The Chiropractor Nobody Knows: How to Stand Out and Attract the Right Patients

Why Your Chiropractic Marketing Isn’t Working (And It’s Not What You Think)

You’re showing up. You’re posting. You might even be running ads. But the phone isn’t ringing the way it should — and the patients who do come in aren’t always the ones you were hoping for.

The problem isn’t effort. It’s clarity.

Most chiropractors are trying to speak to everyone. And a message for everyone is a message for no one. In this episode, I get into exactly why that’s happening — and more importantly, what to do about it.

The Stand-Out Strategy for Chiropractic Practice Growth

There’s a reason some practices seem to attract the right patients almost effortlessly — while others work twice as hard for half the result. It comes down to three questions. Simple ones. But most chiropractors have never sat down and answered them honestly.

In this episode, I walk through all three — and show you exactly where they overlap to reveal your person.

The BBQ Pitch: Chiropractic Marketing That Sounds Like a Real Conversation

Forget the elevator pitch. Nobody talks like that at a BBQ. What you actually need is something you can say to a real person, in a real moment, that makes them lean in and want to know more.

I share a five-ingredient framework that turns “so what do you do?” from an awkward fumble into your most powerful marketing tool.

What You’ll Get From This Episode

• Why “chiropractic is for everyone” is the most damaging thing you can say for your marketing
• The three questions that reveal your ideal patient
• Why getting clear doesn’t mean turning people away — it means attracting the right ones
• A practical framework to talk about what you do in plain language
• Three specific actions to take this week

Ready to Grow Your Chiropractic Practice?

Hit play. Everything you need is in the episode — including the full transcript below if you want to revisit any part of it.

Episode Transcript

Opening / Hook

Good morning, good afternoon and good evening folks.

Hey, welcome to another episode of the Marketing Your Practice Podcast… the podcast where I have the pleasure of simplifying the marketing and the mindset… so you the chiropractor can increase your income, your impact… and your enjoyment in practice too.

Now today I want to take you back… to early in my practice. It was actually the first time I’d ever done any advertising. A guy from the local newspaper came in… wanted to do a feature on the practice. A bit of free exposure. And I thought… great. Let’s do it.

So he sits down… pulls out his notepad… and asks me a really simple question. “So Angus… who do you work with? What kind of patients do you see?”

And I remember looking at him… almost like he’d asked something a little bit silly. And I said… “Everyone, really. We see people of all ages. All kinds of different problems. Honestly… if you’ve got a spine… chiropractic is for you.”

He wrote it down. The ad ran. And it did… absolutely nothing.

The Reframe

Now here’s the thing about that answer… “Chiropractic is for everyone.” It feels generous. It feels true. And honestly… it is true. But here’s what I’ve come to understand.

Trying to speak to everyone… is one of the fastest ways to become invisible. Let me say that again. Trying to speak to everyone… is one of the fastest ways to become invisible.

Because when your message is for everyone… it’s actually for no one. The brain doesn’t stop for a message that isn’t meant for it. It just… scrolls past.

Think about it from your own experience. You’re on social media… you’re scrolling through your feed… and something stops you mid-scroll. Why did it stop you? Because it felt like it was written for you. It spoke to something you were feeling. Something you were struggling with. Something you cared about. That’s not an accident. That’s clarity.

And the chiropractors who are growing right now… the ones who seem to attract the right patients almost effortlessly… they’re not better clinicians than you necessarily. They’re just clearer.

The Framework — Finding Your Person

So how do we actually find our person? Inside the Stand-Out Strategy… there are three questions I want you to sit with.

Question one… who do you love working with? This one sounds simple. But it’s more important than most chiropractors realise. Because if we’re going to fill our practice with more of a certain kind of patient… we need to actually enjoy seeing them.

Question two… who do you get great results with? Results matter. When you get a reputation in your town for helping a certain kind of person… word spreads. This question also directs your continuing education.

Question three… can they pay? This one is obvious. But it’s also the one most commonly overlooked. When finances aren’t a constant friction point… the relationship is better… the retention is better… and the outcomes are better.

Where those three things overlap… that’s your person.

Taking a Stand

Now those three questions help you find your person. But there’s something else that goes hand in hand with this. And it’s something that a lot of chiropractors shy away from. It’s taking a stand.

Not just for a type of person… but for something you believe in. A philosophy. A way of practising. A standard of care you refuse to compromise on.

For me… early in practice… I used to say this… “I’m not a quick fix chiropractor. If you’re looking for someone to pop your spine and send you on your way… I’m probably not your person. But if you want a thorough plan… if you want to get out of pain AND feel well in a way you haven’t felt in years… then let’s talk.”

And I said this everywhere. In my videos. On social media. On my website. And yes… in the room with new patients too. That’s a stand. It calls in the people who want what I offer. And it gently lets go of the people who don’t.

Magnetic and Repulsive

Now here’s where it gets really interesting. Once you get clear on who you’re for… and what you stand for… something else has to happen. You have to be willing to not be for everyone.

Think about a magnet. The stronger the magnet… the more powerfully it attracts what it’s meant for. But here’s the thing about magnets that we forget. The same force that pulls things in… also pushes things away. You cannot have one without the other. And it’s the same in practice.

The better example is Apple. Apple is incredibly clear about who they’re for. The creatives. The ones who think differently. But here’s what they don’t do. They don’t go out of their way to offend PC users. They simply stand clearly in their own lane… and let the right people find them. That’s the line we’re walking as chiropractors.

Practical Application

Now let me make this practical. The biggest mistake I see chiropractors make with this… is simply not doing it. Not going too narrow. Not getting the words wrong. Just… never actually sitting down and doing the work.

You’ve probably heard of the elevator pitch. But here’s the honest truth. Nobody actually pitches in a lift. Real conversations happen at school pickup. At the footy. At a backyard BBQ. So instead of an elevator pitch… I want to give you what I call the BBQ Pitch.

The BBQ Pitch has five simple ingredients. Ingredient one… “I’m a [type] chiropractor.” Ingredient two… “I work with [your people]…” Ingredient three… “…who are frustrated with [their frustration].” Ingredient four… “They’re usually looking for [their desire].” Ingredient five… “And I help by [your role].”

Put it together and it sounds like real conversation. Not a pitch. Not a performance. Just clarity.

Here’s your challenge for this week. First… write your BBQ Pitch. Sit down with those five ingredients. Just get a first draft down on paper. Second… say it to one real person. Not a patient. A real person in your life. Third… put it in your social media bio.

Close

So let’s bring this back to where we started. That guy from the newspaper. Sitting across from me with his notepad. Asking me a simple question. Who do you work with? And me… saying… “Everyone. If you’ve got a spine… chiropractic is for you.” The ad ran. And nothing happened.

Now I look back on that moment and I don’t cringe. I understand it. Because at that stage… I genuinely believed that the most generous thing I could do… was to be for everyone. But what I know now… is that the most generous thing I can do… is to be clear.

Clear about who I’m for. Clear about what I stand for. Clear enough that the right person… immediately knows… that I am their chiropractor. That’s not exclusion. That’s leadership.

Alright folks… that’s it for today. Thanks for all that you do. Keep saving lives… and I’ll see you back here next week.