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Today, I had a savvy chiropractor post a message for me on our Facebook Page about a recent webinar I co-hosted.
The webinar was about a chiropractor who collected one million dollars last year by working with diabetic patients.
The marketing this chiropractor used to generate over 200 diabetic patients, each paying him $5,000, focused on the consequences of traditional diabetes treatment.
The chiropractor who posted the message for me on Facebook really felt strongly about the negative consequences of “fear-based” marketing, as she called it.
One Chiropractor’s Perspective On Fear-Based Chiropractic Marketing
Below is a portion of what she posted for me:
“I’m not interested in scamming patients. I know that wasn’t your intention, Todd, but understand that fear-based marketing, like Hockings and many others participate in, taps into the lower brain in people that triggers them to make snap decisions driven by the emotions in trying to avoid pain or suffering.”
I immediately responded.
And I think you’ll find my response valuable.
Below is a portion of my response:
My Perspective On Fear-Based Chiropractic Marketing
“While you may not agree with his marketing approach, he has gotten some astounding results for patients, and has changed a lot of lives for the better. Sometimes, when it comes to marketing, it takes getting people to see the consequences of inaction to move them to the point of action. As long as the care and service provided truly delivers the results as promised, like Dr. Jeff’s program seems to do, I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with using a “consequence focused” marketing approach.
I would even go as far as to say that if that’s the approach that will generate the greatest response… and move the most people to take action… then we owe it to these folks to expose them to that type of marketing message.”
Todd,
I can see both sides of this. The way I see it:
Humans either want to avoid pain or seek pleasure, what difference does it make what kind of marketing you use if it gets the person in need to get up off the couch and do something positive for themselves. And, if you are “scamming” patients then you are probably going to be a scammer no matter the marketing method or message. How you do one thing is how you do everything. I have been practicing over 19 years in the same location and I have done a LOT of marketing. Direct Response, Imagine Branding, you name it. And I have learned that there are some people who respond to a “professional branded image” and others respond to a more direct message. The point is, you have to be ever changing, always testing and not really care what people think. Trust the stats. They dont lie. Figures dont lie, but liars figure. You just have to have the guts to make it work and stop blaming others for the “state of the profession.”
Bravo Todd! …and I agree whole heartedly with your response.
Todd:
Not sure where she got that I am “scamming” patients or that my marketing is fear based. Re: Diabetes marketing, fear isn’t necessary… just providing a natural alternative that reverses Diabetes is all that’s needed, as medicine has NO answer for Diabetics and it’s criminal the way they treat Diabetes in our country.
In my Dinner seminar that I do for Diabetics, I absolutely bring up the severe complications that patients can develop by continuing to take medications for the treatment of their Diabetes. It would be unethical for me to ignore or minimize the facts that Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, amputation and kidney failure… and is the #1 reason people go on dialysis in the US. Most diabetics don’t take their problem seriously enough, which allows their problem to progress to a serious complication. If bringing their attention to these complications is fear based marketing, them I’m guilty, but all my patients get to choose whether they accept treatment and I try to push them away very hard to make sure they are committed to following the program. When they follow it, they get better… and I’ve done that in thousands of patients… and no scamming is done.
We have an obligation to our patients to lay out the consequences of inaction so patients see the potential seriousness of their condition. Most doctors I know minimize the seriousness of spinal misalignments, etc. out of their fear to confront a patient with the truth… which ultimately hurts the patient. I wonder how many doctors ignore the fact that their patient is 50+ lbs overweight out of fear of their reaction if they care enough to sit the patient down and tell them the truth about what can happen if they continue on their current path. Too many docs take the path of least resistance out of low self esteem and fear of rejection, and patients deserve better. This couldn’t be more true in the Diabetes market.
While the focus is initially on what the future will be like for a patron, the point is to meet them at their current reality . I see a huge response in people when they see I acknowledge their current existence and spell out their future with care and without. I always ask where their current reality is taking them and what THEY think they can expect from it if unchanged… Meet the patron where they are at and lead them to better things!:-)
Hi Todd,
I love what dr Jeff has done with diabetes. I wish there was a way for more of us to access his work.
Dr Mark
Todd and Dr. Jeff, I was unable to make it onto the ADD and the diabetes calls, are they recorded? And how can I look at Dr. Jeff’s programs and how do I get them?
It was a great response. Keep up the good work. God Bless you.
Thanks, Dr. Daysi.
Dr. Justin… shoot me an email and I’ll be sure the next time we host the webinar you get an invite right away.