Your marketing stinks because you're like one of many dogs barking up the same tree. For you to stand out in a busy marketplace, you must do things differently. At least find a different tree!
Let's talk about out how to maximize your impact locally with techniques that cost little to nothing. Discover what marketing companies don't want you to know.
Your Cost-Effective Marketing Checklist
Ideally, your new patients should come from referrals, a great website and lots of five-star reviews. This is basic, but it's only part of your image locally.
Facebook marketing is no longer cost-effective in cities with the most chiropractors. Like the "tree with many dogs," it's overused and overrated. Check this list of cost-effective approaches you may be missing.
Have you been trained in what clothes and colors enhance your professional image? If you want to influence people, wear clothes leaders wear. News reporters want followers and wear clothes that give them credibility. Shouldn't you do the same? There is a science to building an image with the right clothes. Study how to dress and step up to your opportunity.
Are you sending handwritten thank-you cards when you receive a referral? This old-school habit stands out in today's internet-driven marketing world. Be personable. Have your secretary write thank-you notes on cards. Sign and mail them to patients and professionals to enjoy more referrals.
Have you had photos professionally taken of yourself, staff and your practice? Prospective patients buy with their eyes. If you have a patient who looks like a model, schedule an in-office photo shoot and get attractive images of yourself in action. There's an art to good photography; get help. Of course, have your model sign a release so you can use these images on the web.
Do you have professional business cards that produce referrals? Your card should have a photo of you and an offer for a free service that conforms to state law. Hand three of them to each patient every Monday and watch your practice explode!
Do you carry the cards with you at all times? You should become your best referral source. It's amazing to me how few chiropractors do this. Are you in business or not?
Does your clinic front attract new patients? Your online reviews are a rich source of inspiring stories that can attract new clients. Combine testimonials with a photo of the patient and hang them in your clinic's front window. People will stop, read the stories and start care.
Have you developed a list of professionals who refer to you regularly? Create a list of professionals with whom you work. Plan regular contacts to keep these relationships fresh. Share business books you've enjoyed, a special treat for them to share with their staff, or schedule a cup of coffee together to stimulate reciprocal referrals.
The above activities are classic and work in the most competitive markets because most doctors are too lazy to do them. For you to reach your full potential, you must balance internet marketing with a personal touch. If you rely solely on the internet, you will not stand out. Too many dogs barking up the same tree.
Here Comes the Good Part
If you think you'd like to help more patients, it just makes sense to maximize the most cost-effective strategies first. The procedures outlined above, combined with sound clinical skills and a real desire to serve, are irresistible in any market. Don't use costly Facebook funnels or Google AdWords programs until you've exhausted low-cost, effective strategies.
Old-school marketing takes some audacity, but works. It works because virtually no one is doing it. You've found a different "tree." Make the reach. Take at least one idea from this article and get to work!
Dr. Steven Visentin, a 1982 graduate of National College of Chiropractic, is a solo practitioner and clinic director at Care Chiropractic in Denver. He is also the author of an e-book, Blow Your Head Off Practice Building Secrets. For additional information, contact Dr. Visentin via his Web site, www.carechiropractic.com.