What are your recommendations for a new office to attract patients?

My Response:

Other than hours, location, signage, parking and similar issues, an “office” can’t do much to attract patients. But chiropractors can do quite a bit to attract patients!

One of the basic laws of attraction is having a “charge.” An electron is attracted to a proton because of its charge. North is attracted to South because of its magnetic “charge.” When thousands crowd a venue to listen to Springsteen or see the Passion of the Christ, it’s because of their charge. Chiropractors know this, but often think the same phenomenon doesn’t apply to them. It does.

To attract you must take a stand! And share that position with as many strangers as you can. Taking a stand is easy compared to sharing it with strangers. And that’s the key. If you remain sequestered in your office like a “real” doctor, you won’t encounter enough strangers to make a living. Worse, the “charge” that the few brave patients who stumble into your office are likely experience will be so “needy” as to be pathetic and serve to repulse them!

The most effective, efficient and powerful way to attract strangers who are drawn to your “charge” is to share your ideas, your perspective, your experience in front of groups of strangers: as in public speaking.

Many, if not most, new chiropractors are afraid of sharing their philosophy in front of groups. Too bad. Because if you think that’s scary, consider what it must be like to face a lifetime of muscle relaxers or irreversible surgery! If you can get yourself out of the way enough to tell the story, you’ll attract the patients who want what you have. But keep your eye on telling the story, not getting patients. Getting patients are an effect, a result, an outcome. The cause is telling the story. A story that most people have never heard.

Cluster book the patients you have to free yourself up to get out of your office and share the chiropractic story with any group or organization that will have you. And if that seems too intimating, look up a local Toastmasters group and start rehearsing the story and learn how to get yourself out of the way!

Bill