The Marketing Mentor

Say Goodbye to 2008 and Make 2009 EXTREMELY Divine!

It is hard to believe that another year is coming to an end…this is a perfect time to look back on your year and review your successes, challenges and plan your strategies for the new year that is just around the corner. In order to ensure that the coming year is filled with an abundance of successes it is necessary to plan your action steps now.

Firstly, consider all of the wonderful marketing efforts that worked during 2008.  Evaluate month by month both your internal, external events and promotions by looking back on your tracking system to see where you got most of your new patients and what was it that your existing patients most participated in.  This will give you a good start in planning ahead for 2009.  Remember it is most important to make sure that you have an excellent team, ready, willing and able to take on 2009!

Do you have a purpose statement for your practice?  Ask yourself two questions: 1) Who or what do you want to be and 2) What do you want to do?  Write down your thoughts and start to form phrases about who you are and what you want to accomplish within your practice.

Do you know your capacity?  How much water does an eight ounce glass hold?  Can you get nine ounces into an eight ounce glass?  The answer is “no” because eight ounces is all the eight ounce glass can hold!  Think of this in terms of growing your practice.  In order to exceed in your practice, you first must determine a way to increase your capacity, this will allow room for your practice to grow.

I have talked about this often in my articles and on my blog…do you yet know who your ideal patient is?  Discuss with your staff who your best patients are and why they are your best patients.  This will help identify your ideal patient and also help you to target market your ideal patients.

What are you participating in within your community?  How do you market yourself?  Are you consistently doing both internal and external marketing projects?  Are you consistently building your network of health care professionals?  Are you consistently gaining visibility in your community?  Have you considered hiring a part time Community Relations Director?

And lastly, are you a good communicator?  Do you own what you say about chiropractic?  Are you authentic, sincere and engaging?  Do your patients and others in the community consider you an expert at what you do?  And most of all do you have fun in your practice and in your life?  Believe it or not people can tell!

I will add to this blog some fun internal and external events that you and your team can add to your new 2009 calendar in the coming weeks. I will even add some step by step lessons so that implementing them can be simple.

It is a great idea to comment on this blog as to what you might like to see in the coming months so that I can give you what you want or need!  I encourage you to participate.  If you are not willing to participate how will you make 2009 extremely divine?

We have all experienced procrastination at some point in our lives. For some it is a frustrating habit that prevents us from achieving our goals and dreams, for others it comes and goes. Although there are many definitions of procrastination, they all seem to have one characteristic in common, rather a behavior or lack of behavior. Procrastination’s many definitions; to put off intentionally and habitually or the act of delaying or deferring an action to a later time. Procrastination causes frustration and one must overcome it to really make progress in one’s life. The things that hold us back the most are that which will free us the most. Procrastination causes stress, stress causes illness. Procrastination can be controlled…if you are willing to… manage your time, become more organized, get help, be committed and take action.

So, are you a procrastinator? What did you do to market your practice last month? How many external events did you do and what were they? How many new patients did you attract into your practice? What were the internal events that you did and did you solidify relationships with your existing patients? Did you join any new networking groups, meet any new health care professionals in your community or participate in any community events?

Well, did you?

It’s NEVER too late to take action!

October is the tenth month of the year and associated with the season Autumn. If your marketing has been lacking, there is still time before the year is over to end on a high note. Put on your creative hats and imagine, dream and PLAN!

October is…

• Chiropractic Month
• Talk About Prescriptions Month
• National Chili Month
• Magazine Month
• Energy Awareness Month
• Disability Employment Month
• Halloween Safety Month
• Pasta Month
• Physical Therapy Month
• Computer Learning Month
• Pizza Month
• Fire Prevention Month
• Vegetarian Month
• Healthy Lung Month
• Dessert Month

October 1 is…World Vegetarian Day
October 6 is…National Child Safety Day
October 10 is…World Egg Day
October 15 is…National Grouch Day
October 16 is…World Food Day & National Boss’s Day
October 22 is…World Nut Day
October 25 is…Make a Difference Day
October 31 is…Halloween

In honor of National Chili Month, host a Chili Cook-off at your office.
Ask patients and friends to join in the fun on a Saturday, after office hours and ask people to make their favorite chili recipee and bring it to the office for all to taste! Choose several patients/and or staff to be the judges and give out 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes for the best chefs! You won’t believe the bonding that will take place with your patients, the energy that you will feel and the fun that will be had by all!

During the month of October in honor of National Prescription Month, why not educate patients on the harmful side effects of prescription medications by distributing a weekly news bulletin about these different medications. In the same bulletin talk about how proper diet, nutrition, exercise, sleep and a positive mental attitude can make a huge difference in each and every one of our lives.

Chiropractic marketing is about two factors; recruitment of new patients and retention of all patients. Chiropractic marketing is really about relationship building; building relationships with new people and solidifying relationships with existing patients. Good marketing is about the planning of internal and external events, the consistency of marketing the practice and producing results. These are the basics and if the practice has a good leader that sets by example (the doctor) and excellent team players then a marketing plan can be executed and maintained.

September is Classical Music Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, National Good Manners Month, Self Improvement Month, Fall Hat Month, Better Breakfast Month, Chicken Month, National Courtesy Month, Little League Month, National Piano Month, Healthy Aging Month, Sports Safety Month, Cholesterol Education Month, National Flower Week and National Dog Week.

September 4th is…National Newspaper Carrier Day & Fight Procrastination Day

September 6th is…Read a Book Day & Coffee Ice Cream Day

September 7th is…Grandparent’s Day & Neither Rain nor Snow Day

September 9th is…Teddy Bear Day & Hot Dog Day

September 11th is…Make Your Bed Day & World Trade Center Attack Day

September 13th is…National Peanut Day, Chocolate Day, Positive Thinking Day & Fortune Cookie Day

September 15th is…Make a Hat Day

September 21st is…International Peace Month, Miniature Golf Day & Women’s Friendship Day
September 27th is…Family Health & Fitness Day

September 28th is… Good Neighbor Day, World Heart Day & Strawberry Cream Pie Day

During the month of September in honor of Sports Safety Month host a workshop for all of the coaches at the local schools to educate coaches on the importance of sports safety as well as the prevention of sports injuries. Have a staff member make calls to the schools and get the names of the coaches, send a personalized letter inviting the coaches to a lunch and learn at your office or a local restaurant. Make sure to follow up with a phone call and make sure the scripting is correct.

In honor of Grandparents Day, invite all grandparents of patients to a workshop at your office on “Finding the Fountain of Youth”. During this workshop discuss how seniors can stay young and vital through proper nutrition, exercise, positive mental attitude and sleep. Place a press release in the local newspaper and invite seniors from within the community as a way to reach out and educate others.

Now is the time to plan for the fall, there is no better time to plan out your next three months of internal and external marketing. With all of these great suggestions, why not have a contest with your team and see who comes up with the best ideas for an event. Give that person a prize or a surprise. Remember rewarding the behavior that we want is a great way to set examples for both our teammates and our patients. It works, try it!

Be sure to check back for marketing tips for October…