One of the first things we ask new clients is, “How did you hear about us?”
Most of the time it’s a friend or family member who got good results and sent someone our way. Google reviews help too—we have a lot of them, and most are positive.
When we actually tallied the numbers, though, the second-largest source was a chiropractor down the street.
That office markets hard. They’re on billboards, all over social media, and running Google ads. Serious marketing budget. I think they run promotions like free X-rays.
Here’s what I’m seeing: people go there for the exam, get presented with a large treatment plan that costs a lot of money, and then either they don’t get the results they expected or the office doesn’t close them. So they leave.
I hate all that sales talk, by the way. I was trained by a guy who ran the big practice-management seminars—the kind with a whole system that had roots in Scientology. We were taught sales practices I thought were borderline unethical. I told myself when I opened my own office I wouldn’t do any of that sales bullshit.
I’m not saying this particular office does any of that. I think they just aren’t connecting with a lot of their clients. I know what they charge because patients tell me.
Look, I’m not going to get on any chiropractor’s case about their fees. Charge whatever you want.
What I think is happening is this: someone tells a friend or coworker the story, and that person says, “You should try this guy. He treated me fairly,” or “I heard he doesn’t push those big plans.”
I do offer large visit packages for people who see the value in buying in bulk—like Costco. The more you buy, the lower the per-visit price. Bottom line: I’m not here to play games. If you want good care, I can offer it. If you want an even better deal, I’ll sell you visits in bulk.
That’s the whole point. People remember how you made them feel more than they remember the billboard. Treat them straight, give them a fair option, and they’ll send the next person. If you run a practice, look at your own process the way a new patient would. If it feels like a pitch instead of care, that’s the leak.
Live Long and Prosper,
-Dan
Ditch the Hard Sell: How I Built a Thriving Chiropractic Practice with Honest Care Plans
Back before I started my practice, I knew I wanted to have a different way to market to patients. I hated having to be “a salesman” during every report of findings.