I have been thinking about this for a while. I wonder how much trying to please people really gets in the way of creating the practice we really want. What do you think?

Do you fall into this trap? Perhaps you take on clients because they came from a trusted referral - even though they may not be the best choice of client - because you don’t want to offend the referral source? Just maybe you sometimes work hours you’d rather not and then resent it just a bit? Do you ever reduce your fee when you’d rather not?

I think this weekend I fell into that trap. I presented at a statewide conference of therapists. I had so much fun! We talked about possibilities and the importance of creating your private practice vision. We talked about how the internet will be the number one way you will attract clients in the next decade. We talked about money, intake call scripts, and website text. We had a wonderful mix of students and some clinicians licensed over 20 years.

I so wanted everyone to have a good time and get what they needed. It was very important to me.

Well, you know how sometimes things don’t always go as planned? First, the projector wires went in and out so the Power Point was intermittently lost. I fixed it once and then we had the AV guy fix it but then it went out again. I decided to “let go” of the Power Point and speak from my heart. (Which wasn’t in exactly the same order as the Power Point handouts.)

I was a little rattled by the projector problems. But what was important to me was that people got what they needed from the day. There were so many questions that I skipped lunch to answer questions. Then when we had “biological” breaks in the afternoon, I didn’t leave. I stayed in the room and answered questions. I so wanted the presentation to have meaning - I wanted to make a difference. To that end, I wanted to be as available as I could to the participants.

When 5:15 came and the people left (and before I finally hit the ladies room,) I took a glance at the feedback forms. Almost all were very good. Many had comments about how refreshing my ideas are - when all they were hearing from other therapists was about how they couldn’t make a living in this field. It felt good to read those comments.

But of course there were a couple who weren’t happy with me. One said I said “nothing” for five hours…that I didn’t answer questions fully. It went on for a full page and spoke of how bad everything was - all the things I did wrong.

I would love to say it didn’t bother me. It did. But it was also, what I call, a “gift in dirty paper.” And for that gift, I am very grateful.

It reminded me that I can only be my best when I come from a centered place. I didn’t take good care of myself that day. I tried so hard to make sure people were pleased, that I ended up not caring for myself. I won’t make the mistake again. (And of course if I do, please remind me!!)

So, as I said, I send a big “thank you” to the person who sent in that comment. It will be one that reminds me take better care of myself in the future. And as I do so, I hope to be of more meaningful service to you.

Do you find yourself trying hard to please, knowing that it is impossible to please everyone but trying anyway? Or are you better at taking care of yourself? Please share your thoughts below under comments.

Love and blessings,

Casey

Many people struggle with this and it ends up slowing down their practice building. Don’t let this happen to you.

Spend four days with me and get your online and offline marketing plan completed.

I am so excited to announce our new Four Day Marketing Makeover Intensive Workshop in Orange County, CA on June 18 - 21, 2008.

Let me help you write your website home page text.

Leave with your online locator listings written.

Get my scripts to help you get the fee you want.

Learn how to get your name in the media.

Plus I will personally give you special presentation pointers to help you make your best impression ever.

All this and 30 CEUs for CA MFTs and LCSWs.

This Four Day Marketing Makeover Workshop is not for the faint of heart. We will work hard but when you leave, you will know exactly what to do to get the clients you really want.

Plus once a month for three months after the workshop, I will hold special “stick to it” group teleclasses for the attendees to help keep you on track and help you with any obstacles you might encounter.

Don’t bemoan the economy! Take charge of your practice and your income today.

Join me in Orange County, June 18 - 21, 2008. Tuition is $495 or if you register before May 10th, you can pay in two payments of $277.

Seating is limited so reserve your spot today at:

http://www.BeAWealthyTherapist.com/Workshop/

I recently met a therapist with a thriving practice. Ben lives in a Midwestern city and has
quite a waiting list for his four-year-old practice.

When I asked him about the secrets of his marketing success, he told me that it was difficult for him when he initially was marketing himself as a Marriage and Family Therapist, seeing a garden-variety of clients.

Ben is gay. He began some advertising about assisting teens and families with issues around homosexuality. He marketed to school counselors, physicians, and other therapists. He submitted articles to a local parenting magazine for parents who are wondering if their child might be gay.

Once he became well known for this niche, Ben decided he wanted to be known as more than ‘the gay therapist’ in town.

So he also built a secondary niche around working with children of borderline parents, a very specialized practice area. He found other therapists in town were eager to refer these clients to him.

Soon Ben found himself with a full practice. While he still works with clients who are dealing with depression, job loss, or relationship issues, the majority of his clients come from his two niche areas.

Ben shared one last marketing secret that I have to pass along. “I work hard to do my very best with each client. I know I’m succeeding when I get referrals from my former and current patients. That’s a real compliment for a therapist!”

Have you found your niche yet?

If not, ask yourself these questions:

1.    Which clients am I the most passionate to work with in therapy?

2.    Do I have any special training?

3.    What personal challenges have I faced?

4.    What area of therapy seems easy and effortless for me?

5. What problems do people have that they are most likely to pay a therapist to help them with?

Identifying your niche is one of the most important steps leading to a successful practice. Without a niche, you are a generalist, easy to miss in the crowded market place.

However, when you have a niche, you can make your marketing materials clear and compelling, inform people of the precise type of clients you serve,
and be seen as a specialist.

Here’s a corny pun to help drive the point home:    ‘If you want to get rich, you gotta find a niche!’

Happy practice building!

The current financial downturn in the U.S. has a few therapists wondering.

If you watch the news or read the business section of the newspaper, you can easily scare yourself to death before breakfast.

Yes, there are some financial issues plaguing many Americans. Job loss, the increase in the cost of gasoline and groceries, and the fallout of the housing market are creating financial pressures for many people.

Today’s dollar has to stretch further than a few years ago.

Financial pressures are very stressful. However, who is better at helping people cope with stress than therapists?

You get what you focus on. If you spend time each day fretting over the economy and filled with worry that no one will be able to afford your fee, that’s exactly what will happen.

Instead, get clear on what you want: Clients who value and appreciate you, who are willing to pay for their therapy because they know it is useful and who have a pain that you can help soothe.

Work through your old money stories. You may have some old stories about money left over from childhood. When you think about your money, do you feel the clenching of fear in the pit of your stomach? If so, you have some money shadows waiting to be processed.

What would you say to one of your clients who has fear about money?

Many people are still able to pay for cable television, buy new cars, and take vacations. They can pay for therapy IF they feel it is essential to solving their problem.

Certainly, there are tragic situations where people are destitute and cannot afford the necessities of life, let alone therapy services. Thankfully, there are community agencies with sliding fee scales to serve that population.

Your ideal client is someone with the financial resources to pay for their therapy.

Instead of focusing on all the doom and gloom, decide to focus on what is working well.

Examine your marketing plan. Consider these questions:

1. Where are you finding your ideal clients?
2. Can you speak to more groups to get in front of more ideal prospects?
3. Are you following through on your networking?
4. Have you made any new professional contacts this week?
5. How long has it been since you had lunch with the person who gives you the most referrals to thank him for his support or ask her about her needs?

Do you choose to see the opportunity in today or be paralyzed by fear and old stories?

If you want to earn more money and become a wealthy therapist, this is the ideal time for you to spring into action. Resolve to do more work on your marketing plan and implement your plan with regular action steps.

People are stressed out and worried. What a great time to be a therapist who can help!

Now open for registration! “Jump Starting Your Practice - How to Get Clients Even in a Down Turn Economy”

Worried about the economy? Discover how you can jump-start your practice and start attracting the clients you really want.

With these simple strategies and weekly actions on your part, you can …

* Stop worrying about the economy and get back to the business of your practice

* Build new referral sources so that your phone rings more often

* Reconnect with old referral sources in a way that has them remembering you when they need a referral

* Use the internet to your advantage

* Gain the respect of your peers who are bemoaning the recession

Class size is limited so sign up now at www.beawealthytherapist.com/jumpstart.html.

Great News! Our information-packed Be A Wealthy Therapist Implementation Kit is now available in Digital Form!

The How To Build A Full and Rewarding Private Practice! Digital Version is a 130-page workbook download and 12 audio mp3 recordings that are jammed packed full of tips, strategies and a detailed action plan guaranteed to get you excited about building your practice.

Up until now, we only offered the hardcopy version for $275. But now you can get the same great information in a Digital Version for $100 off the retail price! Download your Digital copy today for $175.

With the Digital Version, you can download the 130+ page manual and either read it on your computer or print it if you like. You will also receive 12 mp3 files. You will have immediate access after you place your order - no more waiting to receive your copy in the mail!

To learn more about the Digital Version or to request your *no charge* Marketing Checklist visit:
http://www.attractmoreclientsnow.com/indexdigital.html

Ever have a hard time keeping track of your to-do list? Do you hate prioritizing lists or misplace a post it note full of vital information? If so, check out Toodleo, a fun, no-fee organizational tool. When you use Toodleo, you can store all your tasks in one place.

And better yet, having a single place where all your to-dos are permanently stored and easily accessible will allow you to relax, knowing that you won’t forget anything.

Learn more here!

Isn’t it fascinating to see the coverage of the upcoming presidential elections?

While I would never tell you how to vote, I have noticed something striking about each of the top three candidates.

They all overcame some significant personal battles. They all use their history to bond with voters.

John McCain was a prisoner of war. Hillary Clinton survived a publicly humiliating marital betrayal. Barack Oboma grew up without a father and dealt with feelings of alienation from his biracial status. Whether you agree with their politics or not, you have to admire their courage and the way they can craft a marketing message out of past pain.

As a therapist, I applaud all three candidates for sharing their personal stories. It is refreshing to see the human side of each candidate. I’d love to know if any of them worked with a therapist… but the privacy laws prevent that!

One of my favorite Practice Building tools is the personal story.

Have you created your success story yet?

If not, what’s stopping you?

Potential clients want to know that you understand their pain and have some real answers to share. When you share your success story, they know you can show them the way out of their pain.

Use this script to help you develop your success story:

1. In order to explain what I do, I’d like to tell you about a struggle I once had… (Then describe your struggle and a bit about the situation surrounding it. Just give the highlights; they don’t need to know all the gory details. Share only the parts you have processed and would feel comfortable discussing. Again, this is only if it would be appropriate to share.)
2. Then I… (Describe the actions you took to feel hope and create a positive change. If possible and appropriate, I strongly recommend you mention seeing a therapist. If it is not appropriate, then please do not share it. )
3. And what happened was…(share your exciting outcome here so that people know you found a process that worked for you and may work for them too)
4. And it was at that point that I needed to help others…(this is your opportunity to share who you help and what problem you help them overcome)

If you are very shy or private, it may be uncomfortable for you to share a personal story. Or you may feel that your story may be inappropriate to share. If that is the case, share a client success story, carefully crafted to protect the identity of your client.

The goal of a success story is to give people hope. It also helps you demonstrate your kindness, knowledge, and passion for serving others.

No wonder all the political candidates use this great marketing tool!

Happy practice building!
Casey

I want to hear your success story! If you’d like to post it (as a comment) on our blog, please enter your comment in the box below!

Happy Chinese New Year! If you’d like to see my 4 minute video with three tips for using the internet to build your practice, see click on the gray “play arrow ” at the bottom left under the video below.

Trouble seeing the video? Some browsers have difficulty with viewing video. So if you can’t see the video, press this button below:

JOIN US FOR OUR NEW TELECLASS: How to Build Your Internet Presence - Monday, March 10, 2008 at 9 a.m. PST/noonEST

We will discuss the 7 steps that can move you from “unknown” to having an internet marketing plan. And you do not have to be a geek! The fee for this class - 90 minutes of internet instruction is only $37.

For more information on our new teleclass or for more information, please visit http://www.beawealthytherapist.com/techclass.html.  I hope to “see” you in class!

xoxo

Casey

This is our Christmas cactus - not on Christmas - but on Valentine’s Day! This year our Christmas cactus had no blooms during the Christmas season. It seemed like everywhere I went during the holidays, I saw lovely, full blooming Christmas cactuses. But ours just had boring green leaves - no blooms.

Sometimes that happens with other things in our lives as well - whether it is finding a mate, finishing a project, or building our practices. It seems like we are doing all the right things but we haven’t yet see the results we’d hoped for. It can seem like everyone else is getting results but we aren’t. It is easy to get discouraged.

Don’t quit before the miracle!

You never know when it will be just the right moment for your ideal mate to show up - or your office phone to start ringing. Please, just have plans and intentions for each day.

Here are some suggestions for better results in your private practice marketing:

Make sure you have a plan. Ask “What are the three things I want to accomplish this week that will lead to increased revenue?” Perhaps it is meeting a new referral source. Maybe it is redoing your online therapist locator listing. Calendar these task in your appointment book. Reward yourself as you complete them.

Write in your Success Journal daily. Record every marketing effort you take. List every result you see. Some days you will record something as small as “I sent a thank you note to a referral source.” Other days it will be something big - such as “I completed my website today.” The more you focus on the strides you are making - big or small, the more your practice will benefit.

Surround yourself if with success-minded colleagues. Create a mastermind or support group with your peers who also want to make a good living while making a difference. Spur each other on. Hold each other accountable to the goals you set.

And then one day, you will realize you are worried that you will have to create a waiting list just to handle the calls you have coming in!