A how-to on marketing yourself as an expert therapist
Who wants to be a…..
CELEBRITY?!?!
Okay, maybe not Dr. Phil, but at least an expert therapist.
However, marketing yourself as an expert therapist in your niche can be challenging.
This is important because once you have established yourself as the authority in your respective field, it opens up many opportunities to grow your private practice including multiple streams of referrals from multiple sources.
DON’T FLASH YOUR CREDENTIALS!
that tends to come off as very self-absorbed and disconnected.
SThis doesn’t mean your credentials aren’t important, this just means that they are appealing to the part of your brain that makes decisions based on logic. If you really want to connect with someone, you have to showcase that you are empathetic and relatable.
To begin with, here’s how you can show others than you are an expert therapist:
1. Market Your Niche
For starters, there are so many different kinds of therapy and it would be absurd to say that you’re the perfect fit for everyone. Instead you need to find what fits you best. Who you can make the greatest impact on and target that audience.
Choosing your niche also lets other clinicians and private practice owners know who to refer to when someone is having a specific problem under your speciality. This is one of the best ways to receive referrals, helping you to grow your business.
However, this takes time, so if you are just starting out, be patient. It will come to you.
2. Show Your Skills Through Teaching
Above all this is the most effective way to demonstrate to others how badass you are and to establish yourself as an authority is by teaching them things you know that will make their life better.
- Start a blog
- Make a how-to-videos
- Create live stories
- Speak at universities
- Do workshops throughout your community
A quick email to these outlets will normally get you a chance to speak with these groups to share valuable information to others. Thus, build valuable relationships and establish yourself as an expert therapist.
3. Be Seen
Make sure that your name is out there.
Generally, you should put yourself on social media platforms, specifically ones that your clients are on frequently. I’m talking about Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Pinterest. (If you are trying to reach troubled teens, your best outlet may be TikTok.)
Make sure you have your own website as well, if you need help on how to get your own website CLICK HERE.
Posting on the platforms your prospective clients use every other day, if not daily, is an effective way to be seen.
Otherwise, partner with a business that serves your core demographic. You can collaborate with the community by joining the local chamber of commerce and other community organizations. Networking presents opportunities for people to learn more about who you and the healing that you can provide.
You can also get press on the news with a few simple steps, click here to see how to do that.
4. Find A Partner
You can partner with other therapists who specialize in other niches to create a steady flow of referrals. Perhaps you specialize in working with troubled teens, but another therapist you know is amazing at helping couples who are having difficulties with their marriage. You can refer married couples to them and they can refer troubled teens to you.
Particularly, these kinds of partnerships not only help you build a network of referrals but also helps your clients because they are receiving therapy for their specific needs.
5. Associate With Influencers
For instance, who are we calling an influencer? This would be someone who has already built their own platform in your niche. This could just be someone you follow on social media who does the same work as you but has a much bigger audience.
This doesn’t mean sending them messages, asking them if they will promote you, or if they want to be friends.
This means acknowledging what they do on social media, maybe shout out a new blog post they just did on a live story of yours, or tell your followers to reference one of their videos.
Leaving comments on their posts is a good way to show them you see what they are doing and you love it.
This should be the last thing you want to do.
The first four tips should be your only focus for the first six months to a year.
You need to build a platform for yourself. I like to compare starting a business to planting a tree or growing a garden for food. You don’t plant a seed, go home, and come back the next day to a fully grown tree with fresh, ripe apples ready for eating. It takes time.
Don’t rush, be patient.
After investing the time building your brand, we recommend starting to associate with influencers. If you have a big enough platform, they will start to take notice of your acknowledgments.
Leave us some comments with your social media platforms below so we can help each other grow together, don’t forget to tell us what you all think about these steps and keep us updated along your journey of appearing like an expert in private practice.
