When it comes to building a chiropractic practice in the healthcare field, this is often an area of neglect in medical training. So much time is spent, appropriately, on the academics of earning that degree that what comes after is often left by the wayside. Medical professionals are often left to fend for themselves as they try to find their own job. Those who open their own practice take major financial and emotional risks. While a practice can seem small at first, there are some tips on how to grow a chiropractic business and make it successful.
GIVE YOUR BRAND A FACELIFT
It’s best to start by taking a look at your practice brand. As branding expert explains, “Brands convey a uniform quality, credibility and experience.”
Evaluate your practice logo. Does it truly represent your office personality? Does it showcase what makes your practice unique? If not, time for a makeover! Browse our chiropractic logo design gallery for some inspiration.
Once you have a new logo, make sure you carry it through your office and marketing materials. This consistency is what makes you recognizable and builds trust within your community.
SPRUCE UP YOUR WEBSITE
When was the last time you updated your website design? With a shelf life of only 3-5 years, it’s important to keep your website up-to-date. And, most importantly, it needs to be designed to convert new patients. If you’re not sure if your website is conversion-friendly, ask yourself the following:
Does my website…
Clearly differentiate my practice, making it obvious why someone should choose me as his or her chiropractor?
Reflect my ideal patient? (i.e. children, auto-injury cases, athletes, etc.)
Look good on desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones?
Effectively persuade, through professionally written content, prospective new patients to choose me?
Have professional photos of my office, my team, and myself? (This establishes trust in potential new patients.)
Guide a visitor toward scheduling an appointment with appropriate calls-to-action?
See a few areas of your website that could use improvement? Update it today..
EMAIL MARKETING
Don’t forget to communicate with your existing patients. Nurturing them with email marketing keeps your practice top-of-mind and allows you to promote adjunctive services.
This has been especially important this year. In all the uncertainty, communicating clearly with your existing patients can be what keeps your practice going. That’s why we’ve been providing our clients with email templates and communication strategies relating to the pandemic and other topics that patients care about right now.
The stronger your relationships are with existing patients, the more referrals you will get. Not sure what to send to your patients? You can start with a monthly newsletter that offers chiropractic, health, and wellness advice.
Another great way to communicate with your patients is by sending them an annual birthday greeting. We’ve found that these greetings often prompt patients to schedule an appointment in an effort to get their health back on track as they turn another year older.
BE SOCIAL!
If you aren’t active on social media, you’re missing out on an opportunity to boost patient retention and referrals. Interacting with your patients on sites like Facebook and Instagram keeps your practice top-of-mind, triggering repeat appointments and increased referrals.
Share health and wellness tips, interesting articles, and link to blog posts from your own practice website. Not only does this strengthen your relationship with existing patients, social engagement on the posts linked to your website sends positive “social signals” that may just help your website’s Google rankings.
STAY ON TOP OF YOUR REVIEWS
Go to Google and search your practice name. Then, search your name. Pay attention to any review sites that appear in the results and look to see if you have any reviews. If you don’t have any, now is a good time to setup your profile on reviews sites such as HealthGrades and Yelp. Check to see that you have claimed your profiles and they are complete with accurate information. Read through your reviews and thank reviewers who left positive comments. Don’t panic if you have a negative review.
There you have it, ways to grow a chiropractic practice. If you’ll do three or four of them, you’ll dramatically increase your odds for success. Do all of them and your success is practically guaranteed. Be sure to enjoy the journey. Because there’s no place to get to. Sure, you’ll eventually pay back your student loans. And someday you’ll enjoy a professional income and the respect from having helped hundreds, maybe thousands. Rest assured that a different set of challenges will emerge. However, the true notion of success will be the deep, soul satisfaction that comes from having chosen the hard, narrow, difficult path—and succeeding.
