Celebrity endorsement can be key to marketing success
There's no denying the fact that marketing chiropractic can be challenging. The public has long been exposed to negative reports about it from the medical and drug industries, as well as from well-meaning but uninformed consumer advocates. They've heard chiropractic jokes on sit-coms and warnings on the nightly news.
To market chiropractic in general — and your practice in particular — you must first overcome lingering fears, ignorance and skepticism that keep people from coming to your office. One of the most powerful ways to surmount these obstacles is to use a celebrity endorsement.
When you tell people that chiropractic can help them, they may or may not believe you. After all, you have a vested interest in selling your services.
But when celebrities say that chiropractic has helped them, and it could help others, people tend to listen — and believe. After all, most people assume "he wouldn't say it if it weren't true."
As Marketing expert Patrick Bishop — co-author of "Money Tree Marketing: Innovative Secrets That Will Double Your Small-Business Profits in 90 Days or Less" — noted:
"When you get a celebrity to endorse your company or sign a licensing agreement, you benefit from customers' awareness of the property, [which] could include the perception of quality, educational value or a certain image."
After researching the impact of celebrity endorsements, Melissa St. James, a doctoral fellow and marketing instructor at The George Washington University concluded,
"Studies show that using celebrities can increase consumers' awareness of the ad, capture [their] attention and make ads more memorable" (quoted in "Celebrity Endorsements," by Kimiko L. Martinez, Entrepreneur's Start-Ups magazine, May 2001).
If you're not convinced yet of the effectiveness of celebrity endorsements, here's what Jonathan Gaines, president and CEO of top marketing firm DMS Strategies has to say:
"High-profile endorsements from athletes and celebrities will set you apart from your competitors, and you can become a contender in the playing field —a celebrity spokesperson can work for companies of all sizes."
Obviously, celebrity endorsements work. In fact, they work so well that about 20% of all television commercials feature a celebrity.
"Many companies have had considerable success using celebrities as spokespersons, especially athletes," stated researchers Amy Dyson and Douglas Turco, in "The State of Celebrity Endorsement in Sport," for the Cyber-Journal of Sport Marketing. They found that, in 1995, U.S. companies paid more than $1 billion to 2,000 athletes for endorsement deals, and that sport endorsers were featured in 11% of all television advertisements that same year.
"Research has indicated that customers are more likely to choose goods and services endorsed by celebrities than those without such endorsements," they concluded.
Their research shows that one of the advantages to celebrity-based marketing campaigns is that:
"Famous people hold the viewer's attention. In this era of sound-bytes and channel surfing, there is a demand for people's time and focus. For instance, a commercial with the WNBA's Lisa Leslie or NHL's Wayne Gretzky is more likely to keep a television remote control clicker on the channel versus a commercial with a local doctor or dentist."
Of course, any marketing material — even with a powerful celebrity endorsement — must be a combination of both education and sales. It has to convince people that chiropractic is a safe and effective health care approach — and that it (and you) can help them in a very real and direct way. In short, it has to answer the question: "What can it do for ME?"
That's why a celebrity video like the one produced by the World Chiropractic Alliance, featuring former boxing champion Paul "The Ultimate" Vaden, can be so effective!
Here's a celebrity, boldly declaring "Without chiropractic, I would not have won the championship." Can you imagine the impact such a statement can make on a person who wants to be healthy, strong and fit?
The video goes on to explain WHY chiropractic helped Paul, and how it can help everyone, including children.
The WCA video, called "Chiropractic Champion," builds on the Paul Vaden's strong endorsement by including testimonials from real chiropractic patients — people who establish an instant rapport with viewers.
Narrated by WCA President Terry A. Rondberg, D.C., the video details in clear, easy-to-understand language, the concept of subluxation and why people of all ages need regular adjustments to correct them. Using graphics, film clips and props, the video is an attention-grabbing presentation that will keep people watching.
The World Chiropractic Alliance has helped doctors across the globe build large and successful practices, using the million-selling books "Chiropractic First," and "Chiropractic Works!" Now, with the addition of the "Chiropractic Champion" video, doctors have another effective tool to draw people into their offices and keep them coming for regular, life-time wellness care.
The video is perfect for showing during workshops, classes and educational events in your community, as well as in your waiting room. Copies also make ideal "give-aways" since very few people will throw them out without viewing them.
The videos are available from the WCA for just $4.00 each, plus $22.85 postage and handling in quantities of 50. When purchasing 100 or more tapes, the price drops to only $3.00 per tape, plus postage and handling.
There's no denying the fact that marketing chiropractic can be challenging. The public has long been exposed to negative reports about it from the medical and drug industries, as well as from well-meaning but uninformed consumer advocates. They've heard chiropractic jokes on sit-coms and warnings on the nightly news.
To market chiropractic in general — and your practice in particular — you must first overcome lingering fears, ignorance and skepticism that keep people from coming to your office. One of the most powerful ways to surmount these obstacles is to use a celebrity endorsement.
When you tell people that chiropractic can help them, they may or may not believe you. After all, you have a vested interest in selling your services.
But when celebrities say that chiropractic has helped them, and it could help others, people tend to listen — and believe. After all, most people assume "he wouldn't say it if it weren't true."
As Marketing expert Patrick Bishop — co-author of "Money Tree Marketing: Innovative Secrets That Will Double Your Small-Business Profits in 90 Days or Less" — noted:
"When you get a celebrity to endorse your company or sign a licensing agreement, you benefit from customers' awareness of the property, [which] could include the perception of quality, educational value or a certain image."
After researching the impact of celebrity endorsements, Melissa St. James, a doctoral fellow and marketing instructor at The George Washington University concluded,
"Studies show that using celebrities can increase consumers' awareness of the ad, capture [their] attention and make ads more memorable" (quoted in "Celebrity Endorsements," by Kimiko L. Martinez, Entrepreneur's Start-Ups magazine, May 2001).
If you're not convinced yet of the effectiveness of celebrity endorsements, here's what Jonathan Gaines, president and CEO of top marketing firm DMS Strategies has to say:
"High-profile endorsements from athletes and celebrities will set you apart from your competitors, and you can become a contender in the playing field —a celebrity spokesperson can work for companies of all sizes."
Obviously, celebrity endorsements work. In fact, they work so well that about 20% of all television commercials feature a celebrity.
"Many companies have had considerable success using celebrities as spokespersons, especially athletes," stated researchers Amy Dyson and Douglas Turco, in "The State of Celebrity Endorsement in Sport," for the Cyber-Journal of Sport Marketing. They found that, in 1995, U.S. companies paid more than $1 billion to 2,000 athletes for endorsement deals, and that sport endorsers were featured in 11% of all television advertisements that same year.
"Research has indicated that customers are more likely to choose goods and services endorsed by celebrities than those without such endorsements," they concluded.
Their research shows that one of the advantages to celebrity-based marketing campaigns is that:
"Famous people hold the viewer's attention. In this era of sound-bytes and channel surfing, there is a demand for people's time and focus. For instance, a commercial with the WNBA's Lisa Leslie or NHL's Wayne Gretzky is more likely to keep a television remote control clicker on the channel versus a commercial with a local doctor or dentist."
Of course, any marketing material — even with a powerful celebrity endorsement — must be a combination of both education and sales. It has to convince people that chiropractic is a safe and effective health care approach — and that it (and you) can help them in a very real and direct way. In short, it has to answer the question: "What can it do for ME?"
That's why a celebrity video like the one produced by the World Chiropractic Alliance, featuring former boxing champion Paul "The Ultimate" Vaden, can be so effective!
Here's a celebrity, boldly declaring "Without chiropractic, I would not have won the championship." Can you imagine the impact such a statement can make on a person who wants to be healthy, strong and fit?
The video goes on to explain WHY chiropractic helped Paul, and how it can help everyone, including children.
The WCA video, called "Chiropractic Champion," builds on the Paul Vaden's strong endorsement by including testimonials from real chiropractic patients — people who establish an instant rapport with viewers.
Narrated by WCA President Terry A. Rondberg, D.C., the video details in clear, easy-to-understand language, the concept of subluxation and why people of all ages need regular adjustments to correct them. Using graphics, film clips and props, the video is an attention-grabbing presentation that will keep people watching.
The World Chiropractic Alliance has helped doctors across the globe build large and successful practices, using the million-selling books "Chiropractic First," and "Chiropractic Works!" Now, with the addition of the "Chiropractic Champion" video, doctors have another effective tool to draw people into their offices and keep them coming for regular, life-time wellness care.
The video is perfect for showing during workshops, classes and educational events in your community, as well as in your waiting room. Copies also make ideal "give-aways" since very few people will throw them out without viewing them.
The videos are available from the WCA for just $4.00 each, plus $22.85 postage and handling in quantities of 50. When purchasing 100 or more tapes, the price drops to only $3.00 per tape, plus postage and handling.