What you need to connect your passion with your clients. Part I

Being of good service can SERVE your patients, the greater good, and MAKE MONEY. It's all a matter of good planning, clarity, knowing who you really are and how that connects with your Ideal Clients.

Here's one you might not have heard: What does a Naturopathic Doctor, an RMT and a Registered Dietitian have in common? They're all small businesses.

Okay, not that funny. But it is ironical, because I'm betting as an alternative health professional, you didn't start your practice to become a small business owner, marketer or manager. You had a calling, a mission to serve. The funny bit: your heart-centric, patient-focused mission turned out to be a small business in disguise.

You may be a heart-centric health practice, but you still need a great business foundation, fantastic marketing strategies and authentic messages that connect to be successful.

Too many alternative health practitioners struggle to survive. Struggle to connect with the right patients at the right time, and are hard pressed to keep those patients coming back year after year. You may be an amazing ND or a life-altering RMT, but if no one can connect with your purpose, you're going to continue to struggle.

When you're unable to articulate what makes you unique - or you don't actually know what that is - you're going to struggle to build and grow your practice. 

So, how do you uncover what makes you unique so you can construct your marketing and branding to connect with the people who need you the most? You get down to basics.

At the heart of the business/branding/marketing holy trinity is a PLAN. And this plan must articulate who you are and what you bring.  The process demands that you dig deep. Don't worry, you've got this. You this everyday with your clients. Just apply the same mindset to your business - treat it like a client. Get curious. Get motivated. Get inspired. 

Keep in mind, this isn't a linear process - it's multi-dimensional. Each of these 10 components of a great business/branding/marketing plan are interdependent. The deeper you get into the process, the more you'll discover that the nuances of your first step are enriched and expanded by the work you do later. Stick with it, be willing to rework (or throw out!) what you created in the beginning as you incorporate more insights. It really is worth it!

This is a two-parter, so stay with me and we'll take a look at the next 5 in a couple of days.

Here's the first 5. Live them. Love them. Make them your own.

1. Know your PURPOSE today, and the FUTURE you want to create

You stand for something. You started this journey because you wanted to change the world, to serve, to change lives. Do you recall what that was? Good. Now write it down. It’s called a Mission Statement.

A Mission Statement details your reason for being. It's what you're doing right now (and over the next 3 years) to get you where you want to go. It should articulate who your business serves (target demographic) and the unique programs and resources you provide to them (niche). It should also claim your unique territory as a practitioner. Your 'secret sauce,' that only you can deliver. 

Your Mission should set you up to achieve your Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG)! This is your Vision Statement. It's what the world (and the lives of your patients) will look like when you achieve your mission in 5, 10 or 15 years. Your Mission Statement is what you're doing today; your Vision Statement defines your future. 

When I'm building Mission and Vision Statements, I start with the BHAG. This may seem counter-intuitive. But really, how can you create a plan today without knowing where you want to be tomorrow? So start dreaming, and ask yourself:

"What is your BIG, HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOAL (BHAG) for the future of the company you want to build? Do you want to change the world you live in or just the neighborhood?"

When you're done crafting clear and succinct Vision and Mission Statements, write them out. Put them on the wall in BIG LETTERS. Because these statements will dictate everything you do – from your business model and marketing strategy, to your customer service plan, and the look, feel, tone and experience you create for your clients. Make no mistake, you need this. So be truthful, be realistic, be bold, and be BRAVE. And get some help to tease these statements out of you!

Why? Because many of us are naturally myopic when it comes to our mission and vision. If you've ever done a vision board or written a personal mission statement, you'll know what I mean here. Many of us don't have the will to see a future of our own making. We hedge, we hide, we underestimate ourselves. We take humility to martyrdom. And alternative health practitioners seem to have created an art out of underestimating and underachieving. Don't do this. Get your Big Hairy Audacious Goal out into the light of day and get some help to challenge you to your biggest, brightest future. 

One thing to keep in mind: your business cannot and will not fulfill your personal mission, like having a family or setting up an NGO. They might be connected (for a time!), but your business is limited to the purpose it serves. And the people IT serves. Get clear on the difference.

2. Know your STRENGTHS (and your WEAKNESSES)

Know thyself!

This famous Greek aphorism holds the keys to planning your best business brand and creating a realistic marketing strategy.  When you know who you are – your inner resources and skills, experience and expertise, and your limits! – then you’ll be able to create a realistic and achievable marketing strategy.

As a small business owner, the success (or failure) of your business rests on your ability to execute on the goals and objectives you lay out. No one else will hold your feet to the fire or inspire you to greatness (unless you have a fantastic business coach - which I highly recommend you get!) This is all on you. You're the captain of this particular ship, and the final decision maker.

Here's an example: Let’s say you decide to use original content as a marketing tactic to help you build expertise and credibility. And let’s say you recognize the value in creating original content to your own website and contributing your unique point of view to relevant online forums that reach your Ideal Patients. Fantastic. It’s a great marketing tactic. But can you write? Can you put a good story together that gets noticed, and creates buzz that drives people to your brand? Do you have the time and dedication to consistently and effectively deliver on producing that content? How do you feel when faced with a blank page? Are you comfortable cold calling 3rd party site editors to place your original content?

Ahhh, right. Didn't think that one through to the end. 

A thorough and honest accounting of your strengths and weaknesses allows you to design a strategy – and put in place the tools and resources you need to execute.

A great marketing tactic is only as good as it's execution. And there is no silver bullet, especially in content creation. It's consistency and persistence that wins the day.

Knowing where your strengths and weakness lay allows you to plan. You may understand that great, original content is important. It builds brand awareness and credibility for you and your business. And you may want to incorporate that into your marketing strategy. But if writing that content brings you no joy or it's something you dread doing, then you need to find a way to fulfill your marketing strategy that meets you where you are right now. Thankfully, there's outsourcing for great content and specialized suppliers who would be more than happy to work with you.

Honestly acknowledging your limitations allows you to create a realistic and manageable budget. And saves you the pain, guilt and agony of not fulfilling an unrealistic expectation in process.

I'm not a big believer in the 'overcome every weakness' philosophy. Frankly, it's unrealistic. Your goal is to identify what you're willing to 'pay' for through suppliers and experts, and what you can actually pull off as a business owner. There are certain areas of your business that only you can be responsible for - like finances. 

The goal here is to capitalize on your strengths while mitigating your weaknesses. It’s the first step to helping you create a realistic, and authentic marketing strategy you can really get behind.

3. Know what makes your practice approach UNIQUE

There’s nothing new under the sun. It’s all been done before. It's the same old, same old. Right?

Then why are you putting it all on the line for ‘nothing new’ , ‘done before' or 'same old, same old?' The answer is, you're not. You got on this path for a reason - so, what was it?

You know you have something special, unique and individual to share with your clients.  What is it? It's not just your compassion or your clinical skill, or even that fantastic waiting room you spent a fortune on. It's more than that. It's a unique way of looking at the problems your clients face. And it's a very specific client, make no mistake. Even though you may be trained to treat everyone, there's no way you can be all things to all patients. You don't have the time, money or energy to connect with them all.

So, why is your practice approach different? What makes your clinical protocol so effective, your customer service model so exceptional, and your practice approach share-able?

Spend the time uncovering this. Ask your patients what they think. Get to the heart of your BRAND OF GENIUS, your 'special sauce.' You need to know what this is and be able to clearly, concisely articulate it. If you're working to revolutionize primary care in Canada; SPELL IT OUT. If you are changing what it means to age for Baby Boomers; SHOUT IT. If you've got the answer to the peri-menopausal muffin top; SAY IT LOUD. 

And make sure what you bring is unique. Because being different just to be different will be found out in no time - it lacks substance. Standing out because you know WHO YOU ARE and you can deliver on your promises is marketable. It's also authentic and bold. And really, really share-able. 

Only you, are you. Figuring out why your you-ness is valuable to your Ideal Clients is the foundation of your mission statement.

The second part of this equation is the HOW you do what you do. Remember, this process isn't linear. So once you understand what you want to accomplish - your vision - you can work backwards to the HOW.

If your 10 year vision is to be the number one resource to help Weekend Warriors (all those 40 years old who refuse to go quietly into that good night) maintain their peak physical capability longer and with more vitality, then you better know exactly HOW you can accomplish this. That means the programs, the tools, the resources, the customer service programs, and the treatment plans. And then - Ta da! You just capture your Mission Statement, and defined WHAT (exactly!) makes your practice unique.

4. Know your IDEAL CLIENTS

What's your passion as a Naturopathic Doctor? What really rocks your boat as an RMT? When you know YOUR PURPOSE, you'll know who you want to SERVE. 

Is it the knee issues and endurance challenges of the weekend warriors and Tough Mudder 40-year-olds? Or the GenXers who really need effective strategies to manage stress? Or the peri-menopausal women who do not want to go gently into that muffin top? Whomever they are, you need to know them -- inside and out.

You might think you know them, but you don't. Not really. Find out what your target really THINKS and FEELS about your services, how they deal with technology, how they like to reached, where, when. You'll want to get into their heart, and their head. Why? Because people make purchases based on what they want; not what they need. Your job is to get to know these people inside and out, so you can connect with what they think they want to give them what they really need.

Do the research. Ask the RIGHT questions without the answer pre-formulated in your mind. Come at them as if you don't know a thing about them. 

Let your Ideal Clients surprise you, delight you and inspire you to deliver what they really need from you. 

Then build the programs and tools they actually need. Not the ones you think they need.

5. Know your market (including your competitors)

Who's out there offering what you offer? How are they delivering it? Are they credible? Good at it? Find out, because this information will help you uncover where your approach is different or unique, and where you can make the most impact.

You're looking for gaps here – places where your unique clinical approach, and your products and your services, will answer a need for your patients no one else has identified. And because you've already done the work to figure this out, you should be able to identify this immediately.

Finding these opportunities in the market, and creating unique solutions to answer the need is your job. Get good at it.

That's the first 5. Next time, I'll dig into the ways you can identify your niche, why it's important, and how knowing your limits is the best strategy to stay in the black.

Let me know what you think. Love to hear how these work for you.