Therapists, Stop Overthinking Your Marketing Plan

Most of you are overthinking it when marketing your private practice.

Do you want to know why marketing annoys so many therapists? It's because they think there's only one type of marketing: Outbound Marketing. Outbound marketing strategies focus on you going out and getting clients. The "chase" is what feels so yucky. 🤢

Inbound marketing doesn't do this. It focuses on you doing what you do best (helping people) and attracting clients towards you (like a magnet!) because you're damn good at what you do.

Here's your simplified inbound marketing plan:

1) Start with narrowing your niche and make it unique enough that it will be easy to attract clients with your keywords. For example, a therapist who provides sex therapy to LGTBQIA+ couples will not get lost in the crowd of therapists who generalize.

I work with the chronic illness community, and this is specific enough that I don't have to compete for exposure. I'm in a league of my own because fewer therapists do what I do and use the same keywords.

2) Get a website, and write good copy. Then optimize it for search engines. That way, Google will do the hard work of showing your site to potential clients.

3) Then, add a blog, podcast, videos, courses, or whatever type of educational content you enjoy making. Stick to one thing at first and do it well. Put it on your website.

This is important: Make sure your content is relevant to your ideal client and niche. That way, you're giving Google something to put in front of your potential clients. Otherwise, Google will get confused and either not list your website or show it to the wrong people.

4) Promote your incredible content on social media or through an email campaign, if that's your thing.

All this content will drive traffic to your website. Your website becomes more credible with more traffic, landing you higher on Google Search results. Clients can now find you.

Over time, as your online presence develops, you can do less marketing. All that content continues to funnel you clients, year after year.

Stop with the fruit baskets. Stop networking if you hate it. Stop printing cheesy brochures.

The "chase" might work in the short term, but it will never match what a website and content creation plan can do for your business long term.

I’ve made a cool infographic using this simple strategy. You can find it here: A Powerful (Yet Simple) Digital Marketing Strategy