Is this the most reliable way to get new patients? I am talking about the community meet and greet. How does this chiropractor marketing method work? Here is the strategy. First of all, you need a practice newsletter. All professionals should find a way to maintain communication with their patient base. Mailing a periodic newsletter is my favorite strategy. No, don’t bother sending the full color ones that can be self-mailed. It’s obvious to everyone you didn’t write it. I’m referring to a relationship-building newsletter. You will make about 30 copies of your most recent newsletter.

You then select a geographic area within 3 miles of your practice from which to farm for patients. Select a day of the week when most residents will be home. In most parts of the country this is on Sunday. You will take your newsletters along with a stack of Gift Certificates offering a free appointment / exam / some type of enticing introductory offer, making it easy to come in and see you. You will go out door to door to introduce yourself to the people in this targeted community. This is your only objective Your goal is to hand out one newsletter per household. You will ask them one simple question: “My name is Dr. Blank and I own the XYZ chiropractic clinic around the corner. I am trying to increase my exposure in this neighborhood.

I am wondering what you think would be a good way for me to get my name out there?” You ask this question to get the recipient involved. In answering your question, you are engaging them and they often sell themselves on becoming your patient. If there is one thing we know, it is that involvement inches them closer to doing business with you. That’s it! Every person reading this can do this without fear. Yes, you have to actually knock on the door. Yes, you have to speak to someone. Whoever answers the door is who you will speak with. Not everyone will be home. As a doctor you’ll find that about 1/3rd of the people you meet will talk your ear off. “Oh, you’re a doctor?

You know my (fill in complaint) has been bothering me lately!” After discussing their problem with you, many will ask you “How hard is it to get in and see you?” At which point you can hand them the Gift Certificate or schedule them on the spot. It’s literally as simple as handing them a newsletter, introducing yourself, and asking them this involvement question. What kind of results you can expect? Our clients tell us they average 3 scheduled appointments for every hour they do this. This proves very profitable since their cost to acquire each patient is virtually zero.

If you’re a motivated doctor who’s looking for a big increase, there’s no reason why you couldn’t be generating 30 or more patient appointments per month if you were to go out and do this on Sunday for a few hours. A couple from California generated 400 patient appointments in 90 days using this strategy. And I know another doctor that generated over 100 patients in a 60 day period. The results can be terrific! Break out of your comfort zone, drag your spouse with you, and go out into an affluent neighborhood sometime this month and hand out practice newsletters face to face.

One of the most successful people I’ve ever met once said to me, “Try to break out of your comfort zone at least once a month; you’ll find all your breakthroughs in life will come as a result of breaking through preconceived ideas that have been boxing you in.” That’s pretty good advice.