Some chiropractors have commented that they think we give too much information to our new people that it is too much to digest and that it is perhaps a waste of money and chiropractic resources. I have written before about the fact that you cannot give a person too much information. The only mistake you can make is to assume that they have read it all and understood it. That problem can be resolved by simply asking them if they have read it and if they have any questions about it. It is a legitimate question.
I believe we need to change our attitude toward new practice members. The first thing we need to do is see them as individuals who need to learn about chiropractic, assume they have little or no understanding. We must also accept the responsibility for sharing that information with them and the public at large. Many chiropractors spend hundreds even thousands of dollars each year to get people in the office through various marketing and advertising programs. Much of that information, in the form of brochures, flyers shopper inserts or newspaper ads, is never seen. It ends up in the trash. Some recipients already go to a chiropractor; others would never consider going. Yet we question the value of educating new people, people who are clearly interested in chiropractic have a positive attitude toward it, and are already interested in finding out more about it. That seems like the perfect place to spend our time, energy, and money.
Here is a question. How much do you spend on new practice members who come into your office? Let me share with you what our packet for a new person contains.
1. A personalized chiropractic report in which we have pointed out their subluxations and their program of care (*)
2. A CD with a 5-minute “Welcome to the Office” on one track and a 50-min. orientation on the other
3. Our monthly office calendar (**)
4. A New Practice Member booklet (***)
5. A copy of the Chart of Effects of Vertebral Subluxation (***)
6. A survey they return to our office (*)
7. Two different business cards, one is general about our office and one specifies each chiropractors’ hours
Total Cost
Chiropractic Report (2 sheets of paper printed on both sides in house) – .028
CD (label & envelope) – (label) .26, (Envelope) .1, (CD) .5 – total cost .86
Office Calendar (1 sheet, printed on both sides in house) – .014
New Practice Member Booklet – $1.93
Chart of Effects of Vertebral Subluxation (1 sheet of paper printed on both sides in house) – .014 Survey (1 sheet of paper printed on both sides in house) – .014
Business Cards (2 cards) – .16 Folder – .74
Total – $3.76
I would sooner spend $3.76 on a thousand new practice members/year than $3,760 on advertising with no guarantee of new people. What do you think?
(*) We would be happy to email a copy to you
(**) Available at our office web-site (see below)
(***) Available through FACE (www.f-a-c-e.com)
Worth re-reading (as are all the articles here!).