What do KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), Big-O Tires and Godiva chocolates have in common?All of them market a specialty product. They have built a recognizable brand name. For example, if you were looking for fried chicken, you probably would go to KFC before trying to get it at your local Chinese take-out place.
Yet all of these companies offer other products. At Big-O Tires, you can get an oil change. Godiva offers biscuits and coffee beside their magnificent chocolates. Along with chicken, you can get corn, beans and mashed potatoes at KFC.
These companies understand that becoming known for a specialty will increase income.
In this issue, I have excerpted a short section from our Build Your Therapy Practice Self Study Course where we address specializing – what it is and what it is not. If you like the article and want more, consider ordering the full program: The 130-page manual, 12 audio CDs and the free consultation to personalize the program for you.
We have added an installment payment plan for Self Study Course. You can get the workbook, CDs and the consultation all for four monthly payments of $97. You can get more information at: http://www.attractmoreclientsnow.com
This weekend my husband Bob and I will be in Austin, Texas at the AAMFT conference. We are looking forward to spending 4 days meeting therapists from around the country, sightseeing and eating a lot BBQ and Mexican food. If you are at the conference, stop by and say “hi.” I will be speaking Sunday morning.
Here is the article. Hope you enjoy it!
STRATEGY 4: PLEASE SPECIALIZE. (GO DEEP WITHIN THE MAGIC OF A NICHE.)
One time I was at a networking meeting for therapists. During the introductions, one the therapists stood up and said “I have to admit I kind of have a specialty now. But I am really embarrassed to admit that. Somehow the specialty has found me. And that is doing sex therapy.”
He looked down sheepishly as he said it. Several ladies stood around him and shook their heads as if to say “Oh, poor you. I am sorry you have to be pigeon-holed as a specialist.”
Somehow being a generalist got a better reputation.
I was thinking, “I know so many women therapists who would like to know a good male sex therapist to refer to. I know one in my hometown, but this was a man who practiced in a different city and I would love to know more male sex therapists that I could refer to.”
It made me sad to see him apologizing for his desire, skill and ability to help people with a certain type of pain. I believe he easily could have filled his practice by proudly talking about how he loved doing sex therapy. He could have changed any identifying information and told of a wonderful success story. I imagine many therapists in that room had couples they could have referred to him. But no one wanted to because he seemed unhappy about his specialty.
Pick a specialty for marketing purposes.
I want to go on the record here as saying that I am encouraging you to pick a specialty for marketing purposes. This means picking a population you enjoy or a problem you like helping to resolve. And then telling your community about it.
It absolutely does not mean excluding or limiting your practice. You can see whomever you wish. My belief is that when you pick a specialty to market, your practice fills better, you feel better and you have more consistent referrals over time.
What Specializing IS.
Specializing is about choosing a population of people you enjoy and crafting your marketing to appeal to them so that you can enjoy more of them in your caseload.
Specializing is about identifying a particular pain that you’d like to help people reduce and letting our community know that you do.
What specializing IS NOT.
Specializing is not excluding clients because you only see certain types of people or problems. With every intake call, you decide if you want to see that person. You get to choose.
Specializing is not about only seeing one type of person or problem.
Marketing a specialty also creates a “halo effect.” People see you as an expert in one thing and assume that will generalize to other areas. Enjoy the halo effect!
Happy practice building!
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Casey,
I love the KFC etc. example of specializing. It really helps clarify what this is about.
On a side note, I was hoping to drive over to Austin to say hello, but it looks like my schedule won’t allow it.
Have fun, I really like Z-Tejas for interesting mexican food.
Cynthia
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http://www.cynthiamckenna.com
http://www.counseling.typepad.com