This one is easy. Touch is how we practice, the power of touch through a chiropractic adjustment. During a consultation or new patient examination, be certain to "touch and tell." Examine the areas of concern, touch those areas and explain to your new patient simply the brain body connection. Perhaps their mid thoracic spine is hurting, but do they know that the nerves that come through this specific area speak to the heart, the lungs and the stomach? You know this, but you will seem like a magician to them. "Why yes doctor, how did you know I have stomach problems?" When information is offered through more than one sense at a time – the power of that information and its ability to have an impact magnifies. This is where the connection is made – chiropractic is for whole body health – not just for spinal pain relief.

SIGHT & SOUND

Most people consume and absorb the majority of their information through sight and sound, therefore chiropractors need to use patient videos to communicate and educate new and potential patients. Video is a powerful communication tool because your presence is not required. People don't even have to be in your office to watch. The popularity of YouTube and television prove that people learn through sight and sound and video is just that, a communication pathway directly into a person's mind. Video has been used extensively in education since the beginning of motion pictures and the popularity of programming is proportional to the emotions evoked in the observer. Humor, happiness, sadness, compassion, fear and empowerment are just some of the emotional responses commonly expressed.

It is important to note that it is the emotional connection which is of upmost importance here. A non-emotional but highly educational video is boring and one that will not be watched, absorbed or retained. I know you have had to sit through many educational videos to get to where you are. They may have been vaguely interesting, very scientific, or even had really cool graphics, but the fact remains that only an emotional connection will cause the desired information to enter the mind and make a home there. How many movie reviews have you heard where the critics said they could not connect or sympathize with the characters? This critical emotional connection, that gets a movie rave reviews, is the same reason why testimonials are so popular with potential patients. It is our job to make that sympathetic connection, to invoke hope, reassurance and confidence.

This may sound complicated but it really isn't. Get down to their level and "feel their pain" so to speak, sympathize with them and tell their story better than they could tell it themselves. Only then, when we are all in this together, can you now educate them with hope for improvement. You can now show them what lies ahead on their health journey and rally behind them with confidence in their ability to heal. This is not only what people are searching for, it is what they deserve from us.

As with all things, a quality video is essential. As powerful as an awesomely produced video can be, a hokey, boring video of you sitting at your desk or giving a lecture can be equally powerful in losing their attention. There is no shortage of poorly made videos on YouTube and an overabundance of videos with the latest "scientific" breakthrough complete with all the agonizingly detailed explanations. People have information overload – they are hungry for a real connection with a doctor that can really help them to get and stay healthy.

If you can't explain it, simply you don't understand it well enough, said Albert Einstein. Chiropractic has many facets, and some of them are quite complicated. But we don't have to begin there. Start at the beginning, provide what can be easily explained in simple terms; appeal to their common sense. Connecting with people on this sensory level will gain you patients for life. So, in choosing a new patient video simply remember this, if it doesn't agree with their common sense AND touch their emotions you have already lost them.

We as chiropractors have what people are looking for. The wave of natural health care is on the horizon and approaching fast. The most important thing we as chiropractors can do for our profession and businesses is to open our doors to the flood of patients searching for natural health care. Standing up for our foundational principles and philosophy and communicating that clear message has never been more important. The future is ahead and we are the doctors of the future, we need to spread this message loud and clear and the most powerful tool to communicate our message is video.

Dr. Richard A. Ochsmann, DC, is the President and CEO of Origin & Source and clinic director of Rhino Chiropractic. To purchase Dr. Rick's new patient video "Health Time", his nutritional book and dietary guide, "Real Food – The Common Sense Diet," or the Origin & Source turn-key program, "Implementing Weight Loss, Detoxification and Whole Food Nutrition In Your Office" please visit www.shop.originandsource.com. For more information about Origin & Source and their line of vegan whole food supplements or to book Dr. Rick to speak at your next event please visit: www.originandsource.com, e-mail or call (800)774-7419 ext 701.