Just starting a business often means that money is short. If you are a new acupuncturist, chances are you have some student loans to repay as well. This often means trying to do things as cheaply as possible. Marketing is one of the most important business expenses, however there are some free marketing tips that you can use to boost your exposure.

Visit other healthcare providers and bring business cards. Make it a practice to visit four or five massage therapy clinics, chiropractors, physical therapists or anyone else who might be able to refer to you each week. If you’re really outgoing, then do four or five a day. The more places you give out business cards, the more likely you are to get referrals.

Don’t just walk into each office and hand out business cards. Walk in and ask questions about their practice. Find out the types of patients they want to see. See how you feel in the office. If you really don’t like an office, you might not want to refer there. You’ll also know that they aren’t as likely to refer to you. While you want to talk with the practitioner, don’t look overlook talking to the receptionist, if there is one. He or she is the person who talks with the clients first and has just as much opportunity to pass out your business card as the practitioner.

Visit fitness clubs, grocery stores, yoga studios and nutrition stores. All of these types of places frequently have community bulletin boards. Look for them. Find out what their policies are on posting business cards or flyers. Then make sure you do it. See if you can offer a free class at any of these places. Locally, our nutrition store offers space on Sunday afternoons for talks. They promote these talks because Sunday is a slow day. This brings customers in for them and it helps the practitioner build a patient base.

Check out the local newspapers. If there are specialty papers, check those out as well. Some newspapers, particularly smaller ones, allow you to place a small business advertisement for free when you open your business. If they allow photos, send one. Be sure to use as much space as they allow so that your information has the best chance of getting noticed. Often, if they allow business announcements for free, you can make any sort of announcement, such as adding another practitioner. Sometimes you can announce adding a new class or service as well.

Remember that you are always marketing. If you love to do something, then talk about what you do when you are socializing. If you love yoga, talk about acupuncture in the studio. If you love skiing, then talk about it on the lift and at the ski shops. If you’re in a book club, then talk about it there. Churches and other spiritual groups are another social setting that can be good to talk about your practice.

Who do you see during the day? Do you go to the bank? How many people do you suppose your teller sees? Talk to him or her. Talk to your barista. They see a lot of people. Talk to your hairdresser, your printer, your favorite restaurant owner, the bookstore clerk and your veterinarian. Each of these people sees many other people during any given day. They have unlimited abilities to potentially market your services. They have to know who you are though. If they ask for a card, give them several. You never know who they might meet.

None of these ideas is likely to jump start your acupuncture practice. However, using each of these ideas in a way that fits the style of your practice can help build up the number of potential new patients. Not everyone needs acupuncture immediately. The more often people see and hear your name, the more likely they are to call you when they do need acupuncture.