1335 N. Front Street, Ste. 201 • Harrisburg, PA 17102 • Phone: 717-395-0976 • Fax: 717-724-4563 An Open Letter to the Chiropractic Profession Product and Service Suppliers, Colleges and Institutions, Students, Association Leaders, and Friends of Chiropractic
As president of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, I am happy to report that the foundation is now ready to embark on its mass-marketing/communications campaign. After a year devoted to research and fact-finding, we are now preparing advertising, public relations and marketing materials that will be used to promote the benefits of chiropractic care, and thereby cause consumers to seek the services of chiropractors for their health needs. With this dynamic campaign, which has been endorsed by all elements of the profession, we have an opportunity once and for all to gain the media exposure and public awareness we have been denied for so many years. I am glad to report that since Kent Greenawalt, president of Foot Levelers, Inc., unveiled his vision to organize a dynamic, mass-market Campaign for Chiropractic, much has happened. Thanks to those who heeded the call early on with their financial support, the foundation was able to do all the preliminaries in order to break ground and set a solid base on which to build the campaign. To date, the foundation has taken the following actions for the chiropractic profession: - Retained a marketing research firm to study public perception and the global opportunities for chiropractic.
- Retained legal counsel.
- Employed a CEO to manage the daily administrative activities.
- Retained a nationally known "Emmy-award-winning" public relations firm to create a marketing program for the chiropractic profession.
- Received pledges from corporate firms to fund more than $3 million over the next five years.
- Established a Product and Service Suppliers (Vendors) Advisory Committee. Mr. Perry Isenberg, vice president of marketing for Biofreeze, and Mr. Charles Dubois, president of Standard Process, will serve as co-chairs of this prestigious committee.
- Established an Association Advisory Committee; Ms. Karen Hammel from the Colorado Chiropractic Association will serve as committee chairperson.
- Organized a Volunteer Speakers Bureau - state by state.
- Received financial commitments from nationally known chiropractic companies and boards - Standard Process, Biofreeze, Dynamic Chiropractic, Chiropractic Economics, DC Products Review, ChiroCode, ChiroViewPresents, and the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
- Established a College Advisory Committee (members to be appointed by Dr. Frank Zolli, president of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges).
Now, we are ready to take the big step ... and we need your help. The foundation is depending on all chiropractors, students, colleges, associations, suppliers, practice staffs, patients and friends to participate in (and gain the benefits of) this unified program. If you have not yet joined the campaign by sending in your contribution, we urge you to do so now. In addition, we need the following support: - volunteers who are willing to spread the word about the Campaign for Chiropractic and get pledges signed by their colleagues; and
- ambassadors who are willing to organize their associates, friends and member organizations to distribute contribution-seeking materials.
Over the next six months, we will be meeting with association leaders and suppliers to inform them of the program we have planned for the profession. We are currently working on the media aspect of the campaign and are planning to unveil our work at the Florida Chiropractic Association (FCA) convention in August 2005. In the meantime, we will unveil our marketing theme, which is very exciting. Your feedback is important. We are very enthusiastic about this campaign to build greater public awareness. But like any major effort that will determine the future of the profession, we need your vote of confidence. We want to hear your ideas and comments, and of course, we want to hear from you with a financial commitment each month to sustain the Campaign for Chiropractic. We can be reached by e-mail, gveno@foundation4cp.com; by fax, (717) 724-4563; or you can send a letter to the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, 1335 North Front Street, Suite 201, Harrisburg, PA 17102. We want to add your e-mail to our e-newsletter, which will begin publication in August 2005. If you want a supply of pledge cards, please call (717) 359-0976, and we will send them to you. This will allow you and your associations or members to make contributions by check, credit card or electronically every month. Let's all work together for the common cause. We need every association to get involved through its annual convention and monthly newsletter - urging members to help themselves and help their profession by contributing. If we all work together on this one important campaign, we will see positive changes for the chiropractic profession; changes we've never seen before in this country. Our intent is not to detract from state and national association media activities; we plan only to enhance their good work and gain greater media exposure. Please commit to the future of chiropractic today with your voice of support and your financial commitment to the Foundation of Chiropractic Progress. Thank you, Gene Gene G. Veno
President/CEO,
Foundation for Chiropractic Progress |
