Upper Cervical Specifically Cited As Dangerous By PTs

Have you seen this from the Seattle Times?

At least the law states that PTs may not perform chiropractic adjustments, but is this another step towards phasing out any association between chiropractors and MDs?

The PT organizations also alluded to “…concerns raised of injury resulting from manipulation of the upper cervical spine. By contrast, within the physical therapy profession studies have been published on effective methods for addressing neck pain by manipulating the thoracic spine, where less risk exists.”

Sounds like they are doing all they can to alienate us and cow towing to the MDs.

Objective efficacy studies, like the one conducted by Dr. Kirk Eriksen, are more necessary now than ever before.

USP Creation: Putting It All Together

Now that you have all the data, it’s time to put it all together and craft a clear statement about how you’re unique, and why your patients should choose you.

Your USP should be written in about 90 words or less.  It is the basis for all of your marketing.

It is the message that you are trying to convey to the masses, which is why it is the first step in this process.

A good USP helps you get more prospective patients; causes you to convert more prospective patients; causes your patients to do more business with you, and refer more of their family and friends to you.

To re-iterate, an effective USP, properly communicated to your patients and prospective patients, will cause an:

1. Increase in prospects
2. Increase in conversions of prospects to patients
3. Increase in the amount of business your current patients do with you.

These are the only 3 ways any practice grows.

Some U.S.P. Examples

Dominos Pizza: “Fresh hot pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less… or it’s free.”

Federal Express: “When it absolutely, positively has to be there over night.”

From my chiropractic practice: “Providing relief without any popping, twisting, turning or cracking.”

Notice how with Dominos they don’t say they have the best pizza, or even good pizza, and
they don’t just say they will have your pizza to you ASAP.

Notice how FedEx doesn’t say they’ll get it to you faster than anyone else.

Notice how the chiropractic example doesn’t guarantee results, or say anything about being gentle, or good for the whole family.

The common denominator in all of these examples is specificity.

Be specific with your USP.

Rosser Reeves, who coined the phrase Unique Selling Proposition, said that an effective USP must do the following:

1. The proposition must say to the prospective customer (patient): “Buy the product (service), and you will get this specific result.”
2. The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot, or does not offer.  It must
   be unique.
3. The proposition must be so strong that it moves the masses.

Two things I might add is that an effective USP must also attract those who are a perfect fit for your practice, and repel those who are not a good fit for what you do.

For instance, (and this is very important if you’re an upper cervical doctor) there are those who are chiropractic patients simply because they love the crack and pop and release they feel when they receive a traditional adjustment.  The USP above would repel that brand of patient.  This is a good thing because it eliminates the possibility of that person being dissatisfied with an upper cervical adjustment.

Eliminating dissatisfaction from your patient base ensures that they’ll return to do more business with you, and will stimulate more referrals of their family and friends.

Dr. Daniel Clark | Upper Cervical Interview

In 1947 Dr. Clark graduated from Palmer after being trained in Palmer HIO, and having attended Dr. John Grostic’s 2nd teaching seminar ever given, where he sat next to Dr. Ralph Gregory.

He practiced Grostic upper cervical in his own 13 bed clinic in Anniston Alabama for 7 years and then moved to California, where after a long sabbatical from upper cervical he developed an upper cervical patient education company.

In this interview, Dr. Clark reveals:

• How he saw combat in WW2 including at the Battle of the Bulge, which led to his nearly having both feet amputated.
• How he practiced upper cervical out of his parents home, including taking xrays in one of the bedrooms
• How his first house call was an upper cervical miracle
• How a tragic bus accident in Los Angeles led to a technological breakthrough that allowed Dr. Clark to retire, in comfort at age 42
• The story of how he came to commission his first upper cervical illustration.

And much more.