Chiropractic Patient's-Point-of-View Blog

This month’s issue of Fast Company offers up some “High Tech Gadgets for Highly Creative People.” Hmm. Wonder if that means these items have poor instruction manuals or what? Just in time for Christmas giving... er receiving!

The Marketing Gurus by Chris Murray is a terrific idea. The folks who create audio digests each month by condensing the most popular business books into a 20-minute listen, have assembled a book with the key marketing ideas from some of the marketing greats. My favorite authors, such as Seth Godin (Purple Cow), Faith Popcorn (The Popcorn Report), Guy Kawasaki (How to Drive Your Competition Crazy) and others are represented here.

The beauty of this approach is that they’ve taken the content of entire books and presented the most essential, salient points in 15-page chapters. If you’re not inclined to read business books, I’d recommend this one. Pick and choose from among the 17 chapters and you’ll get lots of ideas to enhance the marketing (not advertising) of your practice for 2007.

Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath. Starting with the bright cover and the mock duct tape, this extraordinary little book is filled with real world examples you can use to advance your practice. Why is it that urban legends have lasting power, yet sophisticated, multi-million dollar advertising campaigns (and patient education overtures made in earnest) hardly has an effect? Learn the six elements of what makes ideas stick. Discover the Velcro Theory of Memory, The Sinatra Test, the Curse of Knowledge and countless other insights. Find out why “Where’s the Beef” and the Jared campaign for Subway were so successful. (If you’re allowed to use testimonials in your jurisdiction, the chapter on Credibility will return your book investment 100X.) If you enjoyed Malcom Gladwell’s books (The Tipping Point and Blink), you’ll love this one!

If you’ve been to one of my speaking gigs, you know that I’m passionate about language and its precision. So, when I heard Dr. Frank Luntz interviewed by Terry Gross on Fresh Air, I got a copy of his new book, Words That Work. He’s conducted hundreds of focus groups and has worked as a pollster for politicians, ad agencies, corporations and non-profit organizations. I resonate with his unquenchable curiosity and his love for English. The first chapter, The Ten Rules of Effective Language is brilliant, as are the examples he uses to make his points. (Rule 1: Use small words.) He affirms many of the guidelines I follow when writing brochures and our other patient tools. Pick up a copy if you want to improve your reports, lectures and ability to communicate chiropractic.

I’m a Seth Godin junkie (Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, Small is the New Big, etc.), so when I heard that he had a new book I immediately bought it sight unseen. The Dip is about a topic that I’ve never seen written about before: when to quit (and when to stick with it). When do you give up on a product, service or business that isn’t going well? What are the signs that indicate the wisdom of persevering through The Dip? How do you create barriers to entry for others?

Seth will remind you that much of our culture is based on quitters. For example, if every member of that gym you belong to showed up, there’d be a line for every treadmill and Stairmaster! The entire workout industry is based on people giving up or not fully using what they bought (timeshare anyone?).

Patients quit too.

In 75 short pages, Seth Godin will reveal the one thing you need to aim for to avoid “Death-in-the-Dip.” Discover why emerging on the other side of the dip is where the action is. Just be sure to avoid Cul de sacs and of course, The Cliff!

“Where does Polysorbate-60 come from, Daddy?”

When one of Steve Ettlinger’s children poised that question after reading the list of ingredients on the side of a Hostess® Twinkies® package, it prompted him to find the answer. The answer, along with where the other 26 ingredients in a typical Twinkie come from, each became a chapter in his book, Twinkie, Deconstructed.

If you have an interest in nutrition, or want to catch a glimpse behind the processed food industry, you’ll enjoy this easy read. The book is arranged in the same order as the list of ingredients in a Twinkie. Thus, wheat flour is up front, and Polysorbate 60 shows up as chapter 19. (By the way, you’re probably familiar with the crème filling. The word cream is spelled that way because to get a 26-day shelf life, no dairy product is actually used. Yum!)

I was intrigued by the title, Survival of The Sickest, A Medical Maverick Discovers Why We Need Disease. But as I got into it, I couldn’t detect much evidence that Dr. Sharon Moalem was much of a “maverick." Coming from a deeply mechanistic viewpoint, and a solid belief in the religion of evolution, I was largely disappointed. Sure, there were a couple of bright spots, especially in her exploration of the role of iron and our immune system, not to mention the idea that the body is inclined to produce adaptations based on survival rather than longevity. Yes, thanks to our sturdy ancestors, you and I are survivors of the Black Plague and other pandemics. But no need to test your patience by reading about it.

I wish I could remember who recommended this book so I could personally thank him. Because The Presence Process, A Healing Journey Into Present Moment Awareness, by Michael Brown is simply profound. It meshes nicely with the work of another one of my favorites, Eckert Tolle and the work he’s done, starting with The Power of Now (which I’ve read three times). Michael Brown’s 10-week process provides a practical way to become more present through a series of readings and daily breathing exercises. His observation that many of our unhealed wounds from childhood play out again and again as adults struck a responsive chord. In fact, he somewhat confirms my theory that many health care providers often choose health care as an attempt to find their own healing, and in the process discover they can make a living helping others with what they’ve learned. Weighing in at 323 pages it’s quite a read, but the insights were well worth it!

If you follow these posts at all, you know that I’m a huge fan of Seth Godin. His last book, The Dip, has been topped (so-to-speak) by his most recent installment, Meatball Sundae. As an entrepreneur with one foot in atoms (Patient Media) and the other in bits (Perfect Patients) I find his insights to be especially relevant. It’s the first book in which he mentions chiropractic by name! It appears on page 45. “I could go on, of course. I could talk about how the millions of full- and part-time real-estate brokers are facing an uncertain future. How everyone from chiropractors to worker’s-comp agencies are facing a challenge in getting new business. But I won’t.”

Actually he does. He explains why most advertising doesn’t work. And the 14 trends affecting you, me, your patients and your future.

The title? It comes from the notion of adding whipped cream and toppings (the Internet) to what is already there—the pedestrian meatball (adjusting) that pays the bills. You gotta read this! Or you’ll be stuck with your version of paneling, shag carpet and wishing for the ‘good old days.’

*Personality not included, by Rohit Bhargava, is titled after the common refrain seen on various battery operated devices. It brilliantly takes a close look at the importance of rising above the faceless persona that so many businesses project. As I’m going through it, with its countless examples (many that you’ll recognize), I can see how this book could give courage to chiropractors who have suppressed their personality in the hopes of being more appealing to more people. As Bhargava points out, the exact reverse is true. In fact, if you’re in the midst of naming your practice something that doesn’t include your name, think twice. Chiropractic is a highly personal business. Yet, many chiropractors needlessly withhold information about themselves that could enhance their creditbility and influence with patients. I wonder how many chiropractors ever explain to new patients how they had fears and bias to overcome when they tried chiropractic for the first time. If you don’t normally read business books, You’ll enjoy this one!

Naturally the title, The Future of the Internet and How to Stop It, by Jonathan Zittrain caught my eye! As I spend more and more energy here on the Patient Media website and even more with our sister company, Perfect Patients, the future of the Internet is something I’m keenly interested in. With almost 100 pages of footnotes, this may be one of the most heavily researched and documented books I’ve ever read. And I’ll save you the trouble. Zittrain documents the movement from “gated communities” like CompuServe, Prodigy and AOL to the more open landscape we have today. With it has come viruses, malware, phishing, pornography, privacy issues and other unsavory dangers. The author’s concern is that we’ll retreat to these more predictable and “safe” environments and in doing so, many of the creative and collaborative benefits the web has offered us, such as Wikipedia, Linux and others will be lost.

I frequently write and speak about tribes, so when I saw that my favorite author (Seth Godin) had a new book (thanks Dr. Mike Headlee) and that it was about this important subject, I immediately picked up a copy. It didn’t disappoint.

In many ways, Tribes is a book about leadership. Not the stuffy MBA kind of leadership. But the kind of leadership that chiropractic needs more of. This is about reinventing yourself, how to attract your tribe and how to be a successful heretic. Seth isn’t enamored by status (or the status quo) and offers up plenty of action steps to step up as a leader and plant your flag.

At 147 pages, it’s twice as long as his last book (The Dip) and twice as good.

Turns out that Malcolm Gladwell has topped his previous books, The Tipping Point and Blink with his most recent offering Outliers. It was one of those rare books that you read a bit, then stop to savor, and then continue reading, knowing that with each delightful page that you’re actually getting closer to it being gone.

Yes, it’s that good. Learn the significance of 10,000 hours. Or, if you’re a hockey fan, why a January birthday is so significant. Or why their German gigs helped the Beatles. Or why Korean airline pilots had (past tense) so many crashes. Or why a birthday in 1954 or 1955 was an advantage in being a software developer. Or the significance of the feud between the Hatfield’s and the McCoy’s. Or why the English way of numbering ends up favoring Asians. The list goes on and on as Gladwell offers a new understanding of the subtle confluences that affect what we call success.

Can’t remember now where I heard about Dr. David Koch’s book, but I’m thankful that I rang up the bookstore at Life University and got a copy. The subtitle to Contemporary Chiropractic Philosophy is “A Reformulation of the Thirty-Three Principles and the Normal Complete Cycle.” If you have a deep appreciation for the principles on which this profession is based, don’t panic. Dr. Koch has done some much needed rearranging and language clarification. While the most cultish among the chiropractic philosophers may cringe, Dr. Koch has done a spectacular job of making Stevenson’s 33 principles come alive and become more understandable. Of special note is the way he has divided the principles into three logical categories, Universal, Biological and Chiropractic. If you’re unfamiliar with these principles this 128-page paperback would be an excellent introduction!

Perhaps one of the most influential books I’ve read (pun intended) is the classic book by Robert Cialdini, PhD entitled Influence, Science & Practice. His newest book, Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive is a collaboration with two other social behaviorists, Noah J. Goldstein, PhD. and Steve J. Martin. The 50 practical applications of his original principles are short, to the point and immediately usable in a chiropractic practice. For example, suggestion #16. A simple change in languaging at the front desk from making a request to asking a question as in, “Please call if you have to cancel.” to “Will you please call if you have to cancel?” can reduce no shows from 30% to 10%. Suggestion #17 is equally valuable in improving your kept appointments statistic. Instead of the front desk staff writing the next appointment(s) on the back of your business or appointment card, hand the card and pen to the patient so they make their appointment commitment in their own handwriting. The book is filled with little nuances like these that will easily return your investment.

Little did Houston soccer mom Robyn O’Brien know that by feeding her fourth child some scrambled egg for the first time it would unleash her unbelief, anger and result in The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food is Making us Sick -- And What We Can Do About It.

Turns out Robyn’s daughter had a severe allergic reaction to the eggs. The rest of the book describes the process of uncovering the effects of genetically modified foods, bovine growth hormone, soy, the role of Monsanto, aspartame, corn syrup and the other aspects of our food supply. Chiropractors will be familiar with much of the content and the collusion between Big Pharma, Big Agribusiness and the FDA. The research citations are extensive and impeccable.

As a side note, Ms. O’Brien mentions, almost in passing, that her daughter had had a vaccination prior to her reaction to breakfast eggs—yet didn’t connect the dots.

This mother’s research to uncover the truth about food additives will especially interest patients who are awakening in their understanding about the business of food.

If you’re one of those inclined to make decisions by drawing a line down the middle of the page and listing the pros and cons, you must read How We Decide and abandon this practice immediately! Author Jonah Lehrer begins by describing the decision-making process of a NFL quarterback finding a receiver in the midst of a defensive rush. My palms got sweaty as he continued by describing the decision-making process of the United Airlines pilot who lost an engine and all hydraulic pressure and successfully landed in Sioux City in July of 1989. He uses these and other decision-making processes to describe left- and right-brain function, the role of the amygdala and other fascinating aspects of judgment and choice. If you’ve ever “choked” by having too much information or lost at poker, you’ll find this delicious little book sheds new light on how we humans make decisions. You might even take away some insights about how patients make decisions and what you must do to make their future health more important to their limbic system.

I found Chris Anderson’s previous book, The Long Tail to be fascinating so when I heard his interview with Terry Gross on NPR, I immediately got his new book, Free: The Future of a Radical Price. Plus, Chris is the editor of Wired Magazine, the only periodical I subscribe to and read.

We’re all familiar with free, as in “buy one, get one free” or “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.” And Chris tackles these and other manifestations of free. However, he makes his greatest distinction by contrasting what free means in the realm of atoms (tangible products and services) and the realm of bits (digital content). From music sharing sites and China’s blatant disregard of copyrights and intellectual property to Google’s free search engine sponsored by paid advertising—Chris covers it all.

And while he doesn’t specifically cover the “free spinal exam” phenomenon we see far too often in chiropractic, it probably falls under the “if-it’s-free-it-must-not-have-any-value” discussion that he touches on in several places in the book. If you’re a bit of a geek like me, you’ll enjoy the issues and thought-provoking ideas he explores.

By the way, you can download the free audio version of the book here.

There’s a lot of talk about the role of social media and chiropractic practice building these days. Some believe it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. Others are cautious and frankly a bit skeptical. I’m in that camp. Especially after reading Six Pixels of Separation: Everyone Is Connected. Connect Your Business to Everyone. by Mitch Joel.

But this book covers much more than Twitter and Facebook! It’s really about how you manage your online identity. And while many chiropractors rarely take it further than having a chiropractic website, understanding the growing role that the Internet plays in “reputation management” and connecting your practice to your community is crucial. (If you haven’t yet experienced the helplessness of an unfair “review” by a disgruntled patient, you will. Are you prepared?)

If you’ve shunned the Internet, don’t know the lingo or simply want some levelheaded thinking about how to use it to grow your practice, you’ll find this book easy to read and very helpful.

Yes, I freely confess. I’m a Seth Godin junkie. So it was great delight that I saw his newest book on my visit to the bookstore on my way home from my chiropractor Tuesday. Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? does not disappoint. And while I’m only on page 39, Seth (I think since I’ve devoured every book he’s written, I’ve earned the right to call him by his first name) has done it again by picking up on a nuance others overlook and teasing it out for everyone’s benefit.

Naturally, if you’re the one moving the freight, sweating over a hot adjusting table all day, then you’re indispensable. But how do you attract and train your staff to “own” their job and rise to the many opportunities of a paraprofessional? I predict you’ll find some helpful answers between the covers.

I met the author of Killing Sacred Cows, Garrett Gunderson at the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance (CLA) Total Solution boot camp about two weeks ago. Then, I listened to his On Purpose interview and immediately bought his book. It profoundly resonated with me, and as a chiropractor, it probably will with you as well.

If you’re living your Soul Purpose, why would you want to retire from chiropractic? Is there any basis for the belief that we should work at a job for 40 years, become economically stagnant (retire) and then die? And that’s just the start. If you or your spouse have an IRA, 401k or some other retirement fund, after reading this book you might see the folly of it, and like me, take the penalty and tax hit and shut it down.

You and I are held in financial bondage by believing many of these myths. Such as “Money is Power,” “High Risk = High Returns” and even the classic, “A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned.” If you have any hope of not being a ward of the state in your old age, read this book!