Yikes! You're Invisible!

Remember when you were a kid and you imagined being invisible? I sure did. I wondered what it would be like walking down the street where nobody could see me and hiding from people who were trying to find me. It seemed like such a cool idea.

But in speaking with a client recently, he said the most valuable thing he got from our conversation was the realization that he was invisible, and that nobody was going to do business with him if that was the case.

Invisible Set

I want to suggest that for many of us, the fantasy of invisibility is already here. You are invisible!

Virtually nobody sees you, pays attention to you, thinks about you or responds to you (at least in a business context). And if people don't see you, they aren't thinking about you or doing business with you.

But why are we invisible?

All I can deduce is that we must want to be invisible. We want to hide and not be noticed. We don't want to be singled out for attention. After all, being invisible is much more comfortable than visibility.

When you're highly visible you can be ridiculed, rejected, challenged. Heck, that's no fun. But of course, if you're invisible you'll never go anywhere in your business. And that's not any fun either.

The very essence of marketing is high-visibility. And this goes for your brand of chiropractic marketing as well. You need to stand out as an expert, become slightly famous, put out your ideas for all to see. And the more visible you are, while putting out a message that conveys value, the more Patients you'll attract.

But what if you realize you need to be highly visible to be successful in your business, but you are highly uncomfortable doing so? This is an important realization to have. If you keep trying to be successful while remaining virtually invisible, you're deluding yourself.

Time to ask yourself some important questions:

1. Do I want to be highly successful? Is this important to me? Do I have a mission, a passion to make a contribution?

2. Is my desire to get my message out there stronger than my fear of being visible, my fear of being rejected?

3. What is the very worst that could happen if I committed to being highly visible in my marketplace? Would people hate me? Would I die?

4. What's one step I could take to be more visible than I am right now? Do I have the courage to take that step?

That's all it really takes. A reality check and a willingness to take one step at a time, even if it's a little uncomfortable. If you're not willing to take that step, and if you are more committed to your story of how hard marketing is, it's time to pack it in and find a job where you can be comfortably invisible.

You cannot totally dominate your marketplace being invisible. You must use multiple streams of visibility to build your business and to make your brand of chiropractic the brand of choice.

Billboards, screenings, seminars, outdoor media, radio, television/cable, health fairs, event sponsorships, police car sponsorship, clean highway sponsorships, hot air balloons, weekly newspaper column, weekly newspaper advertisement, branded apparel and this is just a few of the weapons you have to fight invisibility!

You cannot multiple ZEROs...in other words, you must invest in marketing if you want to sail to new heights. Which would be better:

1. Invest in mutual funds and get a 10% return, or

2. Invest in marketing and get 100%, 200% or more!?

For years the IRS has considered reclassifying marketing as a "capital" investment instead of an expense. In other words, they recognize, just as marketing gurus understand, that marketing creates an "asset" and should be depreciated over a period of time, instead of deducting the cost off the top!

Why? Well, the ad you run this week, will continue to impact the marketplace weeks and often months from now.

The good news is that marketing is still considered a direct expense and can be deducted 100% as incurred. Think about it: the IRS, your government, is helping you build your business. Example: You have ,000 in profit. You must pay the government your base rate of 38% or about ,000. Leaving you with ,000. But, if you invest the ,000 in marketing, you owe the IRS NOTHING! So, that added an additional ,000 to your marketing budget. Sure, you don't have the ,000 to spend on YOU, but, what would that ,000 marketing investment return to your bottom line? And, how much more will your business be worth, if you go one million dollar and beyond?

Five important steps to higher visibility:

* When talking about your brand of chiropractic, don't fall back on the tired old label or description of what you do. You'll get real attention if you talk about real problems that your Prospex are experiencing. Sounds simple, but it's easy to slip back into comfortable but ineffective descriptions.

* Write that "Core Issue Article" and get it into the hands of as many people as possible. I don't mean hundreds, but thousands. Put it on your Web site, mail it to anyone who's interested. Get it published.

* Be courageous enough to be unique, not a look-alike. That means finding a special marketing niche, offering something novel, or making a big promise that others aren't making. [Hint: The No-Wait 3 Minute Policy!]

* Tell the in-depth story of who you are, what you stand for, what you know, and what you can do. Don't hide your great accomplishments; let the world in on what is probably a well-kept secret. Even you have others in your marketplace that can make the same claim, the first one who does owns it!

* Get close to people. You can't be aloof and attract Patients. Get out there and network. Meet with people one-on-one. Set up joint marketing alliances. Create a referral program. Get involved with your community.

Get visibility, if you want to really build a business and not just grow a practice.

Yikes! You're Invisible!

The author may be contacted toll free at 877-935.6371 extension 201 or email at ceo@wellnessone.net Mr. Howell is the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of WellnessOne Corporation, a national alliance of chiropractic and wellness centers.