You’ve developed a good USP, and you’ve integrated it into all of the media and communication associated with you and your practice.
Now you need to get that message in to the hands of all of your active and inactive patients.
It’s important to get this message to them first because they already have a relationship with you.
But, you may be wondering what you should say, and how you should say it.
Tell Them The Obvious
All you’re going to do in this step is just communicate your unique selling proposition (USP) with your current and past patients. Don’t take for granted that they know what you’re all about. Chances are, you’ve had patients say, “I’m going to my chiropractor to get cracked,” about a visit to your office. Or maybe they got a cell phone call right as they were laying on the table, and they’ve said, “I’m about to get cracked.”
No matter how hard you try to get through to them that you don’t, “Crack backs,” the average patient just can’t seem to think of you as anything other than a regular chiropractor.
That’s because of the social programming that they are exposed to… a person goes to the chiropractor “to get cracked.”
Even though you’ve made it clear, and deep down your patients know this is not anything close to what you do, social programming is a difficult hurdle to jump.
I know you have some patients who are gung-ho and insistent about how you are different, but keep in mind, they are not the norm. The average person has no clue why they prefer you over other chiropractors, other than the fact that you get results, and you do it more gently than other chiropractors. They just don’t give you that much thought. They’ve got too much else going on in their lives.
Faced with the question, “Why do you go to Dr. __________ ?” they could never really put into words how you’re different, and when referring a friend or family member they usually just say, “Just check this guy out, and you’ll see what I mean.”
Again, don’t take for granted that just because someone has been to see you before, they know what you’re all about.
You have to tell them what makes you different, and your USP does that. You have to put the words in your patient’s mouths that you want them to convey to others.
Keep It Simple
Initially, you’re just going to send them a simple letter, on your letter head. If you’re sending to a past patient who hasn’t been in to see you in a while, you’re going to send them a letter inviting them to come back again. In the letter, you will make your USP prominent. You should make it a part of the letter head, but you should also incorporate it into the body of the letter itself.
Invite the past patient to once again become a patient, and offer them a special discount as a “Welcome Back” gift.
For instance you could offer them a re-activation exam for free, or give them a free neck pillow… you get the idea.
If you’re sending a letter to an active patient, you need to have a good reason for communicating with them beyond just telling them your USP. By good reason, I mean you need to tell them you’re having a referral campaign, or a patient appreciation day, or just a “thank you for being our patient message,” or something like that. You don’t want to send a letter that says: “Hey I just created a cool USP and I wanted to tell you all about it,” your patients will think you’re weird if you do that.
Performing this step is the easiest way to initially make it known to all who have or have had a relationship with you and your clinic, why they should continue to choose you as their chiropractor, why they should come back to see you, and why they should refer their family and friends.
By stating why you’re unique, your patients will also get the picture, and convey that message to their family and friends.
Of course, sending one letter is just the beginning. You need to keep in constant contact with your patients, and prospective patients, constantly reminding them why you’re the choice for them.
The best way to do that, without seeming intrusive, is with a monthly printed upper cervical patient newsletter.
I agree that you need to get your patients repeating the words that you want them to, otherwise you’re doomed to the social norms that they’ll be exposed to before and after their visits with you.
But how do you arrivea at a compelling USP?
The key to your USP is generally found in researching your patients. Our firm has developed a unique process taking research and other steps, mixing the insights gained in each and arriving at some compelling USPs that have won new business for the clients that have employed them.
You can read more at http://www.strategyandaction.com.