I received the following question from a subscriber-
“With the market and economy being what it is at present my practice is very very slow. My mentor just says it’s the stock market and things are just slow. I’m down to four clients. What to do?? Do you think the market will have a long effect on my practice? I hate to call it quits, but I don’t want to wait and lose money and time.” L.W., LCSW
My response-
I’m so glad you asked this question as I’m sure many private practice professionals can relate. I really appreciate your pro-active choice to reach out and find solutions instead of giving up.
Here are some thoughts and recommendations for you-
1. Our profession thrives in times of trouble.
When people are anxious about what’s happening in their world they are especially good candidates for our services -if- they are convinced we can help them, which requires effective marketing and enrollment skills and strategies.
2. Challenging times separate the Go-Getters from the Dabblers
I’ve weathered many economic downturns here in Silicon Valley, starting long ago with the decline of the defense industry before high tech boosted this area. If times are tough and you’re committed to your profession, you can find a way to serve the folks that need you now more than ever, and your practice can thrive more than ever (see #1 above).
3. If you’re anxious it’s hard to help those around you that are anxious.
This is the Law of Attraction in action. People need you to motivate, inspire, reassure, and help them find solutions. If you mirror their fear they’ll run for the exits.
4. Good times are easy, challenging times test our mettle
Especially our business and marketing strategies. When times are good it’s easy to be mediocre and get by. When the going gets tough is when the weaknesses are revealed.
5. If you’re struggling in your practice, go back to basics.
As a refresher, here are my six basic essentials of a successful practice as I see them that we cover in our Private Practice Marketing Secrets Mentoring Program-
A. Clearly identified niche
B. Market research to identify what your niche wants, needs
C. Packaging your services for your niche
D. Effective marketing strategies to reach your niche and create prospects
E. Leveraging your network, building your referral systems
F. Effective enrollment skills to convert prospects to clients
6. Remember, the most effective ways to market and get clients don’t cost anything!
Don’t spend money unless you’re confident your strategy will return the investment. Focus on the basics first (see #5 above).
7. Enroll, enroll, enroll.
You need to survive before you can thrive. In private practice, survival depends upon your ability to get clients. The shortest distance between where you are now and money in your pocket is getting a new client, not building a fancy website, printing business cards, etc. What can you do NOW to get a new client?
8. Strive to own your niche
You want to be the go-to person for the folks in your niche that need support. Here are my top five things you can do to own your niche-
A. Presentations and seminars (get in front of as many people as possible as the expert who can help them)
B. Groups (expand from 1:1, leverage your time, affordable, easier to market)
C. Media (reach out to print, TV, and radio with information helpful to the folks in your niche)
D. Host a community (birds of a feather flock together, especially when anxious)
E. Packaging/branding your expertise to target the folks in your niche
9. Get the support you need
No-one is successful alone. Your clients need you, and you need support as well. Who is your coach/mentor? Who is your support community? Who has the track record and expertise to help you achieve your goal? Just as your prospective clients will flounder going it alone when they are challenged, so will you.
Archive for the ‘private practice’ Category
Marketing Your Private Practice in Challenging Times
Saturday, August 28th, 2010Starting a Private Practice During Scary Economic Times
Wednesday, July 15th, 2009
Eighteen years ago I started my psychotherapy practice during version one of Bush-onomics. Now I’m shifting into coaching and client attraction mentoring during the tail end (should that be tail spin??) of Bush-onomics version two. My mom always said I like doing things the hard way.
My point is, though, that it can be done. While the fear-based conventional wisdom will be that you should conserve your resources and take whatever steady paycheck you can get, my soul just doesn’t go along with that. My guess is that yours doesn’t, either.
How to Survive Now to Thrive as Quickly as Possible
It comes down to knowing very clearly and specifically who your ideal client is, and what they are most distressed about right now that they will gladly pay you to help them do, eliminate, or solve. What motivates your target client type during fearful economic times?
The days of marketing yourself as a generalist are over. When people are counting every penny and are fearful of letting go of a buck, they seek the expert they believe they can afford. Keyword there is expert. If you aren’t distinguishing yourself in your marketplace as at least a specialist – if not an expert – you aren’t using the energy of the times to build your business.
And make no mistake – coaching is a business. If you are running yours like a hobby, start filling out those applications for unemployment compensation. Unless you win the lottery or are already independently wealthy, no business will survive these economic times if the business owner is simply dabbling.
So, what motivates your target client type during fearful economic times? You must discover that, name it and its consequences, and focus on that in your marketing.
3 Ways to Discover Your Clients’ Motivators
1. Ask everyone you know what they are scared of right now. Make a list of the words they use (this is market research).
2. Model your ideal client on yourself – what freaks you out about your own financial situation? You’re already a specialist in understanding this type of client (assuming you are self-aware).
3. Spend a week paying attention to how your general competitors are marketing to the ideal client you share in common (this is marketing intelligence). Make a list of the emotionally compelling points they make.
Craft Your Message to Fit Your Clients’ Psyche
People make hiring and purchasing decisions based on emotional perception of want, and either logical or fantasy expectations of the results. Know what your clients’ ultimate wants are (such as: to feel safe, to save money, to end conflict in relationship, etc) and highlight those in your marketing message. Present yourself in a way that is unique from your colleagues so that you will stand out in the prospective clients’ view as if in a spotlight.
These strategies will help your start up business survive through these scary times.
Marketing Your Alternative Health Private Practice, Part III
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009These strategies are tried and proven. Remember during the first 100-day period of implementation to only focus on two marketing strategies. After the 100-day period, you may add on extra strategies listed here. Also, before you begin your marketing campaign, you should buy some client database software to keep track of your clients and scheduled appointments.
Free Membership Discount Cards
This is one of best (and least used) marketing strategies available. Clients love to feel a sense of belonging and importance, and a free membership card automatically gives them those two things. But a card is just a card unless there are some benefits to having the card; therefore, the discounts. What do your clients get when they present their membership cards? This is up to you, and depends on the service(s) you offer. First of all, just giving your clients the card for free makes them feel like they’ve already received something for nothing. A hypnotherapist could offer 20% session discounts indefinitely. An aromatherapist could offer 10% discounts on any aroma mixture. The possibilities of the membership discount card are endless. The membership discount card could also be used for discounts on books, CDs, seminars, workshops, etc. If any member of your support system is a business owner of any kind, perhaps you could setup a deal for mutual discounts (i.e. their business membership card or ID works at your practice, and your business membership card works at their practice).
Group Discounts for Seminars
Friends love to tell each other about the great things they have encountered. Assuming your service is a great service, group discounts for seminars will work as a good marketing tool. This tool should be used with your existing client base as referrers. Your existing clients are informed that if they are able to get together a certain number of people, you will give a workshop or seminar for a discounted price or for free. This will be a service to your existing customers, as well as a tool to gain new listeners. This could also be used in churches or other non-profit situations as a great marketing tool. Be sure to have a sign in sheet so you can do thorough follow-up.
Public Access Television or Radio
This tool is a bit harder to prepare for, but can have great results if you have a great service or product. You could produce a show on alternative health or your specific modality as a free service to the community while gaining excellent exposure. In every medium-sized to large city, there is at least one public access television or radio station. Most public access stations offer airtime free of charge as long as a producer (you) has a quality program. Some stations are choosier than others, so contact your local stations for more information on submission guidelines.
“Tupperware” Parties
This idea is similar to the group seminar tool. It is based on the traditional Tupperware party, and differs slightly from group seminars in that the group will be smaller and more familiar with one another. You should inform your existing clients of your willingness to go to their home and give a simple service or product presentation free of charge. Be sure to take sign-up and follow-up materials to get personal information from the attendees. Also, it is a good idea to develop an informational packet of all the services and products you offer. If they enjoy your seminar, they will most likely buy a service or product on offer. In order to be effective, you will need to design this tool to funnel the attendees into your for-fee programs. Be sure to have a sign in sheet so you can do thorough follow-up.
Joint-Venture Fundraisers
This is a wonderful way to advertise yourself while simultaneously giving back to the community. You will need to be very careful with this strategy. You do not want to give off the impression (hopefully, it’s not true) that you are raising money for your favorite charity simply to advertise yourself. In using this tool, you should choose a charity or non-profit which is very meaningful to you, and organize a fundraiser for that organization. Your fundraiser could take many forms: a family fair, a ball, a dinner with entertainment, etc. On all advertisements, the posters should prominently display your name or practice as the organizer of the event. Subtle promotional materials should also be included in any registration packets the attendees receive. It would also be a good idea for you to tie in your modality with the fundraising topic and at some point speak briefly about your modality in some capacity. The possibilities are virtually unlimited with this tool. Be sure to have a sign in sheet so you can do thorough follow-up. This strategy is very time-consuming, so be prepared to do a lot of work!
Referral System
Any private practice can automatically generate new clients using simple referral systems. These should be used with your existing client base, or as part of an affiliate program. Sign-up should be made easy and worthwhile. For example, if a new client signs up for your service from an existing client enrolled in your referral program, you should provide your existing client with a referral fee, usually between 10-20%. After the first session, you should also ask if the new client would like to join the referral system. This has the potential to become a lucrative practice for you and your existing clients.
Coupons and Gift Certificates
A busy practitioner is better than a practitioner charging regular price with no clients. Coupons and gift certificates are two very easy ways to generate business, and rather than wasting time doing and earning nothing, with coupon clients you are at least earning some money and doing something valuable with your time. Coupons and gift certificates can be given out in a variety of ways, either offline or online. You can give them to attendees of your seminars, conferences, workshops, and classes. You can give them in bulk, as gifts for attendees to give to family and friends. You can make them reproducible, so a person can give unlimited numbers of coupons. However, the more limited a coupon, the more value a prospective customer places on your service. Generally, I recommend limiting your coupons to a non-reproducible coupon, and give them out at five or ten at a time. You may not earn your full fee from these tactics, but you will certainly earn good money and stay busy.
Marketing to Businesses
As an alternative health practitioner, you have many products and services people in the business world can use. We specialize in relieving stress, in making more use of our valuable time, in stopping bad habits and introducing better habits, etc. These are services any businessperson can use. If this marketing strategy is done right, clearly showing the benefits company employees can receive from a certain service (it’s usually better to limit your services to one specialized service in the case of marketing to businesses), the CEO or team manager is very likely to either recommend or require their employees partake of your service. This involved networking with People of Influence (i.e. the CEO or team manager). These are people who, if they buy into your service, will automatically spread the word and increase your sales. When marketing to businesses, be sure to offer group discounts and free membership cards.
Free CDs
This is another easy, attention-grabbing strategy, especially if the CD is done professionally. Free CDs can be given out at your private practice, during seminars, in a workshop information packet, and many other times and places. A general rule is not to provide anything on the CD that you would actually charge for. Either present generally useful information about your therapy or some other interesting infor
mation related to your therapy. In other words, you should present the “What” and the “Why” of your therapy, but not the “How.” The CD will be a relatively inexpensive way to advertise your practice, while also acting as bait to draw new customers in.
Free Workshops/Seminars
One of the best ways to help the public and advertise your therapies is to give free workshops or seminars. People love free stuff, and if they feel it’s valuable, they will fall in love with the product and the presenter. Be subtle with advertising, but do advertise. Tie in the information you present during the workshop with the many more things you can offer at your private practice. Many churches and other civic organizations are willing to allow the use of the meeting spaces for free, community-oriented meetings. Design your program to fit this requirement, and include lots of freebies and advertising in the workshop packet. Also, be sure to have a sign in sheet so you can do thorough follow-up.