Thinking Outside the Box

Second semester is in full swing. The holidays are over, so the phone will soon ring again for therapists (if it isn't already happening for you). However, therapist-shopping is at a all-time high, especially as people are more conscious of wanting to get the most for their money. Have you thought about how your marketing style will stand out above the rest? What are you doing to attract clients and keep them coming back to you rather than moving on to the next therapist?

Private practice dynamics can be very creative. You don't have to remain locked into standard ways of advertising, such as yellow pages, giving presentations, etc. It's your business and you want it to be a reflection of who you are as a therapist...and as a person. First and foremost, if you haven't already, identify your ideal client. I know you've heard us mention this time and again, but how can you possibly know what creative route to take, if you aren't sure your ideal client will be there to see it?

Here are some suggestions that may help you stand out from other therapists in your area:

1) If you haven't done so in a while, consider upgrading your website. Adding an audio clip or a video clip of yourself inviting the reader to read more about your style and the site provides an opportunity to the reader to get to know you better than text alone does. The more they connect and feel comfortable with you, the more likely they will secure your services over another therapist.

2) Consider free phone consultations. Again, this allows more one-on-one interaction with a potential client and gives them an opportunity to understand your therapeutic style as well as giving you an opportunity to determine if this is the right client for you.

3) Offer longer sessions. I started doing this recently for my couples' intakes. They are now 75-minutes (and I charge accordingly), which give me an opportunity to slow down and really work on connecting with the couple, rather than feeling like I only have 50-minutes to collect history, assess for crises and build rapport, which left me feeling rushed. The 75-minute session gives me the freedom to hear more of the couples' concerns, really pay attention to their needs and respond with more therapeutic intervention, allowing the couple to feel like we're really working towards resolution of the problem even from the first session.

As you can see, there are many ways to be creative in attracting your ideal client, while maintaining legal and ethical boundaries. There is no rule that we, as clinicians, must adhere to a 50-minute hour or confine ourselves to specific means of advertising. One of the benefits of private practice is you have the ability to do whatever you want with it! Don't let anyone convince you to run your business in a way that doesn't feel practical or do-able for you. Thinking outside of the box allows you to stand out from the crowd, which can lead to more business and more job satisfaction.