A Real Chiropractic Dream Team

How does a doctor get nominated by her community as Woman of the Year?

Eight years later, how does she get selected by her peers as Chiropractor of the Year for her state?

And then… a couple of years later, how does her office get selected by its town as Small Business of the Year?

How does this doctor raise children, be a loving spouse, sell a house, build a new one, take vacations, be involved in her community, yet see a high volume of patients? And all the while having a happy and stress free office. Oh, and also be quite prosperous?

How does she do it?

Is she a Super-High-Energy- Doctor and Outspoken Leader? Naw, not really.

Killer marketing, right? Nope. Good marketing, but, not the way most seminars teach it.

Good clinical services? Definitely. Excellent clinical care – but that still isn’t the key.

And there is a key. You can learn it and you can have it.

And if you use it, you too can achieve this too – but first you have to shed old beliefs of practice management, many of which are still taught. In fact, conventional management procedures are so backward in many cases that they don’t belong back in the 20th Century, but back in the 19th.

You may be unknowingly operating your business much like medical doctors did and do, or using a industrial model or even a feudal model of management. I have even seen some doctors use a military model for managing their office! Sir, yes Sir!

All of these models have had their time and place, but not in the here and now. And definitely NOT in 2013.

As an end of year, Christmas (and Holiday) gift, and one that can set the stage for your New Year, we are offering a free webinar this Thursday at 12:30 Central Time.

Meet the doctor, and her team for a lively interview and how they do it.

They are a truly a Dream Team. Not perfect – just working on it and having fun doing so.

I could tell you more about it now… and I want to. You can piece together some tips on how they do it from our blog, particularly the information about 3 Goals. But I don’t want to give away too much before the webinar.

Afterwards, definitely. But I really want you to hear it live – from the doctor and her amazing team.

Hope to see you there.

Best regards,

Ed

Webinar Thursday, December 13th, 12:30 Central

  More Info and Registration

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How To Make Your Dream Team

“Doctored”– The Movie Shown at October EPOC

I just had the privilege of viewing the new movie, “DOCTORED” in Lake Geneva, WI with the EPOC (Epicenter of Chiropractic) group.
I am sure you have heard of it by now, originally called “Medical Inc.” I know some of you have even seen it. It was great and I would definitely give it a thumbs up. I am not going to review it here except to say that for those of you who have been around for a while, most of the information was not new. It exposed corporation’s greedy control of medicine, pharmaceuticals, food, and the government in an attempt to eliminate competition, including chiropractic, organic food, and other alternative natural health care methods.

It was professionally done and all in all, a good movie – definitely historic as far as chiropractic goes.

But the move is not for us. It is for all the people in your community who are not under care. For them I think it will be excellent.

I also had the privilege of talking to one of the executive producers of the movie (turns out we’ve known him for years!), Dr. Paul Riegleman, and one of the doctors who stared in it, Dr. Tony Ebel.

In the next couple of days, I will send you some suggestions for a marketing plan with input from myself and other doctors, including the doctor who starred in the movie, Dr. Tony Ebel.

So stay tuned. Properly marketed, this movie can be a big boost for your patient volume and create outstanding good will in your community. And maybe just a little bit of controversy. 😉

Are you ready? Good. Stay tuned…

Why You Shouldn’t Have Promotions

As a chiropractor, there are many reasons why you shouldn’t have practice promotions.

Hundreds.  You can come up with 10 right now. Your staff could think of more. So could your family!

Most of them would have something to do with not enough time to do them, or too much of a hassle, or it might cost too much. Then, there is also:  not sure if they would work, or what do we do and how do we do it?  Maybe you are really too frightened, embarrassed, or burned out to promote.

Now, you could say:  “Hey, I already have more patients than I can see.”

Yes, maybe you could.  But then you would have to ask yourself: “is everyone in my town getting proper chiropractic and natural health care?” “Is anyone in my neighborhood receiving unnecessary drugs, surgery?”

On the other hand there are only a few reasons you would want to have practice promotions. These would include:

  • Help more people
  • Fill up your office
  • Make more money
  • Make your services and those of chiropractic more popular

In terms of traffic lights, promotions are GREEN.

 In your office, what light is flashing? Yellow, red, or green?

Green means GO! Promotion = pro + motion. The word comes from “forward motion.”

Ultimately, there are three basic reasons for not promoting:

3. Not knowing what or how
2. Lacking the motivation
1. Lacking the organization

In our upcoming webinar, we cover the what and the how and the why to get your promotions going, fill up your office, increase your revenue, and make your services more popular.

Hope to see you there.

Best regards,

Ed

 

The Promise of the New Year

Lake Michigan, Milwaukee

Happy New Year! It is now 2012.

It is a New Year – fresh with prospects for new opportunities and adventures.

It will come at us fast, we know that. It will have challenges, though we don’t know what they may be exactly. There will be struggles and successes.

But we are given this opportunity, this chance, this privilege to play this game and to do our best at it. And for this, we are grateful. We can learn from our past and work to make this year exceptional – for ourselves and for all those whom we touch in body and spirit.

This year holds within it a promise for each of us – the promise for prosperity, for helping more people get healthier, and for each of us to spend more time following our own greater purposes.

It also holds a promise for all those who will look to you this year for help.

As the days of this New Year continue to dawn, we wish you success in achieving your goals in chiropractic and in life. We are all in this together – and you can count on us to work with you and to give you our best efforts and knowledge to make this a winning season and a winning year.

“Thank You” to All of You Who Work in the Chiropractic Profession

It is that time of year when we take a moment to give thanks and in so doing, we want to say “Thank You” to you.

Thank You Very “Doggone” Much as a matter of fact. Thank you for all you do to care for and help your patients.

You all are part of a great profession that helps millions of people each day. And because of you, chiropractic and the chiropractic way of life has persisted and grown and is now more accepted than ever before.

You are braver than most, work harder than most and genuinely care more for your patients than perhaps other care professionals are allowed to. It could be said that you are the best defense against a drugged zombied society, but it is definitely true that your loving care helps much more than you have been recognized for.

So, just a note to say that we are grateful for all you do.

“THANKS”

Billy DeMoss Shakes Up Appleton Wisconsin at Petty Michel Seminar

Billy DeMoss, ChiropracTOR

Dr. Billy DeMoss gave a heated and edgy presentation for 3 hours to chiropractors and their staff in Appleton, Wisconsin, Friday night, Aug. 19th. Full of anecdotes from his own practice, along with statistics, slides and videos, “Billy D” reminded everyone what chiropractic and natural health care is all about.

He talked about how providing chiropractic care is actually fun and how you should have fun in your office. He stated that patients want to come to a place that is enjoyable, where staff and doctors are having a good time in a positive atmosphere.

But he also explained that it takes a great deal of work to have a successful office. He recounted the days that he had to do manual odd jobs just to make it through school. He works hard at his office but keeps it fun.  “If you want a more successful and profitable practice you are going to have to work for it.”

“The days of the $200 dollar office visit are fading,” he said.  Workers Compensation reimbursement in California has been cut back and some money motivated chiropractors have abused the system. But money is not the goal, and never has been, he said.  Serving people will always be rewarded financially, but that is not our primary objective.

He emphasized that our main goal should be to teach and adjust. Some doctors complain about doing screenings or lectures, but Billy asks the audience: who do we do it for?  Are we worried about inconviencing ourselves or do we want to help people get healthier?

He discussed issues such as vaccinations, diet, United States health statistics relative to other countries, and said that the chiropractors were the ones best poised to take a leadership role in the health care of the U.S.

After 3 hours of Billy’s high energy, the mesmerized and energized crowd gave him two standing ovations.

One member of the audience who owns a small farm and who was not a doctor or staff member, said he wished there were more people speaking out like Dr. Billy DeMoss. He said it was one of the best presentations he had ever seen.

The next morning,  Phyllis Frase spoke to staff and doctors about how to be a “Rock Star” C.A.  Phyllis also gave a dynamic talk and will be speaking at the Cal Jam in California, February 24-26.

PM&A encourages all who can make it to Cal Jam to do so.  I attended 2 years ago and it was absolutely the most unique and refreshing chiropractic seminars I’ve attended in 20 plus years. Well worth the time and money.  More info about CAL JAM.

Dave Michel, Billy DeMoss, Dana Pittner, Phyllis Frase, Ed Petty

 

CATCH DR. BILLY DeMOSS SPEAKING MONDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 22 AT LAKE GENEVA, WI.  FOR MORE INFO, CALL: 262-275-5005

Video here

Photos here

A Poem about Responsibility

by Charles Osgood

There was a most important job that needed to be done,
And no reason not to do it, there was absolutely none.
But in vital matters such as this, the thing you have to ask
Is who exactly will it be who’ll carry out the task?

Anybody could have told you that everybody knew
That this was something somebody would surely have to do.
Nobody was unwilling; anybody had the ability.
But nobody believed that it was their responsibility.

It seemed to be a job that anybody could have done,
If anybody thought he was supposed to be the one.
But since everybody recognized that anybody could,
Everybody took for granted that somebody would.

But nobody told anybody that we are aware of,
That he would be in charge of seeing it was taken care of.
And nobody took it on himself to follow through,
And do what everybody thought that somebody would do.

When what everybody needed so did not get done at all,
Everybody was complaining that somebody dropped the ball.
Anybody then could see it was an awful crying shame,
And everybody looked around for somebody to blame.

Somebody should have done the job
And Everybody should have,
But in the end Nobody did
What Anybody could have.
===================

Abridged Version.
Author Unknown.

The Parable of Responsibility
Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody were members of a group.
There was an important job to do and Everybody was asked to do it.
Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.
Anybody would have done it, but Nobody did it.
Somebody got angry because it was Everybody’s job.
Everybody thought Anybody would do it, but Nobody realized that Anybody wouldn’t do it.
It ended up that Everybody, blamed Somebody, when Nobody did, what Anybody could have done.

A Few May Promotions for Your Chiropractic Practice

Mother’s Day is coming up soon (Sunday, May 8th).

This brings up the whole topic of women’s health care.

There are many types of health related events concerning women that you can participate in during this month (or any month, really) that are not only good causes, but can act to spotlight your services.

These include:

  • talks outside of the office
  • workshops in house
  • movie screenings
  • special awareness, or “Appreciation Weeks” for free health screenings
  • sponsor radio programs, interviews
  • letters to the editor
  • gifts (flowers the Friday before Mother’s Day)
  • and tape video “health tips” and post to YouTube.
  • donation drives

The list can go on and on. Some offices have had talks about pregnancy and pre and post natal care, sometimes with a midwife or nurse. One office does very well simply sending out a mailer each year to all local homeowners sponsoring a Women’s Health Care Week, offering free exam, x-ray, and massages.

Special promotions can work but they work much better if they are connected to a legitimate cause. There even is a name for this, and you guessed it, it is called “Cause Marketing.” For it to be effective, however, it has to be sincerely supported by the entire practice team. Doing a special event to support women just to get new patients will appear phony to others and can have negative effects.

One movie that has been shown is the Business of Being Born, a movie about harmful health practices connected to births in America. From its web site:

Should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potentially catastrophic medical emergency?

Another example of a movie suitable for screening will be: One More Girl. This is a movie documentary how the pharmaceutical company, Merck, knowling continuted to advertise their drug Gardasil (a drug promoted to help HPV infections) to girls after Merck knew it was dangerous.

From the movie’s web site:

Merck’s marketing techniques earned Gardasil a “pharmaceutical brand of the year” award from Pharmaceutical Executive for its ‘savvy disease education,’ and creating ‘a market out of thin air.”

Even though most HPV infections clear on their own, invasive cervical cancer deaths affect 2.7 women per 100,000, and the American Cancer Society lists cervical cancer as the 12th ranking cancer in the United States, parents lined up to get their daughters protected and doctors were ready with needles in hand.

Consumers are not aware of the trail of deception behind over 21,133 adverse reactions and 94 deaths in previously healthy, athletic, competitive and scholastic adolescent girls.

(Thanks to Dr. Ebner for referring us to this movie!)

The movie producers are seeking donations to produce this film. Perhaps your office could help raise funds!

Another idea would be to have a special week just for mothers and daughters: free health screenings, tea, a spa day with manicure and massage for mothers and daughters, etc.

Our member’s site has a few posters and other ideas available to you as active clients.

Here is a poem by Tina Fey for her daughter. (mild profanity)

Best Wishes for a Merry Month of May!

Ed

“The Mother’s Prayer for its Daughter” – Tina Fey

A Mother’s Day Poem.

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered,

May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half

And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her

When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the nearby subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock N’ Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance.

Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes

And not have to wear high heels.

What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.

Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long,

For Childhood is short — a Tiger Flower blooming

Magenta for one day —

And Adulthood is long and Dry-Humping in Cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever,

That she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers

And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister,

Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends,

For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord,

That I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 a.m., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.

“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck.

“My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental note to call me. And she will forget.

But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.

Tina Fey (from She Knows Parenting )

Billy DeMoss, the Dead Chiropractic Society (DC-S), and a free Chiropractic

Dr. Billy DeMoss has changed chiropractic.

He has done this by offering an alternative model to the standard chiropractic seminar.  In so doing, he has helped to bring chiropractic back to chiropractic.

We all know that there are various versions in how this great profession is presented and applied.  But there is a common denominator in the profession that makes it special and in which everyone can agree.

What is it?

The subluxation…? Well, sure, but even this is disputed.  Let’s go for something even more basic.

The fact that chiropractic truly helps people get healthier and avoid getting run down in the medical-pharmaceutical-sickness complex?  Yes. True enough.

What else makes it special that we can all agree to?

NO ONE OWNS IT. Chiropractic wasn’t bought out by a Chinese company, a multinational firm, or bailed out by the Federal Reserve or the World Bank.  Your skills are not trademarked by Eli Lilly (Pharmacy Company). You can use Activator or the knee-chest. For the most part, you are free to do whatever you want.

But there is also something else that makes chiropractic special and that we all can agree to. What is it?

Well, chiropractic, if you are doing it right, is fun. In fact, it is a blast.  Adjusting patients and seeing them get better and loving you and your team for it! What could be better?

So, let’s add it all up: chiropractic helps people get healthier, it helps them avoid costly medical procedures, it allows them to live a better life, it allows you and your staff to have a better life, it is free from outside financial interests, and, it is fun.

NOW this is cause for a party!! THIS, if anything, should be celebrated.

This is what Billy preaches, practices, and sets an example for us all.

There are many professions out there that are soulless, goalless, and hopeless. Many are also too burdened with their own seriousness. We also can fall into this “chiropractic-as-drudgery” daily work mindset.

But, this is NOT chiropractic. And, as B.J. Palmer said:

The average businessman has long since forgotten Rule No. 9, “Don’t take yourself too damn seriously.”

Dr. DeMoss practices Rule No. 9. and helps us all celebrate the work we do.

The next Cal Jam, which he calls “ kiro-Woodstock”  is scheduled for March 12th  & 13th, 2012.  You can visit his website at www.californiajam.org where you can sign up to receive his newsletter and be a part of his worldwide referral network.

AND, you can listen to him live this Tuesday, April 26, at 12:30 Central Time. (For non active clients, we are charging $25 which will be donated to Oaklahaven.)

Register Here

For the full article on Rule #9 by B.J.Palmer, and a downloadable PDF file: Rule #9


My Life And Times With B.J. Palmer – An Interview with Dr. Perrault

In a special teleclass sponsored by Petty, Michel and Associates, Dr. Thomas Perrault will be interviewed by Dr. Tom Potisk, both graduates of the Palmer Chiropractic College.  Dr. Perrault personally knew Dr. B.J. Palmer, considered the Developer of Chiropractic, and spent time with him in the early part of Dr. Perrault’s career. (More about Dr. Palmer.)

Dr. Perrault will discuss some of his experiences with Dr. Palmer and what he learned from him.

It is safe to say that no other individual has been more responsible for the growth and continued success of the chiropractic profession than B.J. Palmer. He was a man of extra-ordinary energy and dedication to helping others with chiropractic. (More about B.J. Palmer.)

Dr. Tom Perrault, Sr., Founder of Perrault Chiropractic Offices, received a Bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University and a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1962.

He returned to his hometown of Methuen, MA to begin practice and was instrumental in the licensure of chiropractic by the Massachusetts legislature in 1966. He served twelve years on the Methuen School Committee, and continues to be active in community and civic affairs. His dedication to his profession and the community have earned him numerous awards and recognitions. He is a Fellow of the International Chiropractic Association and the Palmer Academy of Chiropractic.

Thomas Perrault Sr., D.C.

Thomas Perrault Sr., D.C.

A long-time leader of the Massachusetts Chiropractic Society, Dr. Perrault currently serves as its Executive Vice President and has been named Massachusetts Chiropractor of the Year an unprecedented four times. His activities with his professional society have kept him on the leading edge of chiropractic research and innovations in chiropractic. His primary interest remains the location and correction of the vertebral subluxation complex, which is the fundamental principal on which chiropractic practice is based. In 2004 Dr. Perrault was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by his profession.

It is definitely worth a listen. The class last about 50 minutes.

March 29nd- Tuesday, 12:30 CT – Teleclass (50 Minutes)

If you are an active client, you can find the phone number and access number for this live interview on your PMAmembers.com site.

If you are not an active client and want to register, please go here.