How to Grow a Vestibular Therapy Practice: 5 Essential Keys

Mar 08, 2025

If you want to learn how to grow a vestibular therapy practice and make a real impact in your community, there are key strategies that can help. At North 49, we are a physical therapy clinic that has built a thriving vestibular therapy practice where we now see more vestibular patients than all musculoskeletal conditions combined. Given such, I want to share the five key factors that helped us grow—so you can reach success faster and meet the growing need for vestibular care.

1. Stop Doubting and Set Up a Niche Service

Many clinicians hesitate to commit to a niche because others already offer similar services. To that, I say—"so what?" There’s more than one restaurant in your city and more than one song on the radio. People deserve choices, and let’s face it, different clinics and clinicians have different vibes. Some people feel more comfortable in one clinic or with a particular clinician than another. Regardless, if you follow the other four keys, I am confident that you will stand out and pull ahead of any competition.

When we launched North 49, several clinics in our area already advertised vestibular therapy services. But we doubt any of them see close to the number of patients we do now. So go for it. Set up your vestibular therapy service and commit to doing it better.

2. Make Sure You Have a Passion for Vestibular Therapy

Passion is non-negotiable. If vestibular therapy excites you, you’ll naturally seek to improve, market your services, and provide the best care possible. Over the years, we’ve seen many local clinics take a weekend course, advertise vestibular therapy, and then watch their services fade away. The likely reason? A lack of true passion.

In Good to Great by Jim Collins, businesses are categorized as either fox businesses or hedgehog businesses. Foxes try to master multiple strategies but never truly excel. Hedgehogs focus on a single concept that fulfills three criteria: passion, profitability, and the ability to be the best at it. The best-performing businesses embrace the hedgehog approach.

3. Invest in the Tools to Provide Exceptional Care

Being passionate about vestibular therapy means investing in the education and tools needed to deliver great outcomes. Taking a single weekend course isn’t enough. I teach weekend courses myself, and I'm still learning. Vestibular therapy is a rapidly evolving field. Staying up to date with research and best practices is essential.

There are great educational resources available, many of them FREE:

And if you’re serious about vestibular therapy, invest in infrared or Frenzel goggles. They are an essential tool for diagnosing and treating vestibular disorders. There are several great options out there, but I recommend Vestibular First’s goggles as the best value for your investment.

4. Market Your Services Effectively

One of the biggest barriers clinicians face when marketing their services is not wanting to come across as "salesy." If you truly believe in what you do and know you can help people, then marketing isn’t selling—it’s educating.

If no one knows you offer vestibular therapy, then all your passion and education won’t help the patients who need you. Check out this blog for marketing strategies that have worked for us. The demand for vestibular care is enormous. It’s your job to make sure people know that help is available.

5. See Patients Within Three Business Days

Timely access to care is crucial, especially for vestibular patients who are often desperate for help. At a previous clinic, my schedule was so packed that patients had to wait two weeks to see me. That was unacceptable. Imagine someone with BPPV, which has an 84% chance of resolution in one treatment, waiting two weeks to be seen. That’s two unnecessary weeks of dizziness, fall risk, and decreased quality of life.

At North 49, we do everything we can to ensure vestibular patients are seen within three business days. If a patient has to wait too long, they’ll likely go to a competitor who can see them sooner. Don’t let your hard work in marketing and education benefit another clinic—make sure you’re available when patients need you.

Wrapping Up

By implementing these five keys, you will grow a vestibular therapy practice successfully. Whether you focus on vestibular therapy or another niche, becoming an expert in your community will allow you to provide exceptional care and make a lasting impact on the health and wellness of those around you.

If you have any questions about this, feel free to contact me at [email protected].