marketing for acupuncture is different from other industriesHow to manage the inconsistency of entrepreneurshipAnd moreI hope you enjoy this episode with Amrit!And don’t forget, I’ll be doing a free Marketing Q&A for Wellness Practitioners on Thursday, August 29th at 12 pm Eastern Time, hosted by Marla and Tori, acupuncturists and the founders of TOMA Skin Therapies. This fun chat will be live on Zoom. You can submit your marketing questions in advance and hopefully we’ll see you there live. Of course, if you can’t make it live, a replay will be available afterwards. Click here to register for free.Show Notes: Follow Amrit on Instagram @6babebeauty and on TikTok @babefaceskincareFollow Amrit's clinic on Instagram @soni_wellnessAmrit's website: 6babebeauty.comSign up for the Free Marketing Q&A for Wellness Practitioners with Tori and Marla of TOMA Skin Therapies. Thursday, August 29th at 12pm Eastern.Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

Hi there, so glad you’re here. Today I’m talking all things public relations with expert Mickie Kennedy. Mickie is the CEO of Ereleases, a company that helps small businesses, startups, and authors gain credibility and authority through public relations.I was thrilled to talk with Mickie because PR is not something we’re taught in school, but it can be a cornerstone of your marketing efforts if you know how to use it. I had a LOT of nitty-gritty questions for Mickie and I learned so much in our conversation; I hope you do, too. In this episode, Mickie and I talk about:How to build a pitch to get your idea, and your business, in the mediaHow to find contact info for journalists and producers of local TV shows so you can send them a pitchWhat kinds of pitch topics get the best results How often to submit pitchesWhy local media is an easy win for local businessesAnd much moreYou're invited! I’ll be doing a free Marketing Q&A for Wellness Practitioners on Thursday, August 29th at 12 pm Eastern Time, hosted by Marla and Tori, the founders of TOMA Skin Therapies. This fun chat will be live on Zoom. Register here for free. Of course, if you can’t make it live, a replay will be available afterwards. Show Notes:Ereleases.comMickie's Free PR ClassConnect with Mickie on LinkedInFree Marketing Q&A for Wellness Practitioners with me and TOMA founders Marla and Tori on Aug. 29th at noon💙 This episode is sponsored by Jane. You might already be familiar with the name, but if it’s new to you, Jane is a HIPAA-compliant clinic management software and EMR.Chasing down patients or clients for important information isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time, especially when there are forms to be filled, payments to be processed, and consents to be collected.That’s why Jane has designed user-friendly online intake forms, so you can gather all the information you need ahead of the appointment — whether that’s health history, insurance details, or a credit card on file.Jane will even send a friendly reminder 24 hours before a patient’s appointment if they haven’t completed their intake form yet — saving you from having to manually follow up.To see Jane in action, click here to book a personalized demo. Or, if you’re ready to get started, you can use the code ACUSCHOOL1MO at the time of sign-up for a 1-month grace period applied to your new account.Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

Welcome! Today I’m talking with Jessica Jones, a business coach for medical professionals helping them scale their practices whether they’re solopreneurs or in group practices. Jessica is a born entrepreneur and has built and sold 15 successful medical practices. She won awards for her work in advertising and specializes in helping businesses bring in new leads and set up structures so they know how to turn more leads into paying patients.In this episode we talk about:How it’s normal for business to be slower in the summer, across all industriesTaking time off to have mental space for strategic business planning and goal settingQuickly launching a summer marketing campaignThe key to getting established patients to stay on their treatment planWhy growing yourself is an important part of growing your businessSHOW NOTES:Jessica's Website: buildyourcashmedicalpractice.comJessica's Group Coaching ProgramBook a Free 1:1 Call with Jessica (15 Minute Consult)Save $30 this week on Women’s Health Email Templates for Acupuncturists with code EMAIL30🌟 This episode is sponsored by the brand new Women’s Health Email Templates for Acupuncturists.Save $30 this week with code EMAIL30.I’m excited to share these with you. There are 24 done-for-you emails on topics like acupuncture for menstrual health, PMS, fertility, postpartum, hot flashes, and more.They're easy to use: Simply copy the text, paste into your email provider (for example, MailChimp) edit to match your clinic, and hit send. If you want more women’s health patients, these emails are a great choice because education is a huge part of marketing for us as acupuncturists. That's the goal of these emails – educating and then converting people into patients. I put a sample email on the landing page so you can see my writing style, how I reference research, the way I talk about acupuncture, etc., so you can decide if these are a good fit for you and your patients. The discount expires on Monday, August 5th. Click here to check them out. The discount code is already applied on the checkout page. Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.