The First Month

I finished my first month of private practice today!

Nobody told me about the obstacles of launching a new clinic back in school.  It is almost like they keep it hidden because of how incredibly hard the process actually is.  Regardless, the first month is done and the 6 month lead up to opening for the first month of practice is now history.

The details involved with sculpting a practice into launch form is intense.  If these details are not covered, your message will be misconstrued, saying you don't care about the details, so why should I trust you with my problem?  Nobody wants that.

During the last, say, two years of school, I sat in the back of the class developing the concept of my now 1 month old clinic.  All the details were designed and redesigned numerous times.  Colors were selected for the website, then trashed and reselected.  Themes were taken on and then canned for better ideas.  On and on it goes.  This process brought me to the business plan which encompassed an ideology that was based in ethics.  Something that is lost in many other clinics due to a lack of a business model and a lack of an personal identity.  You can have any ideology but it comes down to delivery.

What is it you want to portray to the public?  Nobody that I know wants to be that guy selling chiropractic at the annual fairgrounds.  Who wants to be a salesman or a gimmick?  I don't.  That has been a real challenge working with advertisers because they all seem to go after the 'discount' to get people in your door.  They don't understand that we are doctors first and a business second.  Those who get this concept backwards, end up pushing discounts to the public and always struggle with their identity.

I've decided if I advertise with anyone, they have to make the effort to get to know my business whole-heartedly and they must have an angle that portrays me as the person I see myself as.  Otherwise, I am selling myself short and allowing public skepticism to continue running it's course.  Also, if an advertiser doesn't understand me or my ideology, how is it they can develop my brand in their publication and portray me as I see myself?  They can't and that is the point.

For instance, I met a nice group from the magazine, Healthy Idaho, today.  They were working the angle of using my knowledge to gain interest in local business wellness initiatives.  It was respectful and they took the extra time to tour my clinic and gain a real grasp of what I see for the future of the clinic.  Now, these are the types of people I want to work with.  Not people who are rushed to make a sale to their advertising agency or those who try to up-sale me.  

It's all about passion and the weeds are being pulled.

All for now,

Dr. Spangler
Trailhead Chiropractic