You may have heard of the book the 4 hour Workweek by now. It seems that everyone is talking about this book and its radical overview of how to outsource all activities that don’t interest you, automate your business, and liberate yourself from what the author so aptly calls, ‘the deferred life plan’. (Get the book if you haven’t already!!)
Now, as an alternative healthcare practitioner I have no doubt that you love what you do for a living. So you’re probably not interested in a 4 hour workweek, as you are in one of the few industries that most professionals tend to truly enjoy working in.
No matter how much you enjoy your work, it’s still a really good idea to try and automate your business as much as possible. If you look at the most successful practitioners in professions such as acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage, most of them are not JUST running a practice and treating clients. They are authors, seminar leaders, teachers, and entrepreneurs as much as they are healers or clinicians.
Of course, their engagement with these other business ventures is a primary reason why their practices are so successful. When you productize your knowledge in this way, you will:

1)Create diversified and residual streams of income
2)Be perceived as the ‘go to’ person in your niche
3)Enjoy your practice more when you see income rolling in from other sources

Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? So, if you want to be more successful in your practice, figure out a way to create products. For instance, if you go to http://www.mindfulnesscd.net you will see a meditation CD that I created. I have sold a few hundred of these just in my practice and it has been a very successful product.
There are all kinds of books that still need to be written for all of the CAM professions. If you are not a writer, hire someone to help you at http://www.elance.com .
This is a great way to fully leverage your talents and knowledge, make more money, AND more easily grow a thriving practice.

Now, get out there and write that book!!

P.S. My meditation CD is a great product to stock in your practice, as it gives the beginner a very good overview of meditation and has a 35 minute guided track that can be listened to again and again. My patients have loved it! If you buy them in quantities of 10, I sell them for $75.00 ($7.50 each) and the retail price is $15.00 per CD. http://www.mindfulnesscd.net

Is image everything?? No.

We all know there is more to a successful practice than its appearance. But is it a crucial piece of the puzzle? You bet.

Take a look at the following 3 health-related websites (their images, not content) and tell me which one you would prefer to do business with:

#1 http://www.asfamilyacupuncture.com
#2 http://www.acunut.com
#3 http://www.venturaholistic.com

Now, I’m not going to say anything negative about these sites, but look at site #3 and see if it stands out. It has nice, clean images that convey a sense of:

* Professionalism
* Trust
* Warmth
* Tranquility

The look and feel of this site leaves an emotional resonance with the viewer. It is soothing and reassuring. It does not look like the site was hacked together by an amateur. High quality is reflected throughout.

That is what you want.

If your site (and all of your promotional materials for that matter) is anything less than this, keep refining your image until the highest quality is reflected.

I also recommend putting a picture of yourself right on the home page of your site. Not just any old picture.. This has to be you looking superhuman: Confident, warm, caring, intelligent, compassionate.. All of the ideals that people look for in a healthcare practitioner.

Check out this site for an example of a great headshot:

http://www.graysonacupuncture.com

Now, I don’t know this acupuncturist, but she looks like someone I would trust. I look at that picture and think, ‘Wow, I bet she is successful; I bet she could help me!’

Does your headshot convey the same feel to your prospective patients?

Don’t underestimate the importance of these little details. Image isn’t everything; but it IS what creates that all powerful first impression that makes someone want to put their health in your hands.

To summarize the past 2 emails on creating a website that sells:

Benefit-oriented content + High quality look and feel = Very effective website that should bring you a flood of new patients!

Find these tips useful? Please tell your colleagues to go to my website http://www.buildyourdreampractice.net and opt in for the free chapter. They will receive the same valuable information.

If there are certain aspects of practice that you would like to see covered, don’t hesitate to reply to this email and share your thoughts.

To Your Unparalleled Success,

Kevin Doherty, L.Ac.
http://www.buildyourdreampractice.net