Need to Attract More Clients? Just Ask


I was in the bank some time ago and a woman who was trying to encourage me to buy a pension gave me a box of mints with “Just Ask” written on it. It reminded me of how complicated we can make the whole looking- for-clients thing.

Earlier this week, a friend who was thinking of starting her own practice, said she was overwhelmed by the thoughts of what she had to do in order to get clients. She was talking about business cards, websites and letters to GPs and all that good stuff. But she hadn’t thought about the most obvious source of potential referrers, among people who already know her.

askI suggested she make a list of everyone she knows, (and yes, I do mean everyone!) and call them to say “I’m setting up in practice. If you hear of anyone who needs a counsellor, would you give them my number?”

Better still, write an elevator pitch and use the calls to friends and family to get familiar with saying exactly what you do and how you help your clients.

Therapists don’t really talk about their work. Well, we can’t, can we? So much of what we do is confidential. Unfortunately, and probably in an effort to make sure that we observe that confidentiality, we can wrap our work in a veil of secrecy, to the extent that those around us, family, friends, and former work colleagues can be afraid to broach it with us, and so, probably never think to mention our name to people they know who might benefit from talking to us.

If you need more work, JUST ASK!

Sometimes when I suggest this, people tell me that asking those closest to them is actually harder than asking a stranger. I am curious about this and if you feel yourself hesitating to take the step of telling those close to you about your work, perhaps you need to reflect a little on what’s behind your hesitation. Our nearest and dearest are more well disposed towards us than a stranger will ever be. Perhaps there’s a concern about observing appropriate boundaries? Look at it this way, every therapist has clients they can’t work with for a variety of reasons, so what do they do with those clients they can’t see? Yes, they refer them on to another therapist. You may not be able to help someone because the connection is too close, but if you refer it on to another therapist, that therapist will probably reciprocate when they have a similar problem. What goes around comes around.

If I can help you with any aspect of setting up or running your therapy, just ask! I’d be glad to offer whatever assistance I can. You can email me here with your query or question, to avail of your free 20 minute consultation, or to make an appointment.

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