Your Marketing Plan Checklist
A list of 8 proven methods
One of the best-kept secrets of the new practitioners who have built their practices quickly is “The Plan.” When they think about marketing, these successful therapists do not run for cover nor do they run around in circles. They have a well-conceived and consistently implemented plan designed toward their ideal client and the therapist’s own Marketing Personality Type.
If you are just starting marketing your practice (or if you are wanting to do a more focused job of it,) here are some steps I use. Check them off as you go. I strongly suggest you do the steps in the order listed below. This will save you significant time and frustration later.
1 Create the vision of your practice.
How many hours do you want to work? Which hours? Write out what you want your practice to look like.
2 Determine your ideal client.
Remember, you are picking an ideal client for marketing purposes only. Of course you can see anyone you wish in your practice (and you will attract different types of clients.) But I encourage you to pick a few types of client to market to. It makes the most of your marketing time and pound. Once you know to whom you are marketing, it is easier to talk about what you do in a way that prospects and referral sources “get it” and want you.
3 Translate what you do into words that the ideal client would resonate with and want to pay for.
It is easy to use clinical terms when describing who you help. Don’t label yourself as a social worker or a psychologist. You are a Hypnotherapist who relieves a particular kind of pain. Speak from your ideal client’s point of view and reference their pain. “I am a special kind of hypnotherapist. I help people overcome Phobias. “I help people become non smokers” I work with people who are afraid of going to the dentist.” You want to use the words that the client would use again, words that the ideal client would resonate with and want to pay for.
4 Determine where your client hangs out and who else services them.
Once you have picked a specialty for marketing purposes, you can begin to draft your marketing plan. You will want to be known in the community in places where your ideal client is. You want to develop referral relationships with others who serve them.
5 Review possible marketing activities.
6 Select the marketing activities that work best for your personality, your market, and your community.
7 Determine the tasks that need to be done for those activities.
8 Schedule them on your calendar and work your plan!
Being successful in private practice in these times is rarely the luck of the draw. It is about focusing, planning and having fun all along the way. My thought is that if it isn’t fun, why bother?
Here are 17 different marketing activities.
Consider two or three that might work best for your personality, your market, and your community.
1) Build Referral Partners via Networking with Business Networking Groups
2) Advertise on own car , window posters or magnetic signs
3) Network with Prospects or through friends and family
4) Speaking at groups such as young farmers, breakfast meetings, doctors monthly meetings
5) Online Therapist Locator Service such as www.warks.co.uk Find local site for your area
6) Own Website with good information. No prices as you lose opportunity to sell yourself
7) Local advertising. Free newspapers etc. Beware the bespoke publications!
8) Pay per click advertising (very costly)
9) Online appointment scheduler, make sure it looks busy
10) Audio on the website
11) Assessment/Questions potential clients can answer on themselves on your website
12) New business card, Flyers and posters for salons, pubs etc
13) Tip Sheet (e g a few relaxation or stress control techniques)
14) Write articles for local magazines, offers to do this free are often welcome
15) Google/Yell/Yellow pages (monitor Google through Google analytics
16) Recorded Message for when potential clients call you
17) Direct Mail, walk the streets getting leaflets through doors or pay newspapers to do this
This list of 17 is not meant to overwhelm you. It is meant to show you how many ways you can attract clients.