I've been having headaches and neck pain for the last week, so I decided to take the morning off to get an adjustment/massage at one of the local chiropractic clinics. The doctor and his staff were friendly and professional. The office was clean and organized. But I couldn't stop thinking "wow, this place is really boring and I'm glad I don't have to spend any significant amount of time here."
The clinic was sterile, inhuman, and felt like a filing cabinet.
It had all of the generic educational pamphlets, posters, and products. It also had office plants, degrees hung on walls, leather reception chairs, and six month old magazines. Everything about this clinic was generic (except the wonderful staff, who deserve praise).
As yourself the following question:
"Will my patients like me better if I'm boring?"
Of course not! If you're boring, people are going to forget to talk about you and they're going to be ambivalent about coming to your clinic. You're going to be degraded, in the patient's mind, to a glorified auto mechanic who they like but don't particularly care about until their suspension breaks.
Remember this: you're selling an experience, not just an adjustment. Give your patients a remarkable experience and they'll brag about you to their friends and look forward to their next visit.
Roderick Campbell is the marketing director at ChiroHosting. You can reach him via email or by calling (800)295-3346 Monday-Wednesday from 10-5pm PST.
How remarkable is my practice?
Choose the answers that most closely resemble your own clinic. Some of the answers won't be exact (e.g. you offer coffee instead of tea), but it's the spirit of the answer that matters. Be honest!
