Private Practice Marketing Made Easy

Last week I spoke to group of local therapists on "Marketing Your Private Practice" and a record number of people attended the presentation. Why? Because therapists in private practice feel ill-equipped and uncomfortable with the business aspects of private practice. It's rare that a marketing course is included in a mental health graduate school curriculum, and few internships and practicums offer marketing mentorship. In my graduate program in social work, just the words "private practice" were treated as "bad words," as if making money while helping people was somehow morally wrong.

For some therapists  the word marketing brings up feelings of anxiety, even dread. "I am not comfortable with self-promoting," I've heard many therapists say.  "I'm not in this for the money so I hate to think that I have to market my services."

Over nearly 10 years in private practice I've learned that marketing isn't as difficult or scary as it sounds. Most therapists already have the relationship skills that make marketing effective. You're already good at building relationships and communicating. You just need to apply your skills differently.

 Build relationships of trust

You already know how to market, because marketing is simply building relationships of trust in a different way. Marketing requires reaching outside of your therapy office, and often beyond your comfort zone. Whatever strategy you use: talking to strangers, talking to friends and colleagues, meeting with physicians or schools, or finally getting a website, it's all about building relationships of trust.

Let 2 simple questions guide all of your marketing

• Who is your ideal client? Identifying your ideal client is  not just getting clear on the demographic and diagnoses that you like to work with, but also the characteristics, values, and traits that you look for in a client.
• What is your basic practice message? This is a simple message that focuses on one aspect of your work and emphasizes the benefits of your services in layman's terms.

Talk to everyone and anyone about what you do

In graduate school you learned how to communicate, build rapport, and put people at ease. Building relationships of trust isn't just limited to talking with your clients. Effective marketing is simply applying all of the skills you know to a broader group of people. Talk about who you want to work with what you do with strangers in the grocery store, neighbors, extended family members, or online communities, media contacts, or other professionals.

Remember you're promoting your passions, not yourself

Effective marketing isn't about pushing yourself on others, but about letting the things that you're passionate about shine through in every conversation, every blog post, every interview, an every page of your website.

It only takes three

According to private practice guru Lynn Grodski, it only takes a few "practice angels" to have a full practice-three people who will consistently refer your ideal clients to you. You probably already have three referral sources ready to refer to you. All you need to do is warm the connections you already have.

How do you feel about marketing your practice? What works and what doesn't? Share your comments below

photo credit: Hen3k Hen3k

What I Wish I'd Known Before Starting A Private Practice

If you're considering going into private practice, it's always smart to talk to other clinicians who have been there. When I opened my practice years ago, I had very little business experience. Luckily, I did a few things right that allowed me to be profitable (and it didn't hurt to be married to a CPA). Over time, I learned that I have a knack for marketing and networking that has allowed my practice to continue to grow, even during a recession. Few private practitioners are armed with small business skills when they venture into private practice. According the U.S. Small Business Administration, around 50% of new businesses will close their doors within 5 years.  The realities of making a profit and running a successful private practice can be discouraging and exhausting. If you're considering opening a practice, I think you'll enjoy several seasoned practitioners answer the question,"What do you wish you'd know before starting your private practice?

Private practice is a business

Like most of therapists, Emma K. Viglucci, CFT, LMFT, CIT  of New York City didn't really understand what it takes to run a business when she opened her practice. "I had some ideas about running a business as both of my parents owned businesses, and about running a practice from assisting run my graduate program's clinic. But, I didn't know the nuts and bolts of being in business."

It's easy to overestimate profit and underestimate the amount of work it takes to start and build a private practice. Psychologist and professor Karen Sherman, Ph.D. says she wished she'd know that working for herself  "wasn't going to be as lucrative" as she thought.

Save for self-employment taxes

When you go into private practice you'll be paying self-employment taxes. If you're used to working for an agency where your taxes are automatically withdrawn each paycheck that catches new practitioners by surprise. Just to give you an idea of how much to save, self-employment taxes for 2011 in the U.S. are around 13% (SBA.gov).  Psychologist Roberta Temes, Ph.D learned about taxes the hard way. "My first year I did not diligently deposit half my fees into a bank account earmarked for taxes. That was a learning experience."

Understand managed care

Texas counselor Shannon Purtell MA, LPC, LPC-S, NCC wishes she'd better understood the world of behavioral health insurance before she opened her doors.

Before entering private practice, I wish that I had truly understood behavioral health insurance and Employee Assistance Programs. Trying to learn the ins and outs of insurance while building a private practice was not only frustrating and time consuming, it was costly. Without completely understanding the industry, I failed to negotiate better rates, was unable to qualify for certain panels, and did not always understand the reimbursement structure. Each company had a different way of handling referrals, authorizations, and reimbursement. Unfortunately, I started in private practice prior to electronic billing and online benefit verification/authorization which has dramatically streamlined the process.

Importance of marketing skills

New York City therapist Diane Spear, LCSW-R wished she'd been better armed with marketing know-how when she opened her doors. Spears says, "You can be a terrific therapist and have a tiny practice if you're not good at marketing. And if you're not naturally good at marketing and networking? Practice! A lot."

Developing a niche and area of expertise is what Clinical Psychologist and author Dr. John Duffy wished he'd known before opening his practice.

I wish I had known the importance of establishing a niche when I started, developing a particular expertise. I found that I work well with families, in particular teens, tweens and their parents. Specializing in this area, I've found that I have a strong knowledge base in this area, and I am more and more confident in my work. As a result, I have a full practice, a waiting list of clients, a popular book, speaking engagements. I am also now considered an expert in a number of media outlets.

Stay on top of billing and record keeping

When you're your own boss it's easy to set some of the less enjoyable and often tedious business details on the back burner. Arizona therapist Lisa Gomez MA, LPC wishes she'd known the importance of staying on top of those tedious administrative tasks. Gomez wishes she had understood the importance of staying "on top of your billing and having good records in regards to accounting."

Practice ebbs and flows

Many private practitioners are surprised by the fluidity of referrals and fluctuating direct care hours. My own practice always dips to the lowest number of referrals and fewest client hours every December. I learned through not getting a paycheck one December to save 10% each month throughout the year to cover the holiday lull.

Portland individual and couples counselor Julie Jeske M.S. has also learned by experience to trust the ebb and flow of her private practice. "I wish I had known more about the way things can fluctuate. Some weeks (or times of year) are really busy and others are slower. The first time things slowed down for me I got really nervous, but it always picks up again," Jeske says.

Solo practice can be isolating

When you practice in a clinic or agency it's easy to take social interaction and peer relationships for granted. There's always someone to grab lunch with or to consult with on difficult cases. For many therapists, the transition to private practice often means a loss of built in professional support system, and the need to actively seek social interaction and professional consultation.

When therapist Amy Luster, M.A., LMFT of Santa Monica, CA opened her practice she found solo practice to be isolating. Luster says, "It would have behooved me to learn about the benefits of participating in a group practice while I was in my graduate program."

Importance of setting boundaries

Maryland therapist Dr. Mary Sidhwani wished she'd know the importance of setting boundaries with clients.

Before I began my practice, I wish I would have created healthier boundaries. I wanted to be available for all my new clients and so returned phone calls and emails 24/7. As time went by, it became increasingly difficult to maintain that with the growing practice. I was able to put healthy boundaries in place, however, it would have been much easier if I had done that initially.

Now it's your turn. What do you wish you'd known before starting a private practice? Please post your comments below.

Business Planning: Does Your Private Practice Have A Treatment Plan?

Many private practice therapists don't have a business plan or think of themselves as a "business owner."  A private practice is a business and successful businesses have a plan to help guide their growth. Even if you've never taken a business course you already know how to write a business plan.  Think of your private practice as a "client" in need of a clinical treatment plan.  Here are some tips to transform your clinical assessment and treatment planning skills into a private practice business plan so you have a clear path to grow your practice.

Assessment

Presenting problems and current complaints Identify current problems or weaknesses in the business aspect of your practice. Do you need more weekly client hours? Are you having difficulty collecting money in a timely manner? Do you have inconsistent billing practices?  Are you barely breaking even because of high overhead?

Strengths and resources What personal strengths do you bring to your practice that will help you address the presenting problems? Do you have extensive referral network with physicians? Are you detail oriented when it comes to paperwork and billing? Are you a creative problem solver? Or maybe your an excellent writer. List your strengths.

Business history What events in your practice that have shaped your business practices? Did you have some rough patches where you weren't profitable that have left you feeling fearful and desperate for referrals? Have you experienced any kind of positive successes or painful experiences in the business end of your practice that haven't been resolved? Write them down.

Business support system Just as you'd assess for client support network, take a look at your business support system. Do you feel isolated? Are you using outdated computer software that makes billing tedious? Do you have some colleagues or business consultants that you can go to for professional consultation? Identify your current support network as well as areas where you could benefit from additional support.

Treatment plan

Setting goals Identify 3 business related goals for your private practice. Break your goals into specific, measurable, timed objectives. Finally, add three action items to move you toward each practice goal. Remember, you know how to do this for clients, just shift your mindset to the goals of your business. Here's an example of a treatment plan for your business:

Goal: Reach 20 clients hours weekly.

Objective: Cultivate 3 consistent referral sources in the next 90 days.

Action 1: Set up practice website on wordpress.com to build online referrals by Nov 15.

Action 1: Send letters and business cards to all family practice doctors within 10 miles of my practice by end of this month.

Action 1: Contact a local TV news station to seek interview on how to successfully blend step-families by this Friday.

Now it's your turn to write a treatment plan for your private practice.

photo credit: Digitalnative