Involve every CA staff member in marketing and promoting your practice

Business can be like the weather, sometimes hot, sometimes dreary, occasionally overcast, rarely perfect. A business flourishes in the right climate and dies in a drought. The only constant is change; and the one measure of success is growth.

As chiropractic assistants (CAs), we are a vital part of our clinics. Our very livelihood is dependent on our clinic’s success and growth. However, CAs often are reluctant to take an active role in marketing.

Many years ago as a new CA, I first thought about actually soliciting new patients. As my knowledge about chiropractic grew, I became more confident in speaking to people. As my belief in the profession grew, I knew that it was not only my duty to ask for referrals, it was also my obligation as part of the business.

Over the past 23 years, I have discovered various marketing techniques that can be simple, fun, and exciting. Some may be challenging, but none are hard to accomplish. Marketing does not have to be scary nor move you out of your comfort zone. CAs should not feel like they are being pushy—with the right intent asking for a referral is being helpful and caring for others. Marketing your business or your products should be part of your job description. Every CA, no matter how new or inexperienced can market.

Top-Ten List
Ten easy marketing ideas that cost little to no money can create excitement for your office, resulting in a huge windfall of new patients.

1) Front-desk marketing. The front desk in any office is the perfect place to start a marketing program. Front-desk CAs see patients twice—once on the way in and again when they check out. Since the front desk has the most patient contact and control over patient visits, it is also the best place to keep referral cards, right on the back of patient appointment cards. I am not speaking of putting a message on the cards that reads, Free adjustment with every referral. That is illegal remuneration. You may not entice referrals for money, gifts, or anything of value. However, printing a reminder for patients to refer such as: Refer your family and friends. Give them the gift of health; We appreciate your referrals. Make someone feel good today; or Refer to us—send us your ill, your hurt, your pain in the butt. That last one takes a special kind of office, but sometimes the comedy is what gets people to read and remember.

2) Direct referrals. Asking for referrals scares most people. Whether the doctor, the back office, or the front desk is doing the asking, keep in mind that when asking for referrals, we are doing the patient and the prospective patient a favor. Imagine helping someone out of pain—won’t the prospective patient be happy? Won’t they not only want to thank the doctor, but also their friend who referred them?

When people suffer from aliments, especially when they have sought other care without relief, they are the most thankful people treated. There are literally hundreds of these kinds of patients only blocks from your office. These patients are only one person away from knowing our offices exist. Sadly, they go on in pain because we fail to plant the seed of thought in our patients’ minds.

It can be as simple as saying: “Mary, now that you are feeling so good, I want you to think of someone in your family, a friend, coworker, or neighbor who may be suffering in pain needlessly. Here, Mary, take three of our business cards and let those people know how good you feel.”

You will be surprised how fast referrals increase with this one step. Back-office CAs, this is the perfect thing to say and do when you are taking a patient off therapy and she expresses how much better she feels.

3) Image marketing. This is the easiest—no fear, no stress—marketing your office can do. It does cost a little money compared to the free ideas previously listed, however it can still be done inexpensively. Create an image that will be directly related to your office, such as a logo or trademark. You can create one without hiring an image company. Make this image stand for who you are. When people see the image they should automatically think of your office (do not use a symbol that has a universal meaning like the chiropractic caduceus).

Once the image is chosen, put it on shirts that all the CAs wear daily, print it on business cards, include it on the signage, and put up displays of pamphlets. Bombard your community with your image. Use signs and newspaper ads, to create intrigue and mystery that has everyone talking about it. (Remember the Batman logo that was up all over town before the movie came out? No one really knew what it was until the next clue appeared, it kept everyone interested.) When CAs go out to lunch with their logo shirts on, people will say, “I’ve seen that logo. Where do you work?” This will start a conversation about the office and chiropractic. Have those referral cards handy.

4) Back-office talks. Back-office CAs have a captive audience to do marketing. When a back-office CA is doing an attended therapy, they should be talking chiropractic, not discussing personal problems.

CAs have the perfect opportunity to talk to patients and educate them about the wonderful benefits of chiropractic care. This is also the time to plant the seeds of referring:

• Mary, did you know that many neuromusculoskeletal problems are congenital or heredity? Is there any one in your family who has the same problem?
• Mary, I know you have a daughter who is 12. Did you know that most scoliosis conditions occur in females and start between the ages of 7 to 14? Why don’t you bring your daughter with you on your next visit and we will be happy to give her a free scoliosis screening.
• Mary, we are so glad you are feeling better. If we can help any of your family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors, we are currently accepting new patients. Take a couple of these cards and let them know how great you are feeling.

Ask and you shall receive. If you don’t ask, patients never think about it.

5) Monthly office themes. This marketing idea is actually fun and results in new patients by focusing on a different issue each month. Patients are motivated to refer. Think of a new monthly theme for your office and decorate appropriately.

For example, February is Heart Month. Check patients’ blood pressure, hand out heart stickers to kids, or sponsor a walk in your community for heart and health. Put up posters in the office that read: Have a heart, refer someone this month!

August can be Back to School Month. Offer a sale on backpacks and pass out literature regarding backpack injuries. Spread the word around to your community, not just to your existing patients. Once your neighborhood realizes that your office cares about issues for their children, they will be calling for an appointment.

Make October Spinal Screening Month. Offer free scoliosis screenings for children ages 6 to 16, and sponsor a poster-coloring contest with the kids who are screened. The winning poster receives a $25 gift certificate to a book or toy store. Again, make this a community-wide program with a story in the local newspaper. Offer to have the screenings at a local middle school.

December can be the Spirit of Giving Back Month. Collect toys for a local charity or a women’s shelter. You could offer to sponsor a Christmas dinner for a needy family and suggest your patients help sponsor another one.

Each month can be fun and different. Patients and staff look forward to the next theme.

6) Pamphlets of the week. This marketing tool is easy. Pick at least 12 different condition pamphlets and assign one per week to be the condition of the week for the next 3 months (you can pick more than 12, or repeat the cycle each quarter). Highlight a specific condition every week, such as headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, leg pain, and sciatic pain. Display posters about the condition in each treatment room.

Every CA should give pamphlets to patients, friends, and family. Everyone should strive to pass out at least 10 pamphlets outside the office (the more, the better). The staff can be creative in getting the condition of the week noticed by patients, such as wearing funny T-shirts or signs, elbow braces for tennis elbow week, or back supports (outside their clothes) for low back week. Every staff member should read the pamphlet to be highlighted several times. They should be able to talk about the condition thoroughly and know the pamphlet in detail. You will be amazed how many patients with those conditions suddenly start coming into your office. It is universal law: what you put out comes back tenfold.

7) A PR CA. No, that is not a misprint: become a PR CA (public relations chiropractic assistant). A PR CA is an employee who can speak publicly on chiropractic generally and the office specifically. Public speaking is not for everyone, so this marketing idea may not appeal to every CA.

If a CA has no fear of public speaking, arrange for him or her to give lectures to the local area. There are many kinds of clubs and associations that would love to have a guest lecturer: gardening and knitting clubs, scout troops, nursing homes, veterans groups, fraternal organizations, sports leagues, secretaries, and factory and warehouse workers. For ideas of groups and associations in your area, contact the local chamber of commerce and request a list. Usually the chamber not only has a list of names, but also the presidents’ names, meeting times, and contact information.

8) Article writing. A great way to market is a newspaper article, which should be on general health or specific chiropractic conditions. Sometimes newspapers accept these articles and print them free of charge as a public service to their readers. However, even when they do not, your office can purchase ad space for a small fee and print the article within the ad.

Another idea is to have everyone in the office contribute to a monthly or quarterly newsletter. To cut down on the cost of mailing, display it in the office for patients to pick up when they come in. Some health food stores or gyms also allow your office to drop off a stack of newsletters for their customers and clients to read. When the articles are interesting and give people tips on how to care for themselves, the newsletter will be read by many and be a valuable tool in getting new patients.

9) Product displays. Most offices keep all their sale items (pillows, vitamins, back supports, etc) in a closet. Why not display them in the reception area, treatment rooms, hallways, near the front desk, or in the therapy area? If your office sells lumbar support cushions or support pillows used in a car or chair, display them by putting them in all the chairs of the reception area.

If it is allergy or flu season, display your vitamins right next to the tissue box with a little sign: need relief? Use cervical pillows in the treatment area, (leave the plastic on and cover with a pillowcase), you’ll be surprised at how many patients ask where they can purchase the pillows. Instant marketing. Instant sale.

10) Thank-you cards. Yes, a simple thank-you card can be a great form of patient referral and marketing. With all the privacy issues of HIPAA, many offices have stopped writing thank-you cards when a patient refers someone.

While it is inappropriate to actually mention a patient’s name in the thank-you, there are several ways to still say thank-you: You are amazing! You are always helping your friends and family. Thank you for your continued confidence in referring those in need to our office. We appreciate you. Believe me, patients will know whom you are talking about without violating another patient’s rights.

Thanking a patient each and every time they refer a new patient to your office ensures their continued loyalty.

What about sending a thank-you card to a patient who has yet to refer? Find a reason to thank at least three patients a week. You can thank them for staying on schedule, being on time for their appointments, or returning after a long time of discontinued care.

When you send the thank-you card be sure to add a reminder to refer: Mary, we just want to send you a quick note to thank you for always being on time for your appointments. As you get better, we are sure that you’ll want to tell others. Enclosed are three referral cards to give to your friends and family.

One last tip: put up a sign outside your office, or take out an ad in the newspaper that reads: Now accepting new patients. It does not matter if you have been in business for 20 years—it is eye catching and patients and the public will think it is a great opportunity to start referring to your office.

Try one or two of these tips and watch your business grow. Remember that marketing does not have to cost the clinic a lot of money, it only costs a little imagination and some effort on everyone’s part.

Ces Soyring, CA, is cofounder of the National Academy of Chiropractic Assistants (www.naca-online.com)  and a chiropractic consultant. She can be reached via email: naca_csoyring@yahoo.com.