July 2004

300 patients per week ‑‑ guaranteed

by Dr. CJ Mertz

Less than 20% of all chiropractors will ever know what it's like to consistently deliver 300 life‑enhancing adjustments per week. Yet, if chiropractic is seeing under 10% of the population, why are there so few practices successfully serving their communities?

It's not a lack of desire or talent.

Almost every DC dreams of growing over 300 adjustments weekly. And, my experience has shown that most chiropractors have a good head, good hands, and a good heart ‑‑ absolute requirements for reaching "300."

The average member of team WLP adjusts nearly 300 patients per week, and I can honestly say, they have no special or unique qualities you don't already possess. DCs truly dedicated to their work and willing to make necessary changes can be among the elite few who achieve this level of success.

Five reasons

There are five reasons why the lofty 300 benchmark has been elusive to so many motivated pursuers.

1. Stephen Covey taught us to begin with the end in mind, but you're already past the start. Continuing with the end in mind means that you can begin again right from where you are, today. However, one fear is that you may lose some of your current patients when you begin making changes. Let me put your mind at ease. You will definitely lose a few patients in the transition.

Not every one of your current patients will be with you as you grow to 300, committing to the critical changes without fear of loss. Ironically, you already have patients dropping away from care for various reasons but they don't elicit the anxiety caused by changes.

2. The average chiropractor has 75% of his or her patients under care for less than six months. 25% are regular long‑term patients. Our average member, however, seeing 300 plus, has completely flipped this equation. Reaching 300 demands you rebuild your foundation, so steady growth can become possible.

For most DCs, wellness care is just a dream, but for those who now see 300, wellness is a reality. This may mean a deeper look into your core values and beliefs around wellness and lifetime care so it can evolve from lip service to quantifiable action with your patients.

In WLP, wellness care is referred to as the "back door" of your practice. To achieve your quest of 300 plus, you absolutely must make the specific changes that close the back door and build your wellness foundation.

3. Ultimately, 300 plus is a team accomplishment. The culture of your practice contributes as much to achieving this goal as anything else. If your CAs are not completely on board with the new version of where and/or how you're going, they either need to be retrained or replaced.

I know that sounds harsh but remember that you're not in the business of employing people. You're in the business of saving, extending and improving lives.

My reputation as a coach is grounded in the ability to build championship teams. Getting to 300 is not for sissies. You must learn how to demand more from your team and reward them when they produce the desired results. The right CAs always love a challenge when they know what to do and "why " and "how" to do it.

4. You're a unique brand waiting to be discovered. To reach 300, you must learn to build an image and sell yourself through your words and actions.

New patients aren't important for growing your practice, they're important for changing the face of health in your community. When your image is correct, your intent is right and your marketing campaign is congruent with both...more new patients is the natural result.

It's easy to hire a telemarketing company, write an ad or schedule an outside talk or screening. Yet, those activities by themselves can't get you the new patient flow needed to reach 300. You have to have a cause. You need to be something.

You need to see yourself as the headquarters of the most important movement in your community. You need to have a sustainable marketing plan and you stick to it. Fortunately, all this is trainable and not just possible for the gifted few who innately attract a lot of new patients.

You can't sit in your office and wait for new patients to call. You can't practice, waiting and hoping for patients to refer. Our average members now seeing 300 plus have increased their new patients average by 15 per month, because their image, intent and marketing plan all came together. To reach your goal, you must learn to sell yourself in a new and better way!

5. Almost anyone can see 300 by simply giving it away. Learning how to do it in fair exchange is not only highly profitable to you but promising for the future success of our great profession.

Even though I'm known for building large cash‑based practices, don't think you have to let go of all your insurance to do it right. When you learn how to build relationships properly using a time‑tested three day report of findings system, your patients will want to invest in you, chiropractic, themselves and their families.

Wellness care for life should be seen by your patients as a smart investment for their future. You should average between $10,000 and $20,000 collected per month, per 100 adjustments per week. Any higher or lower and you will jeopardize reaching or sustaining 300.

Decide now to make 2004 "the year of the change." That will turn your dreams into reality. Mentally prepare yourself for the changes ahead and realize that more than 5,000 chiropractors have already successfully paved the way for you.

By the way, there's no need to stop at 300 if your heart's calling you for even greater service. And, you don't have to try and do it by yourself. Ask for help. That's how they all got there! I'd love nothing more than to see your name added to the great wall of 300 plus ‑‑ the super achievers.

(Dr. CJ Mertz is president of the International Chiropractors Association, executive director of ChiroUSA, and founder and head coach of the prestigious Waiting List Practice chiropractic training organization. For information on WLP services and products, call Kate Golle at 877‑TEAM‑WLP.)

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