Marketing your acupuncture practice

Call yourself an “acupuncturist” and choose a name like “[Town] Acupuncture” or “Acupuncture with [First Name]”. Keep your service menu short, show your British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) or other membership and insurance, and pair a friendly bio with a professional photo.

The ASA and CAP have published guidance on acupuncture claims. Only make claims backed by robust evidence and never discourage people from seeking medical treatment. Check the latest guidance before naming conditions.

Offer instant online booking, a mobile number, a business email and a contact form. A free ‘Meet Me’ session lets people see the needles, your room and your hygiene routine before committing.

Listen to each person’s deeper needs and say how you can help. Highlight two or three USPs, such as single-use needles explained step by step, or early appointments before work.

• A “Your first appointment” page with photos.
• Answers on hygiene, single-use needles and safety.

Your website should be fast, mobile-friendly and show an always-visible ‘Book Now’ button, your bio, USPs, the issues patients commonly come to you with (worded within the rules), accreditations, testimonials, fees, contact details and location.

Complete your Google Business Profile, collect Google reviews and keep your professional body directory listing up to date.

Use AIDA: choose an audience that gathers in one place, create a simple message, show why you are the right person and make booking effortless. Track time, money and results, then refine. Avoid promoting discounts or paying for referrals.

Follow up after treatments, thank patients for reviews and send a regular newsletter with useful content and your booking link. Build relationships with fertility clinics, midwives, osteopaths, physiotherapists and massage therapists whose work complements yours.

Reply quickly and warmly, send location and aftercare details, keep forms short and payment easy. Start and finish on time and listen more than you talk.

Explain at the first appointment what course of treatment you suggest, why, how you will review progress and what it costs. Book the next appointment before the patient leaves.

Share helpful information patients can pass on to friends and family, and ask happy patients for a review after each session with a direct link.

Share your cancellation policy at booking, display prices everywhere, take payment upfront for courses of treatment and decline discount requests.

Decide how many patients a day you can see with full attention, including time for notes and cleaning. Use templates and booking system features, block weekly admin and marketing time, and plan time off for the year ahead.

Separate work and home spaces where you can and set your hours in stone. Connect with other acupuncturists to share ideas and ease isolation.

Examine any discomfort about charging and replace it with a belief you can stand behind. Then calculate your annual costs, savings goals and target revenue, and set initial and follow-up fees that get you there.

Use a separate business account, monthly savings pots for tax, pension, needles and time off, and pay yourself on the same day each month. Take payment through your booking system and use MTD-compatible bookkeeping software.