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In 1895, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that an income tax was unconstitutional.
Within just 18 years, the income tax was made a permanent part of our society when the 16th Amendment was passed in 1913.
Fact is; radical, sweeping change is often a regular part of life. Especially in business.
It was only a couple of months ago the Federal Trade Commission made automated voice broadcast calls (robo calls) illegal without written permission.
Prior to that, the FTC radically changed the laws for FAX broadcast.
Coming December 1, 2009, the laws for testimonials in marketing and advertising shift considerably.
Once those changes are enacted, the FTC will be moving on to something known as “negative option marketing”, to make sure the laws pertaining to its use also change radically.
Who knows what’ll be next!
What does all of this talk of legislation change and FTC have to do with you and your chiropractic practice, you may be wondering.
A heck of a lot.
With the reality of marketing and advertising… not to mention… practicing laws, ever changing, chiropractors always need to be on-guard, prepared and equipped to withstand any possible change, shift, or modification to what they’re allowed to do by law.
This is especially true with your chiropractic marketing and practice-building plan.
And, is exactly why you never… EVER… want to be reliant or dependent on just one new patient-acquisition method, tactic, or strategy.
When you’re overly dependent on any one thing; you, your practice, and your income are all 
extremely vulnerable.
What would happen to your practice if, tomorrow, the one patient-acquisition method you rely on becomes illegal?
Don’t think it can’t happen.
It can.
Just ask the folks who were solely reliant on FAX broadcast.
Or the folks solely reliant on voicebroadcast.
Or the folks solely reliant on non-permission-based email marketing.
Or the folks solely reliant on renting DMV direct mail lists.
All of those things were at one time completely legal and commonplace practice. Not anymore.
And, for those companies who weren’t prepapred for that… well… they’re either no longer around or struggled quite a bit scampering to figure out what they were going to do to keep their business going and growing.
Don’t let that ever happen to you.
Don’t put yourself in that position. Ever.
Make sure you have a “diversified portfolio” of marketing tactics and strategies that make up your overall practice marketing plan.
Don’t… DON’T… put all your new patient-acquisition eggs in just one basket.
Because if something happens to that one basket… you’re screwed.
Thanks for the heads-up on this one, Todd. You’re right, it’s good to diversify your marketing efforts in more ways than one. Implications for this new FTC testimonial “smack-down” are going to affect a large number of chiropractors and business owners across the board.
Good post