Its unbelievable some of the untruths that chiropractors are exposed to when it comes to marketing, especially in the first months of 2009. I need to make some things clear, because my experience in this area will not allow me to remain silent. Too many chiropractors are falling victim to this lie, and theyre watching as their practices suffer the consequences.
Just recently, I was reading a major chiropractic journal and saw that a chiropractic marketing group decided to tell all chiropractors that social media marketing and internet marketing are a “bust” in 2009. Really, I thought? Is this possible that they could make such a whopping falsehood in a big publication? I looked closer just to make sure that it wasnt some sort of joke, and sure enough, it was no joke.
So clearly, this particular chiropractic consulting firm made this claim in the publication to draw attention to their marketing methods, and the costly price of utilizing their services. These people even went as far as to say that the internet isnt being used as much for searches in 2009, and that the golden days of social media marketing have come and gone. They probably got the attention that they were after, but the price they paid was to use an untruth.
It just shows you how dated these kinds of old school marketing practices really are. For instance, take a look at the recent election of President Barack Obama. Its already being heralded as the smartest and most effective campaign in history, thanks to the genius use of social media marketing, Web 2.0, viral marketing, and all the same methods that work great wonders for chiropractors as well.
If chiropractors across America knew how much more freedom and flexibility that Web 2.0 and social media marketing would allow them, then theyd all be jumping aboard. You cant be responsible for every aspect of your practice, because youre a specialized expert, but you can devote as little as a half hour a day to social media marketing, and quickly and powerfully brand your practice in your community, driving many new patients through your doors each month.
Just like building any practice there is work involved. Don’t be confused about this. You don’t just get 15 new patients a month because you have a video on the search engines and a Facebook profile! Social media marketing for chiropractors is like a snowball that has the potential to turn into an avalanche if harnessed correctly and worked regularly. The truth is most DC’s may not have a proper mentality for this type of marketing, as they’ve been conditioned to think that there is a “magic chiropractic marketing bullet” that will net you 60 patients per month on autopilot.
Where does one begin when theyre planning a virtual chiropractic marketing blitzkrieg? The answer is video marketing, without a shadow of a doubt. Video marketing was not only the most successful marketing tool of 2008, but it is also showing to be an even bigger powerhouse in 2009. With chiropractic video marketing, you put your name, face, and practice out into the world, letting everyone see the personal and human side of your business. They feel like they know you immediately. This is perhaps the most invaluable marketing tool at your disposal.
Authenticity is what is going to get new patients through your doors. You want to sound as natural as possible on these videos, without being phony or scripted. This is key and I think its the biggest oversight of doctors who try video marketing and social media. People will trust you when they see the genuine and natural you. If you can present that, then your business will remain strong during these difficult economic times.