You’ve probably heard the old saying, “Build a better mousetrap and the whole world will beat a path to your door.”

This saying is not really accurate. You could build the world’s greatest mousetrap and if no one knows about it, no one will come to your door to buy. To get it known is the job of promotion.

Promotion is the encouragement of the progress, growth, and acceptance of something (such as your chiropractic practice). Promotion is important in establishing your image in the community and in creating an awareness of your special features and benefits (your USP).

Promotion activities can be categorized into four areas: publicity, advertising, promotion items, and personal selling.

1. Publicity. Otherwise known as PR or public relations, publicity is free media promotion (radio, television, newspapers) that encourages people to come see what you have to offer.

A good example of publicity is a grand opening event. Write a press release about your grand opening, send it off to local newspapers, TV stations and radio stations, and let the community know you are open for business.

The good thing about publicity is that it’s free (except for the cost of writing the release and sending it off). The bad thing is that you have little control over whether the release gets published. It’s always a good idea to follow up your press releases with a phone call to everyone, asking if they would like additional information about your event. Posters and flyers in local businesses and public places also help publicize your event.

2. Advertising.. Advertising is paid promotional activities, delivered to a specific audience over a specific time.

The possibilities for advertising are unlimited. Here are just a few: radio, TV, billboards, direct mail, telemarketing, newspapers (free and specialized newspapers as well as regular community newspapers), newsletters, e-mail newsletters, coupon packets, Yellow Pages — the list goes on and on.

When you advertise, you determine the content, place it where it can attract the attention of the market you want to see it, and run it over and over. But advertising is very expensive, and the key is repetition.

You have to run an ad many times to assure that people will see it, but not so often that it becomes annoying. Use the information you have gathered about your target market to figure out what advertising would be best to get their attention.

3. Specialty items. These are give-a-ways you use to get your practice name into the public arena. Specialty items are also important in supporting your patients with referrals.

Like in advertising, the speciality-item possibilities are unlimited, from refrigerator magnets to pens, to t-shirts and water bottles, to note pads. Find something that is of good quality (you don’t want a pen to give out after only a few writings) and put your practice name and logo on it.

Then give it to all your patients, hand it out at health fairs and races, give it to everyone at the Rotary meeting.

Specialty items are an important support for the rest of your promotion activities.

4. Personal selling. Yes, you can sell! The most effective way to promote your practice is to get out and meet people. Walk around the mall and hand out your business card to all the merchants.

Find opportunities to talk with community groups. Go door-to-door and ask people if they know about chiropractic and if the community would welcome a new chiropractor. The more people you talk to, the more people you will bring into your practice, and the faster your patient base will grow.

You should have figured out by now that the possibilities for promotion activities are limited only by your imagination. Talk to other chiropractors and find out what they do; check the Resources page for marketing and promotion activities on Chiropractic Economics over the past few years. Then create a promotion plan that is meaningful for you, that you are comfortable with, and that you feel excited about.

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