Let's face it, getting your patients in tip top shape is tough work. It leaves little time for you to figure out how to market to even more of those that need your help. Here are some quick insights from several battle tested veterans that have mastered the art. Successful Marketing the "CLA WAY" by Patrick Gentempo Jr., D.C., CEO of Chiropractic Leadership Alliance M ARKETING IS A PRIMARY FUNCTION FOR any successful business, whether it be a chiropractic practice or a Fortune 500 company. Despite its importance, marketing is not well studied by most DCs and is not a disciplined part of their business structure. I recently held a marketing boot camp for our high-achiever CLA clients. I was blown away with the ideas and creativity. They left with a budgeted, 12 month marketing plan with built in metrics that will assure their continued success. I want the same for you. In the brief space I have for this format, I will give you the best highlights I can. Entire chapters can be written on the procedures for each of these. The purpose of my writing this short essay is to give highlights and context to the subject of marketing. Be bold. Be multidimensional. Be consistent. Stand out. Leverage all you've got to make it happen! What I Learned from a New Jersey Boardwalk by Mark Mandeii, d.c, m.ba; I T RAINED WHEN I WAS OUT WALKING ON A NEW Jersey boardwalk. As soon as it started to rain, I saw the boardwalk vendors bring out the umbrellas. Some of the vendors placed signs outside that read "Umbrellas for Sale." These are pure entrepreneurs who were prepared to react to the rainy situation and make a simple profit by selling umbrellas for a few bucks each. A whole other group of vendors opened up giant golf umbrellas and were running out to the people on the boardwalk, shielding them from the rain and escorting them into their shops. Some of the braver ones were even meeting prospects standing at the outer edges of other shops and walking them through the rain to their shop, while shielding them with umbrellas. In my mind, these were the true salespeople. These were the people who were not relying on signs, but using smiles, service and salesmanship to earn more business. If it rained on your street, would you start selling umbrellas, use them as marketing tools or use them as sales tools? Your business is what you make of it. Your success depends on your creativity and your gumption. Let's start with a couple of important premises: Research shows that chiropractic has negative brand equity. This means that there is a negative bias against chiropractic in the marketplace. Increasing consumer confidence must be taken into consideration with any marketing you do. Gentempo's Rule for chiropractic marketing: The more expensive it is, the less effective it is! What's my "one" idea? Aggressive, low-cost, synergistic marketing. At CLA, we leverage using the Insight technology (especially the surface EMG and thermal scanner) into each of the procedures below. Technology equals increased consumer confidence and better outcomes. I recommend synergistically integrating the tactics of: Referrals Reactivations Press releases Internal and external lectures Screenings You may contact Dr. Patrick Gentempo at 1 International Blvd., #750, Mahwah, NJ 07495. Phone 1-201-252-3220, Executive Assistant Mike Thompson, Ext. 114, or visit www.subluxation .com or www.creatingwellness. com. Dr. Mark Mandell is the President of The Vitality Depot, a national chiropractic supply company focusing on innovative equipment and extraordinary value. He is a popular lecturer on business growth and the author of Spark Your Sales. Reach him at 1-866-941-8867 or markrn® thevitalitydepot.com. Former Patients Are Where the Money IS by Daniel T. Drubin, CEO of Pro Practice Partners J W hen Willie Sutton, the multiple bank robber, was finally apprehended, he was asked the following question. "Why do you keep robbing banks?" His response was simple and to the point.... "Because that's where they keep the money!"' Well, if you want to know where some of the money is in your practice, take a look at your inac tive files. They are just filled with people that you have already had successful experiences with and many of them are just waiting for you to remind them that they are still part of your practice. And, while our marketing plan often contains events and activities that are outside of the office, these outside activities frequently come at the expense of some of the easiest things that we can do inside the office. - At ProPractice Partners, our statistical tracking indicates that, if you follow the four simple rules of former patient contact, (See table), for every ten people you reach, two to three will return to the practice. As for what to say, keep it simple. I suggest, "(Patient's name), this is (doctor's name). I just wanted to touch base and remind you that you are due for a check-up. When would be a good day to get you in?" That's it. You will be astonished at how many patients will reactivate themselves as a result of this simple reminder. Just do it and enjoy the results. The 3 Elements to Ensure Success to Your Marketing Strategy by Dennis Nikitow, D.C, Founder of Certainty Practice Products and Seminars A LL MARKETING REQUIRES IDENTIFYING a problem, providing a solution and establishing your solution as unique to that individual. As a chiropractor, your ability to communicate chiropractic is the most important key to your success. Uniqueness is found in our philosophy and principles. When you know how to communicate our philosophy and principles as the solution to their problems, a profound repositioning occurs to people's health care paradigm and they put you on their health care team for the entire family. 1 have proven this in both internal and external marketing to build the largest most successful practices in the world for 25 years. By incorporating the following three elements into every marketing strategy, you will insure its success. (See table). These elements will impact people to take action and never fail you in any marketing strategy you do. I incorporate these on the radio, at screenings and talks, in print ads and even in one on one encounters. As long as you learn to communicate with them with certainty, you will be perceived as having a unique solution to their problems, and your practice will continue to grow and thrive. Follow the four simple rules of former patient contact, (for every ten people you reach, two to three will return to the practice) Rule 1: Decide to call ten former patients every week. This protocol must become a habit and part of your internal marketing strategy. Rule 2: Only contact those patients that you had a positive relationship with, AND those patients who had a positive experience with you, the office and chiropractic. Rule 3: Think about your desired result. The Law of Attraction works and each of us has had the experience of thinking about a patient and having that patient contact our office within a short time. Rule 4: The doctor, and only the doctor, makes the calls. For many, this is the tough one. However, if you want to achieve maximum results, the doctor stands the best chance of motivating the patient to return. Daniel T. Drubin is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of ProPractice Partners, LLC, a chiropractic management and marketing company and was previously President and founder of 4th Dimension Management Corporation, a company specializing in personalized business management and consulting, corporate motivational speaking and business development. Call 1-520-575-0207 or visit www. ProPracticePartners.com for more information. First, explain the principles and philosophy of chiropractic, in an updated, modern way. The brain and nervous system controls everything. If the spine and posture is out of alignment or subluxated, the body loses function and breaks down. After this silent process continues, enough damage and dysfunction occurs to give you symptoms. Next, show medical research to give credibility to the principles, squash rumors, and add certainty to chiropractic care. Last, show testimonials of improvement for overall wellness from those who have used chiropractic care. Dr. Nikitow is one of the most sought after experts in the profession. He is the founder and developer of Certainty Practice Products and Seminars. Dr. Nikitow has been practicing for 29 years, and teaching for 20 years. For more information on Certainty Practice Products or The Certainty Seminar, call 1-800-544-3884 or visit www.certaintypracti-ceproducts.com. FOCUS On All Marketing Aspects, Not Just One! by Lisa Goldberg, CEO ofAllcare Consultants W HAT SOME.PEOPLE FALL SHORT OF KNOW-ing is that your practice is a business; therefore, it should operate like one. The marketing approach that most businesses focus on first is outbound marketing, which includes advertising and promotions, sales, and public relations. Too often, a business jumps right into getting the "word" out before they even decide what the "word" is. It is very important, especially in today's economy, to focus on your company's inbound or internal marketing first, which consists of understanding your market and knowing how your products and services will meet the needs of that market, along with proper pricing and value proposition, customer service and customer satisfaction. Time and time again, businesses end up pushing products and services onto people who really do not want or need the products or services at all. With effective inbound or internal marketing, outbound marketing will be much more efficient and uncomplicated. Keep in mind that marketing consists of a wide range of activities that involves your business meeting the needs of your customers, while getting appropriate value in return. It is not only about advertising and pushing sales through. Nine of ten customers will tell their friends about a bad experience they have had with your company, which creates a ripple effect of negativity on your potential customers. Patient surveys are a good way of getting feedback on your performance. Marketing with regard to customer satisfaction and customer service is crucial, so remember to focus on the customers that you already have and keep them happy! Referral-based marketing can lead to an influx of business. It is important to know your referral sources and to thank them, whether it is a patient referring a patient or a physician referring a physician or patient. Also, consider your future and be strategic. You may know what your patients need now, but do you know what they may need six months from now? Will they still be your patients at that point in time? Keep those happy customers coming back time and time again and focus on all marketing, not just one aspect. Lisa Goldberg is the ex-1 ecutive director of Physi-1 cians Choice Concierge ] (PCC), a company spe-: cializing in revenue enhancement. If you have a question, email lisa® allcareconsultants.com or call 1-888-369-2224. Creating Practice Growth through Sophisticated Simplicity byShawn veitmanl T IIP. BIGGEST SECRET FOR SUCCESSFUL MAR- kcting is to forget about new patients. Not forever, of course, but for the next six months or so. In that time, take a long hard look at all the things you're doing right and wrong between the time somebody calls your office for an assessment, and the time they have their final visit. Look at EVERYTHING in your practice with fresh eyes—with the eyes of a brand new patient, who doesn't know ANYTHING about chiropractic. Then figure out how to make the experience better and more meaningful for that patient. Look at things that are extremely important (Are you communicating your findings to them in a way that they can easily understand?), and seemingly trivial (Did the person at the front desk make eye contact, smile, and make them feel comfortable when they walked in the door?). Look at the conversations you have with new patients. Are you sure you're fully addressing all their questions, worries and concerns (especially the unspoken ones)? Remember, most patients won't necessarily tell you if they have any reservations— they'll just never come back. Looking inward and working in these areas ensures a better and more meaningful experience for all your patients, which translates into happier, healthier patients who will stay longer, refer more, and, in general, contribute to a better practice for everybody. EH Shawn Veltman is a practice growth expert operating out of Hamilton, Ontario, and the founder of SV&A Chiropractic Consulting. He has helped practices in Canada, and the U.S., develop systems to bring back patients, retain existing patients, and run their practices more effectively. For more information about SV&A Chiropractic, visit www. svachiro.com. He can be contacted at info@ svachiro.com.
