Nell Smircina, MBA, DAOM, LAc, Dipl. OM
Ever been asked, "Why did you decide to become an acupuncturist?" or how about "What made you decide to open a private practice?" Do you find yourself telling convoluted versions of the same story, without knowing how long this answer should really last? Or perhaps you're super comfortable answering when patients ask, but less so when you're meeting someone new. Maybe you've been at a chamber of commerce meeting and been told you have a tight 30 seconds to introduce yourself and talk about your practice. It can definitely feel like pressure to fit a lot into a little bit of time.
In my last article [June], I discussed how to start your introduction in one to two sentences, but now let's build on that. Once you introduce yourself, what do you do when someone wants to know more? What do you do when they ask why you got into this field or when you're given a set amount of time to tell your story?
Well, that's where one of these two templates comes in: your personal story or industry story. The goal, just like your introduction, is to articulate value while explaining the story behind why you do what you do. You'll recognize the format of storytelling below – it's used all the time, and with good reason: it works!
Your Personal Story
Here's the basic format to your personal story: conflict, resolution and what you do now. Let's use the example of "What got you into acupuncture?" as we all have gotten this question from time to time:
Conflict: "I was working in physical therapy and felt limited in my scope of practice, so I was looking into other career options. I was also experiencing chronic pain from gymnastics injuries that were not being helped by conventional medicine."
Solution: "I tried acupuncture and realized not only could I expand my scope to include critical conversations about lifestyle with patients, but it also solved my chronic pain issues. I decided to go to school to study acupuncture."
What I do now: "Now as a licensed acupuncturist, I help patients experiencing chronic pain, so hopefully fewer people will go through what I went through as a patient. I also devote as much time as possible to advocacy for this field so more and more people know about the benefits of holistic care."
Your Industry Story
The industry story is similar to the personal story: conflict, resolution and where you fit in. We can use another example with private practice, since I know we all struggle at times to discuss how our individual practices stand out.
Conflict: "Many patients are having surgeries and feel limited in their recovery options. They may have to wait weeks to months to start physical therapy after surgery, and are often prescribed pain medication, which can cause even more issues."
Resolution: "Acupuncture bridges a critical gap in the recovery process for patients, can help with pain and inflammation (and many other common post-operative issues), and is safe to start right after surgery."
Where your business fits in: "PIQUE Health offers customized plans for your postsurgical needs, with the ability to start treatment (and relief) immediately after surgery."
Practice Pearls
For any storytelling (personal or industry story), be as specific as possible to the audience in front of you. That's why this is a starting template. You can tweak it depending on your audience's needs, pain points and interests. Remember, this is about your audience being able to not only relate to you, but also hear their needs addressed in what you say.
Play with this, create multiple stories depending on your audience, and most importantly, practice and get comfortable with stories of varying lengths.
Next time, we'll strategize how to use this information to reach specific goals, like getting more referrals for your practice. Don't forget to review my June article on your introductions, because we'll be putting it all together next time. Happy storytelling!
