In this episode of the Practice of Therapy Podcast, Gordon has a conversation with Allison Puryear, LCSW about marketing your private practice. Knowing how to market a private practice as a counselor, therapist, social worker or psychologist is essential in growing and building a successful practice. Gordon and Allison discuss some of the mindset changes we need when it comes to marketing. Marketing really comes down to building relationships through both networking and your online presence.
Meet Allison
Allison Puryear, LCSW
Allison Puryear, LCSW is the person behind Abundance Practice Building (abundancepracticebuilding.com and abunDanceparty.com) and is private practice coach and consultant. She also is in private practice in Asheville, NC. She consults with counselors wanting to start or optimize private practices. Having had successful practices in 3 states, with pauses for 2 maternity leaves, she has private practice building experience in spades and loves to share what works.
Marketing does not need to be “salesy”. As was mentioned, marketing your private practice comes down to building relationships and connecting with potential clients and referral sources.
Allison was able to build all 3 of her private practice start-ups by networking with people in her private practice niche. She set a goal for herself to connect with 90 people in 90 days. It meant simply having coffee, sending emails, and developing relationships with people in her practice niche space (eating disorders)
Identifying a niche is key to being able to develop a good marketing plan. When you can identify your ideal client and communicate how you will be able to help them, is the best way to writing your marketing copy. As Allison said, “When you can describe people’s pain better than they can, they know that you get it”.
Marketing Plans
It is important to set some marketing goals. First be clear on your niche and your ideal client. It is much more effective to be specialized rather than try to “cast a broad net”. People will seek you out based on their individual problems and concerns, not because they just decide, “I need a counselor”.
The best marketing plans for private practices make up 2 “must haves”:
- One is having a consistent way to connect with people. Make a list of people (physicians, clergy, other therapists, etc.) to reach out to. Then start connecting either face to face or online.
- Have a solid website in place. It is what you will use to point people to and how people will find you.
“…telling people about it is marketing… There is an ideal client out there for you. And you are their ideal therapist. If they can not find you, they may be suffering longer than they need to…” Allison Puryear
Resources Mentioned:
“Brew Your Practice” Event- October 19th & 20th in Asheville, NC
An event to help you develop a marketing plan for your practice along with looking at “money mindset” and counselor’s struggles with money issues.
Apply @ brewyourpractice.com
Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT
Gordon is the person behind The Practice of Therapy Podcast & Blog. He is also President and Founder of Kingsport Counseling Associates, PLLC. He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer and writer. PLEASE Subscribe to The Practice of Therapy Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher and Google Play. Follow us on Twitter @therapistlearn and Pinterest “Like” us on Facebook.