While the message of chiropractic remains the same, the way that we approach a complete understanding continues to evolve. Twenty years ago, the impact of chiropractic research on our collective knowledge base was minimal. Today, research is not only impacting our understanding, but is also serving to heighten the interest of the public.
Our method of communicating the chiropractic message is also changing. The subject of chiropractic, once largely relegated to the Yellow Pages and newsletters, has moved into the mass media and onto the internet.
But the basic interaction is still the same. Someone credible shares relevant information with someone else. This can happen in person, through print, on a website, on the radio or television. The dynamics of human interaction haven't really changed, even though the technology continues to.
Chances are that only 10-20 percent of the people in your community have really heard about chiropractic from someone qualified to tell our story. Sure, everyone "knows" what chiropractors do: "They crack your back."
Reaching the 80 percent that don't understand what chiropractors do is a long-term project. It will require multiple methods of communication and an investment of time and money. Generally speaking, those methods that require less money require more time. You can go door-to-door to tell people about chiropractic; all it will cost you is a pair of new shoes every month.
You probably don't realize it, but over 35 percent of the people in your community are on the internet. Over 10 percent of your neighbors have already purchased something on a website in the first six months of this year. These numbers are increasing at dramatic rates.
Why are they spending time on the Web? Information.
Information is the one commodity that everyone needs. And one of the most sought after topics is health.
When it comes to reaching more people in less time by spending less money, the Web is the obvious choice. You would spend millions on television commercials before you reached 35 percent of your neighbors. And the quality of that interaction wouldn't be half as good.
But having a website is more than just putting up a sign in cyberspace. It is a new technology that offers numerous ways to inform and educate. Here are some examples of how you can reach the 80 percent nonpatient neighbors via the Web. These are a must for any well-designed website:
As the world anticipates the next century and second millennium, chiropractic is already three years into our second century.These are new times with new opportunities to tell the world about chiropractic. But it happens one person, one community at a time.
Use these ideas and others to make your community a chiropractic community.
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
