A Sower Went Out to Sow…


The parable goes something like this…”A sower went out to sow his seed..” You probably know it. Some fell on rocky ground, and died. Some was eaten by the birds. Some fell on barren soil. Some fell on fertile soil…and so on.

seedI was reminded of the parable recently when I spoke to a therapist who was starting out in her practice. She was bemoaning how slowly clients were coming to her. As we discussed what she had so far done in the way of promoting herself, it became clear to both of us, that her work, while fruitful in some respects, could have been more focussed.

She was spreading her seed too widely, and not focussing enough on the fertile soil.

Fertile soil in this context means where clients are likely to come from. In short, some activities work better than others.

Of course there are the exceptions. Examples of people who have had great success from avenues that appear unlikely to the rest of us. Most people I speak to have had experiences of the client who finds them outside of the usual channels. They are the exception.

Because generally, when sowing seeds that will attract new clients, the most fertile soil will always be those people who are actively looking for the services you have to offer.

So if you find yourself working hard to convince someone of the benefits of what you do, the chances are you are wasting your efforts on barren soil. If, for example, you are printing and distributing hundreds of flyers, but getting very little response, perhaps you need to think again. If you are talking to lots of people, but getting very few referrals, perhaps you need to think again. If you are paying out a lot of money for advertising (whether print or online), but with little payback, perhaps you need to think again.

So take a step back. Take a breath and ask yourself the following questions:field

  • Who are you trying to reach? (Be as specific as you can. Think about the issues you like to work with, whether you have any preferences about age groups or gender. What you don’t want can also help you to clarify you’re thinking.)
  • What services are you trying to provide to them? (Short or long term work, individuals, couples or groups, etc, fixed term or open ended. Do you work within a specific approach or process?)
  • Where are you most likely to find them? (This follows from the first two questions, so if you’re struggling with this one, try getting more specific with the first question.)
  • What medium is most likely to reach them? (Younger people may respond more to online media. People suffering depression or anxiety may look to their GP for help. Parents of troubled children may attend parenting courses.)

Clarifying who your potential clients are likely to be, and where you’re likely to find them helps in several ways. Not only will you be more focussed in your promotional efforts, you’ll also feel more confident about the identity of your practice. This is turn communicates itself to anyone you speak to about your work.

If you’d like help finding some direction attracting clients into your practice, I can help. Contact me here for your free 20 minute consultation or to make an appointment.