Question #1: Why is practice such a struggle?
Answer #1: It shouldn't be. Most of us graduated from Chiropractic College with a degree in Chiropractic. We did not receive degrees in being successful Chiropractors, or in being able to effectively communicate to patients. This combined with the stubborn failure to understand the public perception of you as a Chiropractor (the lost identity of Chiropractic) and there you have it... a recipe for disaster. The key ingredient is the ability to make a decision. We meet DC's from all over North America and they each have their own versions of why they are struggling. None of this matters... the only Question is-will you accept the help that is being offered to you? If you refuse to invest in your success and improvement, there is nothing we can do for you.
Question #2: Why do I need a coach?
Answer #2: It's not enough today to graduate from Chiropractic College, and go for it. Going into practice today without a coach (a game plan) is akin to just winging it in life. Some DC's have the notion that, "we'll see what happens." You need input from an effective coach who can prevent you from making predictable mistakes. To effectively compete today you have to be unique and blaze your own identity, your own path, instead of doing what everybody else is doing. Coaching gets you to do the things you don't want to do and makes it fun. We're not talking about mall screenings, hard sales, and gimmicks. We're talking about learning the "language of the patient" and educating patients to become long-term patients.
Question #3: I've had other coaches... however...
Answer #3: One of the most popular reasons for joining our program is you've tried other coaches and the relationship was not as good as you hoped. Your practice may or may not have increased... but either way, the "fit" wasn't great and it didn't inspire you. Sure, you liked your coach, but was he/she a member of your inner circle? Did the values of the program line up with your own values? We believe everybody should be under Chiropractic care. Our whole system is geared toward educating people to make informed decisions. Does your current coach want you to become a salesperson or an educator? We have a saying, its called Purpose Cubed: "If it's not good for the planet, its people or the profession... you won't find our name on it."
Question #4: How do I get my staff to be motivated?
Answer #4: It all comes back to you as a doctor. Are you constantly getting new input and information to share with your CA's? If the Answer is no, what do you expect? You must develop leadership qualities if you want your team to follow you. We train your CA's for you at our quarterly seminars and if they have any Questions, help is just a phone call away. Many of our Mentor IV CA's fax and e-mail other family CA's on an almost daily basis. That spells inspiration and motivation in any language. The end result is a happy, well-oiled machine that puts the fun and profit back into your practice, doctor.
Question #5: My practice has been stuck at a certain level for years... do you really think you can change it?
Answer #5: Whether you're a veteran or just starting out in practice, you can improve yourself and your outcome. You need to start receiving a new source of input that not only improves your practice, but improves your life as well. When you get your passion back and your belief in yourself, things naturally fall into place. Problems that you saw no solution to before are solved with almost no effort when your perspective changes. Before starting our program, many DC's had problem areas including collections, staff, office procedures and retention. After joining, however, the very areas that used to be weak turned into areas of strength.
Question #6: Why is there so much emphasis on wellness today?
Answer #6: Because the public is demanding it and our true philosophy lines up with this demand beautifully. Crisis care only is a burning ship that's sinking. Why not offer crisis care and wellness? We realize many didn't receive this training in Chiropractic College. Consider our Program as post-graduate training. With or without your participation, wellness is here to stay. By not offering wellness care, you are cutting yourself off from tremendous opportunities for growth and increased income and creating a lasting identity for yourself and your profession in your community. Patients are looking for wellness everywhere else except your office, doctor. When you educate your patients, they will participate in wellness with or without insurance. The only Question that remains is-will you wake up and upgrade your training to include wellness?
Question #7: Why don't my patients get the "big idea" of Chiropractic?
Answer #7: One of the skills you must acquire is how to speak the language of the patient. It's not technical knowledge. You must learn how to create an emotional connection with each and every patient. Until you learn to "crack" the code of the language of the patient, you will not be able to develop relationships of trust with your patients. The end result is oh, they'll come in for back pain and the like, but bring in their kids for wellness... forget about it.
Question # 8: My practice has become just a way to make a living...How did I lose my passion for Chiropractic?
Answer #8: People wore you down to their way of thinking. People have no idea what wellness Chiropractic is all about. As a result of this lack of knowledge, people have a low opinion of Chiropractic and are naturally hesitant to participate. This is all they know about our profession until someone takes the time to educate them about wellness. DC's must give their offices and Chiropractic a new identity that is unique. Marketing and selling the idea of what people want Chiropractic to be is a dangerous game. By not educating people about wellness, you allow people to tell you what to do and how to do it. This not only de-values Chiropractic, but it causes your own self-esteem to plummet as well. It's no wonder there is so much frustration and resentment in our profession. The key to success is to re-educate people to what Chiropractic is in your office... not to offer and compete with what other offices are doing or offering. Create your own identity and reclaim your passion!
"I want to thank you for your existence in our profession and for your worldly vision of saving the planet with Chiropractic. I have been in the program for a little over a year and now I can honestly say that I have blossomed into a new and better Chiropractor, wife, daughter, and friend. The lessons I have learned and the experiences I have had can be found no where else in our profession. The uniqueness of the New Renaissance program is unparalleled in the world of Chiropractic and that essence can truly be felt through the experience of the seminars held throughout the year.
When I attended my first seminar, I was hesitant because I had been involved in "practice management" programs before. I had built a wall up around myself - convinced that I was not going to be "sucked into another of these things" and I sat there waiting for the ball to drop and for the gimmicks to start revealing their ugly little heads. Well, as I waited I began to notice a difference and I realized that this was the anti-management group, and that everything you stood for was different. I heard a global message of bettering the planet-not just the doctor's wallet (although I soon learned that that comes as a natural progression). As I talked with the other doctors in the room they were nice and not egomaniacs on a mission to outdo one another. They were all focused on the common vision of creating "Healthier People for a Healthier Planet". They did not compare numbers or statistics but rather their vision. I had taken my mother to that first seminar and near the end she looked at me and in a tone more sincere than I have ever heard she said, "You have to do this". I had already made my mind up that I couldn't afford not to join and the pen was in my hand to register for one year! I had no idea how exciting this journey would be! "
Dr. Trina Blackman