Cath Lab Digest

11. The Law of Failure. One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result. In order to improve, you must try new things and bear in mind that not all of your efforts will pay off. You should treat your marketing program like a stock portfolio. Ride the winners and dump the losers. The Law of Failure says: “Mistakes are to be expected and accepted (and then corrected).”
12. The Law of the Winner. Sociologists once did a large scale survey of octogenarians and identified the top 750 seniors in terms of health and happiness. These were the winners in the game of life. The survey included the question: “If you had to live your life over again, what would you do differently?” The majority of these winners responded with two common answers. They wished they had helped more people. They also did not regret so much what they did but rather what they did not do — the opportunities they had but let slip by.
There are probably a few podiatrists who do not like going to work most days. Maybe they do not like their partners, maybe they are not in their preferred location or maybe they just do not like the type of work they are doing. These folks should make a change because life is way too short to spend it doing something that you do not enjoy.
Many podiatrists love their jobs, are happy at their workplace and consider solving problems of the foot and ankle to be one of their gifts to the world. These lucky people should make sure their marketing strategy is very effective so they can help a large number of people.
The Law of the Winner says: “Help lots of people and live a life with no regrets.”

Dr. McDonald is in private practice in Kannapolis, N.C. He can be reached at familyfootcare@ctc.net.

Editor’s note: For related articles, see “What Web Marketing Can Do For Your Practice” in the November 2004 issue of Podiatry Today or “How-To Insights For Expanding Your Practice” in the December 2003 issue.

Also be sure to visit the archives at www.podiatrytoday.com.

References:

References
1. Ries A, Trout J. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk. Harper Collins Publishing, New York, NY.
2. Ries A, Trout J. Marketing Warfare. Harper Collins Publishing, New York, NY.
3. Ries A, Trout J. Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind. McGraw Hill, New York, NY.
4. Gerber M. The E Myth Revisited. Harper Collins Publishing, New York, NY.