We often come to accept what we hear, read or see on television. How many of the men reading this article have waited until the last minute to purchase their wife or girlfriend a birthday gift or holiday surprise? No doubt your first thought was to purchase a diamond bracelet or necklace, or perhaps even to take that all-important step in your life and present her with an engagement ring - perhaps a DeBeers diamond ring.
Well, if you lived prior to 1940, the last thing on your mind was purchasing a diamond ring as a gift. Why? Simple - prior to the end of World War II, diamonds were neither popular nor plentiful in the marketplace. The average person could not afford a diamond, and the marketing of diamond rings had not even begun. Then Fred DeBeers created a simple message: "Show her how much you love her with a DeBeers diamond!"
How is the diamond similar to chiropractic? The diamond industry had less than 5 percent of jewelry sales in the 1940s; chiropractic had about 5 percent of the health care market in 2004. Is there a message here? Yes, and the message is that no one is going to market the chiropractic profession unless we do it ourselves. The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) has asked many doctors and corporate leaders to help with a month-to-month contribution that once and for all will allow the consumer to learn about an excellent form of health care - chiropractic care.
Just think what would happen if the profession could assemble a unified message today, similar to the message Fred DeBeers came up with in 1940. It would change the public's perception of this "diamond in the rough" profession, and help so many people who are experiencing ill health and do not realize the chiropractic benefits they are missing.
So, the next time you purchase a diamond, whether you thank Fred DeBeers for his marketing genius or not, you will have been educated and informed that diamonds are a girl's best friend and that they can last forever.
The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress wants to change public perception and market the chiropractic profession just like the diamond industry did more than 60 years ago. Just "Think About It and Then Think Again" - think where your profession can be and what it can achieve if we begin that change process today."
This profession is a "diamond in the rough," and it is time we are positioned in the marketplace as the best thing health care dollars can buy.
Gene Veno
President, Foundation for Chiropractic Progress
gveno@foundation4cp.com
"How You Treat Your Patients Is Your Business - Getting the Patients to Visit Your Office is Our Business at the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress!"
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?
