“Eccentric”, “non conformist”, “controversial” have been some of the nicer things said about Benjamin (“B.J.”) Palmer.     He has also been called a genius that may have personally generated more chiropractors and chiropractic patients than any one individual.

In one of his many lectures, hidden away since 1920, is a true gem.  Gems are often hidden, or at least overlooked or taken for granted.  But here is a simple recipe that if followed, builds the most profitable practices we have seen.

“The size of a chiropractor’s business depends upon:
1st – His ability to notify people who he is, what he is, and where.
2nd – His systematization to take care of it as it grows and increases in volume.”    B.J. Palmer (1920)

The First Priority
The first priority of any business is getting the goods and services exchanged in the market place.  If you don’t do that, no matter what you have to offer, there will be no business. Marketing has to be a priority.  New patients, and returning patients, are the lifeblood of your practice.

The first step in marketing is to let people know who and what you are. A subtle key to this, as Dr. Palmer states, is allowing your community to know you, as a person, first.

There are so many logo’s and limericks and tag lines that “spam” us now days, the only thing that is legitimate is a real person.  For example, when you say: “Northpoint Chiropractic”, even if you use a nice tag line, there is no person there.  Though it sounds nice and business-like, it is anonymous.  People respond to people, if not at first, then once they get into your office. So the first thing you have to do is introduce yourself: “Hi, I am Helen Smith.”

Then, tell them what you are.  Many doctors get this wrong. “I am a Doctor of Chiropractic”, or “I am a Chiropractic Physician.”  Or, in your written promotion, “Helen Smith, D.A.B.C.N., D.A.B.C.O.”  But really, who cares?

You are nothing, in the market place, if you cannot provide something of value to others. Doctors who have many different degrees and certificates may or may not be of value to the community. Degrees and certificates, by themselves, can do nothing.  Also, keep in mind that what you consider valuable might not be what your potential patients consider valuable.

You need communicate who and what you are in terms of how you can help the person you are addressing.  People really don’t care about you as a provider – they care about themselves. So, you can say something like: “Hi. I’m Helen Smith. People call me Dr. Helen because I am a doctor that can relieve your pain, make you healthier, and improve your life, without the use of drugs or surgery.”

And be sure to state how they can a get a hold of you. Make it very easy for people to reach you.

This is called “placement” in marketing terminology.  Where, and how, can the marketplace get to you – in the easiest and quickest manner? This would include geographical address, phone number, email, web site, fax number, cell phone, and special offer.

The Second Priority
The next phase of any business is systems.  These are also called policies and procedures. You as the doctor cannot do everything in your chiropractic practice, so you develop systems to ensure quality care continues, day after day, without your microscopic and urgent management.

As you grow your business, you usually change your procedures to find the ones that work best for you. This usually takes some trial and error and study. Just because a patient flow pattern worked for one doctor who now gives seminars, it may not work for you.

Some doctors keep changing their procedures out of boredom and thereby stunt their business. Others never change their procedures even though they have long outgrown them. Antiquated procedures, like bad habits, can also hold back the growth of your business.

Eventually, you reach what you consider is your maximum level of production. At this point, it is important to document all of your successful procedures, or systems. This ensures that your staff, and you, will maintain them so that you can keep on cruising at, or near, your capacity.  You can continue to cruise, clone yourself and create a group practice, or even start your own seminar company!

The above two steps actually form the basis of our consulting at Petty, Michel & Associates, by the way, and has for nearly 20 years. We help you increase your patient volume, then gradually help develop your own systems to ensure you reach and maintain your capacity, or add other doctors and providers and continue to grow.

But B.J. Palmer had this figured out a long time ago.

Focus on these two steps and your business will grow.

Ed Petty

For more info on us,
For more info on our approaching to marketing.
And for even more info. give us a call. (414) 332-4511. If we are not in, we will call you back.

With advice from Levinson, Parsons, and Palmer.

Are you having difficulties with your marketing? Do you not have the number of new patients you want?

Let me tell you why.

If you are like most doctors, you are trying to execute marketing ideas or plans with something missing. For an example, it would like trying to drive away in a new car without any tires, or trying to run a computer program without Windows (on a PC).

There is a basic foundation, or interface, that usually gets overlooked in marketing.  And I do mean usually. This is why you work so hard at your marketing yet you do not get the results you want. Or, by now, you haven’t gotten the results you hoped for and have secretly given up.

In other words, you almost have effective marketing. You almost have the number of new patients you need, like almost having a good car when it only has its tires missing. Yet, the tires are fundamental.

There is a fundamental ingredient that ensures your marketing will eventually work; yet it just isn’t promoted.  In most cases, it is overlooked. It is not a secret, but it may as well be.

And, it is nothing new. It is common sense, yet it is consistently shoved aside. I am going to tell you briefly what it is here. If you read this and do it, your marketing efforts will be GREATLY improved.

Are you thinking: “Huh?”  Well, you will have to read this short article to understand. Here we go:

What is the most essential component to effective marketing? Let’s take a look at three.

Marketing Procedures.  Obviously, you need these. These are the “How To’s.”  These are what are usually promoted to chiropractors.

• What gets promoted? “How to Get More New Patients Without Doing Anything And Get Rich While On Vacation.”  “14 Secret Different Surefire Ways To Get New Patients That Insurance Companies Don’t Want You To Know About.” “Who Else Wants A Waiting List Type Of Practice and Only Work 2 Days Per Week?” On and on and on!
• The truth: These are just examples of attention getting packaging. Most of these and other procedures have been around since before Jimmy Parker began his programs back in the early 50’s. (I had chance to talk with him years ago, but that is another story!) It was B.J. Palmer that used “printers ink” and his radio station, W.O.C., to promote Chiropractic back in the Day (1924) . (By the way, did you know that W.O.C (1420 am, Iowa) is believed to be the FIRST commercial radio station west of the Mississippi River, stood for “Wonders of Chiropractic”, and is where Ronnie Reagan, future U.S. President, got his start broadcasting.)

  A doctor decides to create a relationship with auto body shops in town, and makes video about it. Another likes public speaking and makes a seminar company around it.  Nothing wrong with any of this – you can always pick up tips. More importantly, it shows you what is being done by others and can help motivate you to do your own brand of marketing procedures. This leads us to… motivation.

Motivation. Absolutely essential, you need this more than anything. It doesn’t matter how many books, tapes, binders, lectures, videos, and other stuff you have. It will all just sit there unless you have the “giddyup” to apply the procedures.

• What gets promoted? Seminars to get you “pumped up”, “fired up”, and “purposes rekindled.”  Seminars and workshops on “philosophy”, scientific validation, rope courses training, etc.
• The truth. This is the truth. You do need to have energy to put into motion the actions needed to promote your services and from which you generate new patients.  This energy, purpose, drive, desire, and demand will get the marketing projects done.  Seminars, lectures, rope courses, church, anything that helps give you more energy is good. We recommend them.

  Except for one thing: Motivation remedies are basically symptom oriented. (Jim Beam works pretty well too, for a few hours.)  You go to the seminar, get the “passion” going again, and sometimes buy a new table or piece of equipment with high hopes. You come back to the office, change things, and for a few weeks, all is exciting.  Three months later, you find that things are mostly the same as they were before, except that now your motivation is to pay for the plane fare, hotel, and equipment you bought at the last seminar.

Marketing Management. So, what is the fundamental key to marketing?  Well, actually, it is something maybe a little boring and therefore overlooked by most doctors. It is not sexy, or even slightly charming.  It is – the management of marketing.

• How is it promoted? This really isn’t promoted in the industry. Oh, you see something now and then about a marketing plan, or branding – some fluffy stuff written by someone who doesn’t have to pay their staff every two weeks from new patients.
• The Truth. Who wants to manage? You went to school to treat/adjust patients. Most doctors just want something tangible for quick fix.  But the truth is that your marketing procedures need to be placed on an organizational foundation. If that organization is not there, it will be like placing a vase of roses on a two legged stool: your projects will eventually crash.  And, according to Bob Parsons,
  
  

“Anything that is not managed will deteriorate.” (Link)

A good marketing management system solves many practice problems. To name just a few, it

• Decreases the “Practice Roller Coaster.”
• Increases total new patients and active patients.
• Helps select what marketing procedure to use and when.
• Sustains your motivation over the long term.
• Decreases overhead. Money spent on seminars, marketing materials, marketing in general is better targeted so you get more return on your investment (ROI).
• Motivates your staff, which makes for a more pleasant, less stressful work environment for everyone.
• Increases profit.

Do these 5 fast steps to help you with managing your marketing:

Marketing management provides the operating system upon which all your marketing activities, projects, and programs will eventually succeed, or fail. Like computer software such as Windows, or DOS, to use a computer analogy, it is the link between the owner and the staff, between the plan and the application.  It forms a bridge between what you want done and what gets done.

It is the tires to your new shiny car, and it is where the rubber – meets the road.

Even with the briefest amount of management as outlined above, your marketing will improve and your practice will grow.

Ed Petty

To read more about how to manage your marketing, and the Marketing Manager System(sm) , go here.