How to Win at Online Private Practice Marketing
Tired of seeing everyone else “win” at online marketing, getting tons of new clients through the internet? Do you feel like you could be getting more clients (or more of your ideal clients) if you were just able to figure out the online marketing thing?
If this sounds like you – you’re not alone. It’s really hard to feel like you have a handle on successful internet marketing practices, for several very legitimate reasons like these:
You’re not sure how valuable online marketing really can be for your business. Especially for counselors, it can be hard to see the actual sense behind learning a whole new kind of marketing for your practice. After all, most of the time, counseling is done in person. So what’s the purpose of having an online presence?
You question the ethics. You might be wondering if online marketing is actually a dangerous way of reaching out to your potential clients. Your concerns are reasonable: might communication from your clients through your website be potentially hacked? Can displaying a client testimonial be unethical? Overall, does online marketing expose your clients to too much risk?
You’re not super-comfortable with the technology. Some of us struggle to trust ourselves when it comes to technology. You might worry that you’ll be able to set the proper privacy parameters, or be unable to utilize the functionality of a particular software or app. It might feel like it’s just easier to avoid all that bother.
You’re not sure which option is right for you. Social media, email, newsletters, online directories, AdWords – how can you choose? Every week it seems like there’s a new thing to learn and a new reason it’s the best option. How do you know what to believe?
All of these represent reasonable worries about the use of online marketing for your therapy practice. But these obstacles are not such that they cannot be overcome.
Why Online Marketing Should be a Strategy to Build Your Private Practice
I know it might seem like a lot of work, but I highly recommend that you plan to include online marketing in your practice-building strategy. Why? Because the landscape of advertising and marketing is changing. The first thing people do when they want to find out more about a service or look for the provider of a service is to go online. And if they don’t see your name out there, it can look a little suspicious, like maybe you’re not the “real deal.”
What’s more, online marketing represents one of the lowest investments you can make in marketing your practice. An email newsletter will cost you much less than will a print mailer, and a recorded webinar will save you time and effort from traveling to and setting up a traditional in-person speaking engagement. Not to mention, the latter will likely result in a far larger audience than you could get in person!
Having an online marketing presence gives you a decided advantage over those who rely on traditional marketing alone. For one, you’re “available” all the time. Potential client wants help at 3 in the morning? They can find out more about you on your website. Want to book an appointment? If you have an online booking service, they can go ahead and save that time slot right there, right then, and you don’t have to do any selling at all.
Online marketing also makes it more convenient for clients to find you. The client doesn’t only learn about what you do when they subscribe to a magazine with your ad in it, or go to a doctor’s office that you have a relationship with. Instead, they can search for counseling in your area and see your name come up.
In other words, online marketing IS extremely valuable. The counselor who doesn’t take advantage of it is missing out on an offering that will pay for itself at a far higher rate than traditional marketing and at the same time be more attractive to clients.
You should also know that online marketing can be done ethically: Online marketing can be be just as conscientious a way to market as traditional print or network marketing. There are reliable tools you can use to protect your client information. One example is encrypted email, such as the HIPAA-compliant email offering Brighter Vision just recently created for you.
You can also minimize the risks to your clients by using smart privacy guidelines, such as eschewing actual client testimonials and replacing them with hypotheticals, such as “My clients often experience_____________ after working with me.” The main point is to allow the client to picture themselves working with you, and that you can do without compromising client privacy.
No matter your background, you can learn the technology: The pervasive nature of technology may not make you thrilled, but it has a benefit. The fact of the presence of technology in our everyday lives means that now there are more tools out there that focus on enabling anyone to use the latest developments. The key to successfully learning the technology aspect of online marketing is to give yourself permission to learn it. You can do this!
Above all, market in a way that suits YOUR needs. Yes, there are many, many options out there when it comes to online marketing. But keep in mind, you don’t have to learn each and every one. Neither do you have to learn just what’s “hot” and “new”. Instead, plan on focusing on creating a really good website, (talk to the Brighter Vision team for that) along with learning one or two other online marketing tools that fit your strategy. That’s it. If you do that right, that’s all you need for now. You can add more later as your needs or interests change.
I hope you feel a little more encouraged about your ability to successfully and ethically implement an online marketing plan for your private practice. Remember, if you want to feel like you’re winning at online marketing for your private practice, keep it small – just learn what strategies and technology would appeal to your client base. Implement your plan in partnership with HIPAA-compliant technology and best practices for maintaining confidentiality. Once you get yourself out there, I guarantee you’ll start hearing from clients who have been waiting to find out more about someone just like you.
Erica says
Thanks for sharing about the new HIPPA compliant email. This has been a topic of conversation for my colleagues and I. I’m looking forward to checking it out.