I remember hearing that a lot of therapists have had therapy themselves. At first blush I thought, what the….? How and why, and HUH?
But, yes, I get it now. The best line is from Virginia Satir, beloved attachment therapist in the marriage and family therapy world, who said “we can not see our own behind.”
We can also not see our own websites.
One of the most interesting things in my therapy website reviews I do for people is almost without fail, there is some GEM, whether it’s a paragraph, a photo, one fact, and it’s always buried where nobody ever would find it.
I’ve seen therapy websites where you literally have no idea how to contact them. You look at the options, chose one, and nope, information isn’t there. (Hint: always have a contact page, but better yet have your contact information on EVERY page. Don’t hide your contact information under “schedule an appointment”, or “directions/location” or some other page that makes sense only to you.
Anyway, I could tell many, many stories, but the point is to give you some TIPS for better success!
In no particular order:
Do you give talks, or have in the past? LIST that on your website and write it for a PROSPECTIVE person who is looking to book you for their group. Nothing quite like letting it be known… rather than hoping they mind read and know you’re open to them contacting you. (I had been wanting to make contact with the MN division of the APA… but was waiting to find the right connection, and NOT my father since I use him sparingly for networking. Well, wouldn’t you know the only good thing about my birthday (which turned into The Most Disgusting Day Of My Marriage due to a flu that swept through my house) was the president of the MN division of the APA found me and asked me to submit a proposal to speak at their annual convention! If I didn’t have all my past speaking and a “speaker request form” she may very well have not known I’m open and interested. (It’s Friday April 20th for anyone who is a MPA member and the title is awesome: How to be Online in an Offline Profession!)
Have you dealt with the media at all? This is similar to above, but basically journalists scour the internet every day for people to share a perspective. They’re more likely to contact you if you list you’ve done media, and especially if you share the areas you’re comfortable talking about so they don’t waste their time.
WHY does a client benefit from your advanced training or credentials? I call it alphabet soup when therapists blather on about all they’ve done. I don’t really care. I do care, however, if your latest EFT training is really about “the latest research in neuroscience and marriage relationships.” THAT will get my attention as a prospective client! By the way, never use short-hand, always spell things out, if you insist on naming things. And if you can’t think of a single reason why the client would care, either hide it in your dull CV, or simply say “I am constantly getting the most updated training and research to ensure our time is well spent.”
What cool “ninja moves” do you know that your clients are dying to have? The problem is you work with clients all day and forget how awesome you are. Right now, for example, I’m in this ridiculous situation where I’m going crazy that my six year old forgets to turn his bedroom lights off in the morning, and my husband is saying “he’s six, and it bothers you more than me.” OKAY… so let’s say we wanted to get parenting help because that’s your specialty. Are you saying things like this: ”Ever disagree so strongly that one of you thinks the other is crazy for even getting mad? Say, about the cleanliness of bedrooms, when chores need to be done, or homework? I successfully work with both of you to create a win-win situation that permanently ends the squabbles.” That is more powerful than “I specialize in working with children and parents.” *snooze*
How best to connect with you? If you HATE voicemail or HATE email, just say it! Well, don’t say it just don’t list your phone number or email, and say “The best way to reach me is by phone.” And is there a time they’re very likely to reach you? List that! It’s great customer service and may sell you as their therapist if they know on Thursday at 1pm you’re available for a brief chat. Therapists can be awful about response times, so if they wait for you and you convince them to see you, one little line of text on your website can nab you new clients! In a similar vein, do you have a guaranteed response time? That is also superior service to tell people on your website “I try to respond same day by email” or “I will get in touch within 48 hours.” Remember they may like you more but your colleague down the street got back to them first. What are they to do? Well, if they KNOW you’ll be in touch within the next day, they may delay the therapist they’re talking with. If they have no idea and other therapists have been bad about touching base they may just go ahead and book with that person.
What are some tips that have worked well for you? There are many more but this post is getting long. :)
And if you liked this post you may very much enjoy:
An Insiders Guide to Therapy Directory Advertising
Attend Elizabeth Doherty Thomas' Full Day Workshop at the Networker Symposium Thursday, March 22, 2012!
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Excellent advice as always, Elizabeth!