Social Media Marketing Checklist: 10 Steps To Building A Stronger Online Presence

Are you overwhelmed by the world of social media? These 10 steps will make it easier for clients to find your private practice online.

I presented my very first webinar ever yesterday (and I survived)! Sponsored by National Association of Social Workers the webinar was titled "Building Your Private Practice In A Digital World: Creating A Strong Online Practice Presence." It is crucial for private practitioners to have an online presence in order to attract clients to your practice because the internet is a main source of health information.

A few participants in yesterday's webinar felt overwhelmed by the content, by social media in genera, and felt unsure about where to start developing their online presence. If you fall into that category, I suggest you start with #1 on the list below and work your way down to #10. Focus on just one item at a time. I've broken down the process into 10 "simple" steps, in order of priority, to help you get started on building a strong online presence.

1. Identify your ideal client and your basic practice message
2. Get a website for your private practice
3. Add a blog on your private practice website
4. Start blogging weekly on topics geared toward ideal client
5. Sign up for a Facebook Business Page for your practice
6. Open a Twitter account for your practice
7. Add Facebook and Twitter social network links to your website and blog posts
8. Share your weekly posts on Facebook and Twitter
9. Make a list of websites and blogs that that your ideal clients in your geographic are likely to visit
10. Submit guest blog posts to those sites on topics that target your ideal client and include your basic message and practice website link in your bio.

I'm off to teach this practice building workshop today for Utah NASW at the University of Utah. It'll basically be the same content as the webinar except that I'll be adding this priority list to today's presentation.

Join my Private Practice Toolbox Facebook Group and share ideas and resources with 250+ therapist from around the world.

9 Ways To Get Doctor Referrals

Want to build strong referral relationships with medical professionals? The key is offering them something of value.

A few therapists at my clinic have been focusing on networking with Doctor's offices as potential referral sources. Through my 10 years in private practice, I've wasted a lot of time visiting medical practices with little result. However, during that time I found a few doctors or health practitioners who have consistently referred to me so I put together an training and presented it at our staff meeting yesterday. I thought that some of you might appreciate some tips on how I've built relationships of trust with medical practices who have referred patients for mental health or relationship therapy.

1) Ask for referrals

Don't be afraid to be bold and ask specifically for referrals from the physician or health provider. Let them know that you currently have openings and will get their patients in as soon as possible. When they refer, be responsive and get their patients in as soon as possible.

2) Face to face builds trust

While sending an email or making a phone call are convenient ways to reach out to physicians, nothing can replace face-to-face interactions when it comes to building trust.

3) Educate them on your specialty areas

Be clear and concise about who you are, what you do, and how you can help their patients. Be clear with them about who you want to see: your ideal client. For more information about how to craft your basic practice message see my post Why Therapists Need An Elevator Speech.

4) Teach them how to make strong referrals

• Suggest that they write the prescription for therapy on an official RX pad
• Suggest that they (or an office assistant) call your office while the client is still in their office to make an appointment.
• Suggest that they strongly recommend you, specifically.

5) Make friends with the office staff

The office support staff, receptionist, nurse, medical assistant, or office manager may actually do more of the referring than the provider. Don't over look the power of building trust and rapport with the support staff in medical offices.

6)  Follow up every three months

Periodically following up with providers is important to staying at "top of mind" for referrals. I've found that contacting the provider every quarter is a good time frame for following up. You don't want to be a nuisance to busy medical practices, or appear desperate by following up too often, however, if you wait six months they may have run out of your cards or forgotten about you entirely.

7)  Make sure they have plenty of cards

Even though we live in a digital age, paper is sometimes the best method for communication. Having professional business cards and brochures printed and regularly stocked give physicians offices something concrete to give to patients and increases the likelihood that they will actually contact you after they leave the office.

8) Offer to be a resource

Healthy relationships need to be mutually beneficial. So, when you ask the doctors for referrals, be sure you have something to offer. I've offered to be an ongoing resource should they have questions about referrals. I often say, "Refer anyone to me and I'll make sure that your patient's get the mental health or relationship counseling they need." Another service you can offer is in-service trainings for their staff on topics relevant to their patients, speak at their staff meetings on something that is valuable to them.

9) Send personalized thank you cards

When you receive a referral from a physician office, be sure to acknowledge and share your appreciation. I've found that sending a personalized physical "thank you" card via "snail mail" makes an impact. Always include a few of your business cards, and ask for more referrals.

What tips have helped you build referral relationships with medical professionals? Please post them below.

(c) Can Stock Photo

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

A Day In The Life: Meet Relationship Expert Dr. Meredith Hansen

When I "met" Dr. Meredith Hansen on Facebook and Twitter recently I was struck by her cohesive online presence. Rarely have I come across such an impeccable private practice website and a therapist who has such clarity in her private practice message: "Helping individuals and couples find love, get love, and keep love."

If you want to see an example of a powerful practice website and clear practice message visit DrMeredithHansen.com. Dr. Hansen projects a nice blend of accessibility and professionalism that make me feel confident referring clients to her practice.

I'm not the only one who feels confident in Dr. Hansen's skills. Professional men and women in their late 20’s to early 40’s who are hoping to find love, coping with a relationship breakup, or want to improve their current love relationship are seeking her clinical services.

Dr. Hansen also offers pre-marital and newlywed counseling and enjoys helping couples adjust to married life. With a waiting list of new clients Dr. Hansen's plans to on bring on a psychological assistant to supervise who will see her overflow clients.  What does it take to build a relationship focused private practice? Look into "a day in the life" of relationship expert Dr. Hansen.

A Day In The Life

January 9, 2012

6:30AM – 8:00AM

Woke up early and headed out to the gym. I didn’t want to go today, my bed was warm and comfortable, but I knew it would make me feel energized and ready for the busy day ahead.

8:00AM – 8:30AM

Came home and made my favorite green smoothie for breakfast. Checked in with my husband before he left for work and responded to a few client emails requesting appointment changes during the week.

8:30AM – 9:30AM

Showered and got dressed.

9:45AM – 10:00AM

Drove to work and listened to my new website “opt-in” recording.

10:00AM – 11:00AM

Arrived at my office and reviewed my caseload for the day. Entered weekly sessions into www.officeally.com, entered billing information, paid a few private practice bills (Farmer’s office insurance and Sparkletts), completed unfinished progress notes, returned a phone call from a potential new patient requesting an appointment, updated my practice waiting list in Google Docs.

11:00AM – 12:00PM

Worked on new relationship improvement product that I will launch next month. Recorded 7 short audios and finalized the corresponding handouts. Sent an email to my friends who are “testing” the program in order to get their feedback on the content so far.

12:00PM – 1:00PM

Grabbed lunch from a little deli down the street and reviewed content from a business training program I am participating in. Ate my sandwich while listening to the training recordings and made a “To Do”/goal list for the week. Visited my Facebook Page to respond to any comments or posts by my followers and checked in on Twitter to build online relationships.

1:00PM – 7:00PM

Saw 6 therapy clients. Wrote progress notes between sessions in order to reduce my paperwork during the week. (This is always a goal. Some days I am better at this than others.)

7:00PM – 7:15PM

Drove home and listened to the rest of my new website opt-in recording.

7:15PM – 8:00PM

Arrived home and made dinner with my husband. Asked about his day, discussed our schedule for the month, and cleaned up the kitchen.

8:00PM – 9:15PM

Watched TV with my husband. Checked in on Facebook again to respond to any evening comments or posts. Reviewed schedule for tomorrow. Responded to a recent request for a guest blog post. Reviewed the website of the woman requesting the post in order to assess if it would be a good match. Brainstormed some ideas for this post and outlined my next blog post.

9:15PM – 10:15PM

Got ready for bed and read a book a psychology focused book (I can’t get away from them). Listened to a brief mediation by Melanie Roche (always relaxes me and helps clear my mind). Kissed my husband and went to sleep…

Find out more about Dr. Meredith Hansen visit her private practice website.

Therapist Roll Call: Join The Private Practice Twitter List

I recently blogged about ways to use Twitter to build your private practice, and encouraged you to tweet your elevator speech/basic practice message in 140 characters or less. Those posts got me wondering, "How many therapists in private practice are actively using Twitter?" So, I'm taking a roll call to help you use Twitter to connect with other like-minded therapists around the world to share ideas, resources, and referrals. Only licensed mental health therapists will be listed.

Here's what I'd like you to do...

Post a comment below and include:

1. twitter handle & link
2. your city and state
3. specialty area

As the comments come in I'll post comments and paste your info in the body of this post below.

Therapists on Twitter

@julie_hanks Salt Lake City, UT: women's emotional health, EFT couples, family therapy, private practice consulting, media

@soultenders1 Arcadia, CA: marriage/couples, domestic violence, anger management, parenting

@soulhealr Studio City, CA: trauma, abuse, grief, loss, anxiety, stress, yoga therapy, teens and adults

@drtrentevans Baltimore, MD: anxiety, depression, anger management, bariatric surgery, cognitive/mindfulness

@metrocounsellor Perth Western Australia, Mount Lawley and Duncraig: Family,couples, teenagers, children and relationship counselling

@Grevgatan24 Stockholm, Sweden:, 6 psychotherapists, PDT, CBT, Affective Shortterm, individual/couples, systemic, crises/trauma

@juliejeske Portland, OR: relationships, intimacy and sexuality

@DrMarsha Washington DC: neuropsychology, and mindfulness

@LisaKiftTherapy Larkspur, Marin County, CA: Individual (family of origin, emotional health) and Couples (communication, infidelity, premarital education)

@JoelCarnazzo CBT, Motivational Interviewing, Family Systems Therapies, depressive disorders, anxiety and panic, & substance abuse

@SentierTherapy Couples & Family therapy, teens/adolescents, parent consultations, sexual abuse/assault

@Mindful4Health Milton, Ontario: depression, anxiety, stress, major life changes, chronic illness, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

@jeffbrandler Mountain Lakes, NJ: addiction, couples, anxiety, mood disorders

@daryljo Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies: EAPs, Adults, Teens, Couples Counselling

@aposterioris Manhattan, NY: helping children and adults, as a disabled person I can also help those w/ disabilities

@emmakviglucci NYC: Self and Relationship Expert pre-marital, codependence and being stuck, infidelity

@DrRanjanPatel Burlingame, CA: Couples counseling, depression/anxiety, chronic illness/pain, grief/loss, mindfulness training

@DrTanyaHilber San Diego, CA: life balance, middle-aged women, children/teens with ADHD or Autism/Asperger’s spectrum

@pnetworker Psychotherapy Networker: Learning, Connection, Community for Psychotherapists Year-Round

@brucenystrom evaluation/therapy clinical, forensic, disability, ADHD, medical compliance, law enforcement, critical incident stress management

@marianneclyde Warrenton, VA: relationship issues, anxiety/depression, eating disorders, stress, trauma, Holistic approach

@geoffsteurer St. George, UT: pornography and sexual addiction recovery, affairs, marriage counseling, men's issues

@rhetter Plano, TX: Marriage and Family, latent adolescent/emerging adulthood, adolescent boys, spiritual issues

@drkkolmes San Francisco, CA: Anxiety, depression, relationships, sexual problems, working with LGBTQ, poly, kink

@TherapyWithJen Salt Lake City, UT:  Marriage and Family, anxiety, depression, parenting, communication skills, trust, LDS-based therapy

@cesargamez Phoenix, AZ: Eating disorders, Marriage/Family, Teens/Adults, Group Therapy

@johnleemsw Chattanooga, TN: individual & family therapist, children and adolescents, emotional intelligence

@josephab100 Mechanicsburg, PA: Online Relationship advice; online life and business coach.

@njpsychotherapy & @debrafeinberg Maplewood, NJ: Relationships, anxiety, gay & lesbian issues, multicultural issues, Internet Marketing consultant for therapists

@JaniceMaddoxMFT Reno, Nevada: couples and family counseling, individuals w/ anxiety, depression and adoption related issues

@Betrayalcoach, marriage and relationship counseling, psychotherapy for intimacy, trust,conflict, and issues of infidelity

@luciacassar Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Teenagers, adults and elderly

@kamahiner Private Practice in Boise, ID: Individuals & Couples- Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Sexual Issues/Addictions, Autism/Behavioral Consultations

@crutherfordphd psychological and neuropsychological assessement, test report writing software

@bbhabash Gaithersburg, MD: Individual & Family Therapy for children 3-12yrs, Child-Centered Play Therapy, Parents, Teens & Young Adults with various mental health disorders/life transitions

@pamdysonmalpc St. Louis, MO: Parent coaching, play therapy for children 3-12 years of age

@drkipmatthews Athens, GA: Sport and Performance Psychology, Consulting, Career & Life Planning, Mind-Body Health

@InfertilityMind @psych0synthesis Northern Beaches, Sydney, Australia: eating disorders and addiction, infertility and alternative parenting paths, anxiety and depression, life crisis and relationships

@KatMindenhall Lakewood, CO: CBT, SFBT – Parenting, depression, couple/family

@BCordermanMFT Brea, Orange County, CA: Empowering teen girls and women; pre-marital & couples counseling; family of origin work; co-dependency; trauma

@taoi_uk Merseyside, United Kingdom: A psychosexual and relationship therapist working with all kinds of sexual and relationship issues

@stlcounselor  Webster Groves, Mo: Marriage child and Family, couples counseling. expert child and teen counseling

@drjlgibson, Holland, Michigan psychologist specializing in adult psychotherapy for depression, anxiety, and relationship concerns.

@onlinecounselor London, UK: Accredited Psychological Therapist providing Online Counselling, Telephone Counselling & Face to Face Therapy.

@JasonEsswein I specialize in individual psychotherapy with men.

@fystherapy Kim McLaughlin, LMFT Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Roseville, CA: specializing in therapy and counseling for compulsive and binge eating disorders.

@DrReginaMendoza Licensed Psychologist in Miami, Florida. Psychological testing and individual therapy for children, adolescents, and adults.

@GregDorter Toronto, ON. Therapist specializing in helping people overcome depression, anxiety, stress & low self-esteem through CBT and mindfulness.

@DrCunninghamMFT  San Diego, CA, Family Systems expert specializing in couples and individuals challenged by relationship issues.

(I'll add your Twitter info here...)