Many natural healthcare practices confuse their potential patients with unclear messaging. StoryBrand provides a formula to craft your message so that your ideal patients will be captivated and want to engage. Follow this blog series to discover how StoryBrand is a natural fit for marketing your naturopathic, chiropractic, acupuncture, or functional medicine practice.

This article is part 6 of 11 in a series on StoryBrand for Health and Medicine. Check out the entire series here.

StoryBrand for Health and Medicine Part 6: Nobody Knows What You Know

Most people want to go to a healthcare practitioner who knows her stuff. They want somebody who has helped a lot of other people with similar issues and has the evidence to prove it. They want to see an expert.

What people don’t want is a healthcare practitioner who is boastful or self-absorbed or only interested in her own success.

When it comes to your marketing message, you need to show that you have authority without trying to take center stage.

StoryBrand provides fabulous guidance on how to do this effectively. StoryBrand presents a paradigm shift that you and your company are not the hero of the story. Your customers are the heros, and you are their guide. Part of being a guide is having the authority to do so.

Ways to Establish Your Authority

Showing that you have the authority to help people overcome their struggles—without appearing boastful or bragging—is part of the art of copywriting and marketing. Here are some of the ways that you can tactfully establish your authority:

• Testimonials. Get other people to tell how you have helped them. This shows potential patients that you can follow through on your promise. You have the authority to help them solve their problem.
• Case Examples. Share stories of how you have helped people overcome their health challenges. One way to do this is with before-and-after images. These work particularly well if you help people lose weight, clear up acne or other skin issues, or achieve more youthful-looking skin.
• Trainings and Certifications. You have degrees, certifications, and advanced trainings. Some of these hold weight with your potential patients. These qualifications are part of establishing that you are legit and know what you are doing.
• Number of Treatments. Numbers can be extremely compelling! If you have been in practice for many years or have treated a large number of patients, use those numbers in your marketing. You can say, “with a decade of experience…” or “hundreds of happy patients…”

How to Use Authority in Your Marketing Message

Although you don’t want to overdo the authority element of your marketing message, you also don’t want to skip it. People definitely want to know that you are legit. Here are some ways you can use authority in your marketing message:

• On your website. Your homepage should feature some elements of authority. If you have been featured on TV, on high-profile podcasts, or in authoritative publications, say that. Better yet—include a bar on your site with the logos of places you have been “featured on.” Likewise, you can place badges on your homepage to show the certifications you hold. Whenever you can display your authority in images rather than text, do it.
• Online reviews. Google reviews and other reviews are one of the BEST ways to establish your authority. People search for online reviews when choosing any product or service, and healthcare practitioners are no exception. Establish a system so that you consistently ask your patients for online reviews. You’ll be happy you did.
• Social media. Once you are clear on your marketing message, be sure you use social media to spread the word! One type of social media post can focus on the element of authority. Create a post that shows before-and-after images of successful patient cases, quotes from a recent Google review, or a brief patient testimonial.

When people see that you have helped other people similar to them, you instantly have the authority.

Authority in the StoryBrand Framework

Read Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller or check out the free online BrandScript tool. Showing authority is part of the "Guide" section. You can learn more at storybrand.com or by hiring a StoryBrand Certified Guide.

Up next

This article is part 6 of 11 in a series on StoryBrand for Health and Medicine. Up next is Part 7: S.O.A.P. has a Plan. But Does Your Marketing?