Fellow chiropractors, times are a-changing.  And I don’t mean the stuff you already know:

-high insurance deductibles

-low re-imbursements

-utilization review bullies

I’m talking about the way people get their information.   The last couple of years have witnessed a huge paradigm shift in the way our society stays informed– for worse and for better.  If you’re thinking the Internet, you’ve got it.

Don’t think you are immune to it, or you’ll be making a big mistake.  It’s important to understand the ramifications the internet has on the practice of chiropractic.  It’s a watershed moment that is forever changing the way we communicate.   Basically, a story on the internet can spread virally all over the world hours before it is featured on a major television news station.  Can you think of a couple of ways that can affect your business?  Sure you can.

Here and now, in 2009, I advise all chiropractors to focus their energy on  communicating  their services online.  And I don’t mean just getting a canned website and hoping for the best.  That’s not the way you run your physical business, so it’s not the way to run the online representative of your business.  Think of your website as an extension of your business and tend to it the same way you tend to your clinic:

1.  Content:  make it clear to your website visitors what you are offering.  Write it yourself– it will have deeper meaning and sound less canned.

2.  Marketing:  make sure that your website encourages visitors to submit their email addresses.  Offer something in return (free massage, 50% off coupon, etc.); it’s that important!  Make sure that your index page tells them to Call for an Appointment (call to action).

3.  Management:  Continually tweak, trim, and sharpen your website.  A truly effective website is a work in progress– constantly evolving for the better.  You can add a video library, research articles validating chiropractic, forms, and so on– even audio messages from you that play automatically.

Chiropractic is at a crossroads.  Many chiropractors are closing their offices; chiropractic college enrollment is down.  As an industry, our growth curve is on the decline.  And I’m sure part of this is due to our industry’s lack of cohesiveness and “each man for his own” attitude.

The purpose of Chiropractic Rescue Plan is to help chiropractors adapt to our rapidly changing society and thrive in the years to come.  We have something valuable to give, and we need to make sure we stay relevant and visible in the public eye.    I shall lay out the foundation of the plan  in the posts to come.