subject: What Is Chiropractic Marketing? [print this page] A lot of people are still scared when they hear the word marketing. They might view it as a tedious task, or they might not want to be seen or identified as a marketer. In fact, I remember one instance when I organized a Patient Appreciation Day and this very issue came up.
First, we wanted to organize a charitable event that we wanted to do regularly. We planned to have funds for school supplies, and we also wanted to extend our help to the patients who hadnt visited us for a long time. Whether their extended absence was due to financial reasons or simply a case of out of sight, out of mind, we wanted to help them.
I have never been more bothered than when I have someone new in my office and they say they have been to another chiropractor and then ceased to do follow ups with that chiropractor because they forgot his name. Hey, Im a chiropractor too! And I want them to remember my name!
And even when I had good intentions in my charity drive, people were just thinking that I was doing it for good marketing. Corporate social responsibility? Hmm.
I dont want to be afraid of the word marketing, as all chiropractors should be doing it anyway. Marketing doesnt mean tricking people just to lead them to buy your product or service. To me, marketing means that you help your potential customers know about your product offers, and then you help them solve their problems by using your expertise. As long as you provide answers to their questions, thats good enough for you and them. But the first step is to let them know you exist!
Setting up a health fair is one of the better ways to market yourself as a chiropractor. Secure a nice venue for people to see you and ask you questions. Offer free check ups and suggest possible treatments. Another tip is to set up a machine that will do the general check up for you. The good thing about this machine standing in front of you and a potential patient is that it works as a conversation starter. They will receive information about their condition, and this is their ticket to talk to you. Then you can market yourself.
Usually potential patients will ask questions that are generic in nature. They just want to hear SOMETHING about their condition. They might ask you if the treatment you suggest will be covered by their insurance. They might ask you if it will hurt. They might ask you how long the treatment will last. Very common questions, yes. But they can be easily answered with a good chiropractor.
I am bothered that some people arent proactive about their healthcare because theyre too tired or scared to go to a chiropractor. My chiropractic marketing improved when I realized that this was the thing which bothered me most. I wasnt organizing an event just to get new patients; I was also helping people. This mindset shift helped me in making my event become a success.
