January 2004

Effective public speaking

by Dr. David Singer

New patient marketing is a topic I'm often asked about, and it's a topic the majority of our profession is interested in. One of the most effective new patient marketing tools available is outside lectures, but you'd be surprised at how many doctors shy away from this because they are uncomfortable speaking in front of a group of people.

There is nothing out there ‑‑ from advertising and spinal screenings, to asking for referrals ‑‑ that could ever replace the capacity to generate new patients and expand your practice more so than public speaking.

The wins, the results, the success that can come from becoming a successful public speaker are beyond your imagination.

If you know what you're doing, a one‑hour talk can potentially generate up to 125 new patients. I once got 65 new patients as a result of a 15‑minute talk. Sixty‑five people showed up for appointments and started care as a result of that brief talk.

The key to successful results is knowing what you are doing.

I was invited to speak at a major seminar before an audience of 500 doctors. I hadn't prepared and while in the wings waiting to be introduced, I realized that I didn't know what I was going to say. I really had absolutely no idea what I was going to talk about. I should have been prepared.

That's the fear most people have that actually stops them from going forward and becoming a public speaker. They don't know what they have to talk about that will interest the people in the audience.

When you're going to do a talk, you have to plan. You can't simply wing it. But you have to be able to tell stories and to look like you're winging it. Here's how:

Step One: Choose the topic that you're going to speak on. Whether it's a lecture on stress, a talk on whiplash, on‑the‑job safety, etc., you need to know your topic of discussion. Once you've selected the topic, simply write down what is going to be the opening, the middle and the end of your presentation.

Step Two: Tell your audience what you're going to be discussing and why it's an important message for you to share. You could say something similar to, "Today, I'm going to be speaking about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and how to get well without having to take drugs or go through surgery. The reason I've chosen this topic for today is because of the rapid increase in the number of people who have this problem."

In other words, in Step Two, you're telling your audience a) why you're going to cover the subject, b) why they should listen to it, c) why you feel this is so important and d) why they, as an audience, would want to hear this.

Step Three: Step three is to actually discuss the topic. The normal lecture usually lasts one hour, but, of that time, you will really only speak on the topic for about 20 minutes. The opening and your closing take up the same amount of time as the topic itself.

Step Three is the "meat and potatoes" portion of your lecture ‑‑ offering facts the audience may not have known. People like to learn interesting facts, but are also open to hearing some advice and some ideas they have never thought of before.

Step Four: Have some stories to tell that relate to the facts you presented during Step Three. Recount stories of patients who came to see you. This component is why, when you listen to a good public speaker, they sound so natural.

Keep in mind it's dry and academic to be fed a steady stream of facts. People like to receive information broken up with actual stories that give life to the information they're hearing.

Step Five: Summarize everything you've just said.

Here's a very key point for to remember. You have to do more than give a talk with good information that keeps the audience interested. If that's all you do, your job is not yet done. You also have to get people to understand the necessity of chiropractic care. They must decide to come into your office and become a patient, receive care and avoid the disasters that can sometimes result when people become part of the allopathic care system.

In public speaking, then, you must speak from the heart, let your audience know how much you care and the depth of your conviction regarding chiropractic. If you then give your audience the information they need so that they DO decide to accept your care, you will have truly been an effective practitioner of the healing arts.

(Dr. David Singer is the CEO of David Singer Enterprises ‑‑ online at http://dse‑inc.com ‑‑ a company offering an honest and ethical approach to building a practice through one‑on‑one consulting programs, products and practice expansion seminars. If you'd like to receive "The Purpose Fax Newsletter," Dr. Singer's free fax info letter containing practice‑building tips and health research, call 800/326‑1797, ext 227. Leave your name, address, phone number and fax number to receive a copy approximately every six weeks. You must have a dedicated fax line, as this fax newsletter is sent automatically via computer.)