From the blog How to Attract New Chiropractic Patients

Regular patients make up the core of any chiropractic practice. But finding new patients through Chiropractic Marketing becomes necessary over time as some regulars inevitably find relief from their ailments and move on.

Want to learn how to attract new chiropractic patients to your practice? Here are some valuable tips to get you started:

Referral Incentives

For most medical professionals, referrals are key to growing a consistent client base in the long term.

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A lot of people aren’t comfortable having a total stranger perform a procedure on them, even a minor exam or adjustment. They will ask a friend or colleague they can trust for a referral before they pick a name from a billboard or out of the phone book.

In other cases, people won’t realize that the pain they regularly experience can be fixed until a friend tells them. Often, hearing someone say they get chiropractic services will be enough to inspire a change.

Referral bonuses give people incentive to spread the word to people in their network. They also position referrals as a front-of-mind item. When you offer a discount, a free adjustment, or a gift card in exchange for referrals, the existing client feels the love. Bonuses don’t cost a lot, but they help drive new customers into your office – and delight the ones you already see.

Direct Mail

Another time-tested tactic to generate interest shows up right in your mailbox. You may be surprised how successful direct mail can be. In fact, direct mail might be more successful today than it was before the internet, precisely because most companies don’t think to use it. According to recent data, direct mail gets a response rate of 4.4% – higher than most forms of digital marketing.

Direct mail comes in a variety of forms, from postcards to single-page glossy ads in ad circulars. Many vendors can offer chiropractors mailing lists that are optimized for their marketing plan. Some will handle the print and mailing as well – for a price. Get your name out to the neighborhood and maybe even offer a special incentive for first time patients.

Direct mail isn’t wholly reliant on postal delivery though. A lot of advertisers will take to the streets themselves. Sometimes, spending an afternoon hand delivering flyers or business cards to local cafes or placing them on people’s doors will generate interest. You may even strike up a conversation that’ll change a new patient’s life.

Online Advertising

Nowadays, no strategy for attracting new patients can be ignore a digital angle. Which makes sense – more people than ever look to the internet to answer questions before they speak to a doctor.

A recent study found that 80 percent of internet users surveyed looked up health-related information online. People also regularly use online review websites and social media to vet businesses. To draw new patients, you’ll want to maintain a smart and well planned online marketing strategy. What does that mean though?

Online marketing offers chiropractic offices a lot of different opportunities for reaching new people. Most practices should maintain a website to offer information to prospective patients, as well as important resources for existing clients. From there, you have several marketing options available:

  • Online ads available through Google put your practice on the front page when people search for specific related keywords
  • Working with SEO to place your website higher in the search rankings can generate a big return. Use a content strategy to offer useful info for your audience that’s tied to valuable keywords
  • Build a presence as a trusted source for chiropractic information on Quora and/or other informative websites

There are dozens of approaches that digital marketers use to gather attention. Check out popular websites such as HubSpot for insights into tactics you can apply for your practice.

Social Media

Building a social media presence is valuable for chiropractors looking to attract new patients. Current online trends show a push toward social for gathering basic information on businesses, as well as directly engaging to ask questions. For many doctors, Facebook is more valuable than a website, because they can offer info and engage with prospects directly. Social media is valuable for better understanding your market for other advertising methods, too.

A lot of people use websites like Yelp to read reviews before choosing a new doctor. Keeping an active business presence on Yelp – even offering incentives for regular patients to submit good reviews – gets your brand out to a ton of new people.

Groupon Deals

Finally, online flash sales and discount websites offer chiropractors a great opportunity to connect with a lot of local people. Often, a discount can provide just enough incentive for new patients to step in the door and see what your services can do for their wellbeing. After a couple visits, they won’t want to go back!

Are you ready to grow together?