The Smart Chiropractor: A Guide

to Marketing Your Practice

There’s lazy chiropractors, then there’s SMART chiropractors.  
The lazy one is actually working 60 hours a week and never getting
ahead.
Always looking for the next fad to add to their office.  They spend
money and time.
Oddly enough, lazy chiropractors work more and earn less!
The smart chiropractors is working 40 hours a week, has systems in
place.
Smart chiropractors focus on the core business, and end up keeping
customers for long periods of time.  In short, smart chiropractors
are focused, diligent, and keep their patients happy. The great news
is that its not very difficult if you have a plan.
A smart chiropractor will build an
audience for their chiropractic
practice and have an easy system
to keep it updated:

Building an audience is one of the most important aspect of

owning a business. Your audience is not only your current
patients, but also everyone who you can influence in your
community and beyond. Your audience should be far bigger
than your current patient base, because in reality, your
patients should flow FROM and TO your audience.

BUILD AN AUDIENCE ON FACEBOOK.

Building an audience on Facebook is one of the easiest and

cost-effective ways to establish influence in your local
community. The key is TARGETING. You should target your
message, your content, and your advertising to your local
market. Having even a few hundred people is ok. As a
matter of fact, if you are a local chiropractic office, an
audience of 50,000 people may be too big (and you might
then be wasting money due to Facebooks crazy algorithm). 
So lets dive into what this means and you can can get
started today.

First you will want to set up your page and make sure all the
detailed information is complete.  You cant believe how
many lazy chiropractors put together a half-baked
Facebook page that is actually repelling patients!! Make
sure you fill in the hours of operation, your address, phone
number, website and set up your graphics to fit
appropriately (profile photo over 160x160 and cover
images at 851x315 at 300 DPI).  If those number and
dimensions sound like Greek- then hire a graphic artist on
Fiverr or Elance.
Lets talk content. The biggest mistake I see Chiropractors
making on Facebook is posting stories that THEY care
about. Smart Chiropractors focus on posting content their
audience cares about! Now hopefully, if your audience is
correctly chosen, the content which resonates with you will
also resonate with them, but remember to put them first!
Even your most loyal patients care about things outside of
chiropractic- so make sure to keep them informed on local
events, your community involvement, health news and
updates, etc. You don't need to beat them over the head
with chiropractic focused content in every post.  Keeping
them engaged with a variety of content will help keep the
engagement (likes, comments, shares) up and will help
reduce the cost of your ads and save you money; which we
will talk more about later. Also, remember, you can post
pictures, links, and even video on your Facebook page. 
Don't get stale by over-doing it with the meme’s.

Have you heard horror stories of chiropractors spending

hundreds of dollars per month on Facebook only to see
ZERO return on investment? Well, smart chiropractors
focus their advertising and use strategies to maximize their
investment.  It doesn't take hundreds of dollars or a fancy
digital creative agency to build your audience on Facebook.
First, when you launch an ad you should target it to the
appropriate audience!  Choosing the age bracket, location,
and interests of the group you are targeting will create laser
like focus, increasing engagement, and decreasing the
overall cost. Second, you should make sure the ad has a
clear call to action. If you want people to click the link- tell
them.  If you want interaction and a conversation- tell them.
Be direct with your call to action. Smart Chiropractors also
keep a close eye on the design of their ads. They never have
ads with mis-sized graphics or copy that's flowing out of
frame. Again, this doesn't need to be expensive. Use
services like fiverr or glance to get cheap, high-quality
design work.
Here is the real secret that smart chiropractors use on
Facebook, and other social media. They set it up so it’s
automated.  A free tool to use is Buffer.  Automation tools
allow you or your staff to stockpile a week, month, or
quarter full of posts in a queue. The tools will then
automatically send out the post at a predetermined time.
You can literally be sitting on a beach, enjoying a drink while
content actively drips out to your audience. Not only does
automation allow you to stay consistent, but it also saves
TIME!  You can spend less than a hour every couple weeks
and to set up your content.  Just like the infomercial- you
can set it and forget it. Remember, staying consistent is
essential when using social platforms. Dripping engaging
content out consistently over a long period of time is your
road map to success.

• Use Facebook Effectively

• Size Your Images Appropriately
• Bring VALUE
• Speak to Your Audience

YELP REVIEWS AND GOOGLE REVIEWS.

Lets face it. Everyone who comes into your office has looked
up your practice online. They have likely used google to
either learn more about you and your practice, of they will
use google to map the directions to your office.  When they
search for your office the yelp reviews and google review of
your practice will be one of the first things they see.
Before we get too far, lets take a step back. Someone moves
to town and is interested in chiropractic care. They search
chiropractic in your town. A list comes up. At the top is your
chiropractic office with 25 5-Star reviews. Next is your
friend down the street with 4 3-Star reviews. Who do you
think this prospective patient is going to choose?
Yelp and Google reviews not only help promote your
practice but they also can boost the SEO or visibility of your
practice when people search for chiropractic in your town.
Smart Chiropractors use this to their advantage. Here is the
awesome part- you don't need hundreds of reviews for this
to be effective.  Even a dozen high quality reviews will set
your office apart.
Soliciting these reviews is a delicate topic. Some people
never ask for reviews, while others ask every patient for a
review. Smart Chiropractors strategically ask for feedback. 
A great time to do this is when a patient comes in for their
re-evaluation after their initial course of care. By this time
they have been in your office 10-12 times and hopefully
have seen significant improvement in their condition. These
are home runs!  Make it a policy to mention that your office
loves taking care of patients just like them. Reinforce the
improvement they have made in our office. And then simply
ask if they would provide feedback on Google or Yelp to
help other people just like them make the decision to
explore chiropractic care. As you can see- I didn't say ask for
a review. The smartest strategy is to ask for feedback. This
subtle difference significantly increases the likelihood they
will follow through and also doesn't come across as sale-sy.

• Google and Yelp Reviews can help with SEO

• Reviews give you a competitive edge online
• They provide social proof of your care

KNOW A GOOD MASSAGE THERAPIST. 

KNOW A GOOD ACUPUNCTURIST.  DON’T
RELY JUST ON MD’S.  

At The Evidence Based Chiropractor we are all about

relationships with other providers.  These referral sources
are absolutely essential to running a successful chiropractic
practice. Smart Chiropractors don't neglect other ancillary
providers.  Building good referral relationships with
massage therapists and acupuncturists also can help grow
your practice.

I recommend finding the top 3 massage therapists and

acupuncturists in your area. Spend the time to get to know
their practice a bit by having a phone call or even stopping
by their office. They will definitely appreciate the interest.
Once you have a short list of the best ancillary providers in
your area this can benefit your practice in a few ways. First,
you will be able to better serve your current patients. When
they ask, or need, a referral you can provide a fantastic
recommendation. Referring to other A-players makes your
office look great and well-connected; a great recipe for
increasing trust and rapport with your patients. Second, if
you are blindly referring to other providers then you are not
taking the opportunity for reciprocity. When you have a
relationship with another provider you may (within the
rules of your local healthcare law) let them know directly
every time you refer a patient. Most of the time I do this
through text or email. I keep it brief, something to the effect
of “Hi John, I just referred over a 18 year old with severe
lumbar muscle spasms. I told them you are the best!”. This
communication not only have their practice be ready for the
new patient in their office, but it also is a great reminder
that you are sending patients. Remember, this technique
can extend to really any professional.  
Don't be limited in your thought process. I like to keep a
short list of 3 practitioners in multiple fields around town;
from dentists to massage therapists and neurologists to
gastroenterologists. A funny thing happens when you begin
sending patients to another provider (and they know about
it!)- you will notice that they also begin sending back to you.
Smart chiropractors appreciate the beauty of reciprocity.

• Partner with other local health care providers

• Don't forget about acupuncturists and massage
therapists
• Build your referral network

A Smart chiropractor will get

involved in the community:

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Fact: Smart Chiropractors are involved in their community.

Local trade organizations and the chamber of commerce is a
great place to start. Being associated with other business
owners and “movers and shakers” in your town is essential
to building the relationship necessary to sustain a
chiropractic practice. But beware: these groups can also be
a HUGE time drain where unsuccessful people congregate
and pitch bad business. Personally, I have found the larger,
more urban groups tend to have higher quality events
focused on business development and relationships.  Some
of the more local, rural groups can be a festival of
complaints. The other challenge is the constant pitching of
multilevel marketing at these events. I clearly remember the
first day my office opened after graduation. Literally the
first person that walked in the door was trying to pitch me
on multilevel marketing and I was unprepared. I have
learned that being firm and straightforward in these
situations tends to be the best approach. So, in short, don't
be surprised if a) as a chiropractor and b) as a new member,
you are targeted as a mark for multi-level marketing.
In my opinion it is the strategic use of these groups that will
pay the biggest dividends. Being strategic does not mean
being disingenuous. It actually means the opposite. You will
never see a smart chiropractor blindly blanketing events
with cards. Being strategic means listening and learning
about other businesses and people with a genuine interest.
Learn where you can help. It may be pitching in a hour of
two on a weekend, or simply lending a word about your
experiences. Be interested rather than interesting.

LOCAL CHIROPRACTIC ORGANIZATION

Smart (and successful) chiropractors participate in their

local chiropractic organization. The lack of participation in
local chiropractic groups is appalling. And a funny thing
happens; the chiropractors that show up to these meetings
tend to be the most successful in town. The chiropractors
who don't show up tend to be struggling, lack confidence, or
have a hundred excuses on why the group doesn't represent
their interests. I will admit, when I first began in practice I
did not support my local chiropractic organization and had
all the common excuses: lack of time, didn't feel connected
to the other members, and didn't agree with their stance on
certain issues. I had all the classic signs of a lazy
chiropractor. However, I learned that participation is a
untold and unrated secret of the most successful
chiropractors.  By showing up and participating your voice
will be heard, you will feel more connected, you will get out
of the island of your practice and share some experiences.
Also, you can put your flag in the ground regarding issues
and legislature. The apathy of chiropractors for the last 10
years must be replaced by action with intent. Be a leader, be
a participant, and be a smart chiropractor in your local
chiropractic organization. Also, you will learn a lot about
your community and other healthcare providers from the
more seasoned chiropractors in town. Thats not to say that
you shouldn’t form you own opinions. However, you can use
their expertise and experience to help you in your
chiropractic journey. I have found most chiropractors at
these local organizations tend to be more than willing to
share advice, extend a helping hand, or give a bit of
encouragement to the new practitioners in town.

SPONSORING A RACE (WITHOUT WASTING

MONEY)
Sponsoring a local road race or event is a great way to either
be a smart or pathetically lazy chiropractor. It depends
wholly on your execution. Almost every town or city in the
United States has a road race every year. These events are
always looking hard for sponsors. These sponsorship
opportunities can vary from $50-$5,000 depending upon
level of commitment and number of race participants. As a
new (and smart) chiropractor I would caution against
maxing out your budget on a single race. You logo on a t-
shirt, with 25 other businesses, is not the best use of
resources. Have you ever seen your friend experience the
following (because it wouldn't be you of course!): local road
race with 2,000 participants, nice chiropractic tent with
awesome logo, hundreds or thousands of dollars invested
and……..tumbleweeds! Your must maximize your
investment on these events. Carefully selected giveaways,
free chair massage, and email collection are the basic
essentials to having a successful race experience. If you sit
back and expect people to engage with your nice looking
tent then you are sorely mistaken. Also, get creative. If you
don't have a massage therapist in your practice then simply
partner with a local referral contact to split the cost of the
tent. They will be happy to reduce their overhead, and you
will be happy to get all of the foot traffic based on their
service. These events should be all about building your
audience. This is an active pursuit. Visibility is fleeting and
has a terrible ROI. But gaining tangible audience builders
such as emails is a key pro tip. Getting these emails will
allow you to constantly update them through your
automated email channels and will significantly increase
their likelihood of coming in to your office or referring.
These are activities which will get you great ROI. To me its a
mindset- smart chiropractors use events as a way to build
their audience, lazy chiropractors use these events for
visibility.
 
• Use your Chamber of Commerce in the smart way
• Get involved in your local chiropractic organization
• Smart chiropractors build their audience at local
events using a specific strategy

A smart chiropractor will maker

sure their house is in order….(aka
don’t be a slob)

People forget the easiest customers to get to pay

more….are the ones you already have.  They focus on
getting people in the door, and never on KEEPING THEM
THERE.  It’s one of the biggest mistakes I see lazy
chiropractor make.  
MAKE SURE YOUR WINDOWS ARE CLEAN. 
THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE, ACT
LIKE IT.  

Pro-actively keeping your office crystal clean is something I

constantly see chiropractors overlook. Your office does not
need to have the scale of the Mayo Clinic or Ritz-Carlton to
warrant this attention. When a patient first walks up to your
office is the driveway clean? are the side-walks in disrepair?
are the windows crystal clean? is the carpet stained? are the
chairs dated and uncomfortable? is your receptionist sitting
behind a tall bureaucratic monolith? These are items which
is consistently overlooked that have a HUGE affect on your
patients desire to stay in your office and subsequently refer.
Great Chiropractic Office Design
Poor Chiropractic Office Design

Take yourself out of the equation. When you visit a

restaurant are you excited when you find that the windows
are dirty, the plates are stained, and the appearance looks
dated? Would you be expecting a 5-star meal in such an
establishment?  I didn't think so! So take your office decor
and cleanliness seriously. Set yourself up for success. When
a patient finds your mirrors dirty, holes in the chiropractic
table vinyl, and a trash can overflowing with yesterdays
lunch; do you think they will be expecting a great
adjustment? And further- do you think they will refer their
friends? Your patients deserve the best. You don't need to
spend $1,000,000 on a custom office build out to be
attentive to the details. When you keep your office clean,
tidy, and professional, your practice members will be primed
for a great care experience.

Also, while we are on the topic of office decor, I would love

to touch on office art. Your office art can absolutely attract
or repel patients. Lets take it from the top. A patient
encounters your business through your email (you have
already built a great audience) and they decide to come in
for care after an additional nudge from their friend (who is
already a patient of yours).  They arrive to a great exterior
and warm greeting at the front desk. They they calmly sit to
fill out some initial intake paperwork only to look up and see
a poster that was created with an aesthetic so dated that it
makes their Uncle Rico look stylish. Again, this is a
psychological yellow flag for the patient.  Everyone wants to
be at the best chiropractors office. Everyone wants to be in
the place where they are proud to refer friends. Everyone
wants to be in a place that has a modern aesthetic with a
classic touch. Personally, I was so appalled at the office art
available to chiropractors that I worked with a graphic
designer to create my own. They marry timeless messages
with a touch of elegance. These posters will have a positive
impact on all the patients who arrive into your reception
area. As a matter of fact, many smart chiropractors have
been using my posters not only in their reception area, but
also throughout the adjustment rooms of their clinic to have
a unified team and further reinforce their message. While I
understand and agree with the message, haven't we had
enough “iceberg” posters?
HAVE GREAT STAFFING.  KNOW THE NAME
OF CLIENTS.  

The magic bullet of smart chiropractors- great staffing. Lets

role play again. When I walk into your office for my first visit
will I be greeted by name by your front desk staff with a
smiling face, standing, extending a hand, and introducing
their role in your office? If not, you are missing out on
another huge opportunity. Set the stage for practice
successful by getting your front of house in order.
When a new patient enters your office the first person they
are likely to encounter is your front of house staff. We have
all be in offices when the front desk person was prickly,
rude, or just simply disengaged. This sets the tone for your
entire experience in the office. Never mind the negative
equity is places with referrals. Lets make it simple- your
front desk staff member should be a people person! But,
being a people person alone is not enough. Proper training
is also needed. Don't over complicate it. Make sure that
every patient is greeted by name with a warm smile.
Further, for new patients, make sure your staff is ready to
stand and greet the patient with a warm handshake. This
really sets the tone for a great experience. But don't stop
there. What makes the smart chiropractors stand out is that
their front desk staff also sets the agenda. Setting the
agenda is a critical step that too many offices neglect. Just
like in the classic presentation style you should tell them
what you are going to do, do it, and tell them again.

Here’s an example-

Patient Ari Katz enters your office for the first time (while
noticing the clean windows :) )

Front desk staff member Jennifer stands and says, “Hello

Mr. Katz, welcome to Langmaid Chiropractic. My name is
Jennifer and I will be helping you with your first visit here in
our practice. First, we will finish up your new member intake
information together.  Then you will see Dr. Langmaid.
Afterwards, I will help you schedule any follow up
appointments after you see the doctor. And of course, I am
here to answer any questions along the way.”

You will notice that Jennifer introduced herself and her role
at Langmaid Chiropractic. Then, she sets the agenda as a
simple 3 step process. This will make every patient feel at
home and comfortable in your office.

I recommend that every interaction (yours are no exception

doc) should follow a specific agenda. This will help you
provide the best patient communication while also
establishing the best office efficiency possible. Once
everyone on your team knows there role and can clearly
identify how they participate in the patients journey in your
office; they will be in the best position to serve.

GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION DURING

INTAKE

 
Having accurate patient information is essential. I am sure
we are all diligent with our history and physical exam. What
else is there? The patient intake paperwork. The
information you collect on your patient intake forms can
greatly help or severely hinder your practice. Where did you
get your intake forms from? Do you now why they are
constructed the way they are? Did they come as a free
bonus with your EMR? Smart chiropractor maximize the
information on their patient intake forms for marketing,
case history, and billing/coding without any excessive bloat.
Here are a few items you can collect which will make a huge
difference in your office

Primary Care Physician: Collecting the primary care

physician information for your patients is critical. First, it
will allow you to send case notes for the initial visit, and re-
evaluation, and discharge from active care. This is not only a
smart move for the completion of the patients medical
history; but it also provides these doctors with social proof
of your good work! If you are like me, probably 8/10
patients that came into my office received relief. Case notes
are the perfect way to tactfully ‘show off” the results of
your practice. This is a huge underrated referral accelerator.
Also, there is another secret ninja marketing technique
when you collect the primary care physician information of
your patients. You can use this information to build a
database of the most popular care providers for your
patients. This can be the foundation of your MD outreach!
What better targeted list of MD’s than the ones which your
patients are already using and will first hand see the results
of your care.

• Don't underestimate your office decor

• Get the right information during intake to improve
your office referrals
• Hire and train your staff to be GREAT

A smart chiropractic gets referrals

from MD’s not by asking…..but by
research and education:

REACHING OUT TO OTHER DOCTORS.  

Interdisciplinary communication and research is the
foundational marketing tool of every smart chiropractor I
know. Building these relationships is perhaps the highest
ROI marketing out there; its a long play for a sustainable
practice that is sure to thrive despite the changing face of
health care. Smart chiropractors don't add the latest gizmo
to their practice- they highlight the power of the
chiropractic adjustment.

If you are not currently reaching out to other doctors in

your community with a systematic approach you are
blowing it. I have met way too many chiropractors that tell
me they went to lunch with a medical doctor or two and “it
didn't work”. Then when I ask their approach, their
execution, and their follow up; I get the deer in headlights
look. Imagine you have never played baseball before. Then
someone gives you a bat and puts you at the plate staring
down a fast ball from Roger Clemens. There is a very high
probability that you will not make contact. Even if you have
played baseball before there is a slim chance you will make
contact. Would you walk away from the plate saying the bat
“didn't work”? Of course not!  You were unprepared and did
not execute properly. You didn't have the tools necessary to
succeed. The game can be said when you are in the
professional health care world building relationships. You
just need the preparation and game plan.  The great news is
that you don't need 20 years of experience to make knock
your relationships out of the park.

Lets do through a step-by-step process so you can start

building relationships TODAY. I go through the details of
this in my book, Marketing Chiropractic to Medical Doctors,
so pick that up if you need all the details. But, without
further a due, here are the basics to get started
immediately.
The first thing you need to do is build your target list of
doctors.  I recommend a list that contains 50 physicians.
Fifty is a net that is wide enough for you to can gain traction,
but is not too unwieldily to get started. Simply open a
spreadsheet to get started. Here is where your intake
paperwork can pay HUGE dividends.  To get started you can
simply export the field from your EHR software and have a
awesome starting point for your list. Then you can build out
the remaining spots using Web MD Physicians Search, Zoc
Doc, or Google.  Also, don't forget to ask your office staff
who they use for primary care. All of these sources will help
you curate your list.

Here is another marketing ninja pro tip- ask your local

imaging reps. Every day most chiropractors have imaging
representatives coming into their practice looking to build
relationships and gain referrals. Imaging reps to
chiropractors are similar to pharm reps for internists. Don't
let their knowledge go to waste!  These are highly skilled
salespeople who have been extensively trained and spend
all day on the road learning about practices in your area. Ask
them who they like in town. Ask them which primary care
providers would you get along with. Ask them where they
would send their family. This information is priceless. I have
found that some imaging reps are even happy to facilitate
the introduction between DC and MD. Take advantage of
their skill set!

Smart chiropractors build there list with 75% as primary

care and the remaining 25% as sub-specialities. Since 30%
of the daily visits to a primary care office are for spine
complaints they are the logical target market. Additionally,
as we discussed earlier, these are the docs who will be able
to directly see the results you are getting in your office
(through case notes). However, i still don't recommended
loading up fully on primary care physicians. I believe its
important to take 25% of your target list and dedicate it to
the sub-specialities that resonate with you and your
practice. For example, you may like treating athletes, maybe
you are sport certified. Then I would recommend reaching
out to other sports med docs in your community. Perhaps,
like me, you enjoy taking care of expecting moms. I filled out
the back end of my target list with OB/GYN’s, mid-wifes,
doulas, etc. You get the point.

One of other note on lists. A lot of chiropractors ask me

whether they should list a multi-doctor practice as a single
entity or break up each doc to a separate line on their list. I
strongly believe you should reach out to each doctor
individually. Outside of the hospital systems these docs are
still making their own referrals. Also, when you begin
sending monthly research updates, it is imperative to
maximize the personal relationship with each doc. You want
to send mail that is personal and thoughtful; not the
example below.

From there I highly recommend verifying your list. This may

take an hour or two, but will be keep your marketing
accurate and on point, saving time and money. Verifying
your list is as simple as making a phone call. See the example
below:

“Hello, this is Jeff at Dr. Langmaid’s office. I am calling to

confirm that Dr. Smith still practices at your location at
1200 Canyon River Road.”

You will get 1 of 3 responses to this inquiry. First, they may

simply say yes. This is great! Now you have confirmed your
doc and location and can begin reaching out with efficiency
(no wasted postage or energy). Second, they might tell you
that Dr. Smith has moved to another address. This is also
great information because now you can update the address
of Dr. Smith on your list (again no wasted postage or
energy). Finally, they may stay that not only does Dr. Smith
practice there but they have added Dr. Green. Now you can
also add Dr. Green to your list, and if he is a new physician in
town he may be even easier to establish a referral
relationship with.

The bottom line is that all doctors: primary care, internists,

orthopedics, neurologist; are all dealing with many of the
same challenges as us. They are encountering the changing
face of healthcare, continued regulation and oversight, and
diminishing reimbursements. Verifying your list is a great
way to stay smart and efficient.

MONTHLY RESEARCH WITH ACTIONABLE

CONTENT

Reaching out with research every month is the single best

way to position your office and build referral relationships.
Nothing else is even close. I have been in the trenches; and I
have been on the “inside” of large multidisciplinary groups.
When you combine great service, accurate communication,
and marketing positions through research; you have a
potent combination for practice growth.
I recommend reaching out monthly with research.
Highlighting a single peer-reviewed article and placing it in
an action-able context is key. Let me say that again- context
is key. Dropping off the paper itself is not good enough. It
will be prompted entered into the circular file. But a magical
thing occurs when you present a professional, elegant, high-
quality, white-labeled synopsis of the research. Now you are
providing value for that doctor. Not only are your providing
value for them, but you are also positioning yourself as the
local expert in your field.
Most primary care physicians are so busy they don't have
time to read very much research. And when they do read
research they aren't looking at the latest paper on
musculoskeletal care. So this is the perfect opportunity to
give them a easy to read update. As you can see, this
process is not about beating them over the head with
chiropractic. But rather building a relationship through
positioning and value. I hate to break it to you, but most
primary care docs don't care about what technique you use
in practice. They want to know that you are going to take
good care of their patients and provide them with the best
evidence based treatment while accurately communicating.
And isn't that what most of us are doing already anyhow?
I talk to a a lot of chiropractors who are scared that (even
when they send our Research Briefs which are the best out
there) the research may end up never making it to the
doctor. “Will the front desk staff throw out the
correspondence if it has my logo on the envelope?” The
answer is no. You can ensure this one extra step when you
meet the doctor; or even if you talk to their staff on the
phone. When I meet with other doctors (which we dive into
detail below) I make sure they know I will be following up
each month with research. I let them know that I do this for
all of my referral partners in town. Then, here is the key, you
stop by the front desk staff on your way out and let them
know that the doctor will be looking for research delivered
from your office at the beginning of each month. The front
desk staff will then keep a close eye out for any
correspondence coming in from your office.  
USING THE SOCRATIC METHOD TO CRUSH
YOU MD MEETINGS

Have you ever met with an MD?

How did it go?

If it was unsuccessful I can guarantee a few things. First, you

didn't have a plan. Second, it was about you and your
practice and not how you can serve their patients. This is
where smart chiropractors make their mark. You must have
a plan, and you must serve their patient needs and desire.
It’s not about your ego!

Lets begin with setting the appointment. The great thing

about meeting up with other local providers is that it is
much easier than you think. Below is an example
“Hello, this is Jeff from Dr. Langmaid’s office. We have co-
managed quite a few patients with your office but our
doctors have not yet met. What is the best day/time for Dr.
Langmaid to stop by and introduce himself?”

It’s that simple. No magic. No sales script. Just straight-

forward and to the point. Once you have your meeting set
you are half-way there.

When you arrive for the meeting the easiest way to start,
even for the introverted chiropractor, is to use the socratic
method. Ask questions, get them engaged. As a side note-
you will be shocked at how little the average primary care
physician knows about the spine. We have found the most
success by using a simple system that anyone can master.

-Find out if they are seeing spine related complaints

-Find out which complaints are they seeing frequently in
practice
-Learn about their preferred treatment options
-Position your practice for those based on the responses!
To start you will want to know if they are currently seeing
spine related patients. This is all about using your time
wisely. Ninety-plus percent of the doctors you meet will say
yes. But there will always be a few who say no. Again, this is
essential information to know. First, you can take them off
your target list and not waste time or energy. Second, they
will usually immediately tell you who they directly refer
these patients to. This can be the next person you put on
your target list.

Especially here in Florida, we deal with a lot of “snowbirds”.

For those that don't know, these are typically older men and
women who spend the winter in florida and travel back up
north for the summer. This brings us to the second
question- which complaints are they seeing frequently in
practice. Depending upon the season they may be seeing a
lot of patients with sciatica; or headaches. For example- the
beginning of the winter we will see a lot of patient with low
back issues as every snowbird gets on the golf course for
the first time. In the north doctors may see more headaches
and cervical issues in the winter months as people spend
more time at work, inside, and at the computer. This
information is important to know because it will help you
frame your conversation later. It will also give you a bit of
inside information to better select and target with your
monthly research.

Now you can ask them about their current preferred

treatment options for these patients. This is the meat of
your conversation. I have found that you will get one of 3
responses.

they treat in-house (aka prescribe medications)

referral for physical therapy
referral to an orthopedist/neurologist

Here is the best part. Chiropractors have significant clinical

and/or procedural advantages over all 3 of these options.
Lets break them down.

I will admit- a smart chiropractor can find dozens of reasons

why chiropractic may be better suited than any of the 3
options listed above, but I like to start with the easiest
targets.

If the doc tell you that he prefers to treat in-house and start
with NSAID’s then the easiest positioning for your office is
with the patients who are already on cardiac medications
(who cant take NSAID’s). As you can see, I am not blasting
the prescription of NSAID’s (regardless of my personal
thoughts), but I am instead position my practice directly in a
spot where I know they cant perform their preferred
treatment. Value and positioning with a focus on their
patients needs!

Here is an example-
Me- “What is your preferred treatment option for the low
back pain patients we were just talking about?”

PCP- “I prefer to treat in-house with a initial course of

NSAID’s.”

Me- “Many of the other primary care docs that I work with
start in a similar fashion. However, it must be difficult for
your older patients with cardiac issues who cant take
NSAID’s. I evaluate a lot of these patients in my office
currently, and would be happy to help you with your
patients that are unable to take NSAID’s initially.”

Remember, you are not to change their enter clinical

decision making process in one conversation, so start small
and start smart.

The second option that you will often hear is direct referral
to physical therapy. I have nothing against physical therapy;
my wife is a physical therapist. But as chiropractors we have
distinct advantages over this option as well. One advantage
is the lack of a verification process. Another is that the
research supports active care as a progression from passive
care.

Here is an example-

Me- “What is your preferred treatment option for the low

back pain patients we were just talking about?”
PCP- “I prefer to refer for physical therapy.”

Me- “I agree that active care is an important component of

the healing process. As a matter fact, we give all of our
patients an active care plan after we have worked passively
on the bio-mechanics. Also, I know the PT verification
process can by burdensome on your staff and delay the
start of care by sometimes up to week. We both know that
delays in treatment can impact a patients outcome. If you
have any patients whom you would like get started with
conservative care immediately, I am happy to evaluate
referrals from your office within 24 hours.”

You can see again, we gave confirmation of their current

option and provided a situation where it may not be the
best choice. Then I was able to position my office as a logical
choice while overcoming an obstacle.

The third most likely response you will receive is a referral

to an orthopedic doc or neurologist. Fortunately, we again
have distinct advantages over this protocol. First, the wait
times for an initial visit with one of these docs could be
weeks. Second, very few patients need the more aggressive
interventions usually given by these physicians.

Lets look at one last example-

Me- “What is your preferred treatment option for the low

back pain patients we were just talking about?”
PCP- “I refer those patients to Dr. Jonze (orthopedist).”

Me- “I know that Dr. Jonze has a great reputation in town.

As a matter of fact, I know that sometimes it can take weeks
to get an initial visit with him. I’ve reached out to him to see
if we can work together on some conservative care
processes. We both know that only a small percentage of
patients need more aggressive treatment such as injections
or surgical intervention. I am happy to see any patients you
know will benefit from conservative care within within 24
hours.”

It is literally that easy to position your practice and start

building relationships. The best part is that unlike a
Facebook ad or advertorial which disappear when you stop
paying; these referral relationships have the potential to
last your entire career. Imagine how practice in 5-10 years
after building a variety of direct referral relationships.
Smart chiropractors who build these relationships will be
diversifying their patient acquisition and protecting
themselves from sudden shifts in healthcare. Basically your
business will be more stable and provide more revenue;
while also touching more lives than ever before.
So to recap- I view the smart chiropractic strategy as having
3 branches. Your Case Notes, MD Meetings, and Monthly
research outreach. If you choose to only do two of these
activities you should see some gains, but it will be 1+1=2. If
you choose to do all three you will see that 1+1+1=5.  The
results will increase at a rate faster than the energy you put
in.

• MD referrals can explode your practice

• Use a system of targeting offices near yours
• Set up meetings to accelerate the process
• Use the socratic method to crush your MD meeting

Smart Chiropractic Marketing

Examples:

As you can tell, reaching out to other doctors through

research is one of the best ways to grow your practice and
The Evidence Based Chiropractor is the undisputed king of
this type of marketing. But, I always emphasize that direct
patient marketing is still very important to your practice
health.

SO WHO IS DOING A GOOD JOB OF

MARKETING

Smart chiropractors who are doing a great job of marketing

always focus on the needs, desires, and values of their
patents. You must be providing a solution to their problem!
Remember the irony of the great listener? Great listeners
are always known as great conversationalists. Why?
Because perception is always made from self-centered
point of view.

Do you see the problems with the advertisement below?

FACEBOOK ADS

It focuses on the needs and desires of the business owner,

not the consumer. Think about it. Nike- Just Do It. (not We
Do It) Southwest Airlines- You are Now Free to Move About
the Country (no We Are Free to Move About the Country)
Apple- Think Different (every early Apple adopter was
already thinking different). A great advertisement, tag line,
or slogan all do one think. They support a inherent belief or
desire that the consumer already has. It reduces friction and
helps the potential client say- YES. Everyone wants to
belong. Its the basis of Tribal Leadership, Finding Your Tribe,
etc. When you can show them that you already have the
answer to their problem it becomes a lot easier for them to
join you for the ride.

My service.  
I sincerely believe I have the best material (also have the
numbers to back it up).  
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