Chiropractors are being fed some major untruths about marketing, and I feel the need to set the record straight so that no one else falls into the trap. When chiropractors give into this lie, they can see their practice suffer huge consequences in the face of present innovations and changes.
While I was reading this months current issue of a major chiropractic publication, I came across and “advertisement” that basically stated that social media and internet marketing for chiropractors is dead. I had to take a second look because I thought surely no researched person or marketing authority would be that ignorant to voice such a comment…. but there it was.
Now, this chiropractic coaching group obviously made this statement so the average chiropractor would look more heavily at their chiropractic marketing system, but they appeared serious! In my opinion, it was not a good idea to include obvious untruths about social media and chiropractic internet marketing. They even had the nerve to say that people aren’t searching the internet as much in 2009 and that the glory days were gone.
It just shows you how dated these kinds of old school marketing practices really are. For instance, take a look at the recent election of President Barack Obama. Its already being heralded as the smartest and most effective campaign in history, thanks to the genius use of social media marketing, Web 2.0, viral marketing, and all the same methods that work great wonders for chiropractors as well.
If chiropractors across America knew how much more freedom and flexibility that Web 2.0 and social media marketing would allow them, then theyd all be jumping aboard. You cant be responsible for every aspect of your practice, because youre a specialized expert, but you can devote as little as a half hour a day to social media marketing, and quickly and powerfully brand your practice in your community, driving many new patients through your doors each month.
My practice took a decent amount of strategic planning and calculated action to build up and so will yours. Making one single video and posting it on Facebook is not going to get you 15 new patients walking through your door each month, but when you invest in the snowball effect of social media marketing, and really put in the consistent effort, you can create an avalanche of new patients. But listen, not all DCs have the right mentality to use this marketing wave of the future. Theyre stuck in the old school belief that one size fits all when it comes to chiropractic marketing.
Where does one begin when theyre planning a virtual chiropractic marketing blitzkrieg? The answer is video marketing, without a shadow of a doubt. Video marketing was not only the most successful marketing tool of 2008, but it is also showing to be an even bigger powerhouse in 2009. With chiropractic video marketing, you put your name, face, and practice out into the world, letting everyone see the personal and human side of your business. They feel like they know you immediately. This is perhaps the most invaluable marketing tool at your disposal.
In todays modern and crazy world, its when potential patients can experience your authenticity that they will then want to come through your practice doors. The way that I see chiropractors make the same mistake again and again is in the presentation of themselves on video. You have to act natural, because people can sense phoniness with incredible stealth. If you can show who you really are, people are going to trust you and turn to your practice in their time of need.