Are you a therapist or coach who wakes up each morning excited about the steps you are taking to build your practice?
Or are you one who loves doing the clinical work and yet has trouble working “on” the business – meaning building the practice with marketing efforts?
Staying motivated as a sole proprietor can be a challenge. How do you do it? I’d love to hear your comments! Please share your thoughts here. (http://buildyourtherapypractice.com/casey/archives/22#comment)
If staying motivated with your marketing efforts is a challenge for you, here are some simple ideas:
1) Create a success journal. Each day, write any effort you made to get the word out about who you serve and what you help them with. As you write down all the tasks you do, it will propel you forward. I also like to write any successful results from my marketing efforts such as “Had 2 intake calls today – one scheduled an appointment.”
2) Choose only marketing activities that you like. If speaking in front of a group gives you the willies, then choose something else. If you are great with one-on-one meetings, then schedule some coffee dates and “join” with the other person just as you might in an intake session. My sister always says “The key to making money is to get the other person to talk about his or herself.”
(Note: Make sure you pick some extroverted activities if you want your practice to fill faster.)
3) Reward yourself for even the smallest of marketing efforts. After a networking meeting, I will go for a walk or read a book or play on the computer for mindless fun for a while. I have even been known to stop on the way home for an Oreo Cookie milkshake!
4) Have a Marketing Workout Partner. It is much easier (well, relatively easier) to go to the gym knowing someone is waiting there for you. By choosing a colleague, friend, family member or coach to help you with your accountability, you will see your results soaring. We all need someone who has our best interest at heart to “call us on our stuff” and support us if we get off-track.
Marketing your practice is no different. I have colleagues I meet with twice a month to discuss my business goals. I am in a coaching group with other coaches who are building fantastic practices. I have my own coach that I meet with three times a month to help me grow my business. Finally, my husband, Bob and I talk several times a week about business goals, successes and marketing strategies.
You don’t have to do this alone. Create a system that works for you!
We are starting our new 6-month, $89/month Practice Building Work Group. We will meet twice a month over the phone. We will cover everything including your ideal client, tag line, and numerous marketing strategies from business cards to websites to Psychology Today listings to creating referral partners and giving community presentations.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Let us show you what works and what doesn’t. Plus you’ll be creating and implementing your marketing plan with support from us all along the way.
If you want to take a peek, you can right here at: http://www.attractmoreclientsnow.com/workgroup.html
We are taking advanced registrations now.
Have a great week and happy practice building!
With love and respect,
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Casey,
Thank you so much for being so faithful in your commitment to sending out these updates. I so appreciate you. I have just signed a lease on my own space in Pasadena rather than subleasing as I have been doing for the last few years. Obviously I am now more motivated than ever to impliment your tools. I hope to start doing seminars on Stress Releif and was recently hired as an adjunct Professor at my Alma Mater, APU. I will be teaching a Masters course on Marriage and Family Therapy and Domestic Violence. And I hope to get a Marketing Workout buddie. Thank you for giving me the courage to step out in faith that the clients Will come and I Can do this!
You are an inspiration!
Warmly,
Arolyn
This is a really tough question that changes. It is always my love for the work and belief that this is a calling. When I struggle for motivation it is my family.
hi casey………..well what keeps me motivated? one thing i do is meet monthly with what i call my consultation group……it is so energizing to meet with like minded people, share paperwork ideas, and do some real in vivo cases. i like hearing other’s suggestions and comments about my work with a client, and vice versa, ic an give others feedback. (now wouldnt it be totally great if we could create something like this in the member discussion forums? obviously some challenges with confidentiality etc,but i am sure you can morph it into an idea!)
i love your idea about a success journal -of course i havent used it myself (YET) -i might use my skills as an art therapist and morph that idea into a success jar or box – collaged or covered with words of success – that way you can reach in at any time and pull out a personal success story – instant reinforcement!
as a recent joinee to the members club, i have been listening to the audio files, and just wanted to add that your style is so pleasing and refreshing. you always thank people and encourage their success, and even though you are the ‘expert’ you never make it sound as if there is a power differential between you and your mentees. of course, then added to that is your never ending treaure trove of advice goodies!
thanks!
good thoughts,
sylma