Chiropractic Advertising Mistakes You Must Avoid
By Dr. John | December 27, 2011
We have spent a lot of time talking about what to do in the field of chiropractic advertising in order to be a success. Now, we will talk about what you should NOT do. Throughout the nation, we have chiropractic offices shutting down for a want of patients. A number of factors are blamed and some people even shrug their shoulders and simply admit defeat. If you are one of those people who are not stung to the core by failure, successful chiropractic advertising will always be out of your reach. For everyone else, here are some things to avoid when trying to increase your company’s profits.
Sit On Your Hands
Astonishingly, there are a number of businesses who don’t bother with chiropractic advertising at all. They assume that their repeat custom, coupled with referrals, will keep them profitable. What they don’t realize is that people’s heads are swayed easily and when a rival company gets their advertising right, say goodbye to your ‘loyal’ customers. It doesn’t matter how good your services are if no one knows about you. You need chiropractic advertising to become visible and generate custom.
Slashing Your Chiropractic Advertising Budget
There are two reasons why a company cuts its advertising budget: When things are going extremely well and when things are going extremely badly. Both decisions are poor and will cost them in the long run. Money is often scarce around holiday seasons and this is where chiropractors who are feeling the pinch decide to cut back on their advertising. Yet this is the best time to strike because you have an open field. With so few competitors, you have a perfect opportunity to gain patients. People are reflective around the holiday season which increases your chances of getting some extra clients.
Reducing your chiropractic marketing budget when business is booming is also a grievous error. The thought process behind this decision is that you don’t need to be wasting money when people are coming through your doors with regularity. Did you ever stop to think why this is happening? Cut back on your budget now and suddenly, business will slow down. You have to strike the iron while it’s hot and stay busy while there is profit to be made.
Unchecked Marketing Data
It is vital that you know where your chiropractic advertising dollars are being spent. You should review your marketing data regularly to see which form of advertising is the most successful. If one of your strategies is only generating 5% of your income while accounting for 25% of your expenditure, it’s time to drop it in favor of something you know is working. It makes no sense not to expand upon a strategy that costs 10% of your budget and yields 30% of your income for example.
No matter how successful your chiropractic advertising campaign is, it can always be better. If you earn $80,000 a year, you could be raking in $200,000 annually instead with better strategies and implementation. Continue to make the same mistakes and watch as your empire starts to crumble.
Topics: Chiropractic Marketing Articles, Chiropractic Marketing Tools | No Comments »
Why You Need Short Videos For Chiropractic Marketing
By Dr. John | December 14, 2011
The medium of video is one that needs to be thoroughly explored whenever you’re attempting chiropractic marketing. What if you’re camera shy? Tough luck! You can face up to the challenge, get someone to do it for you or miss out on a phenomenal chiropractic marketing opportunity. The sheer number of people who upload videos on a daily basis is startling. YouTube is the world’s biggest site for videos and has more than 2 billion views per day. Around 35 hours worth of video is uploaded every single minute! More than 50% of these billions of videos have been either rated or commented on. Hopefully, you can see why you can’t afford to miss the chance that video chiropractic marketing offers.
With more than 90% of websites failing to use video in their marketing campaigns, you have a great chance to get one up on the competition. Videos give you and your company a human face. Viewers can see you, hear you and know that you’re not some faceless corporate puppet (in theory anyway!). Here are some quick tips to help you get the most of your chiropractic marketing through video.
Keep It Short
We live in an age of convenience where speed is of the essence. The modern generation think that email is not quick enough so you can imagine how unsuccessful long videos are. Statistical data has shown that the attention span of the modern audience is decreasing (surprise surprise!). The average length of YouTube video is now coming down towards the five minute mark. Therefore, even an 8-9 minute video may be perceived as being too long. Your video chiropractic marketing strategy could fail before it has even begun in this case with users not even clicking on the video once they discover its length.
As a result, you may have to change your chiropractic marketing plans on video by greatly reducing its original length. As there is always the danger of meandering off the point when making a video, perhaps this is a good thing because it will help you deliver a focused message. Instead of rambling on about how old your practice is, you can quickly discuss key reasons why seeking chiropractic treatment is so important and showing them the benefits of using you as their chiropractor above all others.
Cut Into Segments
It may be the case where you cannot fit everything you need to say in a 3 minute video. If that’s the case, simply divide it up into segments. When viewers see that your videos are only 2-3 minutes long, they may actually decide to watch it! Have parts 1, 2, 3 and so on. If your first video interests the audience, they will either watch the next segment or take note of your videos for future viewing.
Now that you have some idea how to create a chiropractic marketing video that may be watched by YouTube viewers, it’s time to figure out how to be seen in the first place! Stay tuned for information on how to get your video viewed above the billions of others and add a significant string to your chiropractic marketing bow.
Topics: Chiropractic Internet Marketing, Chiropractic Marketing Articles | No Comments »
Three Common Chiropractic Mistakes To Doom Your Business
By Dr. John | December 6, 2011
With such stiff competition, chiropractic marketing mistakes could spell the end of your practice as a viable method of income. It would be a shame to waste all those years of education and effort to start up a business by falling victim to the same errors that have claimed the businesses of thousands of others in all niches. Below are a list of common chiropractic marketing mistakes that are made time and again by soon-to-be defunct businesses.
Lack Of Headlines
Although chiropractic marketing is not exactly the same as advertising for other businesses, it is not some form of alien enterprise that has a different way of enticing customers. You still need to adhere to marketing 101. This is unavoidable, as is the importance of creating a compelling headline. Some businesses simply write aimless copy with no headlines whatsoever. What makes a person pick up one newspaper above all others? The headline! Which headline is more interesting to the casual reader: ‘Sheep eats boy’ or ‘Peru’s national debt is 32% of its GDP’? If your headline doesn’t scream ‘READ ME’, then no one will.
Self-Praise
Even though chiropractic marketing seems to be about increasing your company’s profit margin, it is really about speaking to customers in a voice they can understand. Of course, the bottom line is getting them to use your products/services. But successful companies know that the best way to do this is by showing the customer why they NEED you and what you have to offer.
Instead of wasting 1,000 words talking about how great you are, spend the majority of your time speaking about the benefits of what you offer. You may love your company and be proud of the fact that it is family owned, 300 years old and has passed through 10 generations but why does a customer care? In the world of marketing, the ‘what’s in it for me?’ question is one you simply must answer if you want to rise above all other companies.
Not Showing Them The Way
It may come as a shock to learn that a seemingly strong, independent populous responds incredibly well to being told what to do. In fact, if you don’t steer prospective customers in the right direction, your chiropractic marketing efforts will be an utter failure.
I invite you to take a look at the various chiropractic ad attempts made by unsuccessful companies. Notice a common trend? The majority of them are filled with information but none of them gives the reader a poke. The internet generation gets bored quickly and have no inclination to make an effort to do anything unless they are told. Do not delay, point them in the direction of your services today! Show them how to avail of your skills with a strong and obvious call to action. This is as simple as giving them instructions on how to buy.
If you are currently making these chiropractic marketing mistakes, stop what you’re doing right now and mend your ways while your business is still intact. Successful companies adapt to the needs of their target audience while failed companies remain behind the times.
Topics: Chiropractic Internet Marketing, Chiropractic Marketing Tools | No Comments »
Chiropractic Advertising In Newspapers
By Dr. John | December 3, 2011
It has long been assumed that chiropractic advertising in newspapers is a complete waste of time. In a world were online advertising is king, offline methods seem to be archaic, outdated and irrelevant. In the real estate industry for example, I found that the percentage of sales made from newspaper advertising and real estate magazines was approaching single digits. However, the field of chiropractic is one where offline advertising can work, but only if you get it absolutely right. Chiropractic advertising in newspapers is not a waste of time because people still read!
However, very few people know how to use the newspaper market correctly. This is great news for you because a great ad could see you usurp your rivals in the area. What you need to do is create a direct response ad that is extremely attention grabbing and has the ability to stir up genuine emotions in the reader.
Showing Empathy
In a short ad, you can use the tried and trusted trio of ‘problem, pain and predicament’. This means you show readers that you identify with their problem and share their pain. You then paint a picture of life without pain and offer a solution that helps them achieve this. Finally, you ask the reader to take action immediately to end their suffering. All of this can be achieved in a single page ad and when written correctly, this is about the most effective form of chiropractic marketing there is.
Write Like A Journalist
Successful chiropractic advertising in newspapers is no different than creating excellent web copy. You have to and avoid making it look like an advert. This can be tricky but by adopting an editorial style, you will be able to catch the reader’s attention without placing him on his guard. It’s also important to use an editorial style headline that reads like something you would see on the front page of a high quality newspaper. This headline can be informative or appeal to the emotions without being sensational or laden with hyperbole.
Be Visible
You have to take this form of chiropractic advertising seriously which means placing a large advert that looks important rather than some tiny effort which fills one quarter of a page. The body of the piece should be informative and explain the benefits of chiropractic and your company in particular. It needs to flow and be easy to read, not written like an academic essay. Finish the ad by telling them to contact you for a free consultation/quote/make an appointment. If you have testimonials, use them to add credibility.
As you can clearly see, there is no magic involved with chiropractic advertising in newspapers. If you already have experience when it comes to writing web copy and sales letters, it will be a walk in the park. And just like in web copy, a well-written newspaper ad will generate a huge amount of custom. Instead of dismissing a particular form of chiropractic advertising, try mastering it first before deeming it to be a waste of time. Although there may be more viewers of an online ad, the local newspaper is still a great place to have an advert. And besides, the level of competition in the newspaper is probably a lot lower.
Topics: Chiropractic Advertising, Chiropractic Newspaper Ads | No Comments »
Why You Need Email In Your Chiropractic Marketing Drive
By Dr. John | November 26, 2011
When you’re considering your chiropractic marketing options, how high on your list is email marketing? It’s certainly below your website in terms of importance and for some companies, email marketing is little more than an afterthought. However, it’s one of the most vital aspects of your chiropractic marketing campaign because it’s a key component of web copy, the very thing that makes up the majority of your online sales.
Assuming that you already own a website and are currently thinking of different methods of chiropractic marketing, you’re surely aware that your site needs to perform the two key elements of internet sales: Generating traffic and converting visitors into sales. A multitude of sites have figured out how to get traffic easily enough but they have yet to figure out how to convert these views to sales (improving your conversion rate will be covered in other posts).
Personalized Contact
In the field of chiropractic marketing, email is one of the best ways to turn casual viewers into staunch customers. In fact, some marketing experts believe that email is even more important than your website. Think about it, although you want your site to speak to everyone, it is far from being a one-on-one experience for the customer. With email marketing, you get a rare opportunity to speak to potential customers on a personal level. Great emails will resonate with an individual and as the chiropractic experience is a personal one, this attention is certain to increase your sales as long as the emails are correctly written.
As with all chiropractic marketing methods, if you can’t do it right, don’t do it at all. Pew Internet and American Life Project data shows that more than 90% of American adults with internet access send or receive emails. Pew also shows that almost 70% of American adults read email on a daily basis. With such a large audience, you would be a fool to take email marketing lightly.
There is no other form of chiropractic marketing products that has the same audience as email which trumps even the all-encompassing social network marketing strategy. An email is the single best way to start relationships with customers and as you know, you’re far more likely to receive custom off someone who knows and trusts you. This is especially pertinent for chiropractors who will be meeting their customers face-to-face, which is not the case for other companies selling general goods.
When you send a sequence of well-written emails that use emotional resonance and other important factors to strengthen a bond, you are ensuring that a customer feels valued and has no interest in utilizing the services of any other chiropractor. It beats websites hands down in terms of sales because a site requires people to continually revisit the site in order to make profit. Emails can contain fresh content whereas a website will have the majority of its content remaining intact for long periods of time, blog posts notwithstanding. Essentially, if you’re not using email in your chiropractic marketing efforts, you are not giving yourself the best chance of success.
Topics: Chiropractic Internet Marketing, Chiropractic Marketing Articles | No Comments »
Quick, Easy And Effective Chiropractic Advertising Tips
By Dr. John | November 21, 2011
The dark days of recession are still upon us so the success of chiropractic advertising is more important than ever for those in our industry. We are no longer in a golden era where everything a chiropractor touched turned to gold. We managed to get the American public to understand our importance but perhaps they are starting to forget. Maybe it’s just the fact that no one has any money anymore. These are viable reasons for your practice hitting the rocks. It could also be the fact that your current chiropractic advertising methods aren’t very good. I’m will to bet that there are dozens of chiropractic advertising tips that you’re not using. Here is a handful:
Making A Resolution
If you’ve ever been in a gym in January, you’ll know the importance people place on their health. They made a New Year’s Resolution to get fitter and intend to stick to it: Until February that is! A good chiropractic advertising campaign will use this period of self-reflection to take advantage of the new found importance people place on their health. You have the addresses of your inactive patients so use them by sending a New Year’s Resolution letter reminding them of the importance of a chiropractic check-up before embarking on a new fitness regime.
Happy Birthday!
Again, you can target inactive patients by sending them a birthday card with a reminder of how vital it is to get a check-up. Emphasize the fact that they are not getting any younger and even hit them with some statistics showing the declining health of people as they get older if they don’t take care of their bodies. Do this in a friendly way of course!
Seminars
It’s really irrelevant where you hold these seminars from a chiropractic advertising point of view. The important thing is that you are speaking and people are listening. Seminars are no joke and those who conduct them are often viewed as an authority when it comes to their profession. As well as allowing you to passionately extol the virtues of chiropractic as a whole, it also gives you a greater level of exposure within your immediate community. You should also consider having an evening where you discuss hot topics such as unnecessary surgery prescribed by doctors. Public speaking is also an excellent way to attract high-end clients.
Postcards
This is yet another easy chiropractic advertising method of regaining ‘lost’ patients. Advertising to former patients is much less expensive than doing so to new prospects. When patients fail to show up for an appointment, they feel guilty and don’t bother rescheduling because they don’t want to explain why they missed the last session. You can send these inactive patients a friendly postcard which wishes them good health and reminds them that they have not been to your office for a while. This is an easy way to get in touch and is less intimidating than a phone call. Send one of these postcards every 4-6 months for best effect. Even if the ex-patient does not want to come in, they may refer you to a friend which is still a great result for you.
These are just some of the inexpensive and simple chiropractic advertising methods that will hopefully help bring your head back above water.
Topics: Chiropractic Advertising, Chiropractic Marketing Articles | No Comments »
Chiropractic Marketing And Credibility
By Dr. John | November 18, 2011
When you are launching a chiropractic marketing campaign, one of the most important points to consider is the issue of credibility. A quick browse of the internet shows that there are hundreds of websites which look dubious. They make crazy promises, have uninformative content and something about the site and company doesn’t feel right. Suffice to say, these companies quickly vanish down the rankings, never to be seen again. To avoid this fate and ensure your chiropractic marketing efforts are not a complete waste of time, here are some ways in which you can establish credibility online.
Respond!
An easy way to be seen as credible is by responding to inquiries. Too many businesses neglect to answer questions posted by prospects. This is suspicious because it seems as if there is no one actually running the company. You can’t expect people to purchase goods from a site that has no proof of a human presence. Avoid sending automated emails. If you want customers, you have to take the time to personally respond to their queries. This is a good chiropractic internet marketing practice.
Responsibility
You have to be responsible for your site’s content. You can’t just throw up a website with payment options and a shopping cart without informing customers of their rights. Legitimate websites have a Privacy Policy which explains what you do with the personal data collected from users. You should also have a content policy that tells the world who your authors are and even give them links to sources used in your articles. Having an option to look through archives also adds a veneer of respectability to any site.
Professionalism
If someone walked into your practice wearing dirty and torn clothes, would you treat them without a problem or would you be worried about whether or not they could pay you? When it comes to chiropractic marketing, your website is like the clothes you wear. The public can see it and are going to judge you whether you like it or not. Your website design should be professional and your content should be well-written and filled with information. It’s amazing how many companies pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for web design but are content to hire writers on low wages. Your design gives a good first impression but your content keeps visitors interested.
Updates
Another important part of chiropractic marketing is to stay relevant and current with updated information. If there is a breakthrough in the field of chiropractic, your visitors should be among the first to know about it. Being an authority site does wonders for your credibility, traffic and revenue. A common tactic used to show that a site is being updated constantly is to add special offers periodically and inject some urgency into the viewership. All special offers should be for a limited time only. When time is up, immediately remove the offer from the site.
If your chiropractic marketing can show that your site is credible, your chances of gaining extra clients will increase dramatically. Credibility equals trust and this trust will equal rewards in the form of loyal long-term clients.
Topics: Chiropractic Marketing Articles, Chiropractic Marketing Tools | No Comments »
Online Chiropractic Marketing, The Modern Method Of Survival
By Dr. John | November 15, 2011
Not every professional wants to get involved with online chiropractic marketing. Old fashioned chiropractors have no interest in becoming an online presence and are content to muddle along with their old clientele. But what do they do when their once loyal customers have their heads turned by a chiropractor who offers them substantial discounts and other bonuses for switching? In a flagging economy, loyalty is not as strong as it once was and rest assured, the majority of people will jump ship if a far better offer comes in.
Damaged Reputations
The problem with online chiropractic marketing according to traditionalists is that it throws the company in with the millions of scams perpetrated online every year. They see other websites with flashy graphics and ‘buy now’ buttons disguising the fact that the site has no substance. Professionals have no desire to resort to such chicanery and are content to let their skills speak for themselves. At best, they have a poorly maintained website and the occasional blog post. The problem is, if you’re not using online chiropractic marketing, you are in danger of becoming invisible in your own town!
Become Visible
In reality, the majority of your chiropractic marketing drive needs to take place online. Unfortunately, having great skills, results and a glowing reputation means absolutely nothing if no one knows about it. With online chiropractic marketing, you reach a greater audience than ever before. It is possible to turn your practice into a brand without comprising the quality of service on offer. With well written web copy, your website can build lasting relationships with customers. They like what they see on your site, come to your practice and your talent takes care of the rest.
USP
However, you need to be aware that you’re competing with a number of other organizations. This is why your online chiropractic marketing strategy has to help you stand out above all others. In the sales industry, the Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is one of the most important things in marketing. The purpose of a USP is to show the customer why your business is different from the others. It persuades them to ignore all other companies and put their faith in you.
Some companies mistakenly believe that a USP is merely a chiropractic marketing slogan. In actual fact, a USP should implant the idea that no other company can complete with yours into the collective heads of the audience. Famous USP’s include:
Domino’s Pizza: “Fresh, hot pizza in 30 minutes or less”
M&M’s: “The milk chocolate that melts in your mouth, not in your hand.”
As far as chiropractors go, your USP could be that you can accommodate patients in emergencies or that you give 25% off on a Saturday. Whatever your USP is, it must make you a viable option for customers.
Instead of fighting against online chiropractic marketing, embrace it and watch as your business becomes more popular than ever. Failure to use the increasing power of the internet could be the death knell of your practice. Traditions are a fine thing but sometimes, failure to move with the times sees you destined to disappear with them.
Topics: Chiropractic Marketing Articles | No Comments »
Text Messaging: The Most Important Chiropractic Marketing Method You Aren’t Using!
By Dr. John | November 14, 2011
The problem with chiropractic marketing is the race to find the latest innovations. We hurriedly search for the newest technological advances in the hope that they will finally be the trigger that launches your business into the stratosphere. Tens of thousands of dollars are spent on new chiropractic marketing campaigns that yield nothing but frustration and failure. Worst of all, the money you’ve spent seriously jeopardizes your practice when all along, one of the most effective marketing strategies for chiropractors was under your nose all along.
Text For Success
It is easy to forget the effectiveness of the humble text message under the myriad of mobile applications. We assume that the new iPhone and Android apps are the only way forward for mobile marketing. This completely fails to take into account the fact that Smartphones are not the be all and end all of mobile marketing. Most people have mobile phones and enjoy texting. It’s estimated that more than 8 trillion text messages will be sent in 2011. More than $3.3 billion will be spent on mobile marketing this year and almost 80% of the world‘s population have a mobile phone. So, how do we use the power of text messaging for the purposes of chiropractic marketing?
It is estimated that the minimum percentage of people who will respond to a text marketing message is 10% and could be as much as three times this figure. If you’re receiving a single digit response rate, something’s broken. Progressive businesses use the chiropractic marketing technique of utilizing short codes in order to help past, present and hopefully future customers gain a discount off their next visit.
Making Your Offer Known
But how do you spread the word? This is where all facets of chiropractic marketing come in. You can advertise your offer online, in a local newspaper, local radio, on store windows in your town and of course on your own property. Look at similar adverts for inspiration. For example, you could ask customers to text ‘CHIRO’ to 25765. If someone is looking for a chiropractor and sees your discount offer, it won’t take them long to text you. Saving $20-$50 with one text message really is a no-brainer after all. Besides, if you were aching all over, wouldn’t the lure of a free chiropractic session in your area be too good to resist? Once you have the numbers of customers, you can send them text messages relating to new offers whenever they come available.
Reminding Customers
Text messaging as a means of chiropractic marketing can also save you from the scourge of practices everywhere: The no-show. In some cases, a business can experience a no-show rate of 75%. Naturally, this could be catastrophic for your company. Some people can’t be bothered turning up but others genuinely forget as the rigors of life take hold. Use text messages to send reminders of appointments to your patients. Statistics have shown that this reduces the level of no-shows by up to 50%. Send the reminder about 1 hour before the session is due to begin to achieve optimal results. A single saved appointment could be worth the cost of a month’s subscription to your mobile phone company.
So instead of wasting your chiropractic marketing efforts on the use of sophisticated technology, get back to basics with text messaging and be amazed by the results.
Topics: Chiropractic Marketing Articles | No Comments »
Some of the Pros and Cons of Chiropractic Marketing
By Dr. John | November 6, 2011
For a chiropractor opening a new practice, there are so many things to consider; finding a space to lease, buying equipment, buying furniture, utility set ups, license fees, staffing, hours of operation. I would bet that buying office supplies and décor for the office gets more priority than the marketing sometimes. This is unfortunate because marketing will be the one business tool that will make or break a business, in fact chiropractic marketing should be planned out and implemented before the practice opens its doors.
Unfortunately some chiropractors don’t consider marketing to be a necessity until it’s too late; however there seems to be gradual shift in the chiropractic profession in general. More and more new practices, as well as established practices, are looking at chiropractic marketing with fresh eyes. It’s obvious though that there are some obstacles to overcome, but most doctors of chiropractic have managed to weigh the facts and have begun to see the positive aspects of marketing their practice and their profession. They’ve found that the positives of marketing far outweigh “old school” thoughts like cost and being unethical for chiropractors to market themselves. Of course there are pros and cons, but it’s all in how you look at them that makes the biggest difference in your chiropractic marketing.
Here are some of the “pros”
Pro-crastination …one of the biggest Pros of chiropractic marketing is procrastination. But is it really procrastination or fear? Fear of not knowing where to start is a huge factor or the fear of spending money on something you’ve not been trained to do. Fear of marketing the wrong way and wasting your money. Fear of failure. So instead of pushing past the fear, marketing just gets put off. However, there will always that day when you can’t put if off any longer, so much time has already been wasted; time that could have been used to market your practice.
Pro-ductivity… ongoing marketing campaigns creates a healthy practice with a steady flow of new patients. Results may not always be immediate, but after a few months of continuous chiropractic marketing you will begin to question why it took you so long to get your chiropractic marketing plan in action.
Pro-active…when you use chiropractic advertising to grow your practice consider being proactive with your marketing. Instead of waiting until an event occurs before using an angle to market your practice, get your chiropractic marketing working for you beforehand. This is why it is helpful to keep a marketing calendar. This way you can plan your marketing events to coincide with holidays, seasons and community events.
There are “cons” in chiropractic marketing too…
Con-nectivity…chiropractic marketing is reaching out, making contact with people, seizing any and all opportunity to get your information in another person hands.
Con-tinuous…steady, always moving, never ceasing. It doesn’t always have to been large expensive endeavors. Marketing can be as simple as always having a business card ready to hand out or leave behind when you are not in the office. Same with your staff, they should always be ready to share chiropractic with others in the community.
Con-tent…Of course your chiropractic marketing should always be relevant, concise and offer a call to action.
It’s always been a mystery as to why chiropractic marketing is not thought to be as important as other tools of running a practice. But now that you’ve weighed the pros and cons, this should no longer be the case.
Topics: Chiropractic Marketing Articles | No Comments »