Bob and I are at the Ericksonian Hypnosis International Congress. There are people here from all over the world and it is fun to listen to the different languages.

Early this morning, before my presentation, we stopped in the restaurant for breakfast. There was a fantastic buffet with fruit, baked good, eggs and a myriad of bacon and sausages.

And there was a pot of very plain-looking, white oatmeal. I am not crazy about oatmeal but my doctor encourages me to eat it. So I reluctantly filled a bowl (while passing up the double-chocolate-chip muffins.) Then I saw it - next to the oatmeal pot were over 20 “toppings” for the oatmeal. There were not only raisins, brown sugar and maple syrup, but pistachio nuts, candied pecans, pineapple chunks, chocolate chips, M&Ms, dried soy beans, along with several other types of nuts and fruits. If that wasn’t enough there was also flavored yogurt and dried breakfast cereal that you could stir into the oatmeal. Needless to say, I have never enjoyed oatmeal so much!

So how does this relate to marketing? Quite honestly, oatmeal is boring. And counseling is often considered boring. But when you can bring your uniqueness to marketing your practice.. When you can talk about what you do in ways that invite people to say “I want that!” then you have transformed something that no one is really too excited about into something that excites people and makes them want to make an appointment. Please - tap into your creativity, learn what your ideal client wants, and then let your community know about you!

And I don’t think I will ever be able to eat oatmeal without pistachio nuts or candied pecans again.

I hope you take very good care of yourself this holiday season. Bob and I will be spending Christmas and New Years in Hawaii. We are really looking forward to having some fun and “down time.”

Love and blessings,
Casey