Will Advertising Make Me Look Cheap?


“Will clients think I’m cheap?” The question came in the context of whether Google Ads was a good way to get clients for a therapy practice.

Some time ago, a friend was buying a second hand car. He’d been thinking about it for a while, looking at what was available in fancy wheels editedlocal garages, in Buy and Sell magazine, and on the internet. He’d found one he liked, which had been owned by a limousine service. He was really excited by the prospect. “It has been looked after so well, it’s immaculately clean and regularly serviced. Because that guy used it to earn his living, he really cared for those wheels,” he said. My brother was sceptical. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he asked. “But won’t a car that’s been used as a taxi have very high mileage on it? You could find yourself having hefty repair bills.” And so the debate went on.

I can’t remember whether my friend did buy the car in the end. The point is that we all look at things differently, through the lens of our own values, beliefs and experiences. For my friend, the fact that the car was clean and had been well looked after was important for him, it had meaning for him. For my brother, low mileage and reasonable maintenance costs were important. For someone else, the colour, the make, the charm of the salesman might be factors that swayed the decision.

If everyone thought the same about cars, would we have so many marques to choose from? Some manufacturers promote their cars’ safety, some their speed, some their size, some their comfort, some their style, while others focus on the functionality. One company recently advertised their vehicle’s smooth ride by balancing an actor between the wing mirrors of two trucks. (If you haven’t seen the video, catch it here, it’s worth a look!) For some drivers, safety is boring, and they’re all about the speed and excitement. Other buyers are interested in reliability and long service intervals. What you buy depends on what you’re looking for, on your desires, needs and requirements.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAnd the same applies when talking about marketing your practice. In the question posed above “Will clients think I’m cheap?” there’s an assumption about what “Cheap” would mean. Prospective clients come in many shapes and sizes. They come from a range of backgrounds and experiences. They bring a variety of issues, perspectives, values and beliefs. And chances are, they will have a variety of views about how you put yourself out there.

Will some clients form a judgement about you based on your choice of promotion? Of course they will. But it doesn’t follow that their judgement will be negative. Will some clients think you cheap, and reject you? Perhaps they will (or perhaps that’s what YOU think?) They may judge the colours, images or words you use on your leaflet, flyer, or business card. They may also judge your personal appearance, accent, premises or terms of business. Clients may like any of these things, they may admire them, respect them, or they may hate them. We all make these judgements all the time. None of us has control over what prospective clients may think, or what factors they may take into account when choosing a therapist.

So, what to do? It makes putting yourself out there a risky business, doesn’t it?

At a recent workshop, one participant spoke about the universal signal of the flashing green cross used by Irish pharmacists to draw attention to their shops. We joked about what would be the equivalent signal for therapists, a flashing purple couch, perhaps? And of course it would be so much easier if there was one symbol that was universally recognised as depicting our availability. But then, that wouldn’t do us justice, would it? Because all therapists are not the same. They don’t work in the same way, they don’t use the same theoretical approach, they bring different life experiences and backgrounds, they work with different issues. And like our clients we have differing values, beliefs and perspectives. And these differences speak to prospective clients through the media we choose to promote ourselves. So what do you want to say?

In relation to the question “Will clients think I’m cheap?” you could get all technical about it, and conduct market research to find out what people think. But a simpler way might be to look at the clients you are attracting, and what’s turning up in your therapy room. What are clients telling you (directly or indirectly) about the message they are receiving from your promotional efforts? Are clients telling you they think you’re cheap? Do you get a lot of calls from people looking for free or very low cost services? Do you attract any long term clients? Do you struggle with getting paid, or with collecting cancellation fees? In short, are you attracting the clients you want?

And remember, what’s turning up is not just a reflection of what you’re doing and how you’re doing it, but also what you think and believe about what you’re doing, and how you feel about it.

If you’re not attracting the clients you want, I’d love to help you. Leave your comment or query in the box below, or contact me here for your free 20 minute consultation.