I’ve been going to the same hairstylist for about 15 years.

Shout out to Laura at Arla J!

Laura is terrific. I have really thick hair that stands straight out from my head, so I need someone like Laura who knows how to turn this mop into something presentable.

But the thing is that plenty of hair professionals in my area could do the job. She’s far from the only person who could figure out how to style my hair well. I live just outside of Chicago. There are a ton of talented stylists around here who could do the job just as well as Laura.

And that raises an important question: Why have I been going to the same person for 15 years when there are so many other stylists around here? I mean, that’s a lot of haircuts!

The reason is that she’s her authentic self. Every time I see her, I know that she’s being real. She’s never going to slip me some bs in some vain attempt to make me a happier client.

Yeah, I know. The whole “authenticity” bit might seem a little cliched. But I’m not joking around here. Give me a few minutes to explain why this matters and how you can use authenticity to help your chiropractic business thrive.

Today’s Consumers Crave Authenticity

There’s a lot of “forced cheer” in today’s world. You walk into a Starbucks, and everyone working there has these forced smiles on their faces.

I get it to some extent. Corporations want to create these happy places where people want to spend time… and spend their money. There’s nothing wrong with either of those things. They’re why companies exist.

But I can spot the difference between a real smile and a fake one. It isn’t hard to do. It’s pretty obvious when your barista has had a rough morning, and the manager is making them pretend that life is all rainbows and lollipops.

I guess it works fine for a coffee shop. As real professionals, though, we’re dealing with clients, not customers. Whether you’re a stylist like Laura or a chiropractor like me, you’re building long-term relationships with human beings. If you’re trying to satisfy individual customers who might not ever come back to your practice… well, you’ve got a long, hard road ahead of you.

When you’re building those real relationships, you can’t fake your way through it. If you’re not authentic to who you are, people will sniff it out fast.

Do you want to spend an hour with someone you don’t trust? Someone who seems like a fake person?

I certainly don’t. Yuck. There are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of professionals in the area who do their jobs just as well as you. And they manage to give their clients amazing services while keeping it real.

Now, that’s the person I want to give my business to. That’s the kind of person I look forward to seeing. I’m not just getting my hair cut. I’m seeing a person I have a — listen up because this is critical — authentic relationship with.

I crave it, and I know I’m not alone because I talk to people every day who agree with me.

What Does Authenticity Mean, Though?

OK, so here’s where it gets tricky for some professionals. What does it even mean to be “authentic”?

It’s pretty clear to me that authenticity means you remain true to yourself even during the workday. OK, so that doesn’t mean you’re going to be the same person at your practice as you are at home or with your friends. We all have slightly different versions of ourselves that come out depending on the situation. That doesn’t mean you bury your personality when you work with clients.

When I talked with Laura recently, she gave me some great examples of how she’s authentic with a diverse range of clients.

For instance, some people sit in her chair, and they just want to talk and talk. She’s fine with that. It gives her a chance to focus on the job and let them express themselves. Everyone leaves happy.

She also has clients who want her to carry the conversation. And that’s fine, too, because she knows these people. She knows what interests they share, so it’s pretty easy to carry on a conversation.

You know what else she does? She sets boundaries. Because that’s how people build and maintain long-term relationships.

We’ve known each other for over a decade, but that doesn’t mean I get special treatment. If I call and ask her to squeeze me in for a last-minute appointment, the answer is “no.” Oh well. I have to wait a couple of weeks to get my hair cut. I’m fine with that because I trust her as a professional, and I value her as a person.

That’s the kind of relationship you can have with your clients.

Let’s Bring Authenticity to Your Chiropractic Practice

Let me tell you something you’d probably never guess: I’m an introvert. No, it’s true. I really am.

And, as an introvert, it took me a long time to learn how I could be my authentic self with clients. I totally understand why the idea of being real with clients can seem intimidating.

But the thing is that your personality isn’t an excuse. You just need guidance and practice.

That’s why CloseForChiro is here. We’re going to coach you to close more sales without doing a silly song and dance for your clients.

Let’s get started.