AJCC 2003

October 2003

Marketing to Chiropractors

by Marc E. Swerdlick, DC

One of the areas that I touch upon in the Power Marketing Seminar is the art and science of marketing your practice to non- CBP® chiropractors in your community. When I introduce this topic during the seminar, you can almost hear some of the doctors muttering “yeah, right” under their breath. Nevertheless, our chiropractic colleagues can be a great source of new patients.

It’s safe to say that all of us in the chiropractic profession are dedicated to serving our patients by providing natural healthcare. It’s also safe to say that the doctors practicing techniques that do not focus on structural and postural correction practice with the intent of offering their patients benefits, which, in most cases, is primarily symptomatic relief. Regardless of technique, at some time or another, every doctor will run into patients whom they are unable to help. In this type of scenario, the next logical step is (if possible) a chiropractic referral.

Since there are so many different chiropractic techniques, I think it’s fair to say that we’re all very different branches that extend from a single, incredibly large tree. We are all chiropractors and we all want to help our patients to the best of our ability. But for those of us who practice CBP®, we consider ourselves unique in that our focus is structure and posture, backed by the largest mountain of research in the entire profession.

Rather than ridiculing our colleagues because they have not focused on structure and posture, why not build a relationship with them that will serve as a stream of new patients? As we just mentioned, all doctors run into cases that require a referral. Our non-CBP® chiropractic colleagues are no different. These doctors surely run into situations in which their care is no longer a solution for their patients. Thus, it’s reasonable to suggest that CBP® may be the potential solution for a number of these cases.

I am not suggesting that every chiropractor in your community will happily give up a patient and refer them down the road to your clinic. To assume this would be unrealistic. The best approach in addressing these doctors is positioning your practice as an alternative solution that still keeps the patient within the chiropractic profession. A patient who benefits from chiropractic care, regardless of the technique, only helps the profession as a whole.

But if our colleagues don’t have the knowledge of what it is that we do and its uniqueness, how can they refer? Yes, if these doctors had been reading the peer-reviewed journals, they would, at the bare minimum, have some familiarity with the research that supports CBP® Technique. But truth be told, many chiropractors don’t read peer-reviewed journals. While we can’t force them to read, we can be proactive and explain to our colleagues (in a non-aggressive manner) what it is that we do and why they should view us as an ally, and not a threat.

One of the best ways to obtain referrals from other chiropractors is by creating a newsletter that specifically targets our chiropractic colleagues. The newsletter doesn’t have to be fancy. In fact, using a Microsoft Word template or Microsoft Publisher, you can easily generate a page or two of information that explains who you are, where you’re located, what you do and how CBP® Technique is different, including a brief summary of the research. Do not claim that CBP® is “better” or “superior.” This will only create animosity, and in most states, this can even get you into a great deal of legal trouble.

When sending out the newsletter, please attach a list of all research supporting CBP®. Do yourself a favor and do not send along copies of all the papers supporting CBP®. First of all, many chiropractors simply do not have the time to sit down and read all the research. If they did, they’d probably be practicing CBP®. Second, in general, many doctors find that reading a research paper is like fingering through the operation manual to the space shuttle. You won’t make any friends by trying to force it down their throats.

Another way to obtain referrals from your chiropractic colleagues is by taking them out to lunch. One doctor that I know would invite a large group of doctors out to dinner once a month. During the meal, he would put on a small presentation explaining what he did and the service available to his colleagues. This particular strategy is often utilized by pharmaceutical representatives. My personal preference is the one on one approach. Once a week, invite a colleague out to lunch. In a non-confrontational manner, explain what you do and how you can be a resource to your colleague in the unfortunate situation in which a patient is no longer responding to his care. You don’t have to take them out to a four star restaurant; just a nice casual lunch amongst colleagues.

Your overall goal should be to educate your chiropractic colleagues in your community, in the same way that you attempt to educate prospective patients. If a doctor is thinking about a referral to your office, they should not have to be concerned about preserving their dignity. They want to be viewed as a hero for making the referral, and nothing less than a hero. When the referred patient arrives at your office, be sure to give a lot of credit to the referring doctor. Remember, the referring doctor is taking a gamble on you. It’s simply not smart to then turn around and tell the patient that the care in the previous doctor’s office “did nothing more than provide symptom relief.” Believe me; I’ve seen this type of response many times over.

Will every chiropractor in your community happily refer their “difficult cases” to your clinic? No! We’re not living in the world of pixie dust. Many chiropractors would just rather do the same thing over and over again before even considering a referral, especially to another chiropractor. But, there are also a number of doctors in your community who want what’s best for their patients, and if necessary, will refer to your office. Why not make the referral a great experience for them?