The Business of Hearing

Marketing legend Marcus Sheridan joins Oli to unpack one of the biggest mindset shifts in private healthcare:

The hearing care industry is changing fast — and the old ways of winning new patients aren't cutting it anymore. In this video, you'll discover the 3 major market shifts that are redefining how independent hearing clinics grow in 2025 and beyond. From shifts in patient behavior to changes in how people find and choose care, this is a must-watch if you want to stay ahead of the curve.

You don't see the doubts. The late nights. The quiet moments where confidence slips and questions creep in. From the outside, things might look like they're going well — but behind the curtain, it's messier. More human. More real. In this episode, I open up about the parts of this journey I rarely talk about. The pressure to keep it all together. The fear of getting it wrong. The tug-of-war between building something meaningful and staying present in the moments that matter most. There's no framework in this one. No perfect conclusion. Just a reminder that if you're still figuring it out… you're not alone.

In this episode of the Business of Hearing podcast, we break down the four most important focus areas for private practice owners heading into summer 2025. With industry shifts, rising patient expectations, and changing marketing dynamics, it's never been more important to work on the business, not just in it. You'll learn: • What clinics should be prioritizing right now • Why admin overload is killing your growth • How to build a business that serves your lifestyle • The biggest mistakes clinics make when trying to scale ➤ Whether you're running a solo practice or leading a multi-location group, this episode will help you reset and refocus. 

Google's AI Mode has officially rolled out — and it's not business as usual. No more 10 blue links. No more relying on blogs to bring in a steady flow of traffic. This is a full-blown rewrite of how people search, discover, and decide who they trust. In this episode, we break down what Google's AI changes actually mean for private practices, why most websites are about to get blindsided, and what smart clinics are doing to stay visible, valuable, and chosen in this new AI-first world. You'll learn: What Google's AI Mode is and why it matters now How AI is changing patient behavior before they ever contact you Why trust and brand are your new SEO What to stop doing (immediately), and what to double down on The one platform that's only becoming more powerful: YouTube If your strategy still looks like it did in 2023, you're already behind. This episode is your catch-up — and your wake-up.

In this episode, we take a closer look at earwax removal, one of the simplest but most underused lead sources in private hearing care. While most practices see it as a time drain, Oli explains how to turn it into a consistent, scalable way to attract the right patients. You'll hear about: Why earwax searches outperform hearing aid keywords How to attract the right volume without overwhelming your calendar What to include on your website to convert casual interest into bookings Learn more at www.orange-gray.com

In this episode, we explore the role of proof and trust in private practice growth — and why saying “we're the best” just isn't enough. Oli shares how to use credibility-building tools like testimonials, reviews, and storytelling to turn sceptics into loyal patients. You'll hear about: The psychology of proof and how people decide who to trust Why most clinic marketing lacks credibility Practical ways to build authority without sounding salesy Learn more at www.orange-gray.com

In this episode, Oli shares a personal story that leads to a powerful lesson in patient loyalty and how email newsletters (done right) can drive long-term connection. We explore how to turn routine emails into a personal, relationship-building tool that makes patients love your brand. You'll hear about: The difference between transactional and emotional messaging Why most email newsletters are a waste of time A simple strategy for staying top of mind with your patient base Learn more at www.orange-gray.com

In this episode, we unpack one of the biggest barriers to growth for private practices: not knowing who your ideal patient actually is. Oli breaks down how a clearer patient profile helps you streamline marketing, improve conversion, and build a practice that grows on purpose. You'll hear about: The difference between product-first and market-first thinking How to define your most valuable patient type What happens when everything aligns around who you're built to serve Learn more at www.orange-gray.com

This was a little random. Just me, my microphone and some top-of-mind thoughts about where we're at as an industry, where we're going, and what the future will look like. If you fancy joining me as I rant and ponder, it's for you. *** Learn more at www.orange-gray.com

Why Patient Numbers Are Falling — And What Smart Clinics Are Doing About It Description: In this episode, we explore why so many hearing clinics are seeing a dip in patient numbers — and what the smartest practices are doing to stay ahead. From changing patient behaviours to marketing mistakes, Oli breaks down the real factors behind the trend and how to fix them before it impacts your bottom line. You'll hear about: The hidden reasons why appointment numbers are dropping How to fix common gaps in your marketing funnel What proactive clinics are doing differently right now Learn more at www.orange-gray.com

In this episode, we explore the decline of traditional SEO and what it means for businesses trying to get noticed online. With the rise of AI-powered search and zero-click results, the rules of the game are changing. Oli breaks down what's happening behind the scenes — and what savvy marketers should be doing instead. You'll hear about: Why SEO is no longer the guaranteed growth strategy it once was The impact of AI-generated answers and “search compression” How to adapt your marketing approach for the next shift Learn More at www.orange-gray.com

In this episode, I share four bold predictions about the rise of AI — and how they could completely reshape how we communicate, market, and connect. From voice replacing keyboards to ultra-personal AI companions, this is what the near future looks like. It's coming fast — here's what to expect and how to stay ahead. Learn more at www.orange-gray.com

Chris Ducker is a renowned entrepreneur, bestselling author, and personal branding expert. As the founder of Youpreneur®, he helps business owners build sustainable, future-proof brands around their expertise. He's written “Rise of the Youpreneur” and “Virtual Freedom,” both of which have become essential reads for entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses while maintaining personal authenticity. Chris is also a sought-after keynote speaker, podcaster, and mentor, known for his practical, no-nonsense approach to business growth and leadership.  Ahead of Chris Ducker joining us at Inner Circle Live 2025, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Chris to discuss his story, his books and the journey that has made him a multi best-selling author behind some of the most influential business books ever written. Want to join the Inner Circle?    Visit www.orange-gray.com

In November, Google introduced 'AI Overviews' - the first step towards their 'Zero Click' aims. This has impacted our industry heavily. By replacing our abilities to educate consumers, it's creating a squeeze and stopping people from getting to the bottom of the funnel as they're halted at the top. In this episode, I share exactly what's happening and what you can do about it.  Learn more at www.orange-gray.com #hearingcare #audiology

In this video, I reveal three unique ideas to grow your hearing care practice—strategies you might not have considered yet! Join me as I share actionable tips, practical advice, and innovative marketing techniques designed to help you attract more patients and stand out in the competitive world of hearing care. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, these insights can help transform your practice and boost your success. Remember to subscribe for more tips on growing your hearing care business! #HearingCare #PracticeGrowth #UniqueIdeas #HealthcareMarketing #PatientAcquisition #HearingAid #MedicalPractice #Innovation #HearingCareTips

The difference between a provider having 20% of patients say yes to treatment versus 70% is massive. A provider's help-rate is one of the biggest levers for success—allowing you to generate more revenue and achieve better outcomes without increasing patient volume. That's why I want to share three simple changes you can make to get more patients to say yes—without requiring your providers to do anything differently. They'll have the Midas touch (without changing anything that they're doing) In this episode, I share three of them.  Want more? Visit www.orange-gray.com

This is all about the details. In this episode, I'm sharing three real-world, easy-to-implement strategies to minimize no-shows and cancellations—because even though they're often dismissed as “breathing room” in the schedule, they're actually a major missed opportunity. By applying these three simple changes, you can keep your schedule full and your patients on track. Learn more at www.orange-gray.com

Dr. Annette Stephenson is the owner of Cayman Hearing Center, and the only Audiologist on the Cayman Islands. She joined Dr. Nancy Duncan for an 'Under the Hood' interview to learn her journey to breaking new ground, being the first and only Audiologist to a population of 100,000 people, and some of the biggest lessons on the journey.  

Dr. Amit Gosalia is a well-renown Los Angeles-based audiologist with over 20 years of experience. Having served as President of the Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association and Chair of the American Academy of Audiology's Public Awareness Committee. In 2024, he received the Clinical Excellence in Audiology Award from the American Academy of Audiology. He co-founded AudBoss, a platform supporting private practice audiologists in business management and professional development, and has since developed one of the most influential groups for Audiologists in the world. In this interview, recorded in November 2024 - he joined me to share his story, how he found himself in Audiology, how he grew and exited his first practice (with the biggest lessons behind it) and where the future of Audiology is heading.

There's so much doom and gloom in this industry - it's painful. Yet, I believe the opposite. In fact, I see 4 big reasons why private practice hearing care is about to enter a golden period for success. In this episode, I share why this is, what these 4 reasons are, and you can decide whether the glass-half-empty people are right, or whether the future is bright. Learn more at www.orange-gray.com

This is a big one. With 2025 on the horizon, I want to share the EXACT marketing strategy that you can use in 2025 to attract more boomer-aged patients, be iconic in your community and drive the basics, to a gold-standard, consistently. Want to learn more about how my team and I can help you to implement this strategy, go to: https://orange-gray.com/

As 2024 comes to an end, and as we enter 2025 ... .. there is 3 areas that I'd be giving serious focus to right now if you're a private practice leader that wants 2025 to be a record year. In this episode, I walk you through each of them and share exactly what to do.

In October, it was published that Google had a 83.54% dominance on all online search. Since then, a lot has changed. OpenAI launched ChatGPT Search – their first attempt at competing with Google, which has supposedly won them 8% of extra search in less than 45 days The Department of Justice has said that Google should be forced to sell Chrome to remove their monopoly on search, with it valued at an estimated $20 billion. Microsoft (ChatGPT's biggest financial backer) are in line to be one of the only buyers of Chrome at this "fire-sale" price. The entire dynamics of online search could be set to change.

Download the full PDF at https://join.orange-gray.com/24of2024 ** In this episode, I share 4 highlighted campaigns from a new document I've just published called '24 of the smartest (and most original) ideas implemented by private practice hearing care in 2024'. If you're a private practice leader, then get it downloaded.

Chelsea Treseder is the co-founder of MyVitalsPro, the hearing care industry's most insightful platform for analysing data and understanding the internal numbers inside your practice. With access to big data, she has the ability to see strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats before many, and in this episode, she shares exactly what she's seeing right now in 2024. From Third Party Administrators through to the marketing strategies that work- it's full of insights and ways to grow your practice.

In this episode, I have a chat with ChatGPT. We interview each other, play "would you rather" and I answer 10 big questions about hearing care, myself and the best marketing strategies to drive results for an independent private practice.

Imagine if your providers knew exactly what to say to help patients to make decisions. With the 'help rate' being a key metric between average and great performance - understanding how to use a few magic words may make all the difference. In this interview, I sit down with Phil M Jones to discuss how private practice hearing care clinics can help more patients to say yes, and where to focus right now.

If you have a manufacturer-owned chain as a competitor, you know the pain. They outspend you on advertising. They are aggressive in their pursuit of new patients. They have a national brand. They have economies of scale.  They have many, many advantages. Yet they do have a kryptonite, and there are several ways you can use your superpower against them to fight back and grow your market share. In this week's podcast, I share exactly what this is and how you, as David, can beat Goliath by using your brains rather than your bank balance.

This may be controversial. But I believe you should be the most expensive practice in your area. Three reasons why: #1 - This is a business, and you deserve to build a great life for what you do (this isn't a charity). #2 - By charging more, you can deliver more (time/energy/focus/service) #3 - The fight at the bottom and in the middle is a mess ... you either need to be the cheapest (impossible) or the most expensive to stand out. However, this isn't just a case of putting your prices up. If you want to be the most expensive practice in your area, you need to understand price elasticity and how brands such as Rolex use a smart approach to positioning. Enjoy!

In 2023, Starbucks revenue was 35 billion dollars. $21.68bn was from coffee/hot drinks $6.59bn was from food. $7.2b was cold drinks and merch. Essentially, if Starbucks ONLY sold their core product, they would be 39% worse off. Apply this to hearing care, and there's a big lesson. If you only sell hearing aids, then you're leaving money on the table. That's why, in today's episode of the Business of Hearing Podcast, I share 4 alternative high-profit revenue streams that you can build into your practice (including the specifics of how they work and how you can implement them) == Register for my upcoming webinar: http://join.orange-gray.com/invitation

Businesses like Ferrari, Michelin, and Ford have used (and, in some cases, still use) unique, low-cost strategies to shift perception and grow their perceived value. In today's podcast, I'll share how you can do the same in your practice. I'll take you through five different low-cost (and even no-cost) tactics you can implement to make patients perceive your value as higher. This will make them more likely to choose you without having to change your actual deliverables. This one is interesting, very specific, and super practical.

As a practice leader, you may have have heard that there's famously only three ways to grow your practice. Increase the number of patients Increase the average transaction value Increase the frequency of purchase For all intent and purposes, the above is correct. However, there is an alternative method that is growing in popularity in today's economy. That is, acquiring a competitor. In this episode, I share the specifics of how you can approach and buy a competitor through a creative deal without your own money, or debt. == Learn more at www.orange-gray.com

Back in the day, you could rock up to a physician offices with coffee, cakes and a smile and win referrals. The problem is, this is now being seen as more of a hinderance, than helpful. The question is, what should you do to win and develop relationships with local physicians? In this episode, I share exactly what's working right now, how one of our Inner Circle members ran a campaign with a 25% response-rate (it generated meetings with 1 in every 4 physicians) and I explain why physicians refer to Costco. There's a lot to unpack.

Every future hearing aid wearer in your community can be split into one of 5 phases. The challenge is, most marketing/advertising focuses on talking to people in the wrong phase (which becomes a blood-bath of fighting big-budgeted groups/chains). In this week's short and training-focused episode of the Business of Hearing Podcast, I show you exactly where to focus your attention to get the biggest bang for your marketing buck. Genuinely, you can spend $5,000 in this area and get a bigger long-term impact than $50,000's of ads. == Learn more at www.businessofhearing.com

This one is a little direct, and personal ...  ... there's no market strategies or ways to grow your practice. Instead, it's an honest conversation between me and you about the trials and tribulations of handling stress as a busy business owner. If you find yourself stressed often, then this one is for you. It's honest, raw and a little emotional. == Learn more at www.orange-gray.com

Are you looking for a one night stand or a marriage? Because depending on what you're looking for, you have to play two very different games, hang out in very different places and show up in different ways. It's the same with marketing. You can chase short-term gratification/outcomes, or you can look for long-term value, but the way you reach both destinations is very different and too much marketing is focused on instant results with long-term repercussions. In this episode, I share exactly this and how you can build more effective marketing strategies for the long-term. == Want to learn more? Visit www.businessofhearing.com Work with us? Visit www.orange-gray.com

Well, Apple have finally done it. After months of rumours, they have officially announced that they're introducing hearing aid functionality into their latest iOS software update, turning Apple Airpod Pro's into over-the-counter hearing aids. But what does this mean? How will it impact the future of the industry and how should you respond? In this episode, I share my hot take. What are your thoughts?

Why should somebody choose you over all other options available to them? That's the question that you need to answer. In this episode of the Business of Hearing podcast, I share the ONLY 4 value propositions that any business can choose, and discuss how hearing care practices can leverage each of these 4 'tip of arrows' to stand out in their marketplace and attract the types of patients that they want to work with. If you're a hearing care leader, pay special attention towards the end as I share the best value proposition for a private practice in todays market.

This may be a controversial one ... . .. but if you want to grow your practice, then it often requires you to spend your time working on the high pay-off activities where you're working ON the practice. The best way to do this is to escape patient care, whether just one day per week or full-time. In this episode, I share the lessons we can learn from the E-Myth that can be applied to help your practice to grow in maturity, and the many lessons you'll bump into a long the way. == Want more? Visit www.businessofhearing.com  Work with us? www.orange-gray.com

Are you seeing a similar trend? Are more and more patients visiting you, asking for prices, then going elsewhere? Are you and your providers having to justify your prices and articulate how you differ? Is the topic of Costco and competitors coming up more often? You're not alone. You can blame the economy You can blame politics Or you can blame the weather. But I think it's something much bigger than that, and it's something within your control. In today's episode of the Business of Hearing Podcast, I cover this exact subject and share how you can strategically package your pricing to stop getting price shopped. == Learn more at www.businessofhearing.com Work with Oli and his team at www.orange-gray.com WhatsApp Oli directly at +1 (945) 228-7369.

Can you sense it? We're on the brink of significant change. It seems like everything we've long accepted about audiology and hearing care is shifting rapidly. The ground beneath us is moving. In this episode, I discuss four crucial areas to focus on so you can stay ahead of these changes, rather than being left behind. We'll cover the impact of the baby boomer transition, the rise of Artificial Intelligence, the challenges in recruitment, and the wave of consolidation from large, impersonal groups. If you own or operate a private practice hearing care clinic, this episode will resonate with you and offer practical insights on where to invest your time, energy, and resources to thrive in these transformative yet promising times. *** The Business of Hearing podcast is delivered by industry marketing and growth specialist Oli Luke as he shares how private practice hearing care clinics can grow marketshare, intelligently play defense to market threat, and intelligently acquire more patients. To learn more about the Business of Hearing, visit www.businessofhearing.com To learn more about working with Oli and his team, visit www.orange-gray.com

If you have a manufacturer-owned chain as a competitor, you know the pain. They outspend you on advertising. They are aggressive in their pursuit of new patients. They have a national brand. They have economies of scale. They have many, many advantages. Yet they do have a kryptonite, and there are several ways you can use your superpower against them to fight back and grow your market share. In this week's podcast, I share exactly what this is and how you, as David, can beat Goliath by using your brains rather than your bank balance. *** WhatsApp me at +1 (945) 228-7369 Visit www.orange-gray.com

Dr. Leah Guempel has an incredible story! From starting as an audiologist and jumping straight into private practice, she has since grown through acquisition by buying two (large) practices in the past 4 years. In this episode, Dr. Leah shares her story, how she achieved this and some of the biggest lessons from her journey of building a group of high-performing practices.

It was a pleasure to have Dan Martell join as part of the Inner Circle Book Club. If you're unfamilar with Dan's work, he is the bestselling author of “Buy Back Your Time” and the #1 growth coach for business owners in the world. He is also the founder of Martell Ventures, a portfolio of companies that makes over $100M in revenue. In this interview, he joined Phil M Jones to discuss the practical ways that busy practice leaders can buy back their time, better train their team and ensure that every minute of their day is being spent on the activities that matter. There is so much value in this interview. Enjoy!

Have you ever had a Prime Hydration drink? Of course you haven't - you're not 14 years old! However ... When the two YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul launched this drinks brand last year - it well and truly took over the world, quickly growing to an eye-water valuation of $8.4B. But how did they do it? Well, they did something VERY intelligent that I want to talk about in this episode and share details of how you could take the same lesson and build it into your private practice.  

Wow. What an interview. Dr. Nancy Duncan is back with another 'Under the Hood' episode as she interviews Dr. Richard Luekenga and Allyson Luekenga - the husband & wife team behind Hearing & Balance Doctors in Utah and Nevada. Their practice is incredcible, the staff culture they have built is insanely strong and the work that they do within their communities is some of the best that we've ever seen. In this episode, they share how they define a high-performance practice, and what you can do to grow your practice. Enjoy.

Do you know how much your practice is worth? And if you were planning to sell it, would you know where to focus to maximize the valuation and make it ultra desirable to a potential buyer? Well, in this episode, I'm sharing the 5 big areas that you should focus on to maximize your valuation. This includes the obvious ones ... like your EBIDA, but also 4 ways to increase the multiple applied to your practice by a buyer. Enjoy!

How are you using ChatGPT in your practice? If your answer is: I'm not Writing copy For fun Then you're missing out. In this episode, I share 5 ways that you could be utilizing this FREE tool in your practice to buy you back more time, build effeciences and be your personal assistant. With your time being so valuable in growing your practice, these little hacks may just help you to find hours of extra time each week to work ON your practice. Enjoy!

What wine options do you have for your patients?