:dropcap_open:T:dropcap_close:he fastest way to affect public opinion is through television. Shows like CBS’ Two and a Half Men, in which one of the lead characters is a chiropractor, show that the profession has, indeed, entered the mainstream of American culture… albeit with a less than ideal portrayal of a chiropractor, it’s a start.
So how do you use this mega-tool to promote your practice and enhance your image? Here are three proven options available to get you started.
National TV Campaign:
With the launch of their first national TV ad campaign on NBC this February, MPower Media offers you the opportunity to benefit from this groundbreaking experience for the least time and money on your part!
Describe the process for creating your commercials:
The process to produce a local television commercial, for most small businesses, is to hire the local cable company or production company to shoot a spot on video, with a very low budget (from $300 to $5,000—some TV stations will even do it for free). Basically, this is one step up from your home camcorder. It is a cost effective way to be on TV but, generally, not a good image for the local chiropractor. On the other end of the spectrum are the 35mm, nationally produced custom commercials.
What we’ve done is to produce three commercials on 35mm film, which is what most national commercials are shot on. The going rate to produce this level of commercials is around $60,000 per commercial. Mpower Media set out to produce its commercials with a national message that the entire chiropractic world could get behind. Secondly, we produce them with a phone number at the end that, when called, electronically transfers the caller to the local chiropractor. This makes it easy for a chiropractor to help effect change for the entire chiropractic profession and take advantage of the business that comes in from the program in his/her local market.
The biggest single factor for a TV campaign to work has to do with the amount of money being spent with the media outlet. In this case, we are going on NBC. What we have developed is a program where chiropractors can let their money work together behind the scenes to achieve a common goal. Even the best commercial in the world, if not seen enough, won’t achieve its objective. As a company that has been producing commercials for individual doctors for years, we certainly understand the benefit that an individual TV campaign can achieve for its doctor, but to change thinking and perception nationwide, it requires doctors working together.
How the Program Works
This program is one part chiropractors’ working together nationally to change the perception of the chiropractic profession in the mainstream; so this is a national branding tool. But, also, this program is a branding tool locally. We give each doctor access to a doctors-only website where the images, message, slogans, etc., are available to be downloaded and incorporated into their existing marketing tools. So, for example, if a chiropractor is going to send out a direct mail piece, now he can use the characters from the National Campaign on that print piece. Therefore, when the patient sees it, they make that association and, now, he is the guy putting those commercials on television. So this is, in one part, a national branding campaign and, in the second part, it’s a branding campaign locally. Thirdly is a direct response tool, an actual marketing tool for the local chiropractor, and he can be part of the program by the phone number at the end of the spots. So, if someone calls that 1-877-CHIRO-06 number, those calls are being routed to the individual doctor’s local office.
What Kind of Results Can Be Expected?
MPower Media, over the last 5 years, has empowered chiropractors in over 650 markets across the country. The typical doctor has received 10 to 15 new patients per month in each area. That is based on a local chiropractor running commercials on TV in his local market on cable, which has far fewer viewers than NBC national, where we are scheduled to air. Results from our National Campaign can be measured in a few different ways.
National and local branding for chiropractic and direct response. National is ultimately measured by overall market share for the chiropractic profession. We know that between 7% and 8% of Americans will visit a chiropractor but, a year or two from now, we should see the kind of impact this campaign has had in the whole country and, instead of 8%, we should be seeing 12%, 15% and 20% going to chiropractors.
Also we can measure the individual branding in a local market. For example, the chiropractors in Tennessee should see a considerable increase in their patient load. Third way in which this campaign will be measured is a local chiropractor’s individual branding that occurs. In the course of a few months, he or she should see an improvement in his/her branding, which is mostly measured by the number of patients they have.
Overall visibility for an individual practice: The direct response generated by this program can also be tracked, even though direct response is just one component of the whole program. The success or failure shouldn’t be measured on direct response alone, however direct response is an import part of the program.
When the calls are electronically routed to the local chiropractor, doctors are given a doctors-only website where they can see the number of calls and the times they received them. On that website, the doctor can download print material to attach themselves to the campaign as previously mentioned, and many other tools, including a resource page with info about the program and how it’s going, press releases, stories about our program, etc.
Any other information you think is pertinent/relevant?
To be successful nationally on TV you have to fulfill certain requirements. First, you have to shoot the spots on film. Every national commercial is shot on 35mm film and, if a chiropractic commercial is not shot with that level of quality, it is going to seriously dent the credibility of chiropractic.
Second, we believe that the message has to be the right kind of message, which is obviously in the commercials we have produced.
Third, we have to broadcast the commercials at the right time; airtime is so expensive, it can best be handled by doctors’ working together. The only way for anything to happen on a national level for the chiropractic profession is for the money to be pulled together behind the scenes to be spent in one media outlet, like NBC, so a lot more commercials can be aired. It’s also much more practical for a large group of chiropractors to pull together their resources and spend 300 dollars each than to try to effect change in one market at a time, with many individual doctors doing TV spots here and there.
Joe Mershon is the Founder of Mpower Media. Mpower provides pre-produced syndicated TV commercials to businesses around the nation. Their client list includes chiropractors, banks, mortgage companies and heating/air contractors.
A National Chiropractic TV Campaign is set to start on Feb 27th. It will run on NBC and have the ability for a local chiropractor like you to be a part of and help support the program and to garner new business in your own market. The commitment required is $300 dollars a month, over a period of 12 months. Joe Mershon can be reached at 888-232-9862 or [email protected].