I have a colleague in the world of media by the name of Melanie Mulhall.  Actually, I’ve never met her except by way of emails and through my on line networking / support group, Boulder Media Women.  How I met her isn’t really relevant to this post . . . except to remind you again that networking on line can prove valuable to you as you build your private practice.

What is relevant to you is that Melanie is a businesswoman – an author, a blogger, a copywriter, and an editor – and she also offers a very special marketing perk to her clients . . . . In November 2008, Melanie extended an invitation to each of her clients as a one-time “thank-you” gift.  She sent the invitations, prepared a meal, and facilitated a meet-and-greet type evening.  The event turned out to be such a huge success that her clients asked her to continue hosting similar events! Melanie says that since 2008, every other month, she has continued to host this free marketing meeting to discuss “what is and is not working for them in marketing their books and speaking engagements.”

What do you have in common with a bunch of wanna-be-published authors?

• You / they typically work alone.
• You / they tend to work with lots of ideas.
• You / they want to meet key players in your respective profession.
• You / they want to market services and grow your business.

So how can you make this idea work for you and your private practice? No, you can’t extend an invitation to 10 of your favorite counseling clients to join you for dinner.  But, think about it . . . . What can you offer them? Do you work with divorce?  How about a free 6-week seminar on Co-Parenting with Your Ex?  Do you work with educators?  How about a free summer group focusing on Self-Care for Educators?  Working with children?  How about a free monthly Art Group for the kids?

Whatever your niche is, there’s an attractive offer that you can make to provide a perk – that little something extra - to your clients.  Are you already offering an add-on to your clients?  Got a great idea for something you or another professional could be offering in addition to their standard service?  If so, drop us a note below and share you thoughts with us as we continue to build our online community!