All Posts Tagged With: "market a counseling practice to women"

Pick a specialty that hangs out together.

December 10th, 2008 • Casey Truffo • 0 comments • Related • Filed Under

As you know I am a fan of marketing to a specific specialty, because a specialty gives you credibility with your prospects. And as we have discussed a great way to pick a niche is to pick either a person (actors) or problem (single and doesn’t want to be) or person with a problem (men whose family thinks they have a problem with anger.)

Is this too narrow? I want to remind you of the Halo effect. If people think you are an expert in one specialty - they will assume you are an expert in another. I know it doesn’t make logical sense but somehow that always seems to happen.

Now consider this…

An even better way to pick a niche market is to identify a specialty market where the people hang out together.

For example, parents without partners, stepfamilies, or Christian people who are divorced or separated.

These niches have groups of people who meet together. Perhaps they have local groups - or even better - a national association.

Think about how this might help you attract more clients. You could visit the group. You could be a presenter at a group event or conference. You could offer a Q&A night for the group where they could “Ask the Expert” questions. You could create a newsletter for the members of the group (or contribute to their newsletter). Then as new members come in, they can read about you and get a taste (pink spoon) of the wisdom you offer.

These groups or associations may have a website where you could post an article and a link to your website.

Better still - as you get a client from the group, they will often share their experience with others who will then become your clients.

For those of you considering adding products to your menu of services next year and creating multiple streams of psychotherapy income, the more your “niche” hangs out together, the more effective your marketing efforts (and ultimately sales) can be.

Just some (no calorie) food for thought…

A Lesson from the Ice Cream Store

December 3rd, 2008 • Casey Truffo • 2 comments • Related • Filed Under

We are often asked “How do I turn web visitors into clients?”

A visit to your web site is like a first date. Your web visitor has no idea what to expect and will be checking you out.

So how do you get a second date? How do you get your web visitor to decide if they like you and want to trust you with their deep and private issues?

One way to give the web visitor “a taste” of you - what you are about - is to offer something at no charge. You may have heard this described as a “pink spoon.” For example, you may give away a no-charge report, e-course or audio.

For those who may not have heard this before, we call this a “pink spoon” because it reminds us of a process that happens at the ice cream store.

Just picture it. You go into the store and see all the flavors. You can’t decide which to pick. The clerk sees your indecision and offers you a small pink spoon with a bite of the flavor of your choice. After you taste the Hawaii-mocha-vanilla-crunch, you decide you like it and order a cup or a cone. After you enjoy your cone, you may decide to purchase a pint or half gallon to take home. You didn’t start with the half-gallon. You needed that pink spoon first.

So what makes a good pink spoon?

1) It is of interest and value to the web visitor.

If your site is geared toward parents of troubled teens, make sure your pink spoon audio, report or e-course talks about the challenges parents are going through with some good input for them - maybe a giggle - maybe some education - but something that they would enjoy.

In a way it is like Christmas shopping. You aren’t going to buy a fancy food processor for your sister who never cooks. Give them what they want. (I give my sister restaurant gift certificates.)

2) Make sure it represents your personality.

Create something that is fresh and unique. For example, if you have a report for “how to fight better with your mate” - put something interesting it in - not the same old “Don’t go to bed angry.” Consider: “Fight holding hands” or “Fight naked. It is hard to get self-righteous naked. You’ll find yourself trying not to laugh.”

3) Create it using your personal gifts.

If you love to talk, consider creating an audio or video as your pink spoon. If you enjoy writing, maybe a no-charge report on an interesting topic or a 5-part e-course delivered over 5 weeks with short tips each week.

4) It is not time or labor intensive.

Some think that a good pink spoon might be a no-charge initial consultation. While you may or may not want to offer those, I don’t want you to consider them “pink spoons.” You want your pink spoon to be something you can leverage - something you can do once and use over and over again without taking any additional time on your part.

Then what?

Once you create your pink spoon, invite your web visitors to get it by exchanging their name and email for it. That way you can build your list of web visitors and can begin to keep in touch with them over time in some way.

By offering unique value, you will begin to build credibility with your web visitor. By keeping in touch with them over time, you can continue the relationship so when they are ready, they call you.

So, what do you think? Can you see how offering a pink spoon might draw more people to your site? Can you see how it might build credibility with them?If so, what do you see as your next step? What might you add of value to your site that would help you build a list of web visitors at the same time?

Offering a pink spoon - giving away something in exchange for a name and email address - can help build relationships, build credibility and build your business!

(And for those of you thinking ahead, it can be the perfect way to introduce people into the additional products you might have for sale on your site. You just start with a no-charge pink spoon.)

To your success,

Casey

How To Market Your Counseling Practice to Women

November 19th, 2008 • Casey Truffo • 2 comments • Related • Filed Under

Did you see the Harley Davidson sign that said “Your wife just called and she said “Yes!”

Someone told me about it and it sure made me giggle.

But you know what? I read recently that women make 85% of all consumer purchases including new homes, new computers, and - get this - healthcare.

And most of us know that often it is the woman who calls for the counseling appointment - not always but often.

What does this mean to you? Your marketing - your website copy, your tag line, or any other marketing you do should be directed at building trust with women. This is true even if you market to their husbands or boyfriends - as you know the women will Google you to see who her mate is seeing.

What do women want to see then in your marketing language? (Please note the items listed below are generalities and do not allow for individual differences. And I know a lot of these traits apply to men as well. If this isn’t true for you - then please follow what is true for you. )

Women often base their opinion first on relationships. How do you build a great relationship with them?

  • Consider writing your web copy or marketing materials from a conversational, storytelling perspective. I don’t mean telling stories about your clients. I mean connecting with those reading your marketing materials as if they were trusted colleagues or people you really like. Let your personality come through.
  • You want your marketing language to evoke a sense of community.This is why it is really important to talk in language that your ideal client would use. Show how you understand - show why the web visitor (aka Prospective Client) is not alone.
  • Use cosmetics in your marketing material.No, I don’t mean eyeliner or lip gloss. But make sure to break up your marketing text with splashes of color or images that tell a story. This will help her connect with you. I see too many websites and marketing materials that have phenomenal text but are filled with a lot of gray or black words. Now please, I am not suggesting you use colored backgrounds or colored fonts. I am suggesting that you break up that gray text with splashes of quick color graphics.
  • Use short sentencesLong sentences may boost credibility in professional journals but in marketing copy, we want snappy, quick, present tense sentences.
  • Show your love for this work without saying how “compassionate” you are.The way you do this is by connecting with her pain with crystal clarity. Then move into your “call to action”: “You aren’t alone. Please call me xxx.xxx.xxxx and let’s see if I can help.”
  • Provide excellent customer service.Women are very loyal. If you do great things for her, she will tell everyone. Same goes if you don’t. So make sure you start your sessions on time and return phone calls the same day. After the first session, consider writing a hand-written note telling her you are looking forward to working with her. Be the best ‘you’ you can be and your practice will be filled with her referrals.

I so adore working with women and it is fun to write marketing language for them as well.

I invite you to take another look at your marketing materials and see them through the eyes of your ideal client. Are they really good? Could they use some tweaking to be more appealing?

Please let us know what you think in the comment section below.

As always, to your success,

Casey