The underlying principles in Never Market Again all center around relationships and education. That’s what makes possible “marketing without marketing”.
I just found THE best summary I’ve ever read of the kind of marketing for acupuncture that I teach. I’m kicking myself that I didn’t write it myself:
When communication is poorly and selfishly executed, it’s called “marketing” - but when done well it’s called “relationship”.
You can and should do almost ANYTHING if it’s good communication. That can only help your patients and strengthen their relationship with you.
How have you seen this in your own clinic? Isn’t it great when it happens?
4 responses so far ↓
1 Syl // Jun 24, 2008 at 10:25 am
I would have the tendency to say when communication is focused on self it is “marketing” but when it is focused on the patient it is “relationship”. How many advertisements do we see on TV, hear on radio, read in newspapers and magazines extolling the wonderfulness of this or that company? How many do we observe that spotlight the benefits for the consumer? But, as we have learned in the past, advertising isn’t the way of acupuncture. Rather person to person attention on our patients and the results of our treatment are the keys to our growth. Asking open ended questions also helps to acquire referrals from patients who have friends with similar disorders. As a teacher once told me, “It couldn’t hurt!”
2 Dan // Jun 24, 2008 at 10:55 am
Don’t kick yourself too hard - I think you said something similar in Never Market Again. Something like, “Are you trying to get more patients or are you trying to help more people?”
It speaks to the same point - that marketing for the wrong reasons is a tough job, and not that rewarding. It’s no wonder people tend to shy away from it.
3 Allan Fradsham // Jun 24, 2008 at 3:35 pm
I think that marketing is often trying to get people to want what you have, where as this approach is telling people you have something that can help them. The difference is coming from a “heart place”
Allan
4 Carlos Cordeiro // Jun 24, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Saying the right words at the right time - isn’t it touching another’s Self? Honest marketing means truer relationships. And if one strives to treat more people, and be a better doctor, rather than have more patients, then chinese medicine will do good.
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