What kind of family practice do you have? I'm sure that as a chiropractor, your personality and that of your community at large help define the parameters of your practice. In fact, were we to compare one family practice to another, I believe each would be uniquely different based on the individual demographics of the population and D.C. likes and dislikes. When it comes to wall color, kinds of equipment, the layout of the office and the people you attract, each is uniquely you.

Your family practice may be quite traditional, in that your patient base consists mainly of mothers and fathers, children and grand babies. It's the type of practice many chiropractors choose to create, but not the only one available.

For D.C.s who live in urban areas (where there aren't many families living in close proximity to one another), their family practice might be more community-based with groups of individuals who are not related by blood, but by common interests forming non-traditional families.

If you look closely, you will see that every individual practice has its own inner circle of "family" members.

For some chiropractors, these are members of a corporate family – such as fire fighters, stock brokers, attorneys, etc. – or church families who all go to the same place to worship. Look around your community and make note of these inner circles. Then, plug in family practice principles, systems, and strategies to market to and attract these diverse and abundant "family members."

Your family practice will be uniquely you based on your personality and that of your community. The common thread that flows between these highly fun, highly profitable family practices is that you are educating people so they can participate in lifetime chiropractic care. No matter what the composition of your family practice, each member can and should be educated about the positive benefits a chiropractic lifestyle can have on health and well-being.

Remember, don't get hung up on trying to have your practice look a certain way. A family practice in rural Iowa is not going to even remotely resemble one in Palo Alto, California. Utilize the family practice concepts and principles to attract entire families or members from these inner circles. Inspire people in a way that will make them want to participate.

Regardless of whether your unique family practice is one filled with traditional or non-traditional inner-circle families, your practice will become its own community. The people who consistently come to your practice will inevitably get to know each other. Then, they will begin to develop their own relationships and your chiropractic community will flourish. The energy created by your unique inner circle will send a "ripple" throughout your "outer" community as well.

Soon, you will be attracting patients not only because of the care you can give, but because of the positive energy, sense of community and celebration of health and life you offer.

You will find that this same community will grow to support you during your special events, screenings, lectures and other forms of outreach. Current patients will share their chiropractic successes with potential new patients, and committed families of all colors and shapes will be signing up for care.

Dedicate yourself to this inner circle and develop a clear vision of what you would like your unique chiropractic "family" to look like. Don't just visualize it, but feel what it would be like to have these people as your patients, and you will create it! Stay focused on this image. Spend your time and energy attracting and serving this particular group of people, and they will help you build your unique family practice – the practice of your dreams.