I have a colleague in the world of media by the name of Melanie Mulhall. Actually, I’ve never met her except by way of emails and through my on line networking / support group, Boulder Media Women. How I met her isn’t really relevant to this post . . . except to remind you again that networking on line can prove valuable to you as you build your private practice.
What is relevant to you is that Melanie is a businesswoman – an , a blogger, a copywriter, and an editor – and she also offers a very special marketing perk to her clients . . . . In November 2008, Melanie extended an invitation to each of her clients as a one-time “thank-you” gift. She sent the invitations, prepared a meal, and facilitated a meet-and-greet type evening. The event turned out to be such a huge success that her clients asked her to continue hosting similar events! Melanie says that since 2008, every other month, she has continued to host this free marketing meeting to discuss “what is and is not working for them in marketing their books and speaking engagements.”
What do you have in common with a bunch of wanna-be-published authors?
- You / they typically work alone.
- You / they tend to work with lots of ideas.
- You / they want to meet key players in your respective profession.
- You / they want to market services and grow your business.
So how can you make this idea work for you and your private practice? No, you can’t extend an invitation to 10 of your favorite counseling clients to join you for dinner. But, think about it . . . . What can you offer them? Do you work with divorce? How about a free 6-week seminar on Co-Parenting with Your Ex? Do you work with educators? How about a free summer group focusing on Self-Care for Educators? Working with children? How about a free monthly Art Group for the kids?
Whatever your niche is, there’s an attractive offer that you can make to provide a perk – that little something extra – to your clients. Are you already offering an add-on to your clients? Got a great idea for something you or another professional could be offering in addition to their standard service? If so, drop us a note below and share you thoughts with us as we continue to build our online community!
Well said 🙂 I’m planning to start a (free) support group for adoptive and waiting parents next month- just have to figure out how to advertise it!
Great idea, Robyn! Thankfully, you are clear about your niche! Don’t forget to talk it up / ask for suggestions on the online discussion lists that you are a member of. And, of course, all of the professional associations in your area can help you get the word out. And, before you actually begin advertising, you may want to read my post here.
I hope you’ll check back in with us as your group builds to let us know what did and didn’t work with advertising for your group. We can all learn from you!
If this is an on-going support group vs a free one-time educational presentation for the community, I think you should consider even a small fee per person. Yes, the group can be open (vs closed) but you are incurring expenses for your office space, time, expertise, insurance, materials, and marketing. Don’t sell yourself short. You have valuable info to share and you are providing a service.
People expect to pay for this type of service.
Signed,
Been there, done that 🙂
Kristene
I am a social worker in private practice in Baton Rouge, LA. I believe that we are now in a very “customer service” based society and that people expect/recognize/appreciate those “little something extras”. Here is what I have done: I purchased a Cuisinart/Keurig single-cup coffee maker (Bed Bath & Beyond – if you register with them online you get a 20% off coupon so instead of 199, I got it for 160), and I maintain a gourmet coffee station in my waiting room. There is very little mess because the client just selects the little “k-cup” flavor they want (I have a little display wheel with hot cocoa, tea, and many different flavor coffees), puts it in the machine and drops a cup below and presses “brew”. No grounds to clean up and so forth. It really impresses people and the clients love it. I must say I drink my share as well!
I do private pay only, and I have a credit card machine as well which makes things simple for a majority of my clients pay with credit/debit cards.
Sincerely,
Todd Atkins, LCSW
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Hi, Todd! Thanks for sharing your “little something extras.” You are exactly right and I love the little Keurig coffee makers! My dentist has one and they are so easy to use!
Do you have any tips to share on obtaining a merchant account for those credit cards?
And, how has your business fared since Hurricane Katrina?
I have a Keurig single-cup coffee maker in my waiting room. Clients love it. They can make their own Tea, Coffee, or Hot Cocoa while waiting to be seen. Good investment. People expect and appreciate good customer service.
Well, I just started in private practice in May 2009, so no Katrina effects. As for a merchant account, be a good shopper. The better YOUR credit, the better the deal you’ll get as far as percentages, etc. I would say avoid contracts, see if your local bank offers merchant accounts, compare percentages and fees, watch out for added monthly “statement” or “batch” fees, also I would recommend purchasing the machine rather than renting. As for the K-Cups, I’ve found the best deals to be had are at: http://www.coffeeicon.com
Best wishes.
Todd
Thanks, Todd! I’m sure the readers the community here will appreciate your tips and your introduction! Looking forward to chatting with you here at Private Practice from the Inside Out.
I’m in the planning stages of opening a private practice. A few years ago my husband got me a fancy massage chair (back, shoulders, feet, and arms…so relaxing!) for Christmas. I love it! I think my clients will too, so I’m going to put it in the waiting room. And I can still use it on my lunch! Hopefully my clients will see this as a perk!
Welcome, Laura Beth! What a fabulous idea! That’s definitely going to give your clients something to talk about! I hope you’ll drop back in here often to chat AND let us know when you hang that shingle out! Best wishes to you as you get ready to open your practice!
@Laurie, if you put a massage chair into your waiting room, people will start coming in 5 hours earlier 😀
Better yet . . . how about negotiating a discount for your clients with a great massage therapist in the area! (Thanks for the inspiration, Matt, and welcome to Private Practice from the Inside Out!)
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