If you haven’t tried it out already, I suggest that you might use the Therapy Practice Business Assessment as the basis for making some changes to your therapy or counselling practice in the coming year. If you missed the blog post in which I made suggestions for Knowing Your Practice, you can read it here.
The second pillar is Growing Your Practice. There’s a saying that if your business isn’t growing it’s shrinking. What steps could you take in the next year to grow your practice and attract some new work that is perfectly suited to you?
Therapy Practice Business Assessment: Second Pillar – Growing Your Practice
Make A Plan
You’re more likely to take effective action if you create a plan for promoting your practice. It doesn’t need to be a complicated thing, just decide on a couple of promotional activities and put them into practice. Ideally, keep going for a couple of months, as this helps to create momentum, and iron out any resistance you might have! Check out the following related articles:
Five Ways to Boost Your Therapy Practice
Marketing Your Practice – What Makes You Stand Out From The Crowd?
Five Ways to Make Your Marketing More Effective
Focus Your Efforts Through Creating A Niche
Focussing on one niche or speciality area for the purposes of promoting your practice, makes the whole promotional thing much easier. Contrary to popular belief, rather than limiting you to working solely in that area in future, it helps to give you some stature and identity that referrers are more likely to remember. See my blog posts on this subject:
Do You Have A Niche Or Target Market?
Ways To Connect With A Niche Market
Or check out the list of possible specialist areas here
Broaden Your Network of Referral Contacts
Connect or re-connect with local professionals, including GPs and other therapists. It’s not enough to do it just once, as new therapists are setting up, and doctors or colleagues may not remember your particular area of expertise or skill. If you’re sending letters to other professionals in the area, don’t forget to include your therapist colleagues. They may have clients they are unable to see, and may be glad to have a contact to pass them on to.
Again, I’ve written about this subject before, here are some of the best…
Relationships With Local Doctors
How To Prepare For Meetings With Doctors
Help! I Need an Elevator Pitch
Strengthen Your Online Presence or Use of Technology
If you’re not already visible in the virtual world, maybe 2016 is a good year to start. If the whole idea of creating an online presence is overwhelming, take it really slowly, one step at a time. Talk to others who may have done it before you, and get help from those who find it easy.
See my articles on this issue:
Or check out how others in the profession are doing it:
Make 2016 the year that you create a therapy practice that not only serves the needs of your clients, but also gives you the satisfying and rewarding experience you deserve. I love to hear from you. Contact me here for your free 20 minute consultation or to make an appointment.