This original article was featured in the October 2022 issue of The American Chiropractor.

In the grand scheme of the world, Chiropractic, as we know it, is a relatively new practice. When you think about how our profession just turned 127 years old this September, I realize that we have a lot of work to do in getting the message out about what it is that we as chiropractors do. 

Every practice is different, so when it comes to specific marketing of what you do in your practice, I have a process that I recommend going through. Obviously, we want to help as many people get chiropractic as possible. But when it comes to marketing chiropractic in your practice, that can be overwhelming and wishy-washy if we send a mixed message. We want to be very specific. This requires you to spend time getting very clear on you, your product, and your message. Having clarity and certainty on what it is you offer is key. 

Before we dive in, I first want to address a common mistake that I hear when it comes to people marketing chiropractic to the masses. Countless doctors have come to me saying that they do great with getting people interested in chiropractic and to show up for the first appointment, but they can’t get them to enroll into care. Now, keep in mind that this can be due to many reasons including the entire Day 1 and 2 process. 

That being said, in these cases, I learned that these doctors were getting it wrong from the very beginning with the marketing message! They had ads either on social media or in print and they were discounting their new patient exams and x-rays and sometimes even the first adjustment – drastically. 

There’s a few problems with this but let’s assume this office was compliantly and legally discounting these services using a Discount Medical Plan Organization. With that problem handled, what do you think could be the reason these people showed up for care excited about chiropractic, but never enrolled? 

It’s simple. The message of the ad attracted the wrong patient. These patients were looking for a good deal and not really interested in the true benefits of care. Sure there may have been some that just needed that ad to get their foot in the door and then they become lifelong patients, but that’s the exception to the rule. Without fail, these patients got the exam, the x-rays and maybe one or two adjustments, and were never seen again. 

The doctor spent time and money on that ad just for it to bring in a patient that was there for a different reason. I’m not saying that person shouldn’t receive care and they shouldn’t enter a chiropractic office. But what I am saying is ads and marketing like that do not work when it comes to marketing chiropractic and marketing your office if you are looking for a patient that will stay for more than 2 visits. 

So how do we combat this and create a marketing message that cultivates a loyal patient? 

Get clear on your ideal patient

Let’s clarify this before we go any further. The keyword here is “ideal”. This doesn’t mean that this is the only type of patient that you see. What it does mean is that this type of patient is your favorite to see. Maybe it’s the most rewarding for you, maybe they are the ones that refer the most, or maybe they just are the ones that show up on time for their appointments.

This could be that you love taking care of seniors, pregnant women, government employees, military members, golfers, babies, or kids. 

Get clear on where your ideal patient hangs out

Once you are clear on who your ideal patient is, how do you get your message in front of them? Where are they? Are they on social media groups? Do they scroll through Instagram?

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. If your ideal patient is a golfer, maybe the best way to get your message to them is by having a golf instructor be your biggest cheerleader or maybe you work with a course to be at tournaments. 

If your ideal patient is on the internet searching specific keywords like “sciatica pain during pregnancy”, make sure that your resources show up! 

Define your message around pain points

Now that you know who your ideal patient is and where to go to get the message to them, we need to get clear on what that message is. Now, we as chiropractors know that virtually everyone will benefit from chiropractic care. But we need to reach these patients in a way that stands out to them. A way that will make them say, “Hey, they are talking about me! I wonder if I can benefit from seeing Dr. Miles?”. I recommend speaking their language and appealing to their pain points. 

Does the golfer need better range of motion on their swing or to do a round of golf without pain? Is the mom with a kid with ADHD looking for something that she hasn’t already tried and looking for hope? Maybe you are looking for someone that just simply wants optimal function of their body without medications. What might their pain points be and the message you can use to reach them? 

Remember that the message comes across better if you are more specific vs being very general. 

Put it all together with the right strategy

Last step! We know the “Who”, the “Where”, and the “What”, now we need to come up with the “How?”. What strategies can we use to effectively communicate that message to that audience in that environment? 

Come up with a marketing message and implement it! Make sure there is a call to action and a way for them to easily get in touch with you. Make sure it’s easy for them to schedule an appointment with you and that they don’t have to wait 3 weeks. 

A few other tips that I would recommend on this strategy of marketing chiropractic: 

Small, frequent messages are better than overwhelming them
We can’t expect our patients or potential patients to be chiropractic experts after our first interaction with them. What took us years to learn in school, can’t be thrown at them all at once. I recommend giving them small bite sized messages that they see frequently rather than flooding them with the message. Not only does this help them to digest this information, but it also keeps them at the top of mind. 

Be willing to adjust your strategy and message
Review your stats and see what’s working and what’s not. If you aren’t getting the results you were expecting or hoping for, be willing to adapt and change your strategy until you find one that works. 

Once you have your ideal patient in the door, make sure that they are going through a process in your practice that cultivates patient loyalty. 

About the Author:For nearly two decades, Dr. Miles Bodzin ran a successful, high-retention, wellness practice in San Diego, CA. He retired from practice in 2011 to focus solely on helping chiropractors increase their patient retention.  As Founder and CEO of Cash Practice Systems, Chiropractic’s #1 Technology Platform for Creating Loyal Patients, his leadership resulted in serving over 6,000 chiropractors, being listed on the Inc 5000, as well as being named one of San Diego Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs.  Dr. Bodzin may be booked for interviews and speaking engagements at bookings@cashpractice.com or reached directly at drbodzin@cashpractice.com. His inspiring story can be watched at TheCallingMovie.com.