The $250,000 Adjustment Mistake

Let me tell you something that happened last month that'll make your spine misalign faster than someone who just slept on a $39 mattress... that was twenty years old.

We were talking on the phone, reviewing some case studies from a $25K-a-year mastermind group, when I got a message from a high-volume chiropractor in our private forum.

This doc – let's call him "Dr. Mike" – runs three clinics that are CRUSHING IT. "Packed schedule. Referrals flowing like water. The whole enchilada."

So Dr. Mike posts his newest patient acquisition strategy in our group.

He's all excited about offering free spine assessments with his proprietary chronic pain in five minutes adjustment technique to build his new patient list.

His marketing copy was actually pretty good.

Had me reaching for my phone to book an appointment, and I don't even live where he lives!

But I nearly knocked over my ergonomic chair.

Why?

Because Dr. Mike was about to make a $250,000 mistake.

And NONE of the other "practice management experts" in this high-dollar mastermind caught it.

Now, before I tell you what I told Dr. Mike, let me ask you something:

If you were a master locksmith, would you show everyone exactly how to pick locks just to demonstrate you know what you're doing?
Or if you were a Michelin-starred chef, would you broadcast your exact cooking process on TikTok just to get a few followers?
OF COURSE NOT. No way!!!

That's exactly what I told Dr. Mike.

Here's my exact message (copied and pasted):

"Mike, your marketing is solid, but you're giving away the WRONG THING. Your proprietary get rid of your chronic pain adjustment technique isn't just a procedure – it's the foundation of your competitive advantage. It's what makes patients drive past 15 other chiropractors to get to your office. It's what they rave about to their friends.

Instead of giving away your actual technique, create a free report called '5 Hidden Causes of Back & Neck Pain That Most Chiropractors Miss And Can't Help.' Share some genuine insights, but keep your exact methodology behind the curtain where it belongs.

You wouldn't see Mayo Clinic giving away their exact treatment protocols or Cleveland Clinic revealing their surgical procedures step-by-step. There's a reason for that."

You should have seen how fast Dr. Mike replied.

It was like I'd just saved him from a career-ending malpractice suit.

"You guys just saved me from making a huge mistake," he wrote. "I was literally about to send this to my marketing team tomorrow."

Look – this mistake happens ALL THE TIME in chiropractic.

Docs think that to get attention, they need to give away their most valuable clinical skills. Their secret sauce. The special technique that makes their practice unique.
It's like a poker player showing everyone his cards before placing a bet! They don't do that.

Here's the truth: The most valuable assets in your practice should NEVER be given away as lead magnets.

It reminds me of a conversation other doctors have had with Dr. Carney and myself at a seminar in San Diego.

We've built and sold multiple seven-figure practices, and now we coach other chiropractors to do the same.

"What's the biggest mistake we see chiropractors make with their marketing?"

"They don't know the difference between the examination and the adjustment."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like Diagnosis 101. You don't give away your most valuable treatment just to get someone in the door. You offer an assessment that demonstrates your expertise while creating desire for your unique solution. Save the proprietary techniques for paying patients."

When doctors learn this their eyes light up like they'd just witnessed a C1 adjustment relieve 20 years of migraines.

The same principle applies to your practice.

Your lead magnet should be valuable enough to attract the right people, but it should NEVER be the thing that makes your practice special.

That's like giving away your diagnostic ultrasound machine instead of just sharing a scan.

Let me give you a quick checklist to make sure you're not making Dr. Mike's $250,000 mistake:

• Is your lead magnet giving away your core clinical expertise or proprietary technique?

• Would other chiropractors pay good money to learn what you're giving away for free?

• Is the thing you're giving away central to why patients choose you over competitors?

If you answered "YES" to any of these, STOP RIGHT NOW and rethink your strategy.

Instead, create lead magnets that demonstrate your knowledge without revealing the special techniques that make your practice unique.

This is one of those practice-building principles that separates the struggling chiropractors from the seven-figure practice owners... the associates from the entrepreneurs.

The pros know: You give away the assessment, not the adjustment. You give away the assessment, not the secrets that make you who you are.

Until next time,

Dr. Erich and Dr. Carney