Mind Set is Everything

If you are stuck in the same mind set you are going to be left behind. In today's tough times you have to be willing to change your thinking. If you are stubborn and keep saying I have done things this way for the last ten years, I am not about to change now, don't be surprised when your business goes under.

You have to be willing to rethink how you do what you do. If your business is still only focusing on basic chiropractic techniques, clients are going to find a new place to go. The clients want more for their money and they will go where that is being offered. If you can change your mind set you will be able to keep current customers and draw in new ones.

Instead of focusing on just chiropractic spread your business to include health and wellness. People are all about getting healthy. They are into preventative care. They don't want to be middle aged and sick. They want to do what they can right now to keep them healthy long into their golden years.

If you can offer them these services your business will be booming. Don't let your mind frame keep you from being successful. Be willing to make changes to keep up with the times and needs of the client.

The Power of a Positive Attitude

How many times have you gone into work and the boss was in a foul mood? Soon the entire office is in the same foul mood. This hurts the morale of the office and slows down work productivity. Have a positive attitude whenever possible and see how the people around you change.

When you have a positive attitude it will wear off on others. Now I am not saying you will be able to make everyone a ray of sunshine, but you will be able to make a difference. Just smiling at someone can turn their attitude around.

Being positive will make others want to be around you. You will have a better outlook on everything. Your work productivity will increase. Don't focus on everything you still have to do. Focus on the amount you have already conquered.

Don't spend your time thinking about things that could go wrong, instead focus on the things that have gone right. Positive thinking can change your whole life. It can improve your health. Worrying over things you have no control is not good for you. Only focus on the things you can control. If something goes wrong learn from your mistakes and do better the next time. Think to your self positive thoughts. Say in your mind I can do it. I am going to be successful.

Photo created by godoflite

Social Networking to Build your Brand

While you may not be a brand like Pepsi or Wal-Mart you are still branding yourself, and your expertise. Social networking can help you get the word out about the service yo are offering. Sites like Facebook and Twitter give you a platform to market your business.

If you are still fighting jumping on the social networking bandwagon you are missing out on potential customers. People like seeing businesses on these sites. They like sharing their opinions of businesses on social networking sites. Think of it this way it is free advertisement for your business.

You need to understand a few things about how social networking sites work. You can't just make a page and start posting ads for your company. People will see this as spam and not pay any attention. You need to develop a relationship with your followers or friends. You have to take the time to interact within the social community.

Start by making your page. Facebook and Twitter are among the largest social networking sites right now. Don't start befriending everyone you see. You want people that are going to be interested in what you do. Join a few groups that are related to your business.

Once you have some followers you will need to keep them interested in what you have to say. Don't keep posting ad after ad. Share information that is valuable. If you are a computer technician share tips on how people can prevent their computer from crashing, or share simple repair tips. You don't want to tell them how to do everything for themselves or you will be out of a job. Share enough to keep them coming back for more. Share things that make people want to talk about you with their friends.

It is fine to post an occasional ad for your business. It is great to advertise special offers or functions your business may be having. Just don't go overboard with the promotional efforts or you'll be wasting your time. People will not care what you have to say, they will consider you spam.

I would suggest you begin using social marketing right away. You don't want to miss out on potential customers because you were behind the times.

Kick Back with a New September Movie Release this Weekend!

I don't often advocate shamelessly lounging around in front of the television unless you're nursing a winter cold (in which case hot tea, warm chicken soup and the boxed set of Season 3 of CSI is completely legitimate!) but I was shocked to see how many new releases are scheduled to hit video stores and the box office this weekend. So if you're looking for some easy, low impact entertainment to help take your mind off work and put it back on having a great time, why not check out some of these hit releases:

Coco Before Chanel
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
Fame
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell
Pandorum
Paranormal Activity
Surrogates

Don't Ignore Your Doctor!

One of the first things my patients say when they come to me is that they're seeking chiropractic care because they don't want to go to their regular doctor. Or they're sick of being on pain medication. Or the treatment they were receiving in the past wasn't working, so when they had some problems this time they chose to seek out a chiropractor instead.


Part of being a chiropractor is understanding not only the back and the joints but every part of what makes the body tick. Any time you go to a chiropractor you're going to receive not only a thorough evaluation, but a thorough evaluation based on an intimate knowledge of each of your body systems. It's important to understand that chiropractics doesn't stand alone as a practice, just as traditional medicine cannot and should not stand alone. Chiropractics, alternative therapies, traditional medicine, acupunture and various other forms of treatment have to work in tandem in order to keep the body whole, healthy and operating at peak form.

When a patient comes to me with a problem I can't solve I'm going to recommend they see their regular physician, and I would hope a physician would do the same. After all, we're all in this together-arent' we?

Professional Coaching is Good for Any Business

In yesterday's post I mentioned that we at Catchfire Coaching have a seminar coming up this weekend in Dallas, not just for chiropractors but for businesses of all shapes, sizes and persuasions. During my course as a professional chiropractic coach I've tried to make it my goal to emphasize the importance of professional coaches for businesses of all persuasions. Yes, I'm a chiropractic coach, but does that make what I have to teach about Internet marketing any less important or relevant? Absolutely not!

Professional coaching can be a tremendous asset to a business. Why? Because professional coaches have been there, done that and got the t-shirt. They know the ins and outs of the business. They know the competition. They know the challenges you're going to face. And in the case of this seminar we've got coming up, they know the importance of launching a full scale, well rounded Internet marketing campaign when it comes to the success of your business.

When can professional coaching do for your business? Why not stop on by Sunday and find out?

Catch Us This Weekend in Dallas!

It's finally time. We're hosting our Dallas seminar this weekend! I'm psyched. If you haven't already, take the time to check it out. We're holding it in Dallas (okay, technically Irving) at the Wyndam Hotel off highway 114. The four hour module is available for $75.00, or you can join us both days from 8-4 (lunch included) for $325.00. Chiropractic students are welcome at no cost. Hey, we've paid off those student loans too!

The seminar is going to be good for 16 continuing education units and 4 board hours. We're going to be talking about anti-aging, hCG, obesity and insurance coding on Saturday. Real estate agents, insurance agents and small business owners are welcome to join us on Sunday for our Internet module Sunday from 8-12 ($85 at the door). These marketing tips are going to be great for any small business marketing endeavor, so don't miss it! Register at www.CatchfireSeminar.com, call us at 817-939-8435, or fax to 817-490-1131.

I'll look forward to seeing you there!

Dr. G

The facts about chiropractics and strokes

It's what they press calls "chiropractic's dirty little secret". Yes, I actually saw it written that way once-the supposed relationship between chiropractic neck manipulations and strokes resulting from tiny tears to the vertebral artery. The incidence of this over years has turned the anti-chiropractic movement into something of a witch hunt, encouraging people to ban the practice entirely because it's far too risky.

Really, as a doctor, what can you say to that? Yes, there's some risk of stroke as a result of tears to the vertebral artery. Yes, the potential relationship between that and the neck adjustments done by chiropractors has inspired most of us to be more careful. But what I tell my patients when they ask me about it is this: It's no more dangerous than any other medical procedure you'll have done. There's actually a considerably lower risk of having a stroke from a neck adjustment than there is of dying on the table during routine surgery, and that happens every day.

What do you tell your patients when they ask you?

A Great Cardio Workout to Get You Started

Guess what, fans? It's Friday, Friday, Friday! Do you know what that means? That means it's time to take a step back from the chiropractics and the marketing and the patients and start looking forward to the weekend and the opportunity to do something special for yourself for a change!

One of the most important aspects of your health is keeping your body physically fit by getting plenty of sleep and sticking to a regular exercise routine. Because that's not as easy as it sounds (and because not everyone wants to spend a fortune on workout videos) I went cruising through YouTube to see if I could find a good starter workout for free on the online video site. I found that and more!

The video below is only the tip of the iceberg; there are literally thousands of free workouts online, so take some time to check it out this weekend and find the cardio and strength training routine that's right for you.

Breaking Out of Your Comfort Zone

Because a vital part of finding success is learnign how to break out of your comfort zone...

MY COMFORT ZONE
By Author Unknown

I used to have a comfort zone where I knew I wouldn't fail.
The same four walls and busywork were really more like jail.

I longed so much to do the things I'd never done before,
But stayed inside my comfort zone and paced the same old floor.

I said it didn't matter that I wasn't doing much.
I said I didn't care for things like commission checks and such.

I claimed to be so busy with the things inside the zone,
But deep inside I longed for something special of my own.

I couldn't let my life go by just watching others win.
I held my breath; I stepped outside and let the change begin.

I took a step and with new strength I'd never felt before,
I kissed my comfort zone goodbye and closed and locked the door.

If you're in a comfort zone, afraid to venture out,
Remember that all winners were at one time filled with doubt.

A step or two and words of praise can make your dreams come true.
Reach for your future with a smile; success is there for you!

Make E-mail Marketing Work for You

Do you know what really spawned the SPAM revolution? The discovery that e-mail marketing was one of the easiest ways to get your message out to the Internet community. It ws so easy, in fact, that companies took advantage of it with absolutely no remorse and ruined it for everybody! The thing is, e-mail marketing is still the best way to tell your patients about the services that your practice has to offer and the way they can improve their lives.

You just need to learn how to be an informer rather than a SPAMmer!

What's the difference between an informer and a SPAMmer? An informer gives their patients the option to sign up for their e-mail marketing program, usually through a feature on their website. When they agree they send them USEFUL information via e-mail regarding their practice, special events in their industry (for example, I try to let my e-mail buddies know about upcoming conventions/continuing education courses/etc.) and health care in general. They give them something they want in exchange for getting something in return.

SPAMmers aren't that kind. They don't give anyone the option of receivign their e-mails, instead making the decision for them, and they spend so much time advertising they don't take any time at all to think about what their patients would like to receive in return. Want to guess which camp you want your e-mail marketing campaign to fall into?

Does Your Chiropractic Website have the "Feel" that's Going to Attract Your Patients?

In today's highly technological age having a website isn't something that's optional. It's mandatory. Unless, of course, you don't want to spend the rest of your career dodging terms like "dinosaur" and "techno-phobe"! There is plenty of information available on the web about creating a chiropractic website (I've mentioned it myself in earlier posts) I want to take a second to zoom in on a little covered and sadly underexposed aspect of the website building community.

When it comes to your website content may be king, but it's the look and "feel" of your site that's going to decide whether or not you get the web traffic you're looking for.

Think about it for a minute. If someone's looking for a chiropractor to help them with a work related injury they're going to be drawn to a site that emphasizes workplace related chiropractics and workman's comp, right? Whereas those looking for a holistic wellness center are going to look for a site purveying a holistic approach, sports medicine a site with plenty of sports images, etc., etc. Can you see where I'm going with this?

There are thousands of chiropractors practicing in the United States, and even more overseas. Chances are, you're not going to be your patients' only choice when it comes to chiropractics. That means they're going to skim by your website, and if it doesn't have the "look" and "feel" they're looking for they're going to pass you by.

So chooes the images you use on your chiropractic website with the same care you put into choosing the text you put in your content, and you're guaranteed to come up with a site that's going to help your business grow instead of holding you back.

Using Online Marketing to Expand Your Local Clientele

When most people think about online marketing they think in terms of the "big picture;" national and global exposure, huge waves of potential clients, etc., etc. It's easy to get so tied up in the big picture that you forget to look at the little picture while you're at it. Online marketing is a great way to expand your local clientele.

So how do you focus your Internet marketing efforts to zoom in on local patients? First and foremost, make sure you use your town in your keywords. For example, let "Dallas chiropractors" be one of the keywords you use when designing your website. (You do have a website, right? If not, now's the time to jump on the bandwagon!) You'd be amazed at what a difference in local web traffic just using "local" words can make.

Are there any issues that are common to your area? For example, chiropractors practicing in farming communities are likely to see an influx of traffic after the haying season. Hey, those 50 lb. bales can do a number on your back! Those types of issues are good ways to zoom in on your potential patients and expand your local traffic just using the power of your online marketing campaign.

You were going to launch it anyway. Why not make the most of it?

Commemorating the 8th Anniversary of 9-11

I wanted to take some time to remember the victims of 9-11, the men and women who lost their lives in the Pentagon, the World Trade Center and in a field in Pennsylvania when a group of concerned citizens put their feet down and stopped terrorism in its tracks. Then I realized that nothing I could say could ever convey the impact of that day on our country, its people and our community the way this amazing video could:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDh_pvv1tUM

(Yes, I did try to embed it into the post. There's a problem with the embed code. Just a heads up if you decide to share.)

Words cannot express our sorrow or our gratitude as we bow our heads in remembrance today.

Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep

With tomorrow's anniversary creeping up I stumbled across this excellent poem believed to be written by Mary Frye that reaches out to the hearts of those who suffered personal losses during the September 11 attacks on the Pentagon, the World Trade Center and our nation as a whole. I wanted to share that here, and let those families know that tomorrow we'll be thinking about them-and that as they grieve, an entire nation will grieve with them.

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,

I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.

New! Marketing 4 U All in One Marketing for Chiropractors

I don't often take blog space to promote my business, but we've finally got the resources on hand to launch an all in one, done for you, completely painless marketing program using all forms of marketing (including social media) for our clientele. That means that we can help our businesses get a boost every which way they could possibly think of.

Imagine, the power of having a full time marketing and PR expert at your disposal 24/7 for a fraction of the cost of hiring your own marketing team. All the resources your business needs to succeed in one place. And someone standing by to answer your questions and guide your marketing efforts from point A to point B. That was my dream when I first launched Catchfire Coaching Services, and now, thanks to the power of the web and the great team I've got standing behind me, I'm making it happen.

Check it out and come celebrate with me by visiting www.CatchfireCoaching.com!

What Catchfire Coaching Did for Their Practice, and What It Can Do for Yours

Most of the doctors I have come to me for help growing their practice come armed with a healthy dollop of suspicion. Am I worth the price of their fees? Is my system actually an effective one, or am I just out to take their money? Over the years I've gotten used to that, but it was nice to go digging on YouTube the other day and find video testimonials posted by some of my former clients discussing exactly what Catchfire Coaching can and did do for them. Check them out for yourself!

Dr. Scott Wofford, former Texas Chiropractic Association President
Dr. Ben Casey Quiroz, DC, HQ Chiropractic

How to Kick a Case of the Mondays

How many of you laughed at the infamous line, "Somebody's got a case of the Mondays!" from the ever loveable film "Office Space"? (If you haven't seen it, you should. It's the picture perfect image of a dissatisfied employee that takes hating his job to a whole new level!) Chances are, the minute she said it you knew just what she was talking about. We all get a case of the Mondays every once in a while, that grumpy, irritable, I-don't-want-to-be-here-and-the-weekend-was-too-short, bluesy feeling that makes productivity virtually impossible and job satisfaction a thing of the past.

For the next 24 hours, anyway!

Since a rotten Monday tends to pave the way to a rotten week all the way around (believe me, I know!) it's important to find a way to kick those Monday blues to the curb before they have a chance to really grab hold and drag you down. After all, your patients are waiting-and chances are good they're in an even more rotten mood than you are! The next time you find your feet dragging on a Monday, give these mood boosters a try:

• Crank up the radio and sing along in the car on the way to the office.
• Drink a tall glass of ice water to help you wake up. Sometimes just beating off the sleepiness is all you need to kick that bad mood to the curb!
• Dive right in! We all drag our feet in the mornings especially on Mondays, but nothing gets you going like actually getting started. I've found jumping in feet first is the best way to get my feet moving on a Monday morning.
• Laugh. Even if you're sitting in your office laughing like a loon for no apparent reason, it'll make you feel better. And recent studies show that laughter might help save you from a heart attack while it's at it!

You may never learn to love Mondays, but you shouldn't dread them either! What are your best tips for beating the Monday blues?

It's Friday!

Welcome to your weekend ladies and gentlemen! It's time to wrap up your Friday and look forward to the joy of kicking back on a Saturday. My advice? Take this weekend and do something new that you've never done before. Then tell us all about it! You never know who you might inspire.

Have a great weekend!

Do Chiropractics Work?

You've no doubt been asked in the past about the effectiveness of chiropractics in the past. A video launched on YouTube does a great job presenting studies on cost savings and effective therapy when comparing chiropractics and traditional health care. Check it out!

First Holistic Medical Group Formed in Raleigh

When glancing through the news today I found this article on Examiner.com. I have to say, I'm glad to see people finally waking up to the need for alternative therapies.

On August 21 local complimentary and alternative medicine practitioners came together from all over the Triangle to discuss the formation of the first of its kind holistic health association.

“We recognize,- said Shawn Gibson, the driving force behind the initiative,- “that the time has come for all complimentary and alternative medicine practitioners from all different fields to come together and form the organization that will protect consumer from the fraud and gives practitioners clear voice in the community”

The first brainstorming meeting was a success. A lot of ideas where discussed. Among them: providing consumer with information about practitioner credentials, enforcing certification and licensing, creating environment for research and education, offering members strong support network in case of emergencies and hardship, creating financial mechanisms that will provide clients with affordable payments and creating a fund for those who can not afford to pay.

The working group was formed to create a business plan and set priorities at the next meeting on September 12.

The initiative is sponsored by:

Shawn Gibson, RM

Marina Lando, RM, 1059 CRP (Harmony Life)

Maggie Thibodeau, ND (Cary Holistic Health)

Steve Long, URM (Harmony Farms)

Kandance Dole (Dula)

Sherry Emanuel (Kinesiology)

Robert Boyd (Feldenkraise GCFP)

Lary Green (U.S. Kinesiology Institute)

The group welcomes your comments or requests to join:

Shawn Gibson 919-884-6168

Marina Lando 919-469-1505

http://www.examiner.com/x-20164-Raleigh-Alternative-Medicine-Examiner~y2009m9d1-Complimentary-and-alternative-medicine-practitioners-unite-to-provide-better-services-to-community

Yahoo! Meme Still Falling Behind Twitter

Social media is one of the best ways to promote your business in today's Web 2.0 society, and everybody wants a piece of that. That's why Yahoo! recently launched Yahoo! Meme in Spanish, Portugese and, finally, English-as a way to help capture a corner of the microblogging market.

I have to say, to date I'm not thrilled with the reviews I've been seeing about Meme. It looks like a slightly undersized version of Twitter, which is still the reigning champion in the world of microblogging. You can check out a quick summary of Yahoo! Meme here. From a strictly professional point of view it couldn't possibly hurt to launch your own microblogging account through Meme, but don't say goodbye to Twitter just yet.