3 Private Practice Marketing Strategies You’re Already Using

Chances are, your professional education and training didn’t emphasize (or even include) the skills it takes to run a business. So it’s no surprise that the ins and outs of private practice marketing continue to baffle and overwhelm many private practice professionals.

How to Maximize Your Private Practice Marketing

Fortunately, there are some things you’re likely already doing in your private practice that can also be implemented as part of your overall marketing strategy. Here are three of the most common practices I see, and how to make sure you’re making the most of them.  

1. Offer a Complimentary Consultation Call

A lot of practices offer free initial consultation calls to prospective clients. And while this may seem like something pretty routine, it actually does differentiate you from other practitioners who may not offer consultations, or who may not know exactly how to convert that first call to a session. 

Whether you’ve been offering these kinds of calls all along or it’s something new you want to try out, you can absolutely use the initial consultation to create positive buzz for your practice. Here are a few recommendations to make sure you’re maximizing the first call:

Be responsive

What I mean by this is you should make sure to respond promptly to inquiries as they come in. Believe it or not, this alone will help set you and your practice apart from the many providers who simply don’t return calls and emails from prospective clients.

It almost doesn’t matter whether or not you actually end up scheduling a call with a prospective client. Even if your response is that you’re currently unavailable for new clients, the response itself can leave a positive impression. You can respond to inquiries with an automated message that helps manage expectations and points to a helpful resource of some kind (for instance, tips to prepare for the intake session, simple scripts to enlist support from others, or new client FAQs).

Be attentive to themes

Do you find yourself hearing the same questions and struggles over and over again in your initial contacts with clients? Don’t miss this opportunity to do some market research, noting themes across multiple consultation calls. Not only can this help shape the way you communicate about the work you do, but it can also help generate topics to create free content around, like blog posts or social media content.

For instance, let’s say you find yourself addressing the same few misconceptions on consultation calls this month. This signals a shared gap in understanding among your target client population. Try creating a blog post, video series, or even pitching a podcast debunking common myths about the topic.    

2. Accept Insurance

The second private practice marketing strategy you’re likely already using is accepting insurance in your practice. I recognize that being paneled with insurance companies isn’t for everyone, and you’ll have to weigh the potential benefits and drawbacks for yourself and your clients. But if you do currently accept insurance, or are planning to in the future, there are two main ways you can maximize that marketing potential. 

List your specialties judiciously

If you’re building your insurance payment program from scratch (or perhaps starting over in a new location), it might be tempting to cast a wide net, listing every specialty and presenting concern you could possibly work with. Unfortunately, if you stray too far from your true areas of interest, this can undermine your goal of building a profitable practice doing the work you love.

Reflect honestly on the work you enjoy most. Then, make sure this is reflected in your provider profile with each insurance company. Revisit your list periodically and update as needed.         

Think collaboratively

Practitioners who choose to join insurance panels often find this accelerates the process of developing a network of referral partners. One way to capitalize on this network? Shift from the idea that “referrals come through insurance” to the idea that “referrals come through my network.” This will expand your thinking to include creative opportunities to collaborate.

For example, if your clients tend to work with providers in an adjacent field, take some time to familiarize yourself with the in-network options in your area. Reach out to learn more about them and their work. You’ll be better prepared to make thoughtful referrals on behalf of your clients and you’ll start earning a reputation as a good collaborator and coordinator of care.

3. Have a Professional Directory Listing 

This one may seem to go without saying, but having a listing on a professional therapist directory is a critical part of boosting your private practice marketing efforts. I’ve often seen that in their eagerness to start growing their practice as quickly as possible, many practitioners create their directory listing without truly taking the time to optimize it. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when creating your directory listing: 

Treat it as your only point of contact

Whether your professional profile is the online hub of your business or simply a tool to help traffic to your website, it’s best to avoid making assumptions about the prospective clients who interact with it.

For some therapy-seekers, your directory listing may be the only point of contact they have with you—regardless of how much time or effort you’ve put into other areas of your online presence. So, take some time to consider:

• What impression of my field do I want to give them?
• What’s the most important thing I want prospective clients to know about working with me?
• How can I share something of value with them, even if they don’t choose to work with me?

If you have clear answers to these questions, you’ll be able to craft a more efficient professional bio and call to action on your directory listing, so you tell prospective clients exactly what they need to know—and more importantly, how to contact you. 

Speak directly to your ideal client

Professional directories are packed with listings that sound impersonal, center the provider’s experience, and rely heavily on clinical jargon. By keeping a few key tips in mind, you can transform yours into a genuine marketing tool:   

1. Speak to your ideal client. You’ve probably heard this advice before, and with good reason: it works. The more you can tailor your listing to the type of client you want to see more of in your practice, the easier it’ll be to create a compelling message to reach them.   
2. Be conversational. Take everything you’ve learned about professional writing and (temporarily) toss it aside. Online readers are primed to skim, so keep your paragraphs brief, and don’t be afraid to embrace contractions! This will help approximate the experience of talking with you in person.   
3. Center their experience. When we’re describing our work, there’s often a tendency to concentrate on our own experience (like, “I enjoy utilizing narrative techniques…”). But, this can undermine the focus on the people we’re trying to reach. Reframe things to center prospective clients’ experience (e.g., “We’ll explore the stories you’ve been telling yourself…”) instead.

Provide a seamless experience

Empathy goes a long way in marketing, and that’s very good news for us as helping professionals! By the time your ideal client lands on your directory listing, they’ve likely encountered some roadblocks and frustrations along the way. By reflecting on this and taking steps to reduce potential barriers for them, you can help smooth the path for them. 

• Spell out key logistics. Don’t make them hunt for important information. Ensure your availability, pricing, location, etc. are clearly communicated.
• Address hesitations up front. What might be getting in the way of working with you? Do your best to answer any questions your ideal client might have, right there on your profile.
• Plan for what’s next. What happens after a prospective client first reaches out? What process is waiting on the other side of that first contact? Some thoughtful planning will facilitate more ease, comfort, and trust for your clients.  

When it comes to marketing your practice, it’s not always about adopting new, exciting strategies. Sometimes, the wisest use of your time and energy is focusing on the things you’re already doing. By bringing more intentionality to these basics, you’ll be supporting your clients before they even contact you. And, ultimately, a well-supported client is the best form of marketing there is.