Starting Up A Therapy or Counselling Practice– Getting Those First Clients


Having decided where you’re going to practice and put the framework in place, you’ll want to get some clients to work with. This is where having an idea of what you’d like your practice to look like really helps. There’s a saying that if you’re marketing to everyone, you’re marketing to no-one. For example, if you know you want to work with children, that will largely shape how and where you market your services. You will look to where parents, guardians, or teachers of children in difficulty are likely to be. The same principle applies for any other work. While many therapists are reluctant to be too specific about the type of work they want to attract fearing that this will mean they will be pigeonholed, this is not true in practice.Portrait of smiling business people with thumbs up against white

Try to think broadly about who might be a possible source of referrals for you. Many therapists confine their ideas to doctors, and while GPs and other health professionals can certainly be a good source of work, many potential clients will not think of their doctor when facing a problem. Anyone you know: friends, family, work colleagues past or present, other therapists and any professionals in a caring or helping role are potential sources of referral for you. For more thoughts about this issue, get your free copy of my report “Five Ways to Boost Your Therapy Practice.”

How do you get the word out there? There are many, many ways in which to let the world know that you are open for business. Business cards, brochures, advertisements, entries in professional and local directories, sponsorship of local activities, articles in local newspapers or magazines, presentations or workshops, your own website, and social media are all ways in which practices can highlight their services. Have a look at what others are doing, and see what appeals to you.

In deciding on how best to present yourself, it’s useful to reflect on what makes you different from other practitioners providing what appears to be a similar service. This may be a particular training or qualification you have that perhaps others don’t. It may be your own personal story, to which others may relate (eg that you work with families of cancer patients, because of your own experience in this area). It may be your values or beliefs that bring a particular flavour to your work. Whatever makes you unique, use it directly or indirectly to convey something of yourself to your prospective clients.  Clients begin to form a relationship with you from the first time they see or hear your name, which may be long before they pick up the phone to make an appointment. What would you like them to know?Photo no (10)

For those who have never put themselves out there before, it’s a common fear that everyone else will be as focussed on what you say or do as you are. Many are concerned about being visible to the world. Actually, the opposite is true. There is so much information, and so many choices out there, that you have to shout quite hard to be heard. You may have to hustle a bit to get those first few clients, until you establish a bit of a reputation for yourself. So if your first efforts don’t return you the rewards you expected, don’t get too downhearted! It takes time.

If you’re starting to build your practice, and struggling to find ways to get clients, I’d love to help you. Leave your queries or comments in the box below, or contact me here for your free 20 minute consultation.