Are you still marketing yourself as a generalist?

"Donald Roller Wilson" by Wonderlane

Do you pride yourself as a Jack or Jane of all trades i.e. “I work with everyone!” ?

If so, you are confusing what you do with how you market.  What you do and who you work with may very well include a large variety of issues and clients.  However, if you have too many empty time slots on your calendar, your generalist marketing may be your problem.

There was a time when marketing yourself as a generalist was the hallmark of a go-to therapist.  It was thought that she could do it all.  But things have changed and so should you.

• Today, clients want an “expert” and nicheing lends itself to the perception of expertise.
• Marketing yourself as a generalist makes you forgettable.  And, marketing yourself as someone who has a special interest in X, makes you memorable.
• Nicheing allows you to market your services in a more focused way.  That translates to less money, less wasted time, and more strategic contacts.

So the real question is . . . What’s keeping you from nicheing your practice TODAY?

Tags: Niche

According to Richard K. Harding, M.D.,

One does not escape war by leaving the war zone.”

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1057/751707089_c25111d1c8.jpg

And, here’s the reason why . . . .

From a business perspective, this is a potential niche for you.

Is anyone out there already working with veterans?  Care to comment?

Tags: Military, Niche

I just realized that many of you are asking about what’s happening in the 2009 Annual Series of Private Practice from the Inside Out and I haven’t been very good about letting you know.  Here’s what they’re saying after our last session . . . .

It was really good for me to look at my low confidence and speak it out loud.”

“Direct feedback on my business cards and brochures was the best part about our class today.  It took the concepts we had talked about and it made them practical, usable and real.”

“My energy and excitement continues to grow as we talk about (and as I write / journal about) building our practices.”

“I am encouraged and motivated to do get my business cards made . . . and to create the language I want to use for my business.”

If you are interested in joining me for the 2010 Annual Series of Private Practice from the Inside Out, drop me an email back channel and I’ll put you on my tickler list!

Tags: Brand, Business Card, Continuous Learning, Fee, Menu of Services, Name Recognition, Niche

For those of you who are new to the health care professions and take advertising for granted, you might be surprised to learn that not so long ago advertising was considered to be unethical for many health care professionals.  Last month John Riolo, Ph.D. was writing on the Counselors at Yahoo discussion list about the controversial history of advertising in the mental health professions.  He noted that it took the Federal Trade Commission stepping in before social workers were allowed to advertise!

If you are considering print advertising as part of your overall marketing strategy, here are a few things you will want to consider before you hand over your money:

• Whether you are taking out a listing in the phone directory, the local paper, or a program for a community event, actual placement on the page matters.  Research has shown that ideal placement for your ad is in the upper right hand corner of the right hand page.  That’s where our eyes normally travel first and linger longest (in cultures where we read from left to right, top to bottom).

On the rare occasion that I purchase advertising I always ask for that choice position.

When dealing with less sophisticated staff for advertising, they often accomodate my request at no charge.  However, those that are more informed about the advertising services being offered will typically charge me a surcharge (maybe 10% more) and I am always happy to pay it because I know it will be seen and read more often.

• For advertising to be effective in a newspaper or similar recurring publication, it must be seen repeatedly over time.  One shot advertising is rarely effective.  In order for your ad to work for you, you will need to advertise over a prolonged period of time at a predictable frequency i.e weekly or every other week.  The reason for this is that it is unlikely that readers will need your services on the very day the newspaper comes out.  However, if they see your ad every other week (in the same upper right corner of a right hand page), they are more likely to remember you when they are in need of your services.  If you can’t afford the recurring ad, then consider other options for marketing your practice.

• The exception to the above, is if you are advertising in a program for a community performance or charitable event like The Turtle Creek Chorale or Swallow Hill.  Of course, taking out ads for the entire season will still be more effective than a one time deal.  However,  if your budget doesn’t allow for the recurring ads, you may still find these community-based niches to be more closely read as well as more loyal patrons.
• Another way to tap into the patrons who are loyalty-driven, is to advertise within a specific subculture. This could be a religious community, the transgender community, or even a 12-step community.  Any group that tends to feel marginalized by the dominant community can be a more effective focus for your advertising.

So now that I’ve given you some strategies to maximize your advertising dollar, where will you decide to spend them?

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Tags: Ethics, Newspaper, Niche, Phone Directory, Subculture

Even if you are doing many things “right,” you can still end up destroying your private practice. Here’s the 5 top ways you can blow it up fast:

# 5 – Don’t change things up.
Keep doing the same old things you used to do when you started in the business 20 years ago. Be predictable i.e. boring. Keep working with the same old issues (and only those same old issues) that you’ve always worked with. Don’t develop new bodies of work, new skills, or new interests. Allow your work and your practice to become dated and irrelevant. It works every time.

Caution! Caution!

# 4 – Don’t ask your clients.
Whatever you do, do not survey or poll your clients. Don’t ask for their feedback about anything . . . your office location, the way they are greeted at the front desk, your billing / fee collection process, your clinical effectiveness, or their thoughts about your work after they terminate. And, should your clients volunteer such feedback, be sure to argue, justify, or dispute it. Whatever you do, make sure you do not actually consider it and make appropriate changes (see comments above).

# 3 – Don’t ask for referrals.
Don’t explain that you are expanding your practice; don’t tell friends and family that you have a few extra time slots to fill; and, don’t tell clients that your business depends on referrals from satisfied customers. Better yet, tell everyone you know that you have a one month waiting list and are not looking for new clients.

# 2 – Don’t brand yourself.
Branding is for businesses that want to present a clear, succinct and memorable message about who they are and what they represent. By not branding you and your private practice, you can ensure that your business becomes forgettable, at best and, at worst, becomes confused with too many / unprofessional images and messages. To kill your practice, I highly recommend avoiding all tendencies toward branding.

# 1 – Don’t niche your practice.
Most importantly, try to be everything to everyone. Be a generalist. Do everything OK. Work with everyone all right. Refuse to specialize in anything and become forgettable fast.

Why isn’t your private practice surviving?

Tags: Brand, Change, Feedback, Niche, Survey