How To Market Your Counseling Practice to Women

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Did you see the Harley Davidson sign that said “Your wife just called and she said “Yes!”

Someone told me about it and it sure made me giggle.

But you know what? I read recently that women make 85% of all consumer purchases including new homes, new computers, and – get this – healthcare.

And most of us know that often it is the woman who calls for the counseling appointment – not always but often.

What does this mean to you? Your marketing – your website copy, your tag line, or any other marketing you do should be directed at building trust with women. This is true even if you market to their husbands or boyfriends – as you know the women will Google you to see who her mate is seeing.

What do women want to see then in your marketing language? (Please note the items listed below are generalities and do not allow for individual differences. And I know a lot of these traits apply to men as well. If this isn’t true for you – then please follow what is true for you. )

Women often base their opinion first on relationships. How do you build a great relationship with them?

  • Consider writing your web copy or marketing materials from a conversational, storytelling perspective. I don’t mean telling stories about your clients. I mean connecting with those reading your marketing materials as if they were trusted colleagues or people you really like. Let your personality come through.
  • You want your marketing language to evoke a sense of community.This is why it is really important to talk in language that your ideal client would use. Show how you understand – show why the web visitor (aka Prospective Client) is not alone.
  • Use cosmetics in your marketing material.No, I don’t mean eyeliner or lip gloss. But make sure to break up your marketing text with splashes of color or images that tell a story. This will help her connect with you. I see too many websites and marketing materials that have phenomenal text but are filled with a lot of gray or black words. Now please, I am not suggesting you use colored backgrounds or colored fonts. I am suggesting that you break up that gray text with splashes of quick color graphics.
  • Use short sentencesLong sentences may boost credibility in professional journals but in marketing copy, we want snappy, quick, present tense sentences.
  • Show your love for this work without saying how “compassionate” you are.The way you do this is by connecting with her pain with crystal clarity. Then move into your “call to action”: “You aren’t alone. Please call me xxx.xxx.xxxx and let’s see if I can help.”
  • Provide excellent customer service.Women are very loyal. If you do great things for her, she will tell everyone. Same goes if you don’t. So make sure you start your sessions on time and return phone calls the same day. After the first session, consider writing a hand-written note telling her you are looking forward to working with her. Be the best ‘you’ you can be and your practice will be filled with her referrals.

I so adore working with women and it is fun to write marketing language for them as well.

I invite you to take another look at your marketing materials and see them through the eyes of your ideal client. Are they really good? Could they use some tweaking to be more appealing?

Please let us know what you think in the comment section below.

As always, to your success,

Casey

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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

Susan Meindl December 14, 2011 at 6:27 pm

Hey Casey,
I love your “pink spoons.” I’ve been following you ever since your PT days when you offered us (your PT forum colleagues) your “Be a wealthy Therapist ” book.
This tip about marketing to women is a good one!
I have really benefited from your pink spoon advice a year or two ago to be a specialist and advertise to the clients I like most (ideal clients for me), and I have suggested it to colleagues ever since.
Look forward to your webinar tomorrow
Susan

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Gregory Boyce November 20, 2008 at 3:09 pm

Yikes, my whole website will need a makeover; but your idea makes too much sense not to. My practice is 80% female.

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Roger Schwarz November 20, 2008 at 2:10 pm

Casey, your suggestions about marketing to women were worth a full consuling session. Thanks

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