rasmussen chiropractic
DESCRIPTION
Marketing Plan for New Albany, IN chiropracterTRANSCRIPT
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RASMUSSEN
CHIROPRACTIC
LLC
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EX
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UT
IVE
SU
MA
RY
It is our mission with this campaign to educate our audience regarding a better and healthier lifestyle through
Rasmussen Chiropractic. We hope to lead the audience away from the misconception that this industry is in any way
trying to demean the medical field. We will inform them of the qualities and benefits of Rasmussen Chiropractic
through advertising and a well-constructed media plan. The advertising will promote wellness, the importance of vita-
mins and good nutrition, as well as, place Rasmussen Chiropractic positively in the community.
Our target audience is between the ages of 22 to 55 and we want to focus on the Southern Indiana areas of Jef-
fersonville, New Albany, and Clarksville. Since so much of the US healthcare dollar is spent on issues such as back
pain, we will be able to make our audience aware of Rasmussen‟s services as well as the importance of this industry to
their wellness. Some of the media objectives we put forth were: office bulletin boards, direct mail, free events, and
the internet. These objectives make it easy to reach the community and help the organization to appear friendly and
down-to-earth. The campaign does focus mainly on reach in hopes to gain awareness.
The campaign would roll out immediately and with our strategy it may stay consistent as is. First and fore-
most, we want to get our audience to realize the benefits of the service being offered and that they need to begin this
lifestyle now before serious injuries occur. Rasmussen Chiropractic wants their patients to live a life of wellness by
maintaining responsible health practices through their services.
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Executive Summary……………..2
Situation Analysis……………….4
SWOT…………………………...25
Target Market Analysis………….33
Marketing Objectives……………35
Marketing Strategies…………….36
Promotion & Implementation…...46
Campaign Evaluation……………50
Closing Summary………………..51
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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
Brief History
The chiropractic industry is one that has faced much controversy. The role of the chiropractor has been caught
between the medical world and alternative forms of healthcare. However, chiropractors have slowly grown into a regu-
lar form of medical health care since the 1970s. According to the American Chiropractic Association, Chiropractic is a
health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects
of these disorders on general health. Chiropractic care is most often used to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, in-
cluding but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs, and headaches. Doctors of Chiro-
practic, or Chiropractors, practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to health care that includes patient examination, diag-
nosis and treatment. Chiropractors have broad diagnostic skills and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and reha-
bilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling.
Chiropractic work is still widely considered unconventional, in terms of it being a medical science, but overall
they do not claim otherwise (Yankauer 1980). Recently, most chiropractors are taking an alternative approach to adver-
tising and branding by convincing others to believe that what they offer as a regular lifestyle choice and a way to im-
prove everyday life. We hope to take this approach as well and step away from focusing on injury cases.
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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
Legal Regulatory Issues
In 1987, the judgment made in Wilk v. AMA put chiropractic in the legal and legislative arena and secured their
reputation in the public arena. Although they made leeway here, the industry has tried, with no resolve, to be consid-
ered a primary care giver under the VA and U.S. department of Defense, but they have been continuously opposed by
the American Medical Association (Cooper and McKee 2003). In addition, throughout the years, the industry has con-
tinually been criticized for the belief that using their chiropractic services may keep one out of the doctor‟s office and
away from any need for medicine.
Currently there are several factors that uniquely affect Chiropractors. The first is the unknown ramifications of
the insurance reform enacted by the federal government. The majority of the funds that come into Rasmussen Chiro-
practic come from insurance companies. It is unknown how this insurance reform will specifically affect Chiropractors
and some are panicking. Along those lines many insurance companies are both cutting insurance benefits for Chiro-
practors and the payments that they pay. Many already only receive 10-12 visits or have high deductibles. Although
people realize they have problems and want them corrected many cannot afford to pay if their insurance does not. Even
when they do pay, the amount that they pay for services continually decreases each year. This means that Rasmussen
Chiropractic will have to attract new patients, increase the amount seen per week and increase patient retention rates.
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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
Growth Expenditures and Forecast
Overall, the chiropractic industry is considered an alternative form of care. It has only been over the last ten
years that people have had a powerful awakening to an alternative, healthier lifestyles. which has been brought
forth by revelations about the harmful nature of certain foods and drinks. Also helping this movement is the stag-
gering statistics about childhood obesity that have been release over the last ten years. Chiropractors specifically
are getting away from medicine and even manual practice and using machines and no touch methods more often.
Another popular form of care is through massage therapy and acupuncture. More
than 85 percent of chiropractors offer massage therapy and more than two thirds of
patience can have their issues treated with acupuncture (Cooper and McKee).
This industry has a promising future and will continue to grow. We would
like for our client to focus more on the lifestyle aspects and possibly bring people
in by offering promotion deals with massage therapy. Also, by doing some direct
marketing at places such as health food stores, gyms, and yoga/aerobics studios,
etc. we hope reach a younger audience that have stronger interests in other benefits
of chiropractic.
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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
Societal and Cultural Considerations
Since the inception of Chiropractic medicine, there have been negative viewpoints of
Chiropractors that the mainstream media continues to disseminate. Recent news stories have
portrayed Chiropractors as “ambulance chasers” and as “quacks”. This is also reflected in re-
cent accident attorney commercials that put Chiropractors down. This negative stigma will
have to be factored in when creating the new advertising campaign.
With society becoming more accepting of nontraditional forms of healing and alternative meth-
ods, chiropractic practices will continue to grow as a form of healthcare and eventually be con-
sidered a lifestyle choice. The economy may slow any kind of quick growth, but the American
culture is ready more than ever for the solutions that the industry is offering. Our client, specif-
ically, displays all of the benefits of choosing chiropractic practices. Our society is becoming
less and less trusting of medicine and primary doctors, and with the current healthcare crisis,
short-term solutions are almost not worth the money anymore.
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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
Economy Implications for Industry and Client
The lack of economic assistance or insurance for chiropractic services is an issue that the industry has contin-
ued to face. Many chiropractors now participate in managed care, which actually limits their services and in turn
their patients and longevity (Cooper and McKee 2003). Most patients will have many repeat visits and your treat-
ments must be completed and this can become very expensive. However, the amount of coverage has improved; ap-
proximately 75 percent of the chiropractor‟s revenue comes from insurance, so the patient will pay around 25 per-
cent (Cooper and McKee 2003). With the current healthcare crisis, these numbers may continue to change, and pos-
sibly not for the better; this issue will always affect the industry.
Size of Industry
The number of chiropractors graduating each year has continuously increased, over 50 percent in 2003. Today
there are more than 60,000 practitioners in the United States (Cooper and McKee 2003). The industry competitor
would be medical physicians, who tend to disagree with chiropractic practices. Our client specifically, has eight other
chiropractors in the same zip code (see Competitive Analysis).
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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
Stage and Product Life Cycle
Chiropractic care is heading toward the saturation and declining stage.
There are four key indicators to help us know how to combat this stage. They
are:
1. Costs become counter-optimal
2. Sales volume decline or stabilize
3. Prices, profitability diminish
4. Profit becomes more a challenge of production/distribution efficien-
cy than increased sales
Product Seasonality
Chiropractic Care is continuous. Bodies are constantly changing and
growing, there is no seasonality to the need of chiropractors. The only sea-
sonality that may appear, is when patients decide to take their pain and come
into the office to be treated.
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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
Obstacles
A typical business hears from only four percent of its unsatisfied
customers. The other 96 percent just quietly go away, and 91 per-
cent will never come back. A typical dissatisfied customer will
tell 8-10 people about this problem. One in five will tell 20! It
takes 12 positive service incidents to make up for 1 negative inci-
dent. This represents a serious financial loss. If a company
doesn‟t hear what is going wrong with their performance, they
can‟t fix what‟s wrong to keep clients.
A survey on “Why Customers Quit”
treatment found 68% quit because of an
attitude of indifference toward the
customer by the owner, manager or
some employee.
A typical corporation loses half of its customers every five years. However, by increasing the
yearly Customer retention rate by as little as five percent, companies can increase their bottom line profits from 25-
100 percent (These stats were taken from the book: How to Win Customers & Keep Them for Life).
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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
Recruiting New Clients
The fastest way to get new patients in the door is to look at statistics, and find out where the majority are hearing
about the business. Statistics are very important because they tell us where we are being successful and where money is
being wasted. The three largest sources of new business are referrals, internet ads and events.
Referrals: Referrals are the best way to generate business because it means that the business is doing a great job with
the current patients. When a company provides great communications, service and care for the existing patients they
will return and help grow numbers.
Internet: The internet is now the global yellow pages for finding anything. By using the yellow pages online, a company
can immediately direct a potential consumer to their website. When the website is weak, the online presences and pro-
motion is weak. The internet is a critical tool in today‟s world. By providing a clear and informative website, the com-
pany will generate new clients.
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SECONDARY RESEARCH
A typical business hears from only four percent of its unsatisfied customers. The other 96 percent just quietly go
away, and 91 percent will never come back. A typical dissatisfied customer will tell 8-10 people about this problem.
One in five will tell 20! It takes 12 positive service incidents to make up for 1 negative incident. This represents a
serious financial loss. If a company doesn‟t hear what is going wrong with their performance, they can‟t fix what‟s
wrong to keep clients.
A survey on “Why Customers Quit” found:
3% move away
5% develop other friendships
9% leave for competitive reasons
14% are dissatisfied with the product (or service)
68% quit because of an attitude of indifference toward the customer by the owner, manager or some
employee.
A typical corporation loses half of its customers every five years. However, by increasing the yearly customer
retention rate by as little as five percent, companies can increase their bottom line profits from 25-100 percent
(These stats were taken from the book: How to Win Customers & Keep Them for Life).
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SECONDARY RESEARCH
Recruiting New Clients
The fastest way to get new patients in the door is to look at statistics, and find out where the majority are hearing
about the business. Statistics are very important because they tell us where we are being successful and where mon-
ey is being wasted. The three largest sources of new business are referrals, internet ads and events.
Referrals: Referrals are the best way to generate business because it means that the business is doing a great job
with the current patients. When a company provides great communications, service and care for the existing pa-
tients they will return and help grow numbers.
Internet: The internet is now the global yellow pages for finding anything. By using the yellow pages online, a com-
pany can immediately direct a potential consumer to their website. When the website is weak, the online presences
and promotion is weak. The internet is a critical tool in today‟s world. By providing a clear and informative web-
site, the company will generate new clients.
Events: Events can be huge wins or major flops. The important component to successful events is to determine
where the potential clients will be. If the advertising is done at the wrong location, the company is simply throwing
money away.
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SECONDARY RESEARCH
Traits of a Successful Chiropractor
There are a few different traits which prove beneficial for a chiropractor to possess. These traits will enable
the chiropractor to engage in their daily duties in a successful manner.
Business Mind: Chiropractors, like most professional services,
are trained by treating patients at school. The problem today is
that the gap of knowledge between running a successful practice
and being a doctor is growing, not shrinking. More and more
DC‟s are graduating from chiropractic school without the skill-
set to go out into the world and successfully deliver their trade to
paying customers. Business training is vital to a successful prac-
tice. The Chiropractic School of Business was formed to shrink
the gap of knowledge between running a business and being a
successful doctor. It is more than just a school; it is practical and
proven experience being delivered in classroom style training.
Care: All chiropractors should possess is good
bedside manner. Since patients are in a vulnera-
ble position when they enter the office due to
their pain and discomfort, it is important that
the chiropractor makes them feel comfortable
and speak to them in a pleasant tone. By exhib-
iting good bedside manner, the chiropractor
will make the patient feel at ease and feel good
about bringing the doctor their pain to this par-
ticular individual.
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Listen: Chiropractors should also be good listen-
ers. The patient is the only one that can describe
their pain. The chiropractor will need to have a
good ear to really decipher where the pain is
originating. It is important that the chiropractor
listens to all that the patient has to say and gives
them time to speak uninterrupted so that they
can adequately voice their concerns.
Simple: One who takes on the job responsibilities of a chiro-
practor should also be able to explain things very simply.
Since some treatment methods or back conditions can be
quite technical in nature, it is important that the chiropractor
can explain it in such a way that the patient knows what is
wrong and how it can be treated. Having the ability to explain
technical terms and ideas in a simple, easy to understand
manner will please the patient to no end.
Determination: Determination is another positive
trait for all chiropractors to possess. From time to
time a patient will come into the office with a prob-
lem that is not easily diagnosed or treated. The chiro-
practor will need to exhibit a great deal of determina-
tion and show that they will not give up until the is-
sue is resolved.
Leadership: One who is a chiropractor should exhibit won-
derful leadership skills. This is important not only for deal-
ing with patients but staff members as well. Having good
leadership skills enables the chiropractor to make statements
with conviction and get things done around the office. It cre-
ates a more organized and prepared atmosphere.
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Growing the Business
Chiropractors held about 49,100 jobs in the United States in 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and that
number is expected to increase by 20 percent between 2008 and 2018. That rapid spike in employment is much faster
than the national average, according to the bureau. With 44 percent of chiropractors working in self-employed positions,
marketing becomes an important tool in helping a chiropractic office establish a presence in the community and effec-
tively compete with other enterprises. By creating and/or focusing on some of these listed marketing strategies, Rasmus-
sen Chiropractic LLC will see an increase in patient numbers because this is ultimately what brings in new business.
Attractive Office Bulletin Boards: Outfit the chiro-
practic office with a marketing bulletin board contain-
ing patient testimonials, photographs, upcoming
events, health tips and interesting articles about chiro-
practic care. This marketing idea allows customers to
become more educated consumers, possibly increasing
referrals. Including cute photos of your pets or chil-
dren can project a nurturing image to clients.
Hold Free Events: Present your chiropractic office as the
go-to resource in the community for free lectures and
seminars relating to chiropractic care. These free events
are a handy way to bring new visitors into your office.
Lectures and seminars might focus on topics including
back care, the positive effects of chiropractic care, or
how to find out if health insurance policies cover chiro-
practic care. Consider alerting the press about these
events for coverage and free publicity.
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Establish Referral Systems: Chiropractic offices can create or promote referral systems that offer benefits to patients
who consistently refer new patients. Rewards might include reduced-price, free treatments, or gift certificates for chi-
ropractic care. Consider keeping stacks of referral cards in the office so that departing patients can take these with
them after treatments to pass on to friends and family members.
Go Online: Electronic newsletters, online appointment reminders and friendly electronic notes are efficient market-
ing ideas that should be used judiciously by chiropractic offices. Since this is an inexpensive marketing idea, you
might be tempted to overuse these strategies. If clients become annoyed, they might delete your carefully crafted
online marketing messages, so use online strategies with care and keep messages brief ("15 Practice Marketing Ide-
as That Work"). Online newsletters can link to interesting articles or video footage. For instance, you might include
footage of a chiropractic technique being demonstrated. Links to authoritative medical articles about the safety and
efficacy of chiropractic care, including recent research articles, may also be interesting to chiropractic patients.
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CLIENT PROFILE
Our client is Rasmussen Chiropractic LLC located in New Albany, Indiana. Rasmussen Chiropractic has been
located in New Albany since 1991 and has been a prominent member of the community since then. Even though they
have been in business since 1991, Rasmussen Chiropractic has not been able to fully establish themselves as a unique
brand or able to fully distinguish themselves from other chiropractors in the area. Another current issue that is plaguing
the company is a decrease in new patient numbers, patient retention, and as a result a decrease in profits. The causes of
these problems are a combination of lack of advertising, lack of branding, the poor economy, and the uncertainty of the
Insurance Reform Act.
Client History
Rasmussen Chiropractic LLC is located at 2652 Charlestown Road, New Albany, IN. They are open Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, and Friday 9-6 and on Thursdays 1-6. It is owned and operated by Christopher and Sherry Rasmussen. Dr.
Rasmussen has been in practice in New Albany since 1991 after moving his office from Jeffersonville, Indiana. When
he moved, his practice was named Plus Care Chiropractic. On January of 2001 Dr. Rasmussen sold the name Plus Care
Chiropractic to his former associate, Dr. Mark Allen, and changed the name of the practice to its current name Rasmus-
sen Chiropractic.
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CLIENT PROFILE
Client History cont.
Rasmussen Chiropractic employs a staff of nine that includes two doctors, Dr. Chris Rasmussen and Dr.
Douglas Breger, and two physical therapists. It is a family owned and run business. Sherry Rasmussen is the office
manager and is in charge of all of the business decisions including advertising. Sherry also runs the insurance depart-
ment along with Jackie Bryant and Jesse Rasmussen. Currently two doctors see an average of approximately 250-
300 patients a week respectively. This average is declined from past years where the average was about 350-375 pa-
tients per week.
An analysis of the years 2005-2010 shows that they have seen a total of 2,943 patients from the region of
southern Indiana and the greater Louisville area. Among those 2,943 patients, approximately 55% of them are fe-
male. Most of the patients of Rasmussen Chiropractic in the last five years have either been between the ages of 25-
44 and 45-64, with both age ranges accounting for 33% of the patient volume respectively. Geographically approxi-
mately 35% of the patients come from New Albany which is the largest percentage from one geographic location.
The second largest is Jeffersonville, Indiana which comprises approximately 11% of the total patient population. On-
ly about 5.5% of the total patients seen came from Kentucky.
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CLIENT PROFILE
According to the 2010-2011 snapshot, people ages 25-44 and 45-64 make up approximately 26.3% and 26%
respectively of Clark County. The Median Household income of Clark County in 2008 was $48,572. The cities of
Borden, Charlestown, Clarksville, Jeffersonville, Sellersburg, and Utica all reside in Clark County. Those cities rep-
resent 1.9%, 3.6%, 5%, 11%, 6%, and 0% respectively of the total patients seen over the last five years. In Floyd
County, the age statistics are the same with median Household income in 2008 being $50,678. The cities of
Georgetown, Greenville, and New Albany reside in Floyd County. Each of these cities providing four percent, 1.7
percent, and 35 percent of the patients respectively for Rasmussen Chiropractic in the last five years. The client Ras-
mussen Chiropractic LLC has declined to share sales figures with us at this time.
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CLIENT PROFILE
Sales Data
Location Sales
Volume Range
Location Sales
Volume Actual
$1-2.5 Million $1,488,000
Positioning
Chiropractors in general have a mixed review from the general pub-
lic. They are either revered as an amazing benefit or as “ambulance
chasers” who reap the benefits for others downfalls. The general Tar-
get Audience tends to hold on to the negative opinion of chiroprac-
tors. By executing ads that show the everyday benefit of chiropractic
care, we hope to reposition Rasmussen Chiropractic as a company
who cares about everyday wellbeing.
Creative Strategy
Most of the previous advertising attempts have several themes in common. The first is the use of testimonials. Over the
years, Rasmussen Chiropractic has collected several compelling testimonies ranging from children with conditions they
were born with to elderly men and women with chronic conditions. Testimonials are have been a large part of the past
and current advertising for Rasmussen Chiropractic. They have been used in the radio spots and they have recently
filmed them in order to put them on their website. Other common themes in previous advertisements include healthy
lifestyle, pain management, and value.
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CLIENT PROFILE
Currently the advertising budget for Rasmussen Chiropractic is approximately $500 a month. This has fluctuated
over the years but due to the current economic conditions and decreased profits, this is not projected to go up. Currently
most of the advertising has been cut back due to insufficient funds. They have not deferred however, from the same strate-
gies or messages over the last five years. The messages of pain relief and wellness have been a constant in all of their prac-
tices. Currently they are focusing on mostly print media and local sponsorships. They are planning to expand the budget
when they have a better idea of how the year will turn out.
Previous advertising media included newspaper, radio, direct mail, local television, yellow page, and sponsorships.
The previous newspaper endeavors have included paid for ad space in the New Albany Tribune and Courier Journal as
well as articles written about the office in the New Albany Tribune. The radio advertising endeavors have included pur-
chased commercial time with testimonials on Cox radio which includes Lite 106.9, 107.7 SFR, 103.9 WRKA, and New
Country 103.1. In the mid 90‟s Dr. Chris also hosted a radio show on a local AM Christian station. Rasmussen Chiroprac-
tic mails out direct mail pieces three times a year featuring patient appreciation weeks and referral coupons. They are also
included in the Val Paks. Local television and sponsorships have both been a part of endeavors featuring local schools
such as New Albany High School or the Grant Line Girls Softball league. New Albany High School has both a radio and a
television station where Rasmussen Chiropractic has purchased time.
Advertising Expenditures
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CLIENT PROFILE
Advertising Expenses Primary SIC Ad
Size
$20,000 to $50,000 Display Ad
Example of Direct mail Newsletter
Example of yellow page ad
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CLIENT PROFILE
Rasmussen Chiropractic has been an active member of the surrounding community
since it first opened its doors. Dr. Rasmussen has done health screenings at local ele-
mentary and high schools and was once the team doctor for the Clarksville High School Basketball team. He
has also sponsored and helped coach several local softball leagues. The associate doctor, Dr. Breger, is also an
adjunct professor at IUS and participates in all health screenings put on by Rasmussen Chiropractic. Rasmus-
sen Chiropractic is also a member of One Southern Indiana, the small business bureau.
Example of Google ad
Example of Val Pak cou-
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SW
OT
Strengths:
Rasmussen Chiropractic has a good reputation.
RC is family owned.
RC‟s demographic has an interest in wellness.
It will be possible to increase customer retention.
Weaknesses:
Customer retention is low.
People are not aware of the benefits that Rasmussen can offer.
RC has not done very much advertising in the past.
Most people associate chiropractic with injuries due to acci-
dents or aging.
Opportunities:
Most of our target audience is interested in living healthier
lifestyles.
Going to Rasmussen Chiropractic early will save the con-
sumer money in the long run.
RC is open to advertising and generating awareness and are
financially capable of doing so.
Threats:
With the current economic climate and the lack of insurance
available for the chiropractic industry, many may not have
the income.
Many who have been to a chiropractor are indifferent about
their experience or go simply due to an injury.
Competitors offer various unique features that RC does not.
Many view chiropractic care as unnecessary and sometimes
unethical
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COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
Chiropractors have been around since 1895. In whatever town you live there is some form of chiropractic
work. For the New Albany area there are over 70 offices, all with a different angle on how to get your business.
Based on the area code of Rasmussen Chiropractic (47150) we have chosen to focus on the top three of their direct
competitors based on their internet and advertising presence in the community. All four offices are located in Floyd
County, Indiana.
1st Choice Health and Wellness and McAllister Chiropractic offer new and advanced no touch techniques to
try and draw people in. For this reason we feel that they are the biggest competition for Rasmussen Chiropractic.
Our Secondary Competitor is Cornerstone Chiropractic. They‟re foundation and office structure is very similar to
Rasmussen Chiropractic, however their SOV in the target market area is very minimal that we feel that any amount
of advertising we do will overshadow them and make them less of a threat.
McAllister Chiropractic
Cornerstone Chiropractic
1st Choice Health and Wellness
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COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
Compare Advertising Techniques
Rasmussen Chiropractic-
Valpak coupon
Free Initial consultation
Google ad
Webpage
Yellow page ad
McAllister Chiropractic-
Initial consultation free
Linkedin.com
Facebook page
Webpage
1st Choice Health & Wellness-
Yellowpages.com
Linkedin.com
Webpage
Cornerstone Chiropractic-
Webpage
Company Name Location Sales Vol-
ume Range Advertising Expenses Primary SIC Ad Size
Rasmussen Chiroprac-
tic LLC $1-2.5 Million $20,000 to $50,000 Display Ad
Cornerstone Chiroprac-
tic Less Than $500,000 $5,000 to $10,000 Bold
McAllister Chiropractic Less Than $500,000 $5,000 to $10,000 Display Ad
First Choice Health &
Wellness $500,000-1 Million None reported None reported
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COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
PRIMARY COMPETITOR: 1st Choice Health & Wellness
Doctor L. Christopher Nunier, Tim Miller PT,
Dr. Michael Norman
http://www.1stchoicehealthandwellness.com
Company History- This office offers the
benefit of having a Physical Therapist on
staff, allowing patients to receive a full range
of bodily care. The doctors continually study
the newest advances to insure they have the
most u-to-date knowledge to offer their pa-
tients.
New Developments-
Cold laser therapy- helps heal injured tissue without touch-
ing the body. Relieves pain and treats sprains and joints
Detoxification- Detoxification foot bath. Benefits are in-
creased energy, better sleep, reduced allergy symptoms
and clearing skin conditions
Hivamat- Electrostatic Therapy- pulsed electrostatic energy
which causes a „kneading‟ effect on damaged tissue Special offers-
None listed on website
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COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
Company Name Primary
Description
Primary
Year Appeared
Franchise
Description
Location Sales
Volume Range
Location Sales
Volume Actual
First Choice Health &
Wellness
Physicians &
Surgeons 1997 Family Practice $500,000-1 Million $597,000
Company Logo
Sample Ad
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COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
PRIMARY COMPETITOR: McAllister Chiroprac-
tic
Company History- This Company
focuses on wellness to be care
without unnecessary drugs. Dr.
McAllister believes all health
problems have three causes: trau-
ma, stress and pollution. They of-
fer the corrective care needed to
overcome the health problems as-
sociated with these causes.
New Developments-
Weight loss- The average weight loss for people using the 9-day
Cleans and Fat Burning System is seven pounds.
The Pettibon System-
Wobble chair- pumping force produces fluid exchange
between spinal discs
Repetitive cervical traction
Vibration Platform- machine causes muscles to rapidly
contract while changing positions to focus on correct
muscles
Massage Therapy
Physical Therapy
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COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
Special offers- Initial Consultation Free
Company Logo
Sample Ad
Company
Name Description
Primary
Ad Size
Primary Year
Appeared Description Description
Location Sales
Volume Range
Location Sales
Volume Actual
Insurance
Expenses
Legal
Expens-
es
McAllister
Chiropractic
Chiropractors
DC Display Ad 1994
Sports
Medicine &
Injuries
Pain Control Less Than
$500,000 $372,000
$5,000 to
$10,000
$1,000
to
$2,500
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COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
SECONDARY COMPETITOR: Cornerstone Chiropractic
Dr. Douglas Kane
www.mydrkane.com
Company History- “Chiropractic care can
boost your health, increase energy and will
change your life.” Dr. Kane focuses on the ba-
sics and helping patients understand what is go-
ing on with their body from the first visit. His
main goal is to improve his patients quality of
life.
New Developments- none specified
Special offers- None listed on website
Company
Name
Year
Appeared Description Description
Location
Sales Vol-
ume Range
Location
Sales Vol-
ume Actual
Advertising
Expenses
Primary
SIC Ad Size
Cornerstone
Chiropractic 2010
Chiropractors
DC
Chiropractic
Doctor Info
Bureaus
Less Than
$500,000 $372,000
$5,000 to
$10,000 Bold
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CONSUMER ANALYSIS
Psychographic Profile
According to the article “Comparative Analysis of Individuals With and Without Chiropractic Coverage,” back
pain alone stands for more than $100 billion in annual US health care. That makes back pain the second leading
reason for hospital visits. So the market is out there, we are just trying to get them to come to Rasmussen Chiro-
practic LLC. By increasing our brand awareness, this will allow us to bring in more revenue. Consumers need
Rasmussen Chiropractic LLC to help better their lives and their futures by eliminating the aches and pains that
can prevent them from enjoying both their lives, and their futures.
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CONSUMER ANALYSIS
Geographic Profile
We are primarily trying to focus our advertising efforts towards the New Albany, Clarksville, and Jeffersonville
area. Louisville is not one of our main focuses due to the fact that we would be entering into a new competitors
market. Rasmussen Chiropractic LLC takes all types of clients, but due to the expenses, a lot of our consumers
need insurance to visit a chiropractor.
Demographic Profile
We are targeting for the age group of 22 to 55, because According to the article “Comparative Analysis of Indi-
viduals With and Without Chiropractic Coverage,” of the age groups that has coverage, the age group 22 to 55
accounts for 49 percent. Of all the age groups of those without the coverage the age group 22 to 55 accounts for
52 percent. Based on these statistics we see that this age group accounts for a good majority of consumers.
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Communication Objectives
To increase patient retention by two to three visits.
To increase Chiropractic awareness amount the Southern Indiana region
Marketing Objectives
To increase new patients by three percent in the first six months of the campaign
To increase new patients by six percent in the first year
To increase vitamin and supplement sales by five percent
Advertising Objectives
Cognitive: To create awareness of the long lasting benefits of Chiropractic Care
Affective: To reposition the image of chiropractors to being a necessary need for overall wellness
Connotative: To stimulate the target market to visit Rasmussen Chiropractic for an initial consultation
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TARGET MARKET STRATEGY
We are targeting the age group of 22 to 55, because According to the article “Comparative Analysis of In-
dividuals With and Without Chiropractic Coverage,” of the age groups that has coverage, the age group 22 to 55
accounts for 49 percent. Of all the age groups of those without the coverage the age group 22 to 55 accounts for 52
percent.
The three largest sources of new business are referrals, Internet ads and events.
By creating and/or focusing on some of these listed marketing strategies, Rasmussen Chiropractic LLC will see an
increase in patient numbers, because this is ultimately what brings in new business.
• Attractive office bulletin boards
• Hold free events
• Establish a referral system
• Use the mail
• Go online
In addition, the current advertising budget for Rasmussen
Chiropractic is approximately $500 a month. This has fluctuated
over the years but due to the current economic conditions and de-
creased profits, this is not projected to go up. We are primarily
trying to focus our advertising efforts towards the New Albany,
Clarksville, and Jeffersonville area. Louisville is not one of our
main focuses due to the fact that we would be entering into a new
competitors market.
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MEDIA STRATEGY The media strategy that we have planned for Rasmussen Chiropractic is a simple one. We want to use media
that are cost effective, reach our target audience, and if possible, complement each other. The media that we have se-
lected, social media, internet, print, and radio fit all of those criteria. We want to reach at least 70% of our target audi-
ences and the media we have selected do just that. The print ads in the local magazine, Fitness Source, will have a
high circulation in southern Indiana. This is great but we still need to make sure that our messages get heard.
Rasmussen Chiropractic is already an established business but it has a branding problem. We decided to put slight-
ly more emphasis on frequency over reach. This is why used radio in our media mix. It is difficult to find another me-
dium that can deliver the more frequency since many listen in their cars and at work. In order to compliment the radio
spots we have created a Facebook page that we can send people to.
The last medium that we selected was web advertising. This can sometimes be a difficult medium to use. We chose
to affiliate Rasmussen Chiropractic with a reputable news organization for a few reasons. Wave 3 News gave Rasmus-
sen Chiropractic exclusivity among Chiropractors on their local pages so any messages that we send via that ad won‟t
be confused for another chiropractor. Advertising with a reputable news organization also allows Rasmussen Chiro-
practic to associate their brand with WAVE 3.
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CREATIVE STRATEGY
In order to help with the branding process for Rasmussen Chiropractic, we are going to keep the key messages
down to one or two. All of the advertising will have feature the same taglines and logos in order to keep a since of
continuity with the campaign.
Key Messages
Rasmussen Chiropractic will help you live a happy pain free, drug free lifestyle.
Rasmussen Chiropractic is a family owned business that has been serving Southern Indiana for over 20
Rasmussen Chiropractic is a locally based chiropractic office. The Target audience all lives within a reasonable
distance from the office, for that reason we are basing all of our advertising methods within the New Albany ar-
ea. Rasmussen Chiropractic has been around for a while and so we need to focus on the frequency of the adver-
tising instead of the reach.
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MEDIA EXECUTION
NEWSPAPER ARTICLE
Rasmussen Chiropractic is within the New Albany Tribune circulation so we
know that this newspaper will hit our target audience the strongest. We want to do a
feature article on the chiropractic office to help put the office in a very friendly wel-
coming perspective.
The upsetting part about newspaper advertising is that the paper itself has a one day lifespan and once
people put it down it‟s hard to keep what they saw in their minds. It also takes a little bit of effort and a catchy
title to break through the clutter and get the reader to narrow in on our article. Fortunately, it is a very local pa-
per and the audience cares more about what is printed because it usually pertains to their lives more so than na-
tional newspapers. Also, by using the New Albany Tribune, we will be able to hit our target audience exactly.
As a bonus feature, we will write in the article that anyone who brings in the article will receive a free initial
consultation.
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MEDIA EXECUTION
Newspaper article:
Rasmussen Chiropractic is a family owned and operated business. Dr. Rasmussen has been in practice for over 20 years, most of
which have been in the Southern Indiana area. Originally in practice in Jeffersonville, IN, Dr. Rasmussen opened Plus Care Chiropractic
along with Dr. Mark Allen. In 1991 Dr. Rasmussen opened a satellite office in New Albany and allowed Dr. Mark Allen to run the prac-
tice in Jeffersonville. After much consideration, Dr. Rasmussen sold the Jeffersonville practice to Dr. Allen and renamed his practice; Ras-
mussen Chiropractic. He has been located at 2652 Charlestown Rd since he first moved here in 1991.
Rasmussen Chiropractic is run by Dr. Rasmussen and his wife Sherry. They have four children and all four have worked in the
practice. Rasmussen Chiropractic is a member of the One Southern Indiana small business association and is a member in good standing
of the Better Business Bureau. Dr. Rasmussen has sponsored many local events such as New Albany High School Theatre programs,
WNAS high school radio, New Albany Floyd County little league baseball teams, and more.
Even with all of this history in New Albany they still have a brand identity problem. While people may recognize the location and
recognize that a Chiropractic office is there, they do not immediately associate it with Rasmussen Chiropractic. This has been an ongoing
problem for years but has finally come to a head with recent economic problems and declining patent problems. Rasmussen Chiropractic
has asked our agency to help establish a Rasmussen Chiropractic brand, increase new patients, and to help establish initiatives that would
increase overall patient retention.
NEWSPAPER ARTICLE EXECUTION
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MEDIA EXECUTION RADIO COMMERCIAL
In order to reach people with an appropriate frequency we have decided that radio is an appropriate medium. The problem
with radio is that it is not the most cost effective way to reach our target audiences due to the large coverage area that the local sta-
tions have. In order to make this more cost effective we have allied ourselves with three other small Chiropractors in the kentuck-
iana area to create a “Chiropractic Spotlight” radio ad. This 60 second ad will feature one important fact about Chiropractic medi-
cine for the first 30 seconds and then the last 30 seconds will highlight one of the four Chiropractors. (See budget section for cost)
The three chosen Chiropractic practices were chosen either because of a previous relationship between the doctors or
because they are located outside of our target area so as not to directly compete with us. No chiropractors were selected from New
Albany due to the close proximity and high likelihood for confusion in the ads. All three doctors have worked with either Dr. Ras-
mussen or Dr. Breger. The three selected were Plus Care Chiropractic, Scott County Chiropractic, and Highland Chiropractic.
The radio ad will air on WXMA and WLRS. Both stations have a target audience of women 25-54. On WXMA 15 spots
will air per week and on WLRS a total of 8. The spots on WXMA will have 2.0 frequencies, a Net Reach of 17,200, 13.9 GRP‟s
and a CPP of $64.75 which is divided by the four Chiropractic offices. The spots on WLRS will have a frequency of 1.6 and a
New Reach of 1,700, with 1.2 in GRP‟s and a CPP of $83.33 which will again be divided by the four Chiropractic offices. The
total Net Reach is 18,700 with the total GRP‟s at 15.1 and a final CPP of $66.23 divided by the four Chiropractors.
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MEDIA EXECUTION
HARVEST HOMECOMING BOOTH
A booth at a huge local event is an excellent way of getting the company‟s name to more people. We will
be definitely increasing our reach through this effort. At the booth we will offer scoliosis screenings with infor-
mation on how the office can help correct this condition. There will be opportunities for those passing by to stop
and talk with a doctor about any questions they may have about a certain condition they have or general questions
about chiropractic methods. There will be brochures that potential consumers will be able to take with them.
We will want to make sure they have to an opportunity to make an appointment to come in right there at
the booth. This way we are able to reduce the gap between stopping at the booth and when they actually call to
make an appointment. We will also want to make sure there is some sort of game to attract more people to the
booth, such as parents with children.
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MEDIA EXECUTION
WAVE 3 WEBSITE
In order to drive traffic the Rasmussen Chiropractic website, we have decided to advertise with WAVE 3
news. Their website features national and local news portals. They have the news portals broken down by county.
Rasmussen Chiropractic will be one of 7 local businesses and the only Chiropractor to advertise on the Floyd
county news page. This will be featured for 1 calendar year. It will link directly to both the Rasmussen Chiroprac-
tic website and their Facebook page. In addition to this they are creating a video for the office which will allow the
doctors and staff to talk about what makes Rasmussen Chiropractic different and some of the benefits of Chiro-
practic medicine. This video will be shot by professional videographers and professionally edited. The resulting
video will be featured on the WAVE 3 website, Rasmussen Chiropractic website and Facebook page, as well as be
posted to YouTube.
This allows us to reach members of Floyd County interested in local news. It will also allow us to poten-
tially reach those outside of our geographic target area who are interested in Floyd County issues such as those
with family in Floyd County or who work there. WAVE 3 will also allow Rasmussen Chiropractic access to the
website so they can change the ad at anytime on their own. See budget section for cost.
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MEDIA EXECUTION
FITNESSSOURCE MAGAZINE
FitnessSource Magazine is a monthly publication that circulates around Southern Indiana. It is dedicated to
help those interested improve their level of fitness and wellbeing. They focus on Nutrition, Fitness, and health. This
magazine will reach potential customers with a median household income of more than $76,000 annually. The gen-
eral demographic of readers are those who are engaged in their communities, educated, and have an understanding
of the importance of healthy living. They are seeking better health and are able to pay for it.
There are different pricing for different size ads, but this is what we feel
will be the most cost efficient and bring in the most customers. The pricing
for a half page advertisement in FitnessSource is as follows:
1x = $495.00/mo. 6x = $425.00/mo. 12x = $370.00/mo.
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MEDIA EXECUTION
VIDEO BULLETIN BOARD
There is a small period of time between when the patient enters into the office and when they go back to
visit with the doctor. During this time they sit in the waiting room which is a perfect place to put a video bulle-
tin board. This bulletin board can have reminders about events to look forward to, reminder about referral re-
wards, Testimonials from various patients and patient appreciation spotlights.
We would love to also put messages from the staff as well as healthy living tips. We can also offer pa-
tients the opportunity to advertise their own business on the video bulletin board. The biggest benefit of this
method is consumer involvement. They are able to feel more familiar with the office staff and have a more per-
sonal experience. These are what help keep patients
around longer.
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BUDGET
Rasmussen Chiropractic Advertising Budget 2012
January
Media Length of time Cost
Radio 2 weeks $2000 / 4 = $500
WAVE 3 Website 1 month $199
Fitness Source Mag. 1 month $370
February
Media Length of time Cost
Radio 2 weeks $2000 / 4 = $500
WAVE 3 Website 1 month $199
Fitness Source Mag. 1 month $370
March
Media Length of time Cost
Radio 2 weeks $2000 / 4 = $500
WAVE 3 Website 1 month $199
Fitness Source Mag. 1 month $370
April
Media Length of time Cost
Radio 2 weeks $2000 / 4 = $500
WAVE 3 Website 1 month $199
Fitness Source Mag. 1 month $370
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BUDGET
Rasmussen Chiropractic Advertising Budget 2012
May
Media Length of time Cost
Radio 2 weeks $2000 / 4 = $500
WAVE 3 Website 1 month $199
Fitness Source Mag. 1 month $370
June
Media Length of time Cost
Radio 2 weeks $2000 / 4 = $500
WAVE 3 Website 1 month $199
Fitness Source Mag. 1 month $370
July
Media Length of time Cost
Radio 2 weeks $2000 / 4 = $500
WAVE 3 Website 1 month $199
Fitness Source Mag. 1 month $370
August
Media Length of time Cost
Radio 2 weeks $2000 / 4 = $500
WAVE 3 Website 1 month $199
Fitness Source Mag. 1 month $370
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BUDGET
Rasmussen Chiropractic Advertising Budget 2012
September
Media Length of time Cost
Radio 2 weeks $2000 / 4 = $500
WAVE 3 Website 1 month $199
Fitness Source Mag. 1 month $370
October
Media Length of time Cost
Radio 2 weeks $2000 / 4 = $500
WAVE 3 Website 1 month $199
Fitness Source Mag. 1 month $370
Harvest Homecoming 4 days $300
November
Media Length of time Cost
Radio 2 weeks $2000 / 4 = $500
WAVE 3 Website 1 month $199
Fitness Source Mag. 1 month $370
December
Media Length of time Cost
Radio 2 weeks $2000 / 4 = $500
WAVE 3 Website 1 month $199
Fitness Source Mag. 1 month $370
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TIMELINE
MONTHLY BREAK DOWN OF TIMELINE
Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Radio Ad Wave 3 website FitnessSource Magazine Harvest Homecoming Newspaper Article
As you can see, we are proposing a continuous advertising technique. The month-by-month breakdown
can be found in the following pages. Basically, the radio commercial will run every other week, week
days only. The wave 3 website can be continually accessed by potential consumers. The fitness source
magazine comes out with a new magazine every month, and we will be running the ad for 12 months.
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We want to insure that the money being budgeted for advertising by Rasmussen Chiropractic is not going to waste. To
do this we have suggested various forms of evaluation to measure the campaign as a whole as well as the individual
advertisements by themselves. This will help us avoid costly mistakes and determine if our objectives are being
Presenting Finished Ad: We want to know what the current patients think about the campaign before it ever gets
well underway. What we will do is make up an ad for the FitnessSource magazine and leave it in the waiting room.
The receptionist will ask the patient if they wouldn‟t mind taking a second and writing down what they think about
the ad and placing it in a box right next to it, that way their responses are anonymous and they can feel free to speak
Measure Advertising Pull: For the duration of the campaign we would recommend that there be a spot on the new pa-
tient forms to indicate what brought them into the office. It will be very important for the receptionist to log the pa-
tient‟s reason into a database to keep accurate track of what is bringing them in. This should also be done when people
bring in the free consultation coupon and where they got the coupon. Overall, the biggest indicator of our campaigns
success is by measuring how many new clients have come to the office.
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There has been much time, effort, and consideration into creating a creative campaign
that will put Rasmussen Chiropractic in the minds and future business plans of many
current patients, potential patients, and community groups.
Through primary and secondary research, we have narrowed a target audience that will
best suit this campaign. We believe that our goals to heighten awareness, increase busi-
ness and client base, and strengthen the image of Rasmussen Chiropractic will be easily
met through the many strategies and tactics that will be executed throughout the year.