I’ll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it’s sitting on a bench waving a towel, handling a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winner shot.”
– Kobe Bryant
For a printable copy of this tent poster click: What it Takes to Win – Bryant
“I will sell Chiropractic, serve Chiropractic, and save Chiropractic if it will take me twenty lifetimes to do it. I will promote it within the law, without the law, in keeping with the law or against the law in order to get sick people well and keep the well from getting sick.” — B. J. Palmer
What is it with all the bad news ALL the time?
Well, here is some good news: across the boards, practices are returning to their pre-COVID days. We monitor our clients’ numbers closely, and we see offices meeting, and in some cases, exceeding what they did at the same time last year! A few others are even hiring more doctors and staff.
What? Isn’t the world coming to an end?
Hell no! And here is why: people like you, and your patients, are, and always have been, rebellious. Health rebels! You question authority. (How dare you!)
What we are witnessing, for chiropractors and other non-conventional health offices, is nothing new. The good news and benefits of real health care are never promoted, and in fact, are suppressed. Got pain? Here, take some opioids. Back problem? We’ll just do surgery. Too much weight? We’ll suck the fat out. (yuck) Arthritis? Here, have some Vioxx.
You know what real health care is – and isn’t. And you know what? So do your patients. You can’t fool everyone all the time. And I would say that much of the world is with you, despite the massive media slant towards drugs and population crisis control. People are aware of organic food, for example, and so organic products and food stores have had explosive growth in the last 20 years. And supplements! The supplement industry has also seen mega growth and is expected to grow over 12% this year, according to Nutritional Business Journal*.
People know what side you are on – their side. They know what you stand for – health. You are the health doctors, coaches, and teams — curious, caring, and independent. You aren’t beholding to hospitals, a bureaucracy, or drug companies. This is what Dr. Zelenko cited as a factor to help him, and his colleagues come up with an inexpensive antidote for COVID that is 80-90% effective – so effective in fact, other countries are adopting it. I strongly recommend his YouTube videos, especially the one with Del Bigtree. (Link below.)
The chiropractic profession has been the largest and most active professional group standing up for true health for over 120 years. Absolute American and homegrown, your profession has been genuine guardians of health, and has withstood every attack imaginable. So, all this pandemic stuff is pretty routine for you guys and gals. And if this has made you Health Outlaws, I know that sits just fine with you.
Loads of sincere respect and thanks for crisis medical teams, as always. But keeping people out of crisis, out of hospitals is your goal, and ours as well. We share this goal with you and stand with you to help more people become healthier.
Thank you for all you do.
Ed and all of us at PM&A
Del Bigtree and Dr. Vladimir Zelenko 45 minutes
Deal Big Tree “Crimes Against Humanity” – with Dr. Zelenko and others, full presentation. 2:16
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services(CMS) recently released a new ABN Form.
The ABN, Form CMS-R-131, and form instructions have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal. The use of the renewed form with the expiration date of 06/30/2023 will be mandatory on 8/31/2020. We are including the links to the forms for your convenience and they can also be viewed at the CMS Web-site.
In addition to the expiration date on the form, there are a few other minor changes. If you have further questions please feel free to contact Lisa at 920-334-4561.
Each Monday in June, I’ll be presenting an upbeat musical piece with a link below.
Click the link and listen while you go to the office or while at the office. Sing or hum it. Listen to it with your team before you start your day. Play it while you see patients.
Play music during the week. Take a break, go out back, and dance like no one is watching. Don’t get too serious!
We are all part of a big family – you and your team, your patients, and your community. Nothing unties us more than music.
Good vibes to you,
Ed
JUNE 1 –– Starting the month off with musicians from around the world.
JUNE 8 — Let your patients — and community — know that you will stand by them. Let your team that you will do the same for them.
JUNE 15- Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects. Dalai Lama (Azquotes.com)
We don’t always have to make a splash to cause ripples – sometimes our thoughts alone can make a difference.
JUNE 22 – First Monday of Summer!! Just fun music:
Island in the Sun by Weezer
Supplemental tune, a little Country with some drama but uplifting all the same.
It’s a Great Day to Be Alive by Travis Tritt
JUNE 29 Independence Day Week! (in U.S.A.)
Pick one, pick all them, get happy feet and have a great week!
Only in America Brooks and Dunn
This Land Is Your Land Woodie Guthrie
Born Free Kid Rock
I try to visit Facebook at least once a week. When I do, I sometimes see posts by others labeling the behavior of the public as “sheeple.” The term, I guess, refers to people acting obediently like sheep. The context usually includes those who believe that COVID-19 is a scam and view people who wear facemasks and observe CDC rules for quarantining as weak and stupid, and easily manipulated.
There certainly are indications, as well as precedents, that can support this view. The promotion of potential threats to generate fear has often been used to motivate people. Think of all the weapons of mass destruction that we were told Iraq had – which they didn’t have — that justified a 3 trillion-dollar war (estimated, Wikipedia) to the U.S. alone—not counting up to 400,000 killed. Someone made money off that scam.
There are over 100 cataloged types of biases, and we all have our own odd fears and weird ideas. Included with this is our basic “I-am-right” mechanism that makes others wrong and emboldens our ego.
Recently, I was talking to someone on their speakerphone while they drove in their car. They were wearing a mask and their voice was slightly muffled. I thought to myself that it was odd to talk to someone who was wearing a mask while in their car. Then, I was reminded that the person I was talking with has unselfishly devoted his entire life to taking care of his severely health-compromised daughter.
We all have our own stories and fight our own battles – with the best knowledge we have.
Another method to control people is to dissuade them from education and from learning to think critically and question authority.
So, I invite you to consider this as your #1 duty as a doctor – and as support staff — to educate your patients and community. Doctor, after all, means teacher.
People do not know what you know.
Perhaps they don’t want to know, are too tired, or seem too lazy to make an effort to learn. Maybe they have already made up their mind, and their view reinforces their own identity. But don’t give up on people — they are part of your family. They are your brothers and sisters.
Use newsletters, social media (even Facebook!), webinars, and especially Table Talk.
Educate because you care for people. Market your services from an attitude of compassion.
We are not sheep. We just don’t know. And regardless of what we say, privately, we look to you and your integrity — for your wisdom, your help, and your friendship.
Ed
The Story of Selling Yourself by B.J. Palmer
A tree withstands storms but continues with its systems.
Just a note here about procedures:
Keep the structure of your business – its policies and procedures — in place. As much as you can, stick to your usual routines.
Certainly, you want to integrate needed changes to prevent the spreading of the virus. And obviously, for many of you, patient volume has changed, so you may have to adjust your work hours and staff hours.
You do need to be flexible. Improvise — where needed, adapt, and overcome! (Paraphrase of Marine slogan!)
But do not let the virus be the tail that wags the dog!
Keep the recalls going. Keep the billing going. Hold staff meetings, if only by Zoom. Rally the team! Review numbers and SET GOALS. Give staff study assignments. If anything, increase your patient communication 5 times – or more.
Strengthen your network.
I bring this up as I have seen a few offices start to slack off on their procedures, and while this is understandable in many situations, it can be a slippery slope. This can set a precedent for neglecting other procedures. This is what leads to office anarchy and what I call “Procedural Atrophy.”
Procedural Atrophy is the gradual dropping out of procedures. For example, you used to call every new patient after their first adjustment and send out birthday cards. Then, you became so busy that you “didn’t have time” to do the calls or to makes sure the staff sent out birthday cards. Two years later, you wonder what happened to all your patients.
We are NOT victims. We will respond positively and use this opportunity to strengthen our resolve and our health network.
Hold true to time tested procedures during unusual conditions.
Stability breeds confidence. Your patients are looking to you to be the rock that they can count on.
Management’s job is to hold the structure of the organization in place. (And then improve upon it.) It may have to be abbreviated, economy of time, effort and money come into play, but … do the usual. Set your goals and stick to your successful procedures to reach them.
Do this, and after this storm passes — your business will be busier than ever.
Working now for the future,
Ed
I have been in touch with most of you and, for the most part, you all are doing relatively well during these days of COVID-19. Of course, the keyword here is… relatively.
Whatta time, eh? Historic, that is for sure. It will change our society and our world as nothing has since, perhaps, WW 2.
The Lighthouse in the Storm
Your role, right now, is so very important. Perhaps more than you know. Your patients have fears, questions, and doubts. Their parents could contract COVID, perhaps they could. They are out of work or soon will be, and there is the apprehension that all of this is a government plot towards totalitarianism.
With all the communication regarding our current situation, you have to remain as a calm source for sound, researched data that provides comfort and solutions. You will have to be a lighthouse in this storm.
YOU are independent. You do not work for a drug company, and you are not beholding to a boss that works for a hospital or a government agency. Therefore, when patients come to you with worries and questions, they trust that what you tell them is unadulterated, unbiased, and accurate information.
And even more, they hope that you genuinely care.
Time to See the World Anew
In some sense, the world is experiencing a big “Time Out.”
Perhaps we can all take this time to become closer to our families and friends. My daughter is cooking more, my son is homeschooling his kids, and I am practicing guitar tunes from my old 1960’s book of folk songs!
I notice on my walks and runs that here, in Milwaukee, the air is fresher, cleaner, and the sky is bluer. Less smog from our southern neighbors and nearby freeways and overhead airplanes. The difference is striking and one can only imagine what we have been breathing in all this time!
It is spring, you have a family and friends, and you have your own self. COVID-19 doesn’t change this.
Good to Great: Redesign your NEW Business.
But what I am most looking forward to is the NEW.
Right now, you have a unique opportunity, during this temporary slump, to reimagine and redesign your business.
You’ve had a good, perhaps a very good business before. But as Jim Collins explains in his book, Good to Great, good can be the enemy of great.
The Good is now the Old, and we have this moment to review our goals and engineer better pathways to them. Now, you can create the Great! This will be your new version of your business based upon all you have learned as a professional and as a business owner or stakeholder. This new version can be your best creation ever.
Over the next few months, we will be discussing this, and I and all of us at PM&A, look forward to helping you and your team create the business of your dreams.
Looking forward to the future,
Ed
PS Happy Earth Day!
(image from the movie Troy, with Brad Pitt playing Achilles, a Greek warrior. Reddit)
You and your team may not recognize this, and the word hero is overused, but in our book, this is what you are. Heroes.
Caught up with dealing with the urgencies of the times, you and your team may overlook the crucial and significant role you all play in raising the level of physical and emotional health of your community.
Without you, people in acute pain might tax critical and urgent care resources. Without you, patients on corrective or maintenance care might fall back into acute care.
You help alleviate our pain and improve our health – including our immune system. You calm our concerns with your well-informed insight and give us action steps to improve our health.
Health, as we know, is dependent upon mechanical, chemical, and emotional factors. Besides your adjustments and therapy, you provide education – and reassurance that this pandemic will pass.
I hear about it every day. You risk your health to help others, both physically and mentally.
Let your team know the vital role that they are playing.
Years from now, when asked what they did during 2020 Pandemic, they will be able to say that they were Essential Health Care Workers — and didn’t flinch.
And we just wanted to tell you – very sincerely – THANKS!
From all of us at Petty Michel and Associates.
Heros and Teamwork is what it takes to win this battle against COVID-19.
These are dedicated and brave support professionals and doctors – and there are thousands of you who work hard each day in spite of personal risk — to help others.
And there are also quite a few of us mask sewers! 🙂
Together, we’ll beat this virus.
I am sure that all of you are trying to stay up with unfolding events regarding the virus and the governmental recommendations – and enforcement — to deal with it.
We are, as well.
I am sending this email out to encourage you to watch an informative video by Del Bigtree, who reviews the facts and numbers of the virus pandemic. It is a bit long, so I am sending this out this weekend in case you have more time to watch it.
I have also included an article by Bruce Lipton. Dr. Lipton is a cellular biologist who taught medical students at the University of WI medical college and often speaks at chiropractic seminars.
Plus, an article that states 99% of those who died from the virus had other illnesses.
(Links below.)
We must watch out for the GENERALITY of the virus. For example: “COVID-19 could kill us all!” “Who says?” “They do.” “Who is “they.”” “The authorities.” “Who are the authorities?” “Those who are in charge.” You have to break it down and be as logical as you can.
I recommend that you review these sources, add to it what you are learning, and using your best judgment, continue educating your team members and patients/members/clients!
Be the lighthouse in your community.
Education and knowledge displace fear and uncertainty.
Let’s eradicate what Dr. Lipton calls the “nocebo” effect — the opposite of a placebo.
And let’s continue our fight to help people get healthier!
Keep educating,
Ed
By the way, no one is saying you must close your office. Even in California where San Francisco has a “Shelter in Place” or strict quarantine. For example, the California Chiropractic Board of Examiners, on their website, states:
YOUR SERVICES ARE VITAL!
The Exec. Director of the Kansas Chiropractic Association, in a letter to their state Governor (March 20, 2020), stated:
“We understand that with the severity of the current pandemic hospital emergency rooms may soon be filled with patients complaining of pulmonary symptoms. We offer our services in diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal complaints presenting to emergency rooms. Many Doctors of Chiropractic have arranged to be a referral point for their local emergency rooms on these conditions.
“We are prepared to see these patients in our offices that are already taking every precaution available to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.”
REFERENCES
Del Bigtree Coronavirus Quarantine March 19
Bruce Lipton Cornonvrus 2019-Covid-19 UPDATE
Bloomberg News March 18, 2020 99% of those who Died From Virus Had Other Illness, Italy Says
(Painting by Norman Rockwell, 1943)
When you engage in work that taps your talent and fuels your passion – that rises out of a great need in the world that you feel drawn by conscience to meet – therein lies your voice, your calling, your soul’s code. (Stephen Covey)
For many of your patients, it may be difficult to tell how far to take precautions regarding COVID-19. Who can your patients turn to for a frank conversation and useful information?
Somewhere there is a middle ground between stockpiling hand wipes, toilet paper, and hiding in your bedroom and showing up at the gun show for a family barbecue and square dance. People are looking for reasonable answers without feeling that they are fearfully overreacting, or pridefully underacting.
You have to be that middle ground – and you can be. You do not have a boss that is beholding to Merck, or a company whose board members belong to the AMA. You are independent.
Use your voice and be a source of reason and information. Get in the conversation. You are only beholding to your patients and your community. They know your kids, and you know theirs. You are honest, thoughtful, and know that we are all in this together. You will ask your patients for their best advice on plumbing, cars, taxes, and other life needs. They will seek your advice regarding the best health for themselves and their family. You rely on them, and they rely on you – this year, now, and in the years to come.
Now is not the time to cocoon – not for you. Now is the time to speak up – to stand up.
Keep your practice open, but if not, keep communicating. Aside from seeing your patients in person, you can consider other activities that do not require face to face encounters:
You are a doctor – an educator, a leader. This applies to your team as well – they, too, are leaders and educators. Your community needs you now more than ever. Years from now, it will remember who was there, who stood up, who helped.
Use your Voice! Download the Poster Here
Always communicating,
Ed
We, too, are here to help.
How has the Coronavirus plague been affecting you and your practice…so far?
Most offices I talk to across the country seem to be doing just fine, thank you!
I ran across an interesting thread on a social media site for chiropractors and as a limited sample survey of how other offices are being affected, most report that they are also doing well.
I want to add a few thoughts from a marketing vantage point that might help. I am sure you are following the clinical aspects of this virus, but I have links below to articles from Bruce Lipton, Ben Lerner, and Joe Mercola that are very informative.
More importantly, a great link from our old buddy, George Carlin just to put things into perspective. So, you might want to save this email just for the links. (Gotta watch Carlin!… WARNING… as usual cursing included!)
So, marketing…
The idea of the Coronavirus is that it could kill you, or at least make you very sick. Consider these three promotional actions:
Safe Space. Promote your office as a Safe Zone. In your clinic, use plenty of disinfectant around the office. Let the patients see you wipe down tables, doorknobs, pens, clipboards, and have plenty of Purell (or something similar) around for hand wipes. This is to demonstrate that your office is taking all precautions to be a safe, sterile healing facility.
Get Healthier and Stronger. Secondly, promote the healing aspect of your services – how they can improve and bolster the immune system. The virus will have the most impact on the physically weak. Encourage patients to come in and get stronger in your safe space. (Ben Lerner has a good article about this – link below.)
Communicate and Educate. Use your “table talk” time, and through newsletters and other media, to communicate with your patients. Give them health tips regarding the virus. But also relay positive activities that are going on in your office – an upcoming talk, a community clean-up drive, a patient success or a new team member. This goes for your team as well – educate your staff. People tend to hunker down during a crisis, somewhat out of fear. Standup, standout and maintain your positive presence and leadership – keep communicating.
The viruses may be real and get transmitted from person to person. But ideas can do the same. So spread the word — communicate your office as a worry-free environment where people can become stronger and healthier – safely.
-Ed
I’ve noticed that a lot less people are coming in for care, I’ve especially seen a decrease in overall NPs, is the trend global? related to coronavirus outbreak?? (people being in “survival mode” , or being more careful about their finances)? I’d love to know what you guys have noticed surrounding this issue? Cheers, Kir 2 days ago
ostninja
I’ve noticed a drop this week. I think it’s critical to wipe all surfaces with something that works and have hand sanitizer available. For reality and to create a safe space where they dont have to think about getting it from the table or face rest.
Everybody is concerned. I think it is people limiting their activities, worried about money, worried about the face rest. Let them see you wiping down face rest every time you finish. I’m wondering about sending communication detailing how we are protecting them and ourselves but I’m also wondering how useful overall that would be.
Kiirjava
Interesting… Thanks for sharing 🙂 that communication idea is actually brilliant!
It’s been a slow week so I’ll use this as an excuse lol · 2 days ago
lloydchiro
I’m just as busy as ever, and I’m in San Francisco. I imagine our town will get hit soon.
AshlamAllstar 2 days ago
CCCA here. Only a few one-off scenarios so far. One patient called to pause her treatment plan due to fear of being exposed and one came in with latex gloves, her own lysol wipes and a face mask. Otherwise, practice as usual, if not, a few more questions asking of the doctors’ opinion of the matter.
—-
DrGodzilla22
My practice had grown during since the news cycles started. Well educated patient are referring their friends and families.
—-
DrJayWill · 1 day ago
I’ve had the busiest week I’ve had in a while
“The only way to enhance one’s power in the world is by increasing one’s integrity,
understanding, and capacity for compassion.”
― David R. Hawkins
For a printable copy of this tent poster click: Enhance Power- Compassion-Hawkins
Goals: Telos
The Greeks believed that everything had its own innate goal – or Telos. Telos means ultimate aim or purpose of something. The Telos of an acorn is a tree – the purpose of a pencil is to write.
Steven Covey lists Beginning with the End in Mind as an essential habit in leadership and effectiveness.
Now is a good time to review the Telos of your office. What is its innate purpose? There may be a few of them.
Take it a step further – what are the values and standards in which the office must aspire to in order to achieve this mission? For example, “Deliver WOW through service?” (A core value of Zappos).
Reviewing these often and keeping them in mind will assist you and your team to manifest the tangible outcomes of these goals – more people helped and more income collected.
Your Patient’s Goals: Health Never Takes a Holiday
Your patients have made a goal for better health. Don’t’ let them down – help to keep them on their path to a pain free, functionally improved, and healthier life. Here is a desk poster for you to remind patients to keep their appointments over the Holidays. Link
Two Marketing Engines that Help You Reach Your Goals
One aspect of your clinic’s goals should be marketing. Marketing takes many forms, but ultimately it results in more people receiving benefits from your services.
Marketing gimmicks come and go. They work for a while, and then, soon enough, you find that that “hole” is “fished out.” Special promotions and direct marketing avenues need to be pursued. They work and are especially useful for new offices. But they need to be changed often – marketing channels get clogged quickly and the public tires of spam offers.
There are two forms of marketing, however, that will never wear out: extraordinary customer service and outcomes, and your network.
Before the year is out, or just as the New Year begins, consider personally meeting with anyone in and out of your office who has sent you a patient, or supported you in any way. From patients to allied providers to the autobody repair shop down the street, send them a nice and unique gift, or a personal card, or make a phone call thanking them. Tell them you look forward to working with them and seeing them in the New Year. They are part of your network.
Lastly, on a personal note, we want you to know how much we appreciate all the great work you and your team do in helping people improve their lives. If you can, imagine all of us – you, and other offices like you, all of us working diligently as a positive force to make the world a better place.
This is a noble goal – and one we share with you in the New Year. We’ll see you then!
With admiration and respect,
Ed, David, and all of us, at Petty Michel & Associates
“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
For a printable copy of this tent poster click: Make a Decision – Universe Conspires -Emerson
“Always do your best.
What you plant now, you will harvest later.”
-Og Mandino
For a printable copy of this tent poster click: Always Do Your Best – Mandino
“To remain indifferent to the challenges we face is indefensible. If the goal is noble, whether or not it is realized within our lifetime is largely irrelevant. What we must do therefore is to strive and persevere and never give up.”
Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
(Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World)
For a printable copy of this tent poster email services@pmaworks.com
It’s a beautiful fall day here in Southeastern Wisconsin. Clear blue skies, the leaves are changing, and the temps are comfortably cool.
I wanted to take a few minutes of your time to introduce myself and let you know about an upcoming opportunity for you to make a difference in a child’s life both locally and globally.
My name is Linda Skiles, some of you already know me and some may not. I have been involved in chiropractic for the past 34 years in some way or another and a patient for most of my life. I began as a chiropractic assistant, graduating to an office manager, and now serve as the client services coordinator for Petty, Michel, and Associates, working with offices across the nation to promote PMA’s 3 Goals(sm)of methodology:
I am passionate about chiropractic and passionate about making our world a better place. Each and every day, I strive to find a way to live with a Higher Purpose. With that said, I’d like to invite you to help support my most recent mission.
Ed Petty and Dave Michel along with the Chiropractic Society of Wisconsin(CSW) have graciously given me the opportunity to collaborate with Wisconsin United for Freedom and Chiro Kid’s Day to host a “Kid’s Korner” at the CSW’s Fall Summit, October 18th-20th at the Wilderness Canyon Lodge Convention Center in the Wisconsin Dells.
The whole idea was born when I made the commitment to sell 600+ ornaments for the Khutsala Artisans of Project Canaan. A large task but achievable with your help.
Project Canaan is Heart for Africa’s 2,500-acre large-scale land development project being used to bring HOPE to the tiny Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) by focusing on four key areas: Hunger, Orphans, Poverty, and Education. It will provide training and employment, while supporting orphans and vulnerable children on the property and across the nation.
In 2013 my twenty-nine year old son, searching for a higher purpose in life, found Project Canaan and served as a volunteer missionary for one year as the bulldozer operator. I had the opportunity to visit while he was there and joined the Swazis in making jewelry. I continue to support their efforts through selling their beautiful beaded ornaments. 60% of the sales support the Khutsala Artisans’ daily living needs and 40% is donated to a local charity of my choice. Proceeds from the sales at the CSW Fall Summit will go to Oklahaven Children’s Chiropractic Center in Oklahoma City, OK.
In addition, I recently published my third book entitled, Nettie’s Fountain Pen – Another’s Days Writings. $5.00 from the sale of each of these books will go to Chiro Kid’s Day and Wisconsin United for Freedom.
Promoting the wellness of our children locally and globally is the theme of our booth. We will have informational material and resources available that focuses on the health of our children here in the US. I hope you will stop by, see what we all have to offer, and support our efforts.
Our children are our future! Can you help a child today?
If you are unable to attend the CSW Fall Summit but would like to purchase ornaments or books, please email me at linda@pmaworks.com
Sincerely,
Linda Skiles
262-749-0221
Links:
Follow my Journey at Project Canaan – Oct 17th 2013 – Nov 1st, 2013
Oklahaven Children’s Chiropractic Center
Heart for Africa – Project Canaan
Wisconsin United for Freedom
Chiro Kid’s Day
Children’s Health Defense
“Marketing is an inside job,” one business owner told me years ago.
He meant it first starts with your attitude and your drive to reach your goals.
Your mental outlook will determine the effectiveness of all of your marketing activities. The good news is that your attitude is something which you do have control over. Even if you have difficult personal and environmental factors acting against you, you still have a choice on how you decide to act. The way you look at your world is entirely up to you.
Practice marketing is ultimately an “inside-out job,” and though marketing includes “outside-in” activities, such as advertising, its success is dependent upon what is happening on the “inside.” On a scale of 1-5, where “5” is strongest, and “1” is weakest, you should work daily to reach a “5” on each of these eight attitudes.
At a team meeting every few months, you can hand this article out to each team member and have each person grade (1-5) how the office has been operating regarding each attitude. You can also have a team member summarize one particular attitude and describe it to the rest of the team in their own words. These attitudes are your marketing muscles that can drive and maintain your growth. Keep working them and making them stronger.
I have observed these eight attitudes in common with successful providers and business owners. I encourage you to use them yourself.
1. Friendliness and Cheerfulness. When you smile, the whole world smiles with you. And that is what you want: your whole community smiling with you. A positive and cheerful outlook opens the channels of communication between you and your community. It is an unspoken “open invitation” for people to interact with you. The happier you are, and the more positive your outlook is, the easier all other marketing efforts will be. “Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone….” From a Poem by Ella Wheeler (1883)
2. Interested Attitude. Where I have been successful in selling and marketing services, this has always been my secret: be interested in the other person. Don’t fake it. Just start with whatever strikes your curiosity. You will find that having an honest interest in people is one of your best sales and marketing tools. People respond positively to sincere curiosity about them. “Betty, where did you find those blue shoes?” “So Frank, I have always wondered, why do you guys call yourselves the Kiwanis?” You don’t have to be interested in everyone. Be courteous and be professional, of course. But you’ll find that you can find something of interest in most people. Since your interest is genuine and not simulated, the other person can begin to trust you. You are not a phony operating off of a script. Even if your curiosity makes you seem a bit forward, at least you are honest. Behind your interest should be a desire to understand the other person, and this requires empathy. This kind of interest begets communication which lays the foundation for the other person knowing you, liking you, and trusting you.
3. “Get to Know Me” Attitude. You should want the community to know you. You should want them to know that you are an excellent provider and that your business gets results. Don’t assume people know what you do – or even care. Maybe they know you are a provider but think you are retired, or too busy and no longer taking new patients, or too important to talk to them. And let them get to know about you personally– that your dog’s name is Louie and you are not from Canada, even though you are very nice. Be willing to have the whole community know all about you, and believe that once they do, they’ll like you. Don’t hide. We all spend too much time in boxes – our houses, our offices, our cars, and other buildings. Get out of the boxes and be willing to be seen and heard. “It is better to be looked over than overlooked.” (Mae West)
4. “Gratitude Attitude.” This is a term often used by Zig Ziglar, meaning be grateful and appreciative. The “Gratitude Attitude” melts the ice between people. It shows respect and honors those around you, especially patients, prospective patients, your teammates, and of course, your family and friends. People hate to be ignored and too often we take for granted the amazing souls around us each day. Be thankful to be a provider and business owner and that you have an opportunity to help people. Show your gratitude to others. Let them know how you appreciate them. Count your blessings daily. “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all the others.” (Marcus Tullius Cicero. 106 BC -43 BC)
5. Service Attitude. Be a missionary on a mission to help. Be a giver. In the office, think ahead of what each patient needs each day and make sure they get it. Outside of the office, realize that people are in trouble, have problems, and want relief, so help them. Many are looking for answers. Offer information, community services, consultations, and be a “do-gooder.” Find out what people want and help them achieve it – through your services or another’s. It has been said that “The hole that you give through — is the hole through which you will receive.”
6. Big Capacity Attitude. “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” (Napoleon Hill.) Hold the concept that everyone in your community should receive your services. THINK BIG. Think abundance. Be willing to meet hundreds of new people each day and be open to scores of new patients. The mechanics of paperwork, finances, and procedure will all follow. Don’t let yourself become encumbered mentally by these things now. Get rid of the yellow light in your business and turn them all green. “Think little goals and expect little achievements. Think big goals and win big success.” (David J. Schwartz, The Magic of Thinking Big.)
7. Industriousness Attitude. Your outlook towards moving the business forward has to be a vigorous one. You must be ready to jump into the thick of things any time and get the work done. You will need a “can do, will do” attitude, one that enjoys being productive. It takes much more energy and effort to get and keep a business going than most people think. Marketing is simply physics. If you expend energy into your business and the community, there will be a reciprocal force — in terms of goodwill and new patients – coming back. Like planting seeds in the spring. You harvest what you sow. Don’t blame the politicians if the tomatoes didn’t come in at harvest time this year because you were too lazy to plant them. The more you sow, the more you can reap.
8. Have Faith, Confidence, and Belief. Be forthright and confident about the benefits of your profession, your skills as a provider, and the services your office can bring about. From this knowledge, you can be authoritative in telling your story and scheduling new patients. Know that you can help your patient. Believe and decide that they will win and you will succeed. If you are confident in what you are selling, then others will be too.
Edward Petty
