From Cosmo to Wall Street: 7 Tips For Giving Great Interviews

What do you think of when you think of professional networking? Private practice therapists who I've worked with in business consultations usually consider networking to be meeting with other like-minded professionals for lunch or handing out business cards to physicians offices.

While those are important ways to make connections that build your therapy practice, there are other ways to get the word to thousands and thousands of people in one shot, instead of just a few folks at a time.  Rarely do shrinks think of networking with reporters.

Over the last few years I've focused on responding to reporter queries seeking quotes from experts on a variety of mental or emotional health issues, and family relationship advice. There are a few who now contact me for quotes when they are pitching new articles or stories. I've had a great time corresponding with them by email or talking by phone.

This month I am thrilled to have quotes in:

Cosmopolitan Magazine (June 2012) article "Are we boring"

Wall Street Journal (today May 15, 2012) "For a nation of whiners, therapist try tough love" (with a photo included)

Click here to see quotes in other national publications

Tips for interviewing with reporters and journalists:

1) Seek out opportunities

Keep an eye out for opportunities to interview with local and national reporters. Sign up for services that notify you of reporters looking for interviews, like Reporter Connection, ProfNet Connection, Expert Engine.

2) Respond to requests ASAP

I've come to realize that journalistic deadlines are incredibly tight, and the sooner I respond, the better. I've interviewed one afternoon for an E! Online article and it posted that evening. When I get an email request for an interview I will respond right then on my smart phone with comments off the top of my head. I've been known to pull over on the side of the road while driving carpool to respond to an interview request.

3) Avoid psychobabble

Interviewing with the popular media is different than talking with colleagues. Fellow shrinks can talk in short hand with acronyms like DBT, CBT and EFT; we know what transference and countertransference are, but most people don't know and don't care. Always use layman's terms that can be easily understood even if someone's never taken Psychology 101.

4) Give quotable sound bytes

In the therapy office, we are used to taking our time, starting where the client is, and exploring client's deeper emotions. Media interviews require doing the opposite of what you do in therapy.  In media interviews you have to get right to the point. Most journalists are looking for a few engaging and relevant sentences to support their piece, not a dissertation.

5) Let your passion show

I think part of why I've been successful in getting quoted in national publications is because I show my passion for the work and for the topic of the story or article. Even in email correspondence, don't be afraid to show your personality and be approachable. I also openly share my gratitude for the interview opportunity and how much I enjoy media interviews.

6) Make your contact info easy to find

Make sure that your name and credentials (the way you'd like them to appear if you're quoted), your email address, and your cell phone number are easy to find in any correspondence. Reporters don't have time to hunt you down.

7) Ask them to contact you again

At the end of each interview or correspondence, whether you interview or not, be sure to ask them to keep you in mind as a resource in the future. Ask them to keep your contact information should they need your expertise in the future.

5 Common Website Mistakes And How To Fix Them

Your most powerful tool to build your private therapy practice in the digital age is an effective practice website. The Internet allows us to talk directly to potential clients who are seeking mental health information and services. The majority of Americans, 62 percent, use the Internet to find health care information (Pew Internet and Family Life Study, 2009). Few therapists have training in website programing and design, but as technology evolves, more options become available to create a cheap or free website that looks professional and accurately represents your practice. My websites are built on Wordpress, a fairly easy platform on which to build a website or blog. There are thousands and thousands of free Wordpress themes that you can use to customize your practice website. Therapy Sites, another website resource for therapists, allows you to select a template and customize it for your practice based on a monthly fee.

As I've consulted with therapists, developed my own websites, and done a lot of internet research, I've noticed some common mistakes that therapists frequently make when it comes to building websites.  These are the top five mistakes I've seen and suggestions for how to fix the problem to make your website more effective.

Mistake #1: Contact information is difficult to find

How to fix it --> Put contact information on every page in a prominent place

Even if you are starting small with a single page site, your contact information is the most important information to feature. After all, you want clients to actually contact you to schedule a session, right? I suggest putting your contact information on every page of your website with a "call to action".

Mistake #2: Feels too Impersonal

How to fix it --> Write website text in first person and include a photo

When potential clients visit your site they should have a feel for who you are as a person. Always include a photo and a personal statement. While your bio can be written in third person, the rest of your site should feel like you're talking to your potential client.

Mistake #3: Too much "psychobabble"

How to fix it --> Focus on benefits of your service in layman's terms

Most potential clients aren't going to be familiar with psychological acronyms or detailed information about every credential and training. Your potential clients care less about your training and more about if and how you can help them. Write your website text with your ideal client in mind.

Mistake #4: Confusing site navigation

How to fix it --> Feature the the four topics above in your site navigation

Your website should be easy to navigate. You don't want your site to be an additional source of stress for potential clients. Visit other private practice therapist's websites and notice what you like and don't like, what works and what doesn't. Put yourself in the client's shoes. What information are potential clients looking for? Here are the top 4 things potential clients want to find on your website:

• who you are (your basic information)
• what you do (services)
• how you can help them (benefits of your services)
• how to contact you (contact information)

Mistake #5: Bad design

How to fix it --> pick one or two fonts and stick with a consistent theme throughout your site

Simple and clean is best when it comes to websites. Unfortunately, many therapists with "do-it-yourself" websites, in an attempt to be creative, end up using too many design elements. When designing your website, keep in mind who you're ideal client is, and let your basic message guide your choice of colors and fonts to create a cohesive feel that represents who you are as a therapist.

Are you guilty of making any of these mistakes on your private practice website? Post the link below and I'll give you feedback about your site.

photo credit: twm1340

Why Therapists Need An Elevator Speech

An "elevator speech," also called a basic practice message, is a brief statement of what you do. It should take no longer than it takes to ride a few floors on an elevator and is a crucial aspect of marketing your private practice. Whenever you talk about or write about your practice, your elevator speech will help you to provide a cohesive and consistent message that attracts your ideal client and builds your private practice. Over time, your message will help you create enough awareness about your practice that people will know who you are and what you do.

The goal is to have people say, "Oh, he's the one who helps couples create closer marriages." or "She's the therapist who helps kids with attention problems find ways to succeed in school."

Unfortunately, most therapists don't have an elevator speech. Ask a therapist the simple question, "What do you do?" you'll likely get a long, jargon filled, tentative statement that might sound something like this:

"I'm a licensed professional counselor and LSAC and I work at at the Community Mental Health Center full-time in the day treatment center for A&D. Oh, and I have a private practice on the side, at night, where I see and I work with children...and some adults, to. I also like working with trauma and I'm trained in EMDR and I also use a lot of CBT. I'm on a lot of EAP panels and I see some CVR clients. I see some couples too...I like couples.

You really can't tell who he wants to see in his practice, what he does, or why anyone would go to him for therapy, right? So, here's what makes a great elevator speech.

Characteristics of an effective therapist "elevator speech"

• A few short sentences about who you are and what you do
• Uses layman’s terms (no psychobabble and professional acronyms)
• Uses positive language
• Focuses on the benefits of your services for your ideal clients (not the features of your practice or credentials your licenses, degrees, specialty areas)
• Focuses on only one aspect of your work
• Targets your ideal client
• Is memorized so you can deliver it on the spot

How To Create Your Elevator Speech

Here's a quick "fill in blank" formula to get you started on your effective elevator speech.

"I'm ___________________________________________.

I help ___________________________________________

do/understand/change/create/find ______________________

so they can  _______________________________________."

Here are some examples of my elevator speeches.

I'm therapist Julie Hanks. I help overwhelmed women find a healthy balance between caring for themselves and their family relationships so they can live fulfilling and meaningful lives.

I'm a therapist turned business consultant. I inspire therapists to build successful practices by helping them identify their passions and develop basic business skills so they can make a good living doing what they love.

During my therapy clinic staff meetings I periodically ask my therapists on the spot to give their basic message/elevator speech. One day I surprised them by asking them to give their basic message on camera for a promotional video for our website. You can watch the video here to see how they did and maybe it will spark some ideas for you.

So, now it's your turn. How do you answer the question, "So...what do you do?" Feel free to post your basic message below and I'll give you feedback!

photo credit: dfritzon