If you're a teletherapist in private practice, marketing yourself is critical to maintaining a steady inflow of patients. The intricacies of marketing can be difficult to grasp, and for some, the act of marketing oneself might be unsavory. However, this aversion may stem from the misconception that the messaging must focus on the therapist. On the contrary, the best marketing strategy revolves around the patient and their needs. In this article, we share the best practices of marketing yourself as a teletherapist in a digital world.
First, think about the types of clients or the sections of society you would like to serve. Identify your professional goals and missions. This narrowing down will help you create a marketing strategy that's laser-focused and messaging that appeals to your target audience.
Secondly, your messaging should reflect your unique capabilities as a therapist. Show your potential clients why you're different from other therapists in your area. Highlight your Unique Selling Point or (USP) as a teletherapist, it could be your specializations or areas of interest. Do you treat only individuals or do you offer group, family, and couples therapy too? Do you prefer a structured schedule or do you want to be flexible?
Here are some tried and tested marketing techniques used by successful therapists all over the USA:
Use therapist directories for online marketing
Therapist directories are powerful tools for connecting with clients. Clients can use directories to browse listings of teletherapists who specialize in a particular topic or are based at a location.
Create original content
Start your official blog. Write original pieces that showcase your expertise on a wide array of mental health topics while highlighting your journey with therapy. This way, you form a connection with your readers, and if your expertise shines through, they will seriously consider becoming a client.
Before you start writing, do your research into the trending topics related to mental health. You could focus on niche issues or issues that are trending among your target audience. Doing so will ensure that your blog appears on Google's top results as a teletherapist.
Writing isn't your strong suit? No problem. Start your own YouTube channel or podcast if you prefer speaking to your audience. You could ask your subscribers to email you topic requests or questions and you could address them on your show.
Harness the power of Social Media
Content is king! Start creating a strong presence on all popular social media platforms with creative content.
Choose your platform based on your target audience and preferred content form. Take Twitter, for example, you can join in trending mental health conversations and attract the attention of influential mental health professionals by re-tweeting them. You can even tweet your own experiences and tips.
If you prefer a visual medium, you can use your Instagram profile to address complex mental health issues in easy-to-digest reels, stories, and single-image posts. Alternatively, you can take the personal route and give them a raw and unfiltered look into your mental health journey. TikTok is a great visual medium if your target audience is comprised of children and young adults.
Build a community using Facebook groups where you can interact directly with your audience and build a network of potential clients. There are 1000s of Facebook groups and communities for every mental health topic under the sun where you can post blog links or offer tips to an already interested audience. If you want to establish your professional expertise and network with other therapists, a forum like Quora is a great place to start.
Use client testimonials and referrals
Use client testimonials and referrals from both peers and clients to gain trust. Stories have an incredible impact on people's minds and if they see others satisfied with your services, they too will want to join your clientele. Ask your current clients if they can write feedback for you to feature on your site or leave reviews for your business on Google.
Use Google forms to create a standardized feedback form for clients who wish to remain private. Offer a referral program wherein you award each referral with a gift or a free session.
Make your online presence client-friendly with SEO keywords
Do your SEO keyword research to ensure reach and brand visibility. Learn Search Engine Optimization as it will help you increase your chances of appearing as a teletherapist on the top of Google search results.
Set up an email newsletter with wellness tips
Now that you've identified and engaged with potential clients, it's time to convert them into paying clients.
You can do this via email marketing, which has a 15% follower-to-client conversion rate. That's why it's crucial to get people to sign up for your newsletter. Seeing a regular newsletter about various mental health topics and your business itself might put someone new to therapy at ease.
Offer wellness tips, in a visually engaging format. Your CTA link is very important as it encourages people to sign up for your newsletter in your therapist directory profiles, social media accounts, and website.
The pandemic might be coming to an end in America, but its effects on telehealth are here to stay. Searches for teletherapy and related services are at an all-time high. Capitalize on this demand by following these marketing techniques. Or apply for teletherapy jobs on DirectShifts with employers who will take care of marketing your practice.
September 2, 2021
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