One of my first article

1. “7 Networking Mistakes to Avoid!”
By Perry Nickelston, DC, FMS, SFMA
Networking is the little known secret weapon of practice success. It is the most cost effective
means to a referral based practice and creating ‘Raving Fans’. In business, you don’t want
satisfied customer’s, you want ‘Raving Fans’. These are devoted patients who believe you are
the BEST and ONLY doctor worth visiting.
How do you do create Raving Fans? One way is networking. 70% of your business will come
from some sort of networking. Word of mouth advertising is the key to long term practice
growth and establishing a strong foundation for new patient acquisition. Failing to develop this
skill will negatively affect your financial future. Avoid these mistakes to ensure you don’t
become just another doctor in town.
1. Don’t Have A ‘One-Liner.’
In most instances you have about 10-seconds to describe who you are and what you do.
Failing to develop a powerful one-line description of your services can make or break
first impressions. Here is a good way to start. Take five pieces of paper. Assign one of
the following sentences to the top of each sheet:
*Who you are
*What you do
*Whom you do it for
*How you do it
*What happens as a result
Write down all the words, characteristics, ideas and phrases that pertain to each of these
areas of your introduction. Have fun! Spend at least a few minutes on each sheet. The
whole point of starting with this activity is to make your prospective patient feel you
really understand what they are all about, and you’re there to solve their problem, fill
their need. Now it’s time to create the liner. An example might be: “I‟m Dr. Xyz, and I
renew people‟s quality of life by eliminating pain with my hands!”
2. Networking Part Time.
There is a time and place for networking: ANY time and ANY place. There is never a
wrong time to make a new connection and meet potential patients. Networking is an
attitude. Every time you go outside, be prepared to tell others who you are and what you
do. The biggest obstacle to success is anonymity. If they don’t know about you, how can
they come to see you? Learn to be approachable in life. You are not only a doctor; you
are an entrepreneur who must master the art of marketing to set yourself apart from the
competition. Read a new marketing book per month and implement one unique strategy.

2. 3. Wish I Had My Card
NEVER leave your practice without business cards! An effective card is arguably the
most valuable tool you can have in building a business. For those just beginning,
sometimes it’s the only tool. Nothing is worse than being in a situation where you say, ‘I
wish I had my business cards with me.” When you give out cards, make sure you give out
two at a time. People have a tendency to misplace cards, so give them a second chance to
find you. Networking etiquette 101; don’t give out a card until someone gives you theirs,
they ask for one of yours, or you ask for theirs first. Business cards should have some
type of offer on the back. Use that space to promote your uniqueness. My most successful
offer was a FREE Laser Therapy treatment.
4. Taking Before Giving
Building relationships is about giving. Provide something for others before you try taking
something for yourself. It’s not about selling your services to everyone in the room. Hard
selling will more than likely alienate half the room in the first 10-minutes. Network with
an open attitude of learning something new about the people you meet. Express interest
in them and I guarantee they will be more open to helping you. Engage in meaningful
conversation, not simple fluff talk to fill space before handing them your card. People can
sense when you are genuinely interested in them. An example: Send your new contact an
article related to their field of interest.
5. Too Much Too Soon
Building relationships via networking takes time. Don’t expect to get 20 new patients at
your first meeting. Trust is a big factor in networking. Prospective customers need to
know you truly care before they decide to use your services. They don’t care how much
you know, until they know how much you care. People buy people first. People like and
want to do business with their friends. True friendships don’t happen overnight, so be
patient and enjoy the moments until they start paying off. Trust me, they always do. Most
people will begin the trust connection after three encounters. Your goal is three individual
networking interactions with a new contact.
6. Desperation
Never network for new patients out of desperation. Being in a state of ‘lack’ permeates
all of your actions and activities. People can smell desperation like a shark smells blood
in the water. It is an automatic turn off, which can make you do things to compromise
your integrity and character. Marketing is not something you do when business is slow;
it’s something you do ALL the time so you never get slow. Plan on attending two
networking events every month and incorporate this action step into your monthly
marketing calendar. You do have a marketing calendar don’t you?

3. 7. Follow Up
Just because they have your card does not mean they are going to call. As a matter of fact
they probably won’t. It’s a hard truth, but people don’t care about you or your business.
They care about themselves. You MUST follow up with every contact in a timely fashion
with value added information. It’s called „Keep In Touch Marketing‟ and it is an art form
worth mastering. At regular intervals contact your network via phone calls, e-mails,
newsletters, e-zines, blog posts, special offers and information pertaining to their
industry. Investing targeted effort into cultivating your network will pay high dividends
in the future. There are numerous software applications to help establish a systematic
keep in touch system. A scrap piece of paper with notes won’t cut it in today’s world.
Networking is an art. And just like any artist, it takes repeated strokes on the canvas to reveal a
masterpiece. Don’t get discouraged if you are shy or reserved. Remember that most people you
meet are just as nervous as you are. It’s human nature to fear rejection. The easiest way to
eliminate this fear is by ACTION. The more you do it, the better you become. Don’t take
yourself too seriously…and make this an on-going life skill. Network and prosper!
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Stopchasingpain.com
Perry Nickelston, DC, FMS, SFMA
973-800-6570
Laser Photomedicine for Pain Relief