It is truly never too early to start building your
network. If you are still in
chiropractic school (and know where you are headed after) then I would
encourage you to begin building your network immediately.
Once in practice,
it takes some time to develop your reputation and presence in a community. By starting while you are still in
chiropractic school, you will have a big advantage upon your start in
practice. Whether you planning to be an
associate, independent contractor, or going into solo practice; starting early
on your network is a good idea.
Thankfully, you
have access to computers and technology which connects people with a speed
never seen before. I would highly
recommend building and establishing a professional
chiropractic page. For an in depth
tutorial regarding this I recommend Dr. Riekeman and Dr. Deitch’s series of
webinars. At the most basic level, it is
important for you to “like” and interact with businesses in your area. Additionally, you should post content which
will be valuable for the individuals following your page. This may be inspirational, motivational,
health living, fitness tips, etc. I
would recommend not posting daily “pro” chiropractic messages, but rather focus
on the current desires of the community in which you intend to practice. Once you have a following on Facebook, it
will be easier to promote and make announcements regarding you office when it opens. You will hit the ground running.
Secondly, I highly
recommend immediately starting your outreach and marketing with other
physicians near your soon to be practice location. Developing a list of medical doctors and
beginning monthly marketing through research will establish your identity with
those physicians. Ideally, I recommend
actively and consistently marketing towards 40-80 doctors, however, even
starting with 20 during school will give you a huge advantage once you begin
practice. Starting with specialties such
as Primary Care, Orthopedics’, Pediatrician’s, and Internal Medicine is
recommended because these physicians see the most patients which would be
appropriate to refer for your care. If you
have access to peer-reviewed research journals (SPINE, Annals of Internal
Medicine, etc) at school then you should be able to accumulate a substantial
amount of content. However, be
careful. With the speed of social media
and publishing, it is essential to use recent and up to date research when
marketing. If you do not have access to
these journals, or do not have the time to research, design, test, and
implement your findings into powerful research briefs, then please contact me. I provide monthly research briefs designed to
stimulate relationships and referrals.
Currently, I am the only chiropractor actively practicing in a large
orthopedic group who has the experience, access, and insight to deliver these
“actionable” briefs.
Most of all,
remember that marketing is a consistent and always evolving art. By starting early, you will maximize your
success.