Podcast Summary: Grow Your Local Business – Episode 105

Title: How Qianlei Built a Thriving Acupuncture Practice from Opening to Fully Booked – With a 3-Month Waitlist and 1 Million Instagram Followers

Host: Leslie Presnall
Guest: Qianlei
Release Date: January 14, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 105 of the Grow Your Local Business podcast, host and local marketing expert Leslie Presnall welcomes her student and client, Qianlei, to share her remarkable journey of building a successful acupuncture practice. From opening her doors just a year and three months ago to establishing a fully booked schedule with a three-month waitlist and amassing over a million Instagram followers, Qianlei provides invaluable insights into both the strategic and mindset shifts necessary for local business growth.

Qianlei’s Background and Rapid Practice Growth

Qianlei introduced herself as a second-generation Chinese medicine practitioner and licensed acupuncturist based in Alexandria, Virginia. Growing up with parents who practiced Chinese medicine, she recognized early on the untapped potential of this field in the U.S. Despite having a background in biochemistry, she followed her passion by opening her private practice in September 2023.

Reflecting on her rapid growth, Qianlei highlighted significant milestones:

• Fully Booked: Achieved by March 2024
• First Price Increase: June 2024
• Second Price Increase: October 2024
• Current Waitlist: Approximately three months

Overcoming Initial Challenges

Limiting Beliefs About Insurance and Establishment

Qianlei candidly discussed her early struggles with two primary limiting beliefs:

1. Not Accepting Insurance: Having previously worked with a group that operated on insurance, she feared that not accepting insurance would limit her client base and revenue. As she stated, “I'm an acupuncturist and I don't take insurance... [it] could range like 10 times that amount.” [07:17]
2. Feeling Unestablished: Transitioning to her own practice made her feel inexperienced. She shared fears of being perceived as a "newbie" in the field.

Leslie helped Qianlei reframe these beliefs by emphasizing the value she provides beyond insurance coverage and establishing her credibility despite being new in the market.

Mastering Pricing Strategies

Qianlei detailed her journey toward confidently setting and maintaining higher prices:

• Initial Pricing: Started at $160 per session, which felt high initially.
• Mindset Shift: Inspired by Leslie’s advice, Qianlei began viewing herself as a provider who delivers exceptional value, stating, “This is what you are for other people. They love giving you their money because whenever they pay you, that means they feel better.” [09:31]
• Consistent Overdelivery: Ensured that her service exceeded client expectations, making clients feel that her prices were justified.

Leslie emphasized the importance of internal belief in pricing, advising Qianlei to “be someone that people love to pay” and to articulate the value to clients effectively.

Building Local Business Relationships

Initial Outreach Efforts and Adjustments

Qianlei recounted her early attempts at local business outreach, including providing lunches to local providers, which initially yielded poor results due to lack of direct interaction:

• First Attempt: “I went in... there is nobody talking to me because to them it's just lunch.” [18:53]
• Strategy Adjustment: Positioned herself at the entrance to engage directly with visitors, aiming to talk to at least 20 people per visit.

Effective Networking Techniques

She highlighted two main strategies that proved successful:

1. Direct Engagement: Personally interacting with clients at events and establishing a presence at the front desk.
2. Collaborative Outreach: Shifting her communication to focus on mutual benefits, such as, “Hey, I see that you treat these conditions. I also do this, would like to collaborate.” [23:34]

Leslie advised maintaining consistency in outreach efforts, emphasizing that persistence is key despite initial rejections.

Mastering Social Media Growth

With an impressive following of 1.1 million Instagram followers and nearly 600,000 TikTok followers, Qianlei attributes her social media success to a strategic and consistent content approach:

• Content Frequency: Posted on Instagram daily and TikTok three times a day.
• Content Analysis: Continuously analyzed which types of content resonated most with her audience.
• Authentic Engagement: Focused on creating genuine, helpful content rather than self-promotion, leading to viral growth.

A pivotal moment was when she posted an impromptu video addressing her audience directly: “People need to hear this.” [25:19] This authentic approach significantly boosted her engagement and follower count.

Current Instagram Strategy

Qianlei continues to post daily, alternating between:

1. Educational Content: Addressing what she believes her audience needs to hear.
2. Engaging Content: Utilizing trending audio and formats to maximize reach, even if it attracts a broader, less targeted audience.

She balances these content types to maintain both depth and growth, using calls to action effectively without overt selling.

Expanding Through Digital Products

Launching Digital Courses and Products

Fully booked locally, Qianlei sought to expand her reach and revenue through digital offerings:

• Inspiration: Saw another practitioner successfully selling digital courses on Instagram.
• Launch Timeline: Released her first digital bundle and online course in June 2024.
• Objective: To capitalize on her social media presence and provide value to a global audience without overextending her physical practice.

This strategic move allowed her to serve thousands worldwide while maintaining the integrity and availability of her in-person services.

Impact of Coaching and Continuous Improvement

Qianlei expressed profound gratitude for Leslie’s coaching, attributing much of her success to the nuanced advice and continuous support:

• Website Optimization: Leslie pointed out critical enhancements, such as prominently displaying her location.
• Terminology Adjustments: Shifted from "concierge practice" to "private practice" based on Leslie’s feedback.
• Ongoing Evaluations: Every new launch is meticulously evaluated with Leslie to refine strategies and mindset.

She affirmed, “I couldn't have done any of that without you... every little piece, even like now at this point, every time I do a launch, we do evaluation, all the mindset, everything plays into the big picture.” [30:54]

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Leslie praised Qianlei’s achievements and expressed excitement for her continued growth, highlighting the sustainable and scalable practices Qianlei has implemented. Qianlei encouraged listeners to follow her journey on Instagram and TikTok, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, persistence, and authentic connection in building a thriving local business.

Find Qianlei on:

• Instagram & TikTok: @oldtown_acupuncturist
• Practice: Nature's Gift Acupuncture, Alexandria, Virginia

Notable Quote:

“Have you ever had someone that you just love paying? People need to hear this. [Qianlei, 09:31]”

For more insights and strategies, subscribe to the Grow Your Local Business podcast and join Leslie Presnall in transforming your local business into a community staple.