Dear Doctor:



Do you ask for referrals?  I mean,  when an opportunity arises,  do 
you 

promote yourself?  If you're like many chiropractors I work with,  
questions



like these may make you a bit uncomfortable,  as if there is 
perhaps 

something tainted or inappropriate about tooting your own horn a 
little.



It was Red Motley who said "Nothing happens until somebody sells 
something,"



and when you have something as impactful and life-changing as 
chiropractic 

services to offer,  you're in a great spot.  Our work makes a huge

difference 

for those who partake,  and there's nothing shameful or tacky about 
letting 

people know -- as long as you don't do anything shameful or tacky.



I,  for one,  am proud of being a chiropractor -- against staggering 
odds,  

chiropractic has survived the Germ Theory Age to emerge as the 
Natural Way

to 

Health -- streamlining the function of the body is a superior 
solution to 

waiting for breakdown and relying on heroic intervention as the 
salvation.  



This deal-with-the-cause-not-the-effect approach is the thing 
that 

differentiates the chiropractic/wellness/lifestyle proponents 
from the 

medical/allopathic line of reasoning.  If you start by refining body

function 

so the individual has the best use of his or her resources,  that's 
when you



can really tell if more invasive treatment is indicated or not.



Ironically,  it's our own lack of capacity as a profession that is 
hindering



the widespread approval and acceptance we have already earned.  If 
you do

the 

math,  to get two hundred fifty million people adjusted even once a 
month 

would require 124,000 chiropractors seeing 500 visits each week.  
If you 

realize that the typical practice sees 100-150 visits per week,  
we would 

need almost 500,000 chiropractors,  ten times what we now have.



The issue isn't and never has been the availability of new patients 
and 

people who are interested in quality-of-life-driven health care.  
The issue 

is our ability to get our message out to the public in an 
understandable and



confidence-inspiring way -- and that begins with being able to ask 
for a 

referral,  with dignity,  professionalism,  integrity and love.  From 
there,



we can grow the ranks of the profession to the desired number to 
comfortably



serve the citizens of the world,  with no fear,  no ego,  no 
competition,  

and no energy squandered on circling the wagons and shooting in.



Do I sound too idealistic?  I can't help it,  I really believe it's

possible. 

 If you have faith in your work,  and in the principles that underlie 

chiropractic,  seek and capitalize on opportunities to spread the 
word.  Not



only will your practice grow,  but you'll be making a significant 

contribution to the greater good.  Be willing to overcome the 
stigma of 

sales,  and you'll be more valuable to those around you in the long 
run,

the 

result of which is a more fulfilling and successful life for you and 
those 

you care about.



Dennis Perman DC,  for The Masters Circle