Did you know that on average 1 out of every 20 people have an extra rib.

It's true.

Despite what meets the eye, there are more differences among people than we may often realize.

Take for example, "prospective chiropractic patients".

To lump - what we would call "prospective chiropractic patients" - under one umbrella... one category... would be a major chiropractic marketing and practice-building blunder.

Why?

Because there are different stages of the Chiropractic Commitment Cycle (C3), as I've coined it, that prospective patients may be at or going through.

Let me quickly list the different C3 Stages, and then I'll explain why and how they should impact your chiropractic marketing and practice-building efforts.

The Stages of the Chiropractic Commitment Cycle are as follows:

Stage 1: Searching

Stage 2: Researching

Stage 3: Comparing

Stage 4: Choosing

The main difference between "prospective chiropractic patients" in these different stages is their readiness and commitment to start chiropractic care.

For example, folks in Stage 1 are typically just searching for possible solutions.

Depending on their needs, they may be searching for information about various options, including: massage, chiropractic, supplements, physical therapy, surgery, etc. They're nowhere near ready to start chiropractic care right now, and if addressed correctly, could become paying patients in the near future.

What these individuals need to see is why chiropractic care in your office is the best solution for their needs, compared to all of the other options they're exploring.

Folks in Stage 2 have a greater interest in chiropractic care, and are looking more in-depth into its risks and benefits.

These folks need to be educated about the benefits of chiropractic care in your office, and need to understand the safety record of chiropractic.

Folks in Stage 3 have made the decision to explore chiropractic care further, and are now comparing their options.

These folks need to understand your level of credibility, experience, and track record delivering the benefits of chiropractic care to patients. They're looking for a chiropractor who stands out from the pack.

Folks in Stage 4 are excited and ready to start their chiropractic care now.

These folks simply need the right offer to compel them to pick up the phone right now and call for an appointment.

As you can see, "prospective patients" in different stages have a very different mindset. And, to present them all with the same information and chiropractic marketing message is a mistake.

Let me give you a prime example of how this often plays out for the average chiropractor:

The typical chiropractor runs an institutional-style (brand) small-space advertisement in their local newspaper. The ad contains the practice logo, the DC's name, the office contact information, a blurb or two about insurances accepted, a couple of bullets about the conditions treated, and maybe a "nifty" tagline.

Who is likely to see this ad and respond by immediately picking up the phone and calling for an appointment?

Certainly not the Stage 1 or Stage 2 folks, right. Because that type of chiropractic advertisement doesn't give them the information that they need to move them through the early stages of the Chiropractic Commitment Cycle into the later stages where they eventually make the decision to start chiropractic care in your office.

And that's, unfortunately, the marketing chiropractors often do - they use a chiropractic marketing message in their chiropractic advertisement that is really designed just for folks in Stage 4, and maybe, Stage 3.

And, in the process, they miss out on the opportunity to market to the folks in Stage 1 and Stage 2, and move them through the remaining stages of the cycle.

This is why the most effective chiropractic marketing campaigns address prospective patients at all stages of the Chiropractic Commitment Cycle, and are designed to compel the later stage folks to take action now, while capturing the contact information of early stage folks for additional follow-up and education to move them from one stage to another.

This why it's so critical that you have multi-step follow-up as part of your chiropractic marketing. Because the initial step, or contact, will convert the Stage 3 and Stage 4 folks into paying patients right now.

But, the multi-step (multi-contact) follow-up will move the early stage folks through the cycle and eventually convert them into paying patients. Without the multi-step follow-up, you lose out on all of the early stage prospective patients and only convert the later stage folks.

Make sense?

Let me end today's essay by returning to the earlier chiropractic advertising example and show you how you can use a single marketing piece to address folks in varying stages.

It involves using something called the, "Secondary Reason For Response".

And the secondary reason for response is really nothing more than an offer of more information for the folks who see your ad but aren't ready to take action right now (the early stage folks).