Category Archives: Marketing

Recycle Tote Bags and Promotional Events

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The Chinese ladies in San Francisco had the idea years ago before it was fashionable. You would see the women in Chinatown transporting all of their shopping with rumpled white plastic bags.  Both hands would be clutching separate sacks that were obviously from some prior purchase.

They recycled their bags. Now, many stores sell bags that can be recycled.
tote-bag
Maybe your “store” should as well. You can order some and have your logo or office name printed on them. Hand the bags out for Earth Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or for all new patients and put patient education material in them. There are many different opportunities to promote your practice using recycle tote bags.

You can order these in Wisconsin at www.northwoodspromo.com.  Ask for Jean.  Tell them you are with Petty, Michel & Associates and they should give you a discount.

I also talked to Matt at www.mpoel.mtoonline.com and he said “I have attached basic pricing starting @ 150 qty for each bag style.” I called a bunch of businesses and all had a minimum quantity. The above two companies seemed to offer the better deals. Here is one of their price lists: grocery-bag-150-qty

Spring Health Observances
And here are some other occasions in which you might want to use them. Excellent chiropractic promotion and for a worthy cause.

Minneapolis Workshop, April, 2009

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What a workshop and boot camp! With 4 separate breakout sessions, everyone was busy learning, training, and getting inspired.

We learned a lot too, and for those of you who attended – thank you!  We had at least as much fun as you did.

We have had many glowing responses since we ended the seminar, including this one, the day after the seminar. One doctor called in and said:

“I don’t know what you guys did, but we are on fire! Heather loved Phyllis and sold THREE PREPAYS this morning!”

The exuberant doctor said that two new patients came in with a guest.  All three became new patients, prepaid, and left with full appointments. “I ended up with an additional 96 visits scheduled”, the doctors said.

A  practice tip from Phyllis from the workshop.

Some other workshop comments:

I learned about the individual departments in our office, learning what areas are strong and what are weak and what to do to make them better.  I liked seeing our staff/team members gain knowledge to bring back to the office.  Dr. A

Seminar was so good, just wanted more of it.

Learned new procedures for financial consultations.  The information was EXTREMELY useful.

Liked the information on consultation and report of findings. Dr. Peter gave us tools to use in office. All pieces of the puzzle are coming together.  Dr. D
Dr. Peter
I loved all the various classes offered (breakout sessions)  Didn’t get bored. (C.A.)

The information was useful. I liked the marketing schedule, back to basics procedures with checklists, focus on low cost marketing, motivation.  Dr. S

Lots of ideas we could apply. Everyone sells health, “scheduling week”, and other ideas – all were useful.

The information was absolutely useful and timely. Will help me with my consultations. Doctor

Dave was a great speaker. Learned more about financial consultations and billing.

Will improve  my ROF’s and my wellness financials. I like the breakout sessions.  Dr.H

I learned how to become the doctor’s support system, handle the new patient, cluster book, recall, and learning that I have the power to lead the patients instead of the patient leading me.

Great Speakers. Easy to follow.

Your company cares and listens to their clients.

Lots of ideas. Liked the external marketing ideas.

Dr. Peter was fabulous.

VERY INSPIRING

Geese

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(This article is attributed to Dr. Harry Clarke Noyes.)

This spring, when you see geese heading north for the summer, flying along in the V-formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way: As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a V-formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

geese-small

People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front.

If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same way as we are.

When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs with people or with geese flying.

Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. What do we say when we honk from behind?

Finally, and this is important, when a goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshots and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose or follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies. Only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation, to catch up with their group.

If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that.

– – –

For a printable poster of this article, click here.
If you know any more about the author of this article, please let us know.

No Recess Here

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Busy-busy-busy. Promotions, staff training, hiring, new procedures, patient finances, and patients, patients, patients.

There may be a recession, but with the doctors with whom we work, there sure hasn’t been a recess!

They are working harder than ever (and so are we!)  And, their practice “scorecards” show it. Some offices report a slight decline but many in fact have been going up.

And that is, in the final analysis, our best solution: In a recess-ion – don’t take a recess.  At least not a mental one. Now and then, it is good to get out, but that is just so you can come back with more energy than ever.

Quit Whining
Arnold Schwarzenegger recently told a group of Europe’s top trade officials:

160533-arnold_thumb_original

“It doesn’t make any sense for people to sit back and whine and to complain about the economy slowing down because we have to look forward rather than back.” He went on to say: “We have to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.”

So, what is the solution?

When the Going Gets Tough
Over the years, we have seen so many chiropractic offices get by with poor procedures, hit and miss marketing, bad management, and sloppy clinical. The thing is, chiropractic works SO WELL that a poorly run office could limp along and survive. But not any more.

When the going gets tough, the tough get to work improving their business, or to paraphrase Stephen Covey, they get to work “Sharpening their Saw.”

You have to improve all aspects of your business. If you don’t, people will go to a doctor’s office that is.

First thing you should do?
But when numbers start to slip, what is the first thing you should do to improve your business? OK, let’s start out this way: what is the first thing you should NOT do?

Read the results of these 2 studies and see if you can guess the answer:

In a study of U.S. recessions, McGraw-Hill Research analyzed 600 companies from 1980-1985. The results showed that business-to-business firms which maintained or increased their advertising expenditures during the 1981-1982 recession averaged significantly higher sales growth, both during the recession and for the following three years, than those that eliminated or decreased advertising. By 1985, sales of companies that were aggressive recession advertisers had risen 256% over those that didn’t keep up their advertising.

Or how about this study by Roland Vaile:

“Advertising executive Roland S. Vaile tracked 200 companies through the recession of 1923. In the April 1927 issue of Harvard Business Review, he reported that the biggest sales increases throughout the period were rung up by companies that advertised the most.”

You guessed it: don’t stop marketing.  Marketing costs money and takes time, and this is one of the first things business owners want to “cut back on” when frightened by a recession.

Hmm, is that defensive or offensive? And the best defense is a what? That’s right, a continuous outreach program.  Talks, screenings, special promotions, networking, do it all and more. Now is not the time to cut back or economize. The time to do that is when you are making the money.  If you try to save now, you will have less and less to save with. Most people spend money when they make it and try to save it when they don’t. In fact, the exact opposite should be done as a business strategy. More on that for a later post.

But marketing isn’t all external. The truth is, it is mostly internal to your office. This means you should work each week  on improving your internal marketing procedures. These include patient education and  extra-ordinary service procedures, and literally everything you do and that goes on in your office that each patient experiences.

What the patient experiences is a critical part of marketing.  If the patient has a satisfying and rewarding experience, he or she will come back and maybe bring a family or friend.  If she doesn’t, she will go somewhere else.

So, don’t go blaming the economy if your patients aren’t coming back or referring, or if your practice is not growing.  Improve your patient’s experience in your clinic and get to work on improving your marketing outreach and all aspects of your business.

Even with the challenges that the economy sends your way, this still could be your finest year.

———–

Come to our Boot Camps and get trained. We are going to train train train, and have fun doing so.

Minneapolis, MN – Thursday, April 2. 8:30 to 5
Milwaukee, WI – Thursday, June 4. 8:30 to 5
Learn about them here.

Listen to Dr. Peter Kevorkian on our next Teleclass on March 23 at 12:30 Central Time.  Special talk on “Creating Lifetime Patients”
To learn more or register, go here.

—————-

link to above mentioned studies: Studies

Economic Factors

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We all know or have heard that the number one reason that a patient drops out of care, based on surveys, is that they experienced an “attitude of indifference” on the part of the doctor or the staff.

Most offices nod knowingly and are assured that their office cares about the patients, that their staff show concern, that their doctors have the patient’s interest at heart.

But what is an “attitude of indifference?” How does it manifest in a clinic? What does it feel like to a patient?

A patient experiences an attitude of indifference when they feel they are the 38th visit on a 60 visit day. They experience an attitude of indifference when they feel like they are on visit 15 of a 36 visit treatment plan and that everything is the same as the last 13 visits.

They feel an attitude of indifference when the doctor says, during the ROF, that he will give them some home exercises, and then doesn’t. Or when the doctor instructs them to attend the spinal care class as an important part of the treatment plan and no one schedules them for it, or when the front desk says they will order a supplement for them and a month goes by without the order, or the doctor says she will do a re-exam and then keeps putting it off, or when the doctor is running 5-10 minutes behind each visit or worse, comes in late.

Normally, you may still get that patient to follow through. But put yourself in the patient’s shoes. They are feeling better, even feeling “healthy” now, they have a $30 copay twice a week, and they have just heard that the company their husband works for may be laying off some people.

90% of the population right now, according to USA Today, is worried about the economy. Many have been affected, and many more are concerned – they are uncertain. When will things get better? Are we heading down farther? Am I going to have any money left?

When people are uncertain, the decisions they make are either “no” or “maybe” (which isn’t a decision but a postponement). They don’t decide that now is a great time to spend more money. Not on cars, not on restaurants, not on healthcare.

Expressing an attitude of interest is an “every visit” manifestation. That patient’s visit is not the 38th of the day or the 15th in their treatment plan – it is a singular, unique moment in time that will never occur again. It is a one and only opportunity to make an impact and a difference in that patient’s life. When you talk to them about the weather (“gee, cold out today, isn’t it?”) or tell them a joke in the treatment room or bs about the Packers – and if that is ALL you do that visit, you are just more white noise in their life, just another piece of spam in their mental inbox.

You have to manage a patient’s care EVERY visit, you have to work to make a difference in that patient’s life EVERY visit. If you don’t, that is an attitude of indifference. There is no other way to put it.

There are four critical factors that go into growing during a recession. These are:

1)    Great customer service. During a recession, other businesses cut back on the front end. People want and need good customer service. They deserve it from your office.

2)    Excellent patient financial plans, well communicated. The first response in some clinics when times get tight is to tighten up your financial plans. “All patients have to pay their copay before they see the doctor. No copay, no visit.” Do this and watch your practice drop by 50% (actual case).

3)    Step up your marketing. Great customer service and flexible financial plans don’t mean anything if no one comes in. Marketing is a variable expense and one of the first areas businesses cut. There were over 650 auto makers in the US before the great depression. After, there were six. Clinics are closing, going out of business right now. You can pick up market share.

4)    Increase your patient education. Patients aren’t going to blindly come in “because you said so”. Educating patients on wellness, having a wellness report of findings, and a “can’t resist” wellness financial plan are keys to building your practice.

Following the 3-Goals principles, review the above four points. Implement them personally. Review them with your staff and see how they can implement them further. Review them again and refine them.

There has never been a better time to grow your practice.

Practice Strategies For Success in 2009

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Milwaukee, WI
Winter (-14 degrees)

Our newsletters have been a little sparse over the last month. Like you, we have been getting the New Year going. It comes at you fast, like the Arctic cold in winter.

Phyllis, Dave and I got together recently and reviewed what has been working for the offices with whom we work and what hasn’t. We also looked at what we did that worked and what didn’t work so well. Based upon this, we have come up with a very exciting program and additions to our services for the New Year.

We will send out a description of these soon. Suffice it to say for now that we have kept our seminars and made them even better. We have also added more teleconferences. For the dates, locations, and topics, check the link below. Stay tuned for a complete description of them coming soon.

But the immediate subject of this letter is to present to you a very general strategy for what we feel is the best course for you to take in the New Year.

We enter the New Year in unprecedented times. There is no denying this. We do not live in our offices as islands, separated from the rest of the country or world.  Some websites will tell you that the end is near. I have been reading doomsayers since the 70’s and they still sound the same. I think it bolsters their ego and gives them a cause, but that is just my opinion.

But it would be wrong to pretend everything is as it always was. Not just our economy, but the world’s economy is going through massive, even revolutionary changes. But there are, and have been, other changes taking place as well. In the last 15 years, electronics have gone through many unthinkable transitions for us coming from the mid 20th Century.  Social changes world wide have taken us beyond the Third Wave, as Alvin Toffler described in his book.  And, there is the ongoing “Wellness Revolution” and “Green Revolution”, which those of us in the chiropractic profession can take pride in the fact that we have been in the forefront. Needless to say, the “Times Are a Changing.”

But with this change comes opportunity. The country is going through a severe “cleanse”: parasite cleanse, colon cleanse, you name it.  It is a time that offers many new avenues for growth and prosperity.

Jeffrey M. Stibel, an entrepreneur and brain scientist writes in a recent article in the Harvard Business Review:

The 2008 recession is an economic firestorm unlike anything the country has seen since the Great Depression. But 2009 is shaping up to be a trigger for an unprecedented surge of innovation that may be one of the most important turning points in the last 100 years.  (article)

Let’s look at some general strategies that will help you prosper in this New Year. We offer a few below and will mail out more specific action steps soon.

  1. First, don’t panic. Danger is always near, especially for a small business owner. So what else is new? Whether it is your association’s alarming headlines about how doctors are earning less or chiropractic gurus advocating working for massage therapists, negative news is all pretty routine, really.  People have always been around to promote the bad news. So what?  Good news is hardly ever promoted.
  2. Motivation. It is fine to face the brutal facts, but what is happening with a Wall Street investment company is not as important as what is happening in your community.  There is bad news. Negative news can distract and dishearten not only you, but also your staff and patients. Limit your exposure to national news and talk shows. Get the facts, fine. But more importantly, every day, look for new reasons to renew your purpose and drive to achieve your goals.
  3. Appreciate your profession. Chiropractic works. It has, it does, and it will.  People benefit from it. People need it, in hard times and good times. These are facts that do not change. You have a skill that you will always have and that can’t be shipped to Asia and that will always be needed and will always be effective. It is a million dollar skill.
  4. Your success is just between you and your patients. You don’t work for a corporation.    You are an independent business professional as well as an independent health care professional. Except from you patients, you can’t be fired.  But they can fire you.  So, take care of them better than you ever have.  The chief difference between you and other options they have is the connection you generate with them. What is the quality of relationship you have developed with your patients as a result of your extra-ordinary service and care?
  5. Health is Wealth: Sell Health.  Get across to your patients and community that health is the only real wealth and this is what your office is uniquely prepared to deliver. Regardless of the employment condition of your patients and potential patients, their health is their greatest wealth. If they are healthy, they can work 3 jobs if needed. If they are not healthy, they won’t be able to work even one. This is why they have to work on maintaining and improving their health. This has to be a recurring message you get across to your patients.
  6. Constant improvement. But only the best business will survive and thrive. Your business organization has to become better, or die.  We have seen mediocre practices struggle along that did not and would not improve their procedures. In better times, they could still survive. These types will more than likely go the way of the dinosaur unless they step up their “game.”  I am not advocating “social Darwinism”, but it is an observation that the better (healthier) companies survive and thrive, and poorly managed ones fail.  We recommend adopting a policy of what we call the “Practice Development Process”. (Small plug: this is what we do and teach.)
  7. More for less. With a process of constant improvement you can work out how you can get more done with less effort. Economize does not mean don’t spend money. It means spend money better. Get more “bang” for your buck. For every dime you spend, you should get back a half dollar.
  8. Triple your patient base. Whatever you have planned for marketing, triple it. Some of your patients may not be able to see you as many times or pay the same fees as before. If this is the case, and I am definitely not promoting this, you have to talk about #5 above.  You will also have to increase your volume of patient visits. It is no longer “how much you can get from how little, but how little you can get from how much”, to paraphrase an old quote from B.J. Palmer.

Over Christmas, most stores did poorly, except for Wal-Mart and McDonald’s. I am not advocating reducing your fees. You probably do not charge enough as it is. But, you have to be prepared to offer different plans based upon the time of payment (payment on assignment, at time of service, or in advance.), as well as other programs.

Now is a great opportunity for growth and entrepreneurship. You are the captain of your ship as it crosses the seas through storms and gales.  Stand at the helm (steering wheel) as the misty wind blows and know that you can beat any storm and take your crew and passengers to sunny skies and calm waters.

It is a challenge, an adventure, and a worthwhile goal you and your team can achieve.

We will be there too.

See you on deck!

Upcoming seminars and teleclasses.

helm

Spirit

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What is the Christmas Spirit?

Whatever the Spirit of Christmas is – compassion, love, joy, gratitude, generosity, empathy, reverence, whatever it is, deep down, you already know it.

It comes to you when you hear a carol for the first time of the season (though maybe not the 50th time). It comes to you when you see young children’s eyes light up when you talk about the Christmas tree. You may feel it at church, while gazing across a snowy landscape, or listening to a parent talk about bygone Christmases.

Even if you are not church-going, or a tabernacle-attending, or mosque-praying, or ashram-relaxing, you still know this Spirit.

Sometimes, you might have to be still for a moment to feel the Spirit. You have to let it come in. And with all the hustle of last minute activities, this Spirit may have a difficult time getting through.

But let it.

You work in one of the most helpful professions on the planet. Daily, you assist people find real relief, better health, and truer happiness. You do this with your technique, with your service, and with your love.

And you do it with this Spirit.

Our wish is for you to embrace it now and each day in New Year.

Stay tuned for a new announcement from Petty, Michel and Associates.  Boy, do we have some COOL things planned for next year!  Really NEW stuff.  And fun too!

In a couple of weeks, you will see an important bulletin going out on what we recommend for essential Strategies and Tactics for Success in 2009. You won’t want to miss it.

But first, you don’t want to miss the Spirit of Christmas.

And so, Merry Christmas to you.

With love and our kindest regards to you and your families all,

Ed, Dave, Phyllis
and all of us at PM&A

Merry Christmas from Dave, Dana, Dr. Peter, Phyllis, Linda, & Ed

Merry Christmas from Dave, Dana, Dr. Peter, Phyllis, Linda, & Ed

New England Chiropractors Are Amazing!

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Does New England have the most gung-ho and happy chiropractors in the country?

We just returned from an amazing week in the Boston area where we had the privilege of spending time with local chiropractors and their teams.

Dr. Peter in Boston

Dr. Peter in Boston

Wow! We doubt that we have ever seen a group that was more centered and positive about chiropractic and the services they were providing to their patients. And after spending a day in one of the offices near Boston, we are also convinced that there are no patients who are more satisfied with their services.

On Thursday, November 6, we hosted our 3-Goals seminar to over 50 doctors and chiropractic team members. Presentations were provided by Dave Michel, Phyllis Frase, and myself, with our special guest who gave a phenomenal lecture, Dr. Peter Kevorkian.

Dr. Peter is also a faculty speaker with the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.

The next day, Friday, Dave and I were interviewed in a television studio for a cable television lecture series produced by Dr. Jean-Marc Slak. Saturday was topped off by a presentation to the Massachusetts Alliance for Chiropractic Philosophy.

A big THANK YOU to all of New England chiropractors for your generous hospitality and service to your communities.

More Photos

Just a reminder – We are holding our last seminar for the year in Chicago on Thursday, December 4. It is conveniently located near the O’Hare airport.  We have a special rate at the hotel of $99 if you want to spend the night. If you can make it, I encourage you to do so. It will definitely be worth your while. More info.

Fall Promotions

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Fall is here and soon it will be the Holiday Season, and the next thing you know, we will be in the dead of winter in 2009.

Yes, life goes on, but you would hardly know it with the constant war between the electoral candidates.  Oh, and then there is this financial crash. Some say the worst since 1929.

With all of this going on, who has time to focus on health care and wellness?

You do! And you better.

I talked to a doctor recently who was looking at buying survival food and was scaring his family half to death with tales of Armageddon. Another doctor called us and wanted to sell his practice.  What?!#

Let’s all take a deep breath and reread the Serenity Prayer.

Thinking global is fine, but you have to focus on the local. And the local is your patients here and now.  They need your best care, and so do their families, friends and the companies with whom they work. Your community needs your chiropractic care and leadership now more than ever.  In addition to the noise of elections and the current financial distress, our country’s “health care” system is in very bad shape.

It is really a question of leadership. When the niceties that hold up our society start to crumble, we are forced to reconsider our basics principles, purposes, and operating procedures. We reach for fundamentals – the things that are really important and do not change.

We know chiropractic works. It did in 1929, 39, 49, etc. We know people still need it and still benefit from it. Then the rest is up to us.

This also applies to our staffs. In uncertain times, everyone looks for certainty. And nothing is more certain than the tried and true science of chiropractic technique. What popular and accessible health care profession out there does it is better?   What gets more people healthier for less cost? It is you – the chiropractic doctor and professional chiropractic team member.

So, it is up to you to be the beacon, the light house, the calm and confident leader to your staff and patients. You have to be focused on your art, and stay centered in your philosophy.

There have always been crises. There always will be. But the basics always apply. And those who apply them win in the end.

So, back to reality here. Some of the basics include promotion. And for promotion to work it has to be planned and scheduled. Let’s look at what you are doing for your marketing calendar this month.

Here are some ideas:
1.    Marketing Manager System – Monthly Marketing Meeting. Schedule a marketing meeting soon. Review last several months. What worked, what didn’t. Look at the numbers. Make plans for the next 4 months – through February.
2.    Short term. Halloween ideas.
3.    November. Food drive for the less fortunate
4.    December. First week. Gift exchange, internal trade show at the office.
5.    Jan.  Workshops on fitness, health, and economical ways to stay fit.
6.    February. Valentine’s Day promotion. More workshops.

(Note to active clients and those of you who own the Marketing Manager System program: You can find sample word documents on your MMS computer program and on the MMS member’s site. Also, you can check with your consultant for customized for other materials.)

I would also be scheduling speaking engagements external and internal to the office for the first three months of the new year now.

For the next couple of months, you may have to work more internal. Make your office the warmest and friendliness and safest island of calm and health in your community. NO NATIONAL news.

Remember your basics: chiropractic works, people need it, and it is up to you to see that they get it. Stay focused on this formula, and you will have a bountiful fall and winter.

Fight or Flight – Creating Your Own Economy

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Brookings, Oregon.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008

***Rock stable principles in a sea of bad news – and the future of your practice
***October promotion with sample
***Reimbursement teleseminar coming soon
***Seminars in November and December
—————————————————-

Are you scared?

More and more, it seems like fear mongering is used by associations, consultants, and governments.

One doctor, who is having his best year ever, recently called in worried, questioning what he should do. He had just read his state association’s monthly magazine with the headline that chiropractors earned less, again, this last past year.  The article cited a survey and offered no real encouragement about what to do.

As a client of ours, we referred him to objective evidence that the action steps he had been working on were taking his business to record highs and that we were on the right track.

Another article by a well known chiropractic and dental consultant published last year talked about how chiropractic was all washed up. He suggested chiropractors start working for massage therapists.

You can always find bad news. But the fact, and the good news, is that if you implement fundamental marketing and management systems into your practice, and keep them going on a recurring basis, it will grow.  We know this to be true as we see it demonstrated from the numbers that come in from our clients. They are growing.

For business in general, at least here in the Midwest, things aren’t all bad. A recent report says that “Business activity in the U.S. Midwest expanded in September at a faster rate than expected, with production picking up rapidly and hiring rates on the rise, a report showed on Tuesday.” (Reuters, Sept. 30)

Fear is a strong emotion. It can make you panic and lose sight of what is right in front of you. A major reason people drown while swimming is because they let fear take control of them.

There may be threats to your survival staring you down, but fear and panic only make it worse. In the martial arts, you are trained to stay calm in violent situations and use your energy only when it is most effective. You have to be willing and able to take action. Fleeing can be more dangerous. But most of all, you stay calm, stay focused, and get through the situation ideally with non violence.

While our economic system, as well as our health care system, continues to destabilize, consider these elements which are as stable as rocks in pounding surf.

Chiropractic Results. Chiropractic has worked through wars, depressions, recessions, and will continue to do so no matter what the future brings.

Need For Chiropractic Care. People have needed chiropractic care in the past and this won’t change. In fact, with an aging population and a growing orientation towards wellness, the demand for chiropractic care will only grow.

Business. Globally, the Market will go through whatever changes it needs to go through. Locally, however, the principles of the Market and fair exchange do not change. People will pay for quality services and goods that they feel they need.

Your chiropractic practice, properly systematized, is an engine that exchanges the health benefits of chiropractic care with those who need it.

So, don’t be distracted by fear mongering about the national or even the chiropractic economy. Do not panic. You are not drowning.

What is the outlook for your business? It is promising! Why? Because you are able to create your own economy by implementing and maintaining effective marketing and business systems that support your practice.

Work on your business. Make it better. Learn about marketing and how to systematize your procedures. Study and get support as needed to improve all aspects of your operation. In fact, now more than ever, the best investment you can make is in your business.  But, keep in mind the fundamentals mentioned above never change.

# # #

October Promotion. Here is a simple promotion you can use for October, or any month. Link to promotion.

Show Me The Money – Teleseminar on Chiropractic Reimbursement. As a reminder, this Tuesday, October 7, we will have another teleconference on Chiropractic Reimbursement. Our last one was a tremendous success. Dave Michel is truly an expert in this area and your staff will benefit from attending this one hour seminar.   For active clients, the access code and phone number will be posted on our member’s site by Friday, October 3.  If you are not a client, you can learn more here –more info.

Seminars. Then, take advantage of attending one of our 3 Goals Seminars in Boston, on Thursday, November 6, or Chicago on Thursday, December 4.    More info.

Spinefest

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Dr. Don Warren and his happy team of professional chiropractic assistants created one of the greatest and most fun special promotions I’ve seen a long time. They call it Spinefest.

One type of an effective Special Promotion  ties into a donation program, which in this case, was a food drive. Not only were they able to generate money for the “Feed the Hungry” program and get great publicity doing so, they also fostered good will in the community and as a result, saw their new patient numbers head skyward.

They do this every fall. A recent magazine article just came out featuring Dr. Warren on the back cover. (Note: The article states that Dr. Warren is president of his state association which is incorrect.)

Chiropractic Special Promotions

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  • What is a Special Promotion?
  • How often do you use them?
  • Why do you use them?
  • Are there times that you shouldn’t use them?
  • What is the key to their success?
  • Plus- 14 Questions for each promotion.
  • Plus- 24 examples of special promotions.

What Is a Special Promotion?

A special promotion is a promotion that is not a regular part of your standard patient marketing procedures.  Every clinic should have routine and recurring procedures that serve to promote its services.  This would include different forms of patient education, recommendations to patients to bring in family members for a check-up, the manner in which the phone is answered, newsletters, etc.

On occasion, however, you may want to celebrate a special event, like the anniversary of our clinic, or hold a party for all of your patients for the holidays, or take part in a community wide donation program with your patients.  This is called a special promotion.  They can be targeted to your entire patient base, or just a section of it. For example, you could set aside a special day for just for kids or an after hours “Girls Night Out.”.

How Often Are Special Promotions Used?
Because these promotions can be directed at select groups of patients and non patients, you could have as many as one or two per month.  However, they do take up staff time to prepare properly and to execute each promotion effectively. Therefore, a special promotion every 2 to four months is usually adequate.

Why use Special Promotions?
There are a number of reasons to do special promotions.  First, of course, they can generate new patients.  But there are other reasons as well.  For example, handing out carnations to mothers on the week before Mother’s Day is done just for the goodwill– because it is a nice thing to do.  Another reason is that it can add fun for the staff by providing them with an activity outside of their usual patient services and admin duties.

Another benefit of special promotions is that it draws attention to your office. Patients and non-patients see that there are extra exciting activities occurring with your office in addition to the great service you provide.  It helps create marketing “buzz,” or conversations about your office.

When Not to Use Special Promotions
If you or your staff are already stressed with extra work, major in-office changes, or have repeatedly done new patient promotions recently, do not schedule a special promotion soon.  You need to build up your routine and recurring internal and external promotional procedures for a while in order to “grow” more new patients.  A special promotion is like a special harvesting… you can’t pick apples off a tree more than once in a season.

Special promotions can act like an artificial boost.  Often, the real energy has been built up in the office or in the community and a special promotion just “releases” it.

You may have seen other doctors trying to run a special promotion in the newspaper over and over, usually for something free.  It may have worked once, and may work again, but probably not right away.  Continuous “specials” poorly targeted and improperly timed will grind your other promotions down to a halt.

Preparation Is The Key
Plan ahead.  At least 70%, of the work of a special promotion is in preparation.  Avoid “too little too late”, a common mistake with  many promotions.

Plan several special promotions for the next six months.  You can always cancel them later if you have too many. You can tie them into seasons, holidays, special events, or anything that might be of particular interest to your community, to your patients, and … to you and your staff.  They should be kept fun and creative.  Everyone should be involved.  The event should be discussed at staff meetings, and different projects delegated to different staff, even the doctors.

Different promotions can be delegated to different team members.  You can give each person the option of creating their own event.  In one office the Billing and Collections Coordinator took on the month of August and organized a  “Flea Market” on a weekend in the clinic’s parking lot.  Patients rented booths and a food vendor set up a shop, and health screenings were provided by the office. It was a resounding success.

Lastly, someone should act as the Special Promotion/Event Coordinator to help keep things organized.

14 Questions to Ask for Each Special Promotion

  1. Why are we doing this event and how does it align with our mission
  2. Who exactly is the special promotion for?
  3. Is the event just internal to the office, or just external, or both?
  4. Is the event designed to directly generate new patients, just generate good will, or both?
  5. What does the target market get out of it?  Why would they want to participate?  What is in it for them?
  6. What are we going to get out of the event?  How will it benefit our clinic?
  7. When are we going to have it?
  8. What is the duration of the event?
  9. What is our budget?
  10. How are we going to promote it?
  11. What needs to be done?
    1. Before the event
    2. During the event
    3. After the event.
  12. Are all of the duties listed above delegated to individual staff?
  13. Who is the coordinator for the event?
  14. Do they have time scheduled to prepare for the event?

Examples of Special Promotions
(I-Internal, E-External)

  1. Senior’s Day (I&E)
  2. Valentine’s Day (I)
  3. National Correct Posture Month (May) (I&E)
  4. Mother’s Day (I)
  5. Father’s Day (I)
  6. Kid’s Day (I&E)
  7. Back to School Day for Kids (I&E)
  8. Patient Appreciation Day (I)
  9. Community Appreciation Day (E)
  10. Open House (I&E)
  11. Grand Opening (E)
  12. Anniversary (I&E)
  13. Spinal Health Care Month (I&E)
  14. Food Drive (I&E)
  15. Toy Drive (I&E)
  16. Other donation drives, such as YMCA (I&E)
  17. Christmas gifts, coupons and health certificates (I&E)
  18. General referral coupons for friends and family members of patients
  19. Teacher’s Appreciation Day (I&E)
  20. Care to Share (Internal)
  21. Doctors with a Heart
  22. Girls Night Out (Internal/External)
  23. Cinco de Mayo Party
  24. Fireman Appreciation Week
  25. Blame Someone Else Day

Example of One Doctor’s Successful Promotion

For more articles on practice development for your chiropractic office.

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It's Summer. Get Outside!

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Summer is a great time to promote your services.

While all marketing starts from the “inside” and internal marketing can be very effective, so can external marketing.  Internal, or in the office marketing, is a form of networking. The most effective form of external marketing, or marketing to non patients outside of the office, has also been networking.

In our world today, we are “spammed” to death.  It is estimated that we are hit over 2,000 times each day in the US with advertisement impressions. There is just too much “noise.”

One of the reasons social networking on the internet has grown is that it allows people to bypass the noise and network on a more personal basis.  But real world local networking opportunities exist right in your back yard: summer “block parties”, church socials, Lions Club pancake breakfasts, parades, 10-Ks and other walk/runs, donation drives – the list goes on and on.

You can just show up and meet people. Let them meet you.  Much like an elected official does when she runs for office.  You can also get a picture taken of the event and then use this in your internal promotions.

Here is a picture of me waving to the crowd with our state representative, Dr.Sheldon Wasserman, at our local 4th of July parade.

Get a list of upcoming community events from the Chamber of Commerce and schedule a screening, talk, an information booth, your own participation (volunteer your help), or just a visit. Be neighborly.

There is often a run or walk as part of a donation program during the summer months in which you and your staff can participate.  We have seen offices proudly wear their office t-shirts and recruit many patients to do the same.

When you are networking, you get to know people. Be interested in them and thier interests. Then you can hand out your cards. You an also hand out coupons for a screening or workshop at your office. And then, of course, there are on site screenings.

Screenings still work. You better believe it! But they have to be well organized. Most importantly, the people doing the screenings have to want to be there and have fun doing them.  We have been doing screenings for over 20 years and they can be as effective now as they ever were.  But whether you do a screening, or run, or just show up with your friendly conversation and cards, there are many summer events for you to get out and do some networking.

Here are just some of the benefits:

  • Meet new people who can eventually become new patients or new referral sources.
  • Meet active patients and strengthen your relationship with them in a different setting.
  • See inactive patients and reactive them, or encourage referrals from them.
  • Get out, get some sun and have some fun!

As Woody Allen is to have said:

Eighty percent of success is showing up.

 You can’t loose. It’s Summer. Get Outside.

#  #  #

Promotions: Just Schedule Them

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As we have said MANY times before, the number one problem with the marketing in most offices is that— it just doesn’t get done.What is the solution?A big part of it is just scheduling them.

To help you with this, you need a marketing calendar.

Once a month, take an hour off and plan some internal and external events over the next several months.

If you wonder where your patients are, make sure your front desk has them scheduled to come in.

Next, you better make sure you have your promotions scheduled to encourage new people to come in.

To help you with this, here are 4 great resources:

  1. Essential elements about your chiropractic practice marketing plan.
  2. Sample three month planning calendar for download.
  3. Sample 12 month marketing calendar for down download (81/2 x 11).
  4. Large, 2 foot by 3 foot marketing wall calendar for purchase.  Post this in your break room and to plan and coordinate your upcoming promotions with your team.

Protecting Your Patients From Negative Press

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Just caught a minute of CNN Wednesday morning (June 25) about chiropractic and strokes.

The news anchor interviewed CNN’s resident M.D., Dr. Sanja Gupta, who reports on a specific stroke victim, Britt Harwe. He refers to an “advocacy group” for other stroke victims of chiropractic, and uses the term “Chiropractic Stroke.”  He also interviews a representative from the American Chiropractic Association who gives a pretty lame presentation.

So, to start off with, the piece is slanted negatively.

Then, the M.D. recommends that viewers only see chiropractors who have been licensed and who have attended chiropractic colleges, which are 2-4 year programs.  I may have missed something, but I have never seen, or heard of a chiropractor who has attended a two year D.C. program. Again, another slant covertly snuck in.

But then I checked: this  lady had a stroke FIFTEEN years ago! CNN is Cable NEWS network.  What about this is news?

To be fair, Gupta had a nice piece about chiropractic a few years ago.  And, not to pick on CNN, as I saw at least one negative article at another network’s web site.

While a stroke can be tragic, as in the case of Ms. Hawre, a quick glance at at least one study shows that chiropractic patients are no more likely to suffer a stroke following chiropractic treatment than they would after visiting their family doctor’s office.

Stroke victims deserve all the help, understanding, and care possible.  The chiropractic profession needs to always honestly review their standards of care for improvement, as does any profession or business.

But for a negatively slanted piece to come out 15 years after the fact belies the real motivation of the report. We have seen the medical establishment try to contain chiropractic in the past. This has been proven in the Wilk’s case.

The chiropractic profession is, and has been, the leader in the Wellness Revolution.  But it has not been easy.  There are and will continue to be sucker punches thrown at you and your patients.

Not supported by pharmaceutical funding, the responsibility of chiropractic public relations has to be shouldered by chiropractors and their professional staff.

I thought I would bring all this up because of your patients.  They hear garbage like this and it can dull their appreciation for chiropractic and what it and you have done for them.

You have to know what you are up against, as do your staff, as do your patients.

Educate them. Stay in the fight. Get a little outraged. It is good for you. Makes you strong. Tell your story and the chiropractic story. Improve your services and pursue your greater purposes.

This is the real point of this post: protect your patients by educating them.  Get them through their care and onto wellness care. Have them join the fight.

We put together a poster regarding strokes in case they bring it up to you for your use in patient education. Down load it and use if you want. You can get more data at the A.C.A. site here.

CNN link


"Good balance of hard facts and philosophy."

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We just finished our Minneapolis seminar and WOW! Not trying to exaggerate here, but it was great.


Highlighting our the seminar was Dr. Peter Kevorkian who gave a rousing presentation. Dr. Peter’s animated talk interwove science, chiropractic history, and practical patient education procedures that both inspired and informed.

Like many of you, I have been to scores, if not hundreds of chiropractic talks (not counting listening to Dave go on and on about insurance companies on our long driving road trips). Dr. Peter was masterful at integrating philosophy and science with the practical nuts and bolts our clients could use to develop their practices. One of the best presentations I have heard.

And like a true leader, he practices what he preaches, seeing well over 3,000 visits per month with his wife, in three days per week. He actually is achieving all three goals and represents our 3 Goals Program well.

Phyllis Frase gave specific tips for staff team members and doctors in her presentation that was energetic and passionate. Dave Michel and I also gave talks that provided sound business and marketing advice.

One doctor almost complained to us that the day after the seminar his staff were so on fire and motivated he could hardly recognize them.

One of the most glowing reports stated that the seminar was a “Good balance of hard facts and philosophy.”

New seminars coming up in Chicago and possibly on the East coast. Stay tuned…

Photos here.

Here are some comments:

Good balance of hard facts and philosophy.

There were many ideas that we could apply in our office.
The information was incredibly useful. We need to recognize that we are in a business.

I also liked the fact that you were punctual. This leaves a huge impression on your company.

Great seminar.

Learned many new ideas. Loved the focus on service — there were many example we can implement that were new and many great reminders. The information was absolutely useful.

Speakers were dynamic and to the point.

Information was entirely useful. I liked the 3 Goals Process and the 9 roles on it. It was a practical seminar – not too much info, not too little. Easily refreshed on some things and good reminders on what to implement.

Great speakers.

Information was very useful. Great job!.

Like the marketing ideas and positive energy.

Information was simple but useful kept short as not to lose focus. Great energy and from the heart .. can feel the passion.

Thank you for a great day of learning how to be better than yesterday. I have really enjoyed going to work so much more since we have joined PM&A these last few months. And, we have gotten busier – so fun!!

No Soup For Dr. Steve and Staff — One Year!

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Last week I was in Elgin, Il, working with a chiropractor and his staff.

The doctor has a patient who is doing an independent film and used his clinic as a location for filming. The movie includes the actor, Larry Thomas, who is famous for his part in the Seinfeld comedy sitcom as the “Soup Nazi.”

Besides being a reminder to a very funny skit, the lesson here is that a chiropractic office has many uses besides chiropractic care. It can be used for meetings of local associations, workshops, yoga classes,  and many other types of events.  All of these position your facility as an inclusive public location and can get you better known. This film, even if it tanks, will definitly draw attention to Dr. Steve and his services. And if the film becomes a blockbuster… soup and adjustments for everyone!

Watch a clip from the Seinfeld series with the Soup Nazi. Clip.

New ABN Form Coming Soon

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As some of you have already heard, Medicare has revised the ABN form that patients sign. [What is the ABN form? From the American Chiropractic Association.]

The revised form, with a new title, “Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage,” can be found here.

Although the use of this new ABN form is not mandatory until September 2008, you can start now if you know the rules, have the new ABN form, and implement it properly.

So far, WPS Medicare (for Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and Minnesota) has not mentioned the new form or implementation, but other states have already started the process.

Thanks to Bev for alerting us to this.

If you are aware of anything new about this form, or any insurance issues affecting chiropractic care that other offices might want to know, please feel free to post a notice here or email us at pma@pmaworks.com.