If you’re nearing two years qualified and still struggling to build a client base, you’re not alone—though it probably feels like it.
You’ve attended events. Sponsored shows. Contacted vets. Posted on social media. Adjusted your prices. And still… only a handful of new clients trickle in every few months.
Meanwhile, you’re watching other graduates seem to take off, and you’re left wondering, “What am I doing wrong?”
Let’s take a breath. You’re not failing. You’re simply hitting the wall that most clinicians hit in saturated areas—but no one really talks about what to do next.
This post breaks down why this happens and what you can actively do to turn things around.
1. First: It’s Not Your Qualification Holding You Back
Most early-career clinicians assume the issue is:
- “People don’t trust me yet.”
- “I need more CPD.”
- “I’m not experienced enough.”
But lack of clients rarely comes down to clinical skill.
It’s almost always a positioning and visibility problem, not a competence problem.
When your area is full of similar practitioners, your goal isn’t to shout louder—it’s to become meaningfully different in the eyes of the right clients.
2. Events and Shows Aren’t Enough (Here’s Why)
Shows feel productive. You’re present, you’re visible, you’re handing out leaflets…but they rarely convert unless:
- You already have a clear niche
- People already know you
- Your follow-up is structured and consistent
If you leave an event with nothing except “awareness”, that’s not failure—that’s how events actually work for most small practitioners.
Awareness without a strategy doesn’t convert.
So don’t beat yourself up. It’s not where the real growth happens.
3. Your Real Challenge: You’re “Blending In”
If your area is full of physiotherapists (or any other modality), then being good is not enough.
Being qualified is not enough.
Being friendly is not enough.
If your offer sounds like everyone else’s—
“I help animals recover / manage pain / improve performance”
—then clients have no reason to choose you over the 12 other clinicians they’ve seen that week.
What you need is sharper positioning.
Ask yourself:
“What do I want to be known for?”
Examples:
- The clinician who specialises in anxious or hard-to-handle animals
- The go-to person for older dogs’ mobility
- The rehab specialist vets trust after cruciate surgery
- The performance maintenance therapist for agility or flyball
- The “whole journey” practitioner (prehab → rehab → conditioning)
You don’t need a certificate in a niche—you just need a clear message.
Narrow focus creates wider opportunity.
4. Vet Relationships Take Longer Than You Think
Many new clinicians think contacting vets = instant referrals.
Unfortunately:
- Vets are overwhelmed
- They get approached constantly
- They refer based on trust
- Trust builds through consistent, helpful presence—not one email
Instead of sending “Here I am!” messages, try:
- Sending monthly case updates (even if the cases aren’t theirs)
- Sharing short clinical insights relevant to their caseload
- Asking what they need
- Offering value with no expectation of referrals
You’re not building a pipeline—you’re building a relationship.
5. Your Social Media Isn’t the Problem—Your Content Strategy Might Be
Most clinicians post:
- Photos of a dog on a mat
- “Massage Monday!” style content
- A picture of their table setup
- “Did you know physiotherapy can help?”
There’s nothing wrong with this. It’s just invisible, because it’s what everyone else is posting.
What clients engage with is story, credibility, and transformation.
Try content like:
- Before/after mobility stories (with permission)
- “Here’s what I did when…” breakdowns
- Videos of you explaining why certain cases plateau
- Play-based strengthening plans
- Mistakes owners often make (in a supportive way)
- “Day in the life” honesty posts
- Real advice that solves real problems
People buy trust—not table pictures.
6. Stop Marketing Yourself to “Everyone”
If you market to everyone, no one feels spoken to.
When someone reads your content or sees you at a show, you want them thinking:
“That’s EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for.”
That only happens when you specialise your messaging.
7. Make Your Client Experience Remarkable
In competitive areas, your client experience is your marketing.
Ask yourself:
- How fast do you respond?
- How personalised are your reports?
- Do owners feel supported between sessions?
- Do you give them wins early in the process?
- Do you communicate clearly with their vet?
- Do you follow up without being asked?
You want people walking away thinking:
“I’ve never had someone do it like that before.”
That’s what creates referrals—the most powerful, lowest-cost marketing you’ll ever have.
8. The Hard Truth: This Is a Long Game
What you’re experiencing doesn’t mean you’re failing.
It means you’re in the early stage of a market that’s full—and you’re trying to build a name from scratch.
That takes time, consistency and strategic clarity.
The mistake is thinking success means
“clients start pouring in immediately”.
In reality, success at this stage looks like:
- Tightening your message
- Choosing a niche
- Creating standout content
- Building early trust with vets and owners
- Giving a superb experience to the clients you do have
And letting momentum build.
9. Your Next Steps (Practical, Free, and Doable This Week)
Here’s what I’d do with you if we were sitting down together:
1. Choose a niche focus
Something specific enough to differentiate you, broad enough to build volume.
2. Rewrite your messaging
Your website/social media should answer:
“What makes you different and why should someone choose you?”
3. Pick 1–2 content themes and go deep
For example:
- Complex mobility cases
- Senior dog rehab
- Post-surgical journeys
Make your content unmissable.
4. Build 3 high-value relationships
Don’t try to contact 20 vets.
Choose 3 clinics and genuinely add value over 6–12 weeks.
5. Make your client experience exceptional
These early clients will be your biggest advocates.
Final Thought
You’re not behind. You’re not doing it wrong.
You’re building something in a saturated field where differentiation is everything—and that takes clarity, not hustle.
You can stand out.
You can grow.
And you don’t need expensive marketing courses to do it—just a strategic approach that plays to your strengths, not the noise around you.
If you ever want help reviewing your positioning, tightening your messaging or mapping a growth strategy that works in your area, I’m here when you need me.
