July 2006

300+/wk ‑‑ the 'tipping point'

by Dr. CJ Mertz

Less than 20% of chiropractors who've ever practiced have seen an average of 300 adjustments per week or more. So, chances are below one‑in‑five that you will ever have the privilege of serving your community at that level of depth. Yet, there are certain gatherings in chiropractic where the room is filled with chiropractic teams averaging more than 300 adjustments per week! Perhaps it's time you learn about the 300+/wk "tipping point."

In Malcolm Baldwell's extraordinary book, "The Tipping Point," he describes how often very small, seemingly unimportant events act as the catalyst for gigantic events to follow. Virtually every revolution ‑‑ from the independence of the United Sates of America to the Dell computer dynasty ‑‑ has a clear tipping point. Our own great profession has its own simple beginnings that contained a tipping point from which all else has followed (if only chiropractors could get out of the way, chiropractic would be a giant by now).

Is it possible for two or more to share the same tipping point? To "pay it forward" from one person to the next? It appears so.

In 1986, I was invited to see a chiropractor in Northern California who was adjusting well over 100 people per day. It was the first time I'd ever witnessed anyone actually adjust that many patients in a single day. My eyes changed that day, as well as my heart and my vision. Something happened to me that's still hard to put into words. However, my own practice blasted through 100 patients per day a few short months later. Now, there were many factors that led to my success, but watching Dr. Henry Wong became a tipping point in my practice evolution.

A few months after breaking through these hundred adjustments per week, chiropractors began to visit my practice. Over the next couple of years, the number of letters, cards and phone calls I received from DCs whose practices had jumped over 300 per week was overwhelming.

The tipping point wasn't just about watching someone who had a successful practice. There was a certain spirit (purpose) within the practice and a certain style (strategy) that was adhered to with the finest detail.

The vast majority of successful practices in chiropractic do not and cannot function as a tipping point for others, because the success of the practice is personality‑driven. A personality‑driven practice and a purpose‑driven practice are two entirely different entities, even if they both see their hundred per week. Over the past 20 years, I've been truly blessed to take part in the 300+ /wk tipping point for thousands of chiropractic teams. While less than 20% will ever achieve this level of success, more than half that do are connected to one another.

There are 10 core evolutions that most teams that surpass 300 adjustments per week must accomplish:

1. Transition from a personality‑driven to a purpose‑driven practice.

2. Become a corrective and wellness care center versus a pain relief practice.

3. Convert to a 75% cash practice from primarily insurance‑based.

4. Change from private room adjusting to an "adjustitorium."

5. Transform from one‑day individual reports to three‑day group reports.

6. Shift from hiring employees to training a world‑class team.

7. Move from "promoting when necessary" to promoting continuously ‑‑ and on‑purpose.

8. Convert from passive brochure‑based patient education to assertive, multiple workshop‑based "longevication."

9. Change from "do‑it‑yourself" development to bonding with a practice coach and be held accountable for your growth.

10. Shift from being an island to gaining fellowship weekly with like‑minded chiropractors.

It's not a mystery anymore in terms of what it takes to build a legendary practice with phenomenal results. The truth is that it's just a choice. I realize now why so few chiropractors will ever experience 150 adjustments per week, let alone the champions' benchmark of 300+/wk. Those 10 core evolutions require sacrifice ‑‑ letting go of what you're doing and how you're doing it. They require proper planning so you don't get panicked and implode, then revert back to what you did previously. They require feedback from someone who knows what pitfalls and surprises come up along the way and can guide you, keeping you confident while you go through the changes. They require a strong sense of vision, passion, faith and belief, which must come from a source beyond your own experience in practice.

If you feel up to the calling and believe it's your time to add your name onto the champion's wall of fame, then embrace your future. The people of your town will be the ones who benefit most from your next level of success. But don't do it on your own, dabbling with a seminar here or there; that's virtually impossible. Don't hesitate to ask for help. Your next call could very well be the start of your tipping point to 300+/wk.

(Dr. CJ Mertz is executive director of ChiroUSA, and founder and head coach of the prestigious Waiting List Practice [WLP] chiropractic training organization. See the WLP 300 patient per week opportunity on the back page of this issue. For information on WLP coaching services, call Tony Shinn at 877‑TEAM‑WLP.)