Language, Positioning and Cultural Relevance
” In the Zulu language there is no way to say “A man got lost in the jungle” because Zulus do not get lost. Closest translation: He went crazy and is running through the jungle.” Leon Russell
Language is the framework for our perception of the world. To their credit, chiropractors and other “non-traditional” health professionals have decried modern healthcare as being sickcare. Not surprisingly, as boomers are aging many traditional hospitals are repositioning toward “wellness”.
Dentists traditionally sell tooth health, but now are positioning towards mouth and even airway health (creating some consternation in the ENT’s who fix ENT problems but have not repositioned because asthma and allergies have kept them busy. (Today’s irony:Two large studies showed farm children suffer less asthma. The reason: they are exposed to a wider variety of germs. It makes one wonder about modernity’s obsession with cleanliness that began with Semmelweis’ wisdom of delivery room cleanliness, and spread to antiseptic antibacterials in baby shampoo and soap.)
Cultural and individual thinking is shaped by words and language, which is one reason marketing professionals know to describe FEATURES but sell BENEFITS- because people buy the benefit. As a profession, chiropractors are known for spinal manipulation- a good thing, but a feature of treatment. Looking at each side of the transaction:
- Patients are buying a benefit- pain relief, back pain relief, or wellness (and I say wellness knowing some vehemently do not describe the profession’s role with that term- nonetheless, others do and so it is part of the public zeitgest).
- Depending on the practice, DCs sell the adjustment (a feature) or muscle and joint pain relief, non-surgical back health, or removing subluxation as a to wellness (and I say subluxation knowing many academics vehemently denounce that concept, nonetheless, it’s use is part of the profession’s zeitgest).
It’s not surprise that describing a profession in terms of it’s feature (spinal manipulation) and defining it with a negative (no pain-no subluxation) has created problems internally and externally. Which is one of many reasons I promote using language to position a brand identity towards strengthening posture.
- For DCs who unlock joint motion
- For massage and muscle therapists who relieve muscle tightness and restriction
- For trainers and therapists who train motion.
StrongPostureTM is a benefit to those who value moving well. Promoting moving well is path to cultural relevance and cultural authority. And moving well is a benefit people- especially aging boomers- will buy.
Greater Germ Exposure Cuts Asthma Risk, Wall Street Journal, 2/23/ 2011
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