How many people do you think need to know who you are and what you do before you have a full cash-pay practice?
10? 50? 2,000?
I remember when I was single. I did the “serial monogamy” method of finding a husband. It goes like this.
Go on a first date with someone. Date only that person for 2 years. Break up. Repeat.
Well, in 10 years, I dated a total of 5 people using this strategy.
But I wanted to get married.
So I started going on a lot of first dates. I would date each person for 3 to 5 times in order to get to know him.
If I like what I found, I kept dating. If not, I moved on. One week I had 5 first dates and 3 second dates! For an introvert, that was amazing!
Then I met Bob, fell in love, and we’ve been happily married for 8 years.
How does this relate to marketing?
How long would it have taken to find Bob, if I continued to date only one person every two years?
We need to be in front of a lot of prospects in order for some of them to refer to us or hire us as their therapist.
We need to go on a lot of first dates because not everyone will be a good match with us. For example, we need to do speaking, networking or building strategic alliances with different people in order for some of them to want to work with us.
Further, we need to keep in touch with those prospects on a regular basis via a newsletter or presentation in order to stay in their mind. We need to have regular contact with our referral sources, too, asking, “How can I serve you?”
Here Are Some Suggestions:
1) As you become known in your community for a specialty, you will interact with potential clients and referral sources on a regular basis. In marketing, this is called “Filling your Pipeline.” If you want water to flow into your house, you must have water in the pipeline. If you want clients, you need to keep the pump primed, with prospects and referral sources in your pipeline. This means having a focused, structured marketing plan that you implement each week or month to make sure
you are meeting these contacts.
2) Keep in touch with those prospects and referral sources on a regular basis so that they remember you. Do this with items of value.
Marketing is so much like dating. You can go out on a 1,000 first dates and never have a second date with any of them.
Or you can “get married on the first date” and stay with someone for a very long time without letting others know whom you are and what you have to offer.
Neither of those are great options if you want to be happily married.
And it is exactly the same with building your practice.
Get to know a lot of people in a structured, focused way. Keep in touch with people who are interested in what you do in a way that is of value to them. You can do this even if you are an introvert if you have a good plan and some motivation.
And answer your phone – it is ringing!
If you are wondering how to become better known in your community and discover strategies for staying in touch with referral sources and prospects, you may want to consider the Build Your Full and Rewarding Private Practice Self Study Course. If you haven’t ordered yours yet, Bob’s sale is still going on. You can get a $50 discount on it through July 31st. You can read more here.
I am curious … what do you think of the metaphor of marketing and dating? And what do you plan to do to get better known in your community? Please share your comments here.
FREE Marketing Seminar
Each month we offer a free teleseminar on “How To Attract More Cash Paying Clients – an introduction to the Exclusive Members Program.” You can register at:
http://www.beawealthytherapist.com/freeclass.html
Happy Practice Building!
Warmly,
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Dear Casey,
I do agree with your metaphor however intimidating building a private practice feels now it is nothing compared to the sheer terror I experienced when dating. After 350 dates I met 351 and that was it. I went out with anybody who asked me and even asked out a few men myself. I think the same approach must work in private practice. So what am I doing? First, scanning the newspapers for opportunities to do a presentation I have written. Secondly, seeking out possible referral sources in my community of Los Angeles and letting them know I am in business. And most of all — following the conference — I am doing a lot of soul searching about my area of specialization and how to best market my skills and stand out from other therapists.
Good metaphor. Luckily for me I’ve been married for a while and haven’t had to date! Getting those (or not getting them)second dates always stressed me out. The same with my follow up to my marketing prospects. How do you call again when you didn’t get a referal or response the first time?
Wow, the dating metaphor sounds very apt. When I was single, I did similar to you and dated one man for a year and another for eight months, not letting go even though they were not IT. Then I got really despondent for a while and gave up on myself (I’m in that stage with my marketing now) Then I had a whole bunch of flings what I knew were not going to work out. Then I did some real work on myself and decided not to settle anymore and viola’ I found my soul mate and got married 11 months later! I guess I need to do some work on myself to see what is hanging me up so bad. Can my practice be as amazing as my marriage?! Wow, what a great idea! I say Yes!
Thanks for your wonderful newsletters, they help so much!
All the best, Karen
Hi Casey,
I am a hospice social worker and wish to market my “special type of counseling” , specializing in grief and bereavement.
After hearing your tapes, I took action and am planning to rent an office every Saturday. The office has space for 10-12 clients so I can can run grief classes, groups as well as conduct MSW group supervision sessions!
The office is walking distance from a major medical center. I plan to market myself by getting on the hospital provider list. I will market to palliative care team members and MD’s. I am planning on developing specialized grief groups/classes and offering individual therapy.
Any suggestions on going about the this plan?
Thanks,
Joji