Practice Tip - HOW TO SEE MORE KIDS IN YOUR PRACTICE

I was recently cleaning up a shelf in my store-room when I found an old post-pack - not sure what was inside, I blew off the dust and opened the cover and found dozens of Polaroid photos of all the kid's that had arrived as new patients at our practice through the nineties. I called in my CA and we spent a few joyful minutes recalling all the memorable moments and miracles. Then we noticed that there was a whole bunch of kids (some now teens) that were still regularly seeing us - and as you can imagine they are now all a lot taller and bigger, some 10-15 years later. So, our new project has been to recreate their photos when they come in for their tune-ups. The funniest is two small giggling boys squeezed closely together in an arm chair - they used to keep the whole reception room laughing because they used to be so ticklish that they would laugh uncontrollably through their adjustments - now one is nearly 6 foot and the other nearly 100kgs - and they still both giggle when I adjust their necks! We are going to produce a "where are they now" display with the title - "Want your kids to grow up healthy and straight? Then get them adjusted regularly."

Our kid's room walls used to be covered with photos of kid's and all their colour-in sheets and drawings of their chiropractor, and this was without a doubt the biggest referral tool for us when attracting families and kids. Why?..

1) People love to be where people are - when parents are in your practice and see all the kids that see you, they will ask you about chiropractic for kids... On the other hand if all they see is trendy prints and the latest edition of WHO weekly and the Bulletin - then they will not give a single thought about whether or not their kids need chiropractic care - they'll probably read the last advert for kiddy pain killers instead.

2) You can tell the success stories. If someone asks you about chiropractic for asthma, or bedwetting etc - it's great to be able to quote the latest research, but what really works is when you can point to a number of kids on your photo wall who you have treated for that very same condition.

3) Kid's see the photos and ask what they have to do to get included on the wall of fame - say no more...

4) When you see a kid new patient there is a reduced factor because they can see so many other kids smiling and being adjusted in the photos (make sure you take lots of photos with you adjusting, laughing, and interacting with the kids - but no photos that show images of the kids in twisted positions).

5) Dedicating a room or area to kids shows that you are family and child-centred - if your practice looks like a kid has never stepped inside - then they probably won't?