Online Business Card for Therapists and Clinics: A Guide
By Online Business Cards Editorial Team | Published | Updated | Online business cards for local businesses
For physios, osteopaths, counsellors, sports massage and aesthetics: bookings and enquiries, what not to collect in a form, showing registration accurately, and the advertising rules on health claims.
Clients choosing a physiotherapist, osteopath, counsellor, sports massage therapist or aesthetics practitioner want to know three things: are you qualified, can you help with my problem, and how do I book? An online business card can answer all three on one page. But health and wellbeing businesses also have stricter rules than most on what they collect and what they claim.
This guide covers bookings and enquiries for a practice, what not to collect through a form, showing your registration accurately, the advertising rules on health claims and testimonials, and how a card fits alongside practice-management software.
Bookings and enquiry forms come with the online business card with bookings and enquiries, our Business Plan at £90, paid once.
What clients look for first
Put these near the top of your card, in this order.
- Who you are and what you do. "Chartered physiotherapist, sports injuries and back pain, Harrogate."
- Your registration. Your professional register and number, shown accurately (more on this below).
- Where and when. Clinic address or the area you visit, and your hours.
- How to book. A booking button for straightforward appointments, and an enquiry form for anything that needs a conversation first.
- Prices. Session types, lengths and prices.
Bookings and enquiries for a practice
Bookings
The Business Plan's bookings let clients pick a service and a free time from your card. For a practice, keep the list simple: "Initial assessment (60 minutes)", "Follow-up (45 minutes)", "Sports massage (60 minutes)". Add gaps for notes and room changes. Our guide to an online business card with booking explains how to set up services, timings and a cancellation note.
Enquiries
Some clients are not ready to book. They want to ask if you can help, whether you see children, or whether you offer home visits. An enquiry form handles these. Our guide to an online business card enquiry form explains how to design a form that gets useful enquiries.
What not to collect in a form
This is the most important section for a health practice.
Information about someone's health is special category data under UK GDPR. It needs extra protection, and you need both a lawful basis and a separate condition before you collect and use it. The ICO explains this in what is special category data?
An enquiry or booking form on a card is not the place for clinical information. Keep it to what you need to arrange the appointment.
Safe to ask:- name and a contact method;
- which service they are interested in;
- preferred days and times;
- how they would like you to contact them.
- symptoms, conditions or diagnoses;
- medications;
- mental health history;
- anything about pregnancy or sexual health;
- free-text boxes labelled "tell us about your problem".
Take health information in your consultation, using your normal clinical records process, where it is protected properly. Add a line under the form: "Please don't include medical details here. We'll talk about your health at your appointment."
Even a free-text "anything else?" box can attract health details. Keep it short and add the same reminder next to it.
Showing your registration accurately
Registration is one of the strongest reasons a client chooses you. Show it, and show it exactly.
- Use the register's own wording. For example, the HCPC for physiotherapists, or the General Osteopathic Council for osteopaths.
- Show your registration number, so clients can check it.
- Link to the register's search page, such as the HCPC's check the register or the GOsC's register search.
- For counsellors and other roles without statutory regulation, say which accredited register you belong to. The Professional Standards Authority lets people check a practitioner on accredited registers.
- Do not overstate. Do not call yourself "Doctor" unless you are entitled to, and do not imply a membership or qualification you do not hold.
- Keep it current. If your registration lapses, take it off the card straight away.
Health claims and the advertising rules
Your card is marketing, so the CAP Code applies to it. The ASA's advice on health therapies explains the main points:
- Objective claims need evidence. Saying a treatment "cures" or "treats" a condition is an objective claim. For health therapies, the ASA is likely to expect clinical evidence.
- Do not discourage essential medical treatment. Do not suggest people use your service instead of seeing a doctor for conditions that need medical supervision.
- Regulated professions have more scope, but still need evidence. The ASA has specific advice for professions such as physiotherapy and osteopathy, listing conditions it generally accepts they can claim to treat.
Safer wording describes what you do, not what it will cure: "Assessment and treatment for sports injuries" rather than "Fix your back pain for good".
Aesthetics
Aesthetics practitioners have extra rules. Botulinum toxin products are prescription-only medicines, and the ASA's advice on botulinum toxin products says they cannot be advertised to the public. Promote the consultation, not the product. Take care with price lists and before-and-after photos, and check the ASA guidance before you add either to your card.
Testimonials: take extra care
Testimonials from clients are powerful, but in health they can easily become claims you cannot back up. The ASA's advice on claims in testimonials says objective claims in testimonials need evidence in the same way as any other claim.
- Get permission in writing before you show a testimonial, and keep a note of it.
- Prefer comments on the experience: "Friendly, clear and on time" rather than "cured my arthritis".
- Do not edit wording to change its meaning.
- Protect privacy. Use a first name and town, or initials, and never mention a client's condition without their explicit agreement.
- Do not present a few quotes as a rating.
Card or practice-management software?
Online business card | Practice-management software
Main job | Your public profile: who you are, registration, prices, and how to book or enquire | Running the practice: diary, clinical notes, invoices, reminders
Who sees it | Anyone with the link or QR code | You and your team
Bookings | Built in on the Business Plan | Usually a core feature; see vendor site
Clinical notes | No, and never put them there | Usually a core feature, built for health records
Taking payments | No | Often included; see vendor site
Enquiries | Enquiry forms, saved as leads (Business Plan) | Varies; see vendor site
Cost | £45 or £90, paid once | Usually a subscription; see vendor site
They work well together. Many practices use practice-management software for the diary and notes, and the card as the friendly front door: who you are, what you do, prices, reviews and a link to book.
Example: a physiotherapy practice card
This is an Example for a made-up practice, not a real customer.
- Header: Dale Physiotherapy, chartered physiotherapist, sports injuries and back pain, Skipton.
- Registration: "HCPC registered, number PH000000. Check the register" with a link.
- Buttons: Book, Call, Email.
- Services: Initial assessment (60 minutes), Follow-up (45 minutes), Sports massage (60 minutes), each with a price.
- Enquiry form: name, contact, service, preferred times, and "Please don't include medical details here."
- Testimonials: three short comments about the experience, used with permission, first name and town only.
- Documents: "What to expect at your first appointment".
Which plan?
Brand Presence (£45 one-off) suits practitioners who take bookings by phone or through other software, and just need a clear profile. The Business Plan (£90 one-off) adds bookings, enquiry forms, saved leads and a reviews button. For more on health practices, see our guide to digital business cards for private clinics. More guides are in the journal.
Frequently asked questions
Can clients book appointments from my card?
Yes, on the Business Plan, at £90 paid once. Clients choose a service and a free time from your card. Keep clinical details out of the booking and take them at the appointment.
Can I ask about symptoms in my enquiry form?
It is best not to. Health information is special category data under UK GDPR and needs extra protection. Ask only what you need to arrange an appointment, and take health details in your consultation.
How should I show my professional registration?
Use the register's own wording, show your registration number and link to the register's search page so clients can check it. Remove it straight away if your registration lapses.
Can I say my treatment cures a condition?
Only with robust evidence. The ASA says objective health claims need evidence, usually clinical trials for therapies. Describe what you do, such as assessment and treatment, rather than promising outcomes.
Can I show client testimonials?
Yes, with written permission, and with care. Prefer comments about the experience, protect clients' privacy, and avoid testimonials that claim a treatment cured a condition unless you hold evidence for that claim.
Does a card replace practice-management software?
No. Software runs your diary, notes and invoices. The card is your public profile, where clients learn about you and book or enquire. Many practices use both.