Choose to meditate or pray daily, especially if you are "high energy". You must be able to meet people on their emotional plane. If you can encompass the totality of the human experience, people will unconsciously choose you as their "doctor". Are you connecting with everyone, every time? Do you match their emotions and inspire them?

Wear suits to work.

Wearing suits to work is a great way to increase your clinics appearance without spending lots of money on expensive interior decorating. It feels warmer to work this way, but you'll get used to it. Surveys show that suits enhance credibility. Isn't that what you want?

Stop watching TV and reading the newspaper.

Choose the information you ingest. TV and newspapers cover mostly negative topics and can wear down even the most optimistic minds. Is your information intake positive?

Every morning visualize your goals coming true.

Decide to program your own mind. Visualize your goals coming true with emotion before you get out of bed and right before sleep. What you think about materializes. What are you thinking about? Is it positive?

Show more concern during the history taking and reporting of findings.

If you are concerned, show it. Lean forward in your chair, and listen intently. When appropriate, pause, and repeat what was said. Comment with statements that show you care like, "that's terrible", "how can you stand it?", or "ouch!" Pain has a deep emotional component. If you discount their pain, your patients will not relate to you. Can you be more demonstrative and empathetic?

Make sure every patient leaves happy on every visit.

In practice, you never get a second chance. If patients are dissatisfied, they will not return. You must exceed their unspoken needs on every visit, or they will go elsewhere. At least ask them on the first 2 visits, "How was your visit? Did you get what you wanted?"

Work out 6 days a week for at least 30 minutes.

Would you go to a doctor that was overweight and out of shape? Also, regular exercise helps to reduce stress and produces endorphins, which makes us happy. Wouldn't you rather go to a happy doc?

Have more fun inside the office.

If your clinic is all about avoiding "phase 5 degenerative changes and an untimely death", most people will avoid it. Lighten up; it's healthy for everyone. The adjustment is a celebration of life. Do you laugh often or smile a lot?

Call patients after their first adjustment and ask them how they're doing.

This is easy to do, but most doctors don't do it. If you really care, show it. Call them. Reassure them if necessary. Isn't this how you would like to be cared for?

Compliment patients, thank them, and honor them.

A sincere compliment is always appreciated, especially if it comes from someone you respect. Notice improvements in posture and gait and mention them to your patients. Are you telling them about their progress?

Teach patients at least 1 personal health-related fact on every visit.

Is your table talk positive, up-beat, and orientated toward them? Do you even know what there favorite hobby is? It's easy to get off track and discuss our needs and interests. Focus on their needs and direct your conversation accordingly. Provide them with a fact on each visit concerning their condition or related to their favorite hobby.

Move Boldly and Act Now

Regardless of how long you've been in practice, you can always improve. If you've been in practice for a while, you probably already know what you could or should be doing. Decide to make a 100% improvement by improving a little bit in several areas. Start with yourself first and never give up. We can all do better. Improvement must be constant, and start with you. If you don't do this, your practice will wither on the vine. If you start today, and hold yourself accountable with a list, you will improve and attract the business that is rightfully yours. If you continue this way, you will double again and again. Plan accordingly and get to work.

Dr. Steven Visentin, a 1982 graduate of National College of Chiropractic, is a solo practitioner and clinic director at Care Chiropractic in Denver. He is also the author of an e-book, Blow Your Head Off Practice Building Secrets. For additional information, contact Dr. Visentin via his Web site, www.carechiropractic.com.