Attract & Convert: Physical Therapy Marketing Secrets | Isaac Justesen from Patient Partners

Rick:
Pathmonk is the AI for website conversions. With increasing online competition, over 98% of website visitors don’t convert. The ability to clearly present your value proposition and support visitors through their buying journey is what sets you apart online.

Pathmonk qualifies and converts leads by understanding where visitors are in their journey and influencing them at key decision points with relevant micro experiences like case studies, intro videos, and more. Stay relevant to your visitors and increase conversions by 50%.

You can add Pathmonk to your website in seconds—let the AI do the work while you continue your marketing as usual. Check us out at pathmonk.com.

Alright, everyone, welcome to today’s episode of Pathmonk Presents. Today we’re joined by Isaac Justesen, CEO of Patient Partners. Isaac, welcome to the show.

Isaac Justesen:
Hey, thanks for having me, Rick.

Rick:
Of course. Isaac, I want to dive right in. Tell us how Patient Partners came to be, and what the heart of your company is all about.

Isaac Justesen:
We’re a full-service marketing agency for physical therapy clinics. We work with clinics across North America and support them in all their marketing efforts.

Rick:
Nice. Do you focus on specific services like SEO or PPC, or do you cover the full marketing spectrum?

Isaac Justesen:
We do full-service marketing for many clinics, but SEM—especially SEO and PPC—is often at the core. At the end of the day, the main problem we solve is helping clinics get more new patients, usually through digital marketing. But since healthcare is such a trust- and community-based business, we often support them with community-building and print marketing as well.

Rick:
Makes sense. In a physical therapy clinic, who typically reaches out to you?

Isaac Justesen:
Often it’s the clinic owner, especially in private practice settings. For slightly larger clinics, it’s usually a clinic director. They’re hands-on with daily operations and handle marketing responsibilities too.

Rick:
And when they come to you, do they usually have a clear goal, or are they looking for guidance?

Isaac Justesen:
It depends. Sometimes they come in saying, “How do I rank higher on Google?” They see their competitors in the top search results and want to be there too. Other times, it’s more general: “I need more patients.” They’re not too concerned about how—SEO, PPC, email—they just want a steady flow of new patients at a reasonable cost per acquisition.

Rick:
That’s the key: just keep the flow going. So let’s talk about your website. What role does it play in attracting clients?

Isaac Justesen:
Our website plays a big role. We get a lot of inbound leads from people searching for a physical therapy marketing agency or coming across our content. Since we specialize in SEO, we rank well for our own keywords, which is great.

Once people land on the site, we focus on converting them—getting them to book a call or request a free audit. We have lead magnets like ebooks, case studies, and multiple CTAs to make that happen. A good chunk of our leads come through the site.

Rick:
That’s a great testament to your capabilities—if your own site ranks and converts, it proves you know what you’re doing.

Isaac Justesen:
Exactly. If we rank well, we can help our clients rank well. If our site looks great, it shows we know how to build effective websites. It’s an ad for what we do.

Rick:
And what about the other side—your clients’ websites? Do you notice common mistakes or areas that need improvement?

Isaac Justesen:
Honestly, many of the clinic websites we see are pretty weak. They’re often built by the clinic owner with little design or marketing experience.

From a lead-gen standpoint, a lot of them miss the basics—like making it easy for users to convert. That might be booking an appointment, calling the clinic, or filling out a form. Simple things like adding CTAs in the hero section or throughout the page can significantly boost conversion rates. Those tweaks make a big difference.

Rick:
Let’s dig into that a bit more. From your experience, what makes a great converting website? Any tools, frameworks, or tips you’d recommend?

Isaac Justesen:
For local service businesses, it’s important to clearly communicate who you are, what you do, and why someone should choose you. Also, make your location and contact info easy to find.

When someone lands on a clinic site, they want to know two things quickly: is this the right type of service, and is it nearby? Don’t make them dig for that info.

Another tool that’s becoming more valuable is AI-powered chatbots. You can train them on your website content, and they can answer questions or even route leads to your team. It’s a more advanced solution, but very useful for improving the user experience and lead capture.

Rick:
Yeah, I love that you pointed out both ends of the spectrum—from simple things like contact info to more advanced tools like chatbots. At the end of the day, it’s about getting more people in the door.

Isaac Justesen:
Exactly. It’s not rocket science—just being empathetic to the user. And if you’re a marketer, you probably also enjoy geeking out with the more advanced tech, too.

Rick:
Totally. Let’s switch gears for a moment. As a founder and CEO, what does your day-to-day look like? How do you run the agency?

Isaac Justesen:
As the agency and team have grown, I’ve stepped back from hands-on SEO or ad management. These days, I focus more on project management, client communication, and relationship building—whether that’s with clients, team members, or partners.

Relationships are a huge part of any business, and I still spend time on marketing the agency itself. My role continues to evolve, but I try to keep a foot in the actual marketing work to stay sharp and aware of industry changes.

Rick:
That’s great to hear. I like that you still keep a pulse on the work itself—it helps you stay grounded and relevant.

Isaac Justesen:
Exactly. If I fully removed myself, I’d risk losing that edge. Staying close to the work helps me stay informed and connected to what’s happening in the space.

Rick:
Alright, let’s wrap up with a few rapid-fire questions. Ready?

Isaac Justesen:
Ready!

Rick:
What’s the last book you read, and why did it stick with you?

Isaac Justesen:
Do Hard Things by Steve Magness. It’s about resilience and rethinking what toughness really means. Great for anyone working toward big goals—business, fitness, or life.

Rick:
Love that. If there were no limits to technology, what’s one thing you’d want fixed for your role as CEO?

Isaac Justesen:
I’d want a list of every clinic owner currently in-market for marketing help. If that existed, I’d pay a lot for it!

Rick:
Fair! Now, what’s one daily task you’d love to automate?

Isaac Justesen:
Turning client notes into actionable tasks for the team. It’s time-consuming and not that interesting, so I’d love to automate it.

Rick:
If you could give yourself one piece of advice at the start of your career, what would it be?

Isaac Justesen:
Learn broadly across marketing, but specialize in one area. That “T-shaped” skillset lets you collaborate effectively and develop deep expertise where it matters.

Rick:
Great advice—funny enough, our last guest mentioned the T-shaped marketer concept too. It really resonates.

Alright, Isaac, thank you for being on the show. Before we go, if there’s one thing people should remember from today, what is it?

Isaac Justesen:
If you’re a clinic owner and want to grow your business and get more new patients—get in touch with us.

Rick:
Simple and clear. Head over to patientpartners.co and they’ll take care of you. Thanks again, Isaac—hope to have you back soon.

Isaac Justesen:
Appreciate it, Rick. Thanks for having me.

Rick:
Of course!