May 2004

Target training builds proven results

by Dr. CJ Mertz

So much has been written about and discussed at seminars regarding the power of preparation. In fact, the definition of luck is when preparation meets opportunity. However, like training, preparation is a very broad term leading to a number of interpretations. Target‑specific training on the other hand leads to proven results in practice virtually every time.

Managing a chiropractic practice in today's market can often feel like a giant elephant. You can only see one piece at a time. Practice building has become a guessing game for most chiropractors, even for consultants. It usually sounds like a pharmacy's prescription when you're asked to try this or that and see how it works.

Practice growth is based upon law, so outcomes are predictable when done correctly (like applying the right adjustment to the spine). The first rule of thumb is that you can't work on everything at the same time. That may sound obvious until you talk to a few other chiropractors and realize how hard they're trying to work on almost every aspect of practice simultaneously.

Training is awesome, but done improperly it can be overwhelming. My clients have the advantage of a 500‑page Mastery Manual. Typically, while less than 15% of the total strategic plan is implemented in the first year, they've often more than doubled their practice. Working on the right things is 10 times more effective that training on just anything and everything.

It's time to uncomplicate your practice if you're preparing for growth. One thing is for certain, you cannot bypass mastering the fundamentals. There are many new‑fangled gadgets, theories and short cuts that all attempt to bring success. Unfortunately, they yield few results ‑‑ if any at all. You must better understand your tendencies, then improve upon them to predictably increase your growth.

For example, if you do newspaper ads and receive a good response but have low conversions, you need to target, specifically train and execute better fundamentals of reporting around ad‑driven patients.

Or, you may have great conversion with referred patients but generating referral leads is hard to come by in your practice.

Still another example may be great compliance with patients, but low re sign percentage. In other words, patients seem to follow through with corrective care but don't choose wellness care.

Or, while dropouts are fairly high in your practice, those who get through corrective care have a high re sign percentage to wellness care.

Each of those four examples portrays completely different target‑specific training needs for practice growth to occur.

You can spend thousands of dollars on advertising, change your office fees or billing practices, re engineer your procedures and still not see any noticeable change in your growth. Some consultants would have you believe it's all between your ears, that simply improving your attitude will make it all better. Right vision coupled with right action, executed at the right time creates predictable growth virtually every time.

Target‑specific training refers to such detailed action, that you are capable of changing your behavior and your mindset in that area of practice. In most cases, there are no more than three areas where you must target train before significant growth begins to happen.

Whatever you change or train on, make sure it's measurable. Increasing performance should be a tangible and predictable process. Success is obtained by deliberately maintaining target‑specific focus on an area of the practice until the desired outcome has been achieved.

This is the most common path from 150 to 400 adjustments per week. Chiropractors are in the business of improving lives, extending lives, saving lives. The frustration level of not reaching goals and feeling stuck in practice can be enormous. You need to take back control of the growth and destiny of your practice. If it isn't increasing in the number of people you adjust every day then you're not training right nor on the right things.

Your work is too important to be limited because of improper training strategy. No matter what school you graduated from, the passion at seeing patients getting well with chiropractic is reward by itself. Now you can "learn how to learn" by deciding to choose the continuous improvement path of target‑specific training. A confidential practice evaluation (CPE) will reveal the target‑ specific training you should undergo currently in your practice.

Get your mind away from trying to "fix" a lot of things in practice and commit to changing the right thing, right now. More patients will experience more care and greater healing as a result. It's essential that chiropractic continue to grow and prosper if it's to take its rightful place eventually as the number one health profession in the world.

(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 [WLP] chiropractic training organization. For information on WLP services and products, call 877-TEAM WLP.)