I hate it when former used car salesmen and other “salesmen” decide to go into the business of selling “practice building information products” to chiropractors. I hate it for you – the chiropractor who is reading this post and who really wants to build a successful practice but is at wits end as to how to do it.
Why most “Effortless Chiropractor Business Builder Systems” are a load of BS.
If you’ve ever visited one of those high pressure “explode your chiropractic practice patient count” websites and felt uneasy about using those high pressure tactics to promote your practice – then I have really good news for you. TRUST YOUR GUT! Your instincts are right on target and I’ll share with you and important reason WHY most of the “practice building” techniques illustrated in these systems aren’t equipped to help you successfully market and build your practice in the long haul.
As a chiropractor – you’re not selling cars – or books – or videos – or even a membership to a website. Those – along with these “practice building systems” are relatively easy things to sell compared to the “sale” you have to make as a chiropractor.
As a chiropractor – you have an incredibly difficult “sale” to make because your objective is to “sell” your ability to provide quality health care for your patients.
I’m not telling you anything you didn’t already know. However, this is where it gets exciting. See, chiropractors aren’t the only ones who have trouble making this kind of sale. Thanks to studies performed back in the early 1980′s there’s now a word for this kind of sale: it’s called a MAJOR SALE.
A major sale is not some term I coined – but rather one used by Neil Rackham a psychologist who decided to study and document the traits of super successful sales people. What he discovered was literally ground breaking information upon which a series of books were written and upon which a multi-million dollar sales training company has been built. If you’re wondering why you’ve never heard of Mr. Rackham – or his ground breaking work – it’s because he works with Fortune 100 clients like IBM and Honeywell.
In the book SPIN Selling
Does it surprise you to know that as a chiropractor – you too are engaged in making a Major Sale?
Which is why I literally CRINGE when I see the marketing tactics employed by almost every “Chiropractic Practice Building” bullshit program.
Those marketing tactics – the popup beg screens – the outlandish claims promising an “avalanche of new patients” -are all great marketing tactics to use when you’re making a MINOR SALE.
According to Rackham, you know it’s a Minor Sales if/when the follow criteria are met.
- The buyer’s financial or emotional investment is low or insignificant
- The purchase does not warrant the time/energy necessary to research alternatives
- There is little interaction between you and the customer
- The consequences of making a purchasing mistake are inconsequential or insignificant.
As you can see from the list above, selling a “chiropractic practice building system” qualifies as a Minor Sale.
On the other hand, your practice marketing is making a Major Sale if:
- The buyer’s financial and/or emotional investment is significant
- The purchase warrants significant time and research into alternatives
- There is the potential for a long-term relationship between you and/or your business and the customer
- The consequences of making a purchasing mistake are high
The second list – the one which lists the qualities of a major sale – sure sound like they apply to building your practice – don’t they?
This is why most Chiropractic Practice Building Systems are worthless. Not because they don’t contain GREAT marketing/sales information – many do. However, many of them approach the “sale” of chiropractic like it’s on the same level as selling an ebook or video system.
You’re not selling a “system” – you’re not even just selling “health care” – you’re selling yourself as a professional health care provider. Your patient’s health is in your hands. They know this – make sure your practice building marketing tactics show you do as well.
