Tom called me the other day to express his desire to use the new HCG diet. He wanted to lose weight and after struggling for so many years decided that that this was the diet for him.
I am not certain if all are familiar but this note diet helps individuals reduce weight with the use of drops and a 500-calorie diet. While there are many opinions on both sides, there is something even more interesting about the diet – it is a great analogy for your business.
You see the idea of these new diets require that individuals consume 6 to 8 “small meals” per day while remaining at the suggested caloric intake. The idea contrasts the method in which many Americans eat today, three meals gorging at each. What I find is that most business operate with the same formula.
Don’t Believe Me? Here is a quick story about Michelle. Michelle operates a volatile practice. One month her revenue is $60,000 and the next $15,000. The reason, she gorges. Michelle is not unlike many doctors that forget the need to consistently and relentlessly market. Her marketing like many is like gorging, when you do you gain an increase in patients and relish in the revenue but then you get so busy servicing patients that you wait until it gets slow and your gorge again.
Marketing must be serviced like a nutritious diet, consistent and often. Each day must have devoted to it just a few moments of marketing so that you constantly add to your pipeline and do not get hungry searching for leads. So here are some quick tips:
- The best method to ensure a consistent marketing approach is to seek out new referrals each day. You are with patients and this is the easiest source of revenue and patient gain.
- Spend at least one hour per week networking in with community service or a professional group to increase your exposure to the community.
- Create alliances with orthopedists, physical therapists, and athletic trainers to provide third party endorsements.
- Speak at least twice per month to community areas on health related topics.
- Create newsletters and monthly tip sheets for existing patients.
- Never forget that your customer service is part of your marketing approach. Create a patient oriented culture.
- Get the entire office involved; marketing is not a solo effort.
The more you make marketing a part of your practice, the better the practice will be. When you stop engaging in good marketing you only set yourself up for volatile periods and an unhealthy practice that is constantly hungry and thirsty for business.
© 2012. Drew Stevens PhD. All rights reserved.
Did you know that every business owner has the same 17 Frustrations? Want to know what they are? Find out now!
Drew Stevens Ph.D. is a world-renowned marketing mentor for chiropractors. Drew is one of those very rare chiropractic-marketing experts with not only 30 years of true experience but advanced degrees in marketing productivity. Not many can make such as claim. Drew works with chiropractors and professional services firms who struggle like crazy to create customer centric relationships that create new revenue. Dr. Drew has aided professionals to reach billions of dollars in new revenue by strategically implementing processes and methods that develop new relationships and new revenue.
I am certain spiritual or not you have heard of the 7 Deadly Sins. Well for many practices there are numerous sins committed in business each day. The reason for these sin is simple: a)lack of knowledge, b) lack of time and c) lack of awareness of the issue.
It is so important that practice managers pay particular attention to the business. What typically is forgotten is that nothing happen unless a patient pays. Doctors and staff must create business efficiency and organization if the practice is to survive. Here are the 7 sins of practice management that negatively impact the practice:
- Marketing – The doctor and staff must actively engage in the marketing business. Everything they do must act to ensure there is acquisition and retention. This includes activities that engage patient around brand.
- Sales – Nothing happens without a sale. Selling happens when patients exchange value for dollars. The problem here I know of too many doctors that are afraid to ask for money. Patrick has an front desk person that requests payment before individuals walk into a treatment room. Being meek does not pay the bills.
- Service – So many practices ignore customer service. The greatest asset of any business is your patient. The difference between a profitable firm and one that isn’t is customer service. Don’t believe me then visit an office with a full waiting room and one that is empty – the difference, customer service. Patients are not an interruption of the business they are the purpose of it!
- Hiring – People make a difference. Staff is the first and last people patients see. When your staff treats patients like yesterday’s garbage, they find another physician. When they take pride and illustrate purpose, patients remain. Ensure you hire right. Hire for talent not behavior.
- Benchmarking – The problem with many practices is that they do just that – they practice. In fact, some are so good at practicing they do not compete. If you want to take your business from the practice field to the competitive field then you must have key performance indicators that measure success. When it is measured, it is repeated.
- Accounting – Ron loves to travel and have nice vacations. However, he is so busy spending he is not reinvesting into the practice. Material items are great but they do nothing for business expansion, reinvestment, and retirement.
- Strategy – Too many doctors are so busy on working on tactical things that nothing gets done. Doctors need to think strategically because this is what the business is to become not how.
© 2012. Drew Stevens PhD, all rights reserved.
© 2012. Drew Stevens PhD. All rights reserved.
Did you know that every doctor has the same 17 Business Frustrations? Want to know what they are?
Drew Stevens Ph.D. is a world-renowned marketing mentor for chiropractors. Drew is one of those very rare chiropractic-marketing experts with not only 30 years of true experience but advanced degrees in marketing productivity. Not many can make such as claim. Drew works with chiropractors and professional services firms who struggle like crazy to create customer centric relationships that create new revenue. Dr. Drew has aided professionals to reach billions of dollars in new revenue by strategically implementing processes and methods that develop new relationships and new revenue.
