Chiropractor Burnout You may think of burnout as stemming from having a workaholic approach to your practice or from experiencing a major life trauma. rhat"s not necessarily the case, though. In fact, one of the easiest ways for a chiropractor to burnout is by doing the wrong marketing. As dedicated as you arc to the values of chiropractic, what will make or break you is something much more mundane: how you grow your practice. Being a chiropractor is being an entrepreneur - and nothing bums an entrepreneur out faster than a badly planned, ineffective marketing strategy. It's easy to sec why: you studied for years to make it through chiropractic college. You put everything on the line when you opened your practice - and if you don"t get any patients, it all disappears. When tliat happens, it's a tragedy - and it often comes down to a bad marketing strategy. So. here arc the three most common marketing mistakes chiropractors make. Be sure you're marketing your practice differently. Mistake #1: They lack focus. New chiropractors think they have to be everything to everybody. Experienced - and. more importantly, successful - chiropractors know better. You need to know your strengths and define your specialty accordingly. Dr. Brian Stcnslcr of Dream Wcllncss in California says. "You can't be a jack of all trades and master of none. You have to specialize." Having a specialty helps you set yourself apart. Whether you choose sports injuries, pediatric chiropractic, or neck and back pain, having a specialty helps define what you do and it gives people a clear indicator of when they should come to sec you. Mistake #2: They emphasize gimmicks and ads. Chiropractic is a patient-centered business. That means your marketing has to focus on relationships, not gimmicks. People who come to sec you because of a great deal on Groupon arc less likely to feel a bond to you and arc. therefore, less likely to stick with you over the long-term. That leaves you with a new patient who pays less than your usual rates and is more likely to stop seeing you - leaving you having to go out and rccniit more new patients. What you need as a chiropractor is to emphasize marketing strategics that build relationships and allow people to connect with you. People want to go to a chiropractor the) like and the last thing they need when they are in crisis is to go looking for one. That means, once they bond with you. they are very likely to remain loyal to you. assuming you provide good care and customer sen ice. That's win Groupon. as well as ads. arc less effective. You arcn"t announcing a sale on handbags: you arc providing health care. Instead, get out in your community and get to know people. Pass out your business card whenever you can. Attend events, give talks, volunteer. Let people know what you do (hcrc"s where your specialty will make you memorable) and build the friendships that lead to lasting patients, the kind who stick around and tell their mends about you. Mistake #3: They don't build a referral network. Businesses don't exist on their own. and they certainly don't thrive that way. Tliat means, even beyond networking to meet potential patients, you also need to network in order to meet referral partners. A good referral partner is someone in a complementary business whose clients arc often looking for exactly your sen ices. So. if your specialty is back pain, a physical therapist or orthopedist might be a good choice. If you run a wcllncss center, then a nutritionist, acupuncturist, or fitness studio might be a strong match. Ideally, you'll be able to pass referrals back and forth, so everyone benefits from the relationship. Dr. Chris Perron of Perron Chiropractic in Virginia says he refers his patients to physical therapists, nutritionists, and even other chiropractors if they need something that isn't Ms specialty, and they refer to him. That's the kind of situation you're looking to build. A good referral network creates a framework to bring in future business without all the effort. A win-win situation for everyone involved, they arc well worth investing the time to form. There's nothing like spending a lot of money on marketing tactics only to find you've brought in no new business. It's a recipe for both financial disaster and burnout. Luckily, by avoiding these three mistakes, you can create a marketing strategy solid enough to grow vour practice - and make it thrive. Jennifer Michelle works with chiropractors and oilier health professionals to create thriving practices while maintaining their passion for what they do. She received her MPH from Tulane University and specializes in patient-focused marketing strategies, as well as burnout prevention and recovery. For more information, please visit her at: http://jennifermichellecotnmunications.com/or call 802-310-0130
