If you treat patients for psychoemotional difficulties (and who among us does not), then you could create a lovely December marketing event or two around the issue of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

Especially since clinic revenues often fall off a bit the second half of December, why not create a few marketing items around this common problem. You could and or all of the following:

1. If you do a monthly e-newsletter, write something short about what acupuncture can do for psychoemotional conditions to include in your newsletter. If you don’t do a newsletter, this could at least be a “Special December offer” on your home page.
2. Create a blog on what acupuncture can do for depression (if you cannot find any research on this subject, there are over a dozen articles at the Blue Poppy TCMInfoline on this subject. If you don’t know how to access the Infoline, call our customer service folks at 800-487-9296 and they will walk you through signing up for access to this ginormous database of articles.)
   1. In the blog, offer a free consult for people who believe they are suffering from SAD, or
   2. a discount on a package of 4-5-6 treatments within a specific period of time to treat folks suffering from this condition.
3. Offer a free lecture on this subject through the local library, Chamber of Commerce, YMCA, of your own clinic if you have a large enough patient following. At the event, hand out “Did You Know” cards or flyers with bullet points about what acupuncture can do for people experiencing depression or anxiety. These should also have your phone, website, email contact info, etc.
4. Contact all the local “support groups” for various types of emotional health conditions (our city has a local depression support group that meets monthly). Offer to do a talk at their next meeting.
5. Offer a 10% off special on “all herbal formulas promoting psychoemotional health”….which could, of course, be almost any formula. But that said, it may encourage patients to seek care for these conditions.
6. On a more generic note, put out a sign in your reception area with a list of all the National Monthly Commemorations (November = COPD Awareness; January = Glaucoma Prevention Month; February = Heart Health Month; May = High Blood Pressure; March = Colorectal Cancer Awareness, etc.) You can find all these online. Offer to do a lecture to your patients’ groups or associations on what Chinese medicine can do for any of these conditions.

Treating psychoemotional pain and discomfort is an important service that acupuncture is very good at. This commemoration offers us a “hook” to tell the world about the power of our medicine. Hope you get an idea or two to help you maintain a full practice in December (or any other slow month!).  Best wishes, happy holidays, and thanks for reading.

Want more resources? Since most books at Blue Poppy are HALF PRICE during December, now is a good time to order Chinese Medical Psychiatry by Dr. James Lake and Bob Flaws (you really cannot do without this one if you regularly treat patients presenting psychoemotional disease), and Rosa Schnyer's book for patients and their families. Curing Depression Naturally with Chinese Medicine