Most towns and cities have more than one Starbucks, and these are usually very busy. Sometimes, when you visit a Starbucks, you may not even want coffee; you just want the Starbucks experience. It’s warm, friendly, and you can always get something you enjoy, whether a hot cup of coffee, a quick snack, or green tea.

While you may not frequent Starbucks on a regular basis, you can’t argue with their success and the growth of the company over the past 10 years. Starbucks revenues topped $9.8 billion in sales in 2009, and they currently have over 17,000 outlets worldwide. Just imagine if chiropractic had that type of financial clout and market penetration.

In his book, The Starbucks Experience, Joseph Michelli explains how a small Seattle coffeehouse grew into one of the world’s most successful companies. He describes the five principles that define the “Starbucks experience.” You would do well to implement these same principles into your own practice.

1. Make it your own. Here are five ways to make your practice unique:

Be welcoming. Do you and your CAs stop what you’re doing and genuinely welcome each and every patient who walks in? New patients, especially, should be welcomed by name.

Be genuine. Be proud of being a chiropractor, and don’t try to be something you’re not. Chiropractic demands authenticity, and we should stop trying to be all things to all people. Chiropractic is unique in its philosophy, art, and science, and it’s a vital part of the healing sciences. When news magazines are printing articles titled, “Why everything you know about medicine is wrong,” why would you want to imitate the sickness care model?

Be knowledgeable. Do you truly understand the “product” you are delivering? Do you consistently improve your ability to get better results with your patients through better application of your chiropractic technique and other wellness products and services that you offer? When was the last time you went to a seminar to learn? Did you bring your staff?

Be considerate. This means putting your patients’ needs above your own. Too many chiropractors are busy trying to sell their patients on their own beliefs, services, and products. Instead, they should be listening to their patients. Be sure to ask your patients about their health and wellness needs in your initial consultation, and then set out and communicate a plan to meet those goals.

FULL STORY