Therapist Marketing Tip #6 Can a wheel really draw in more clients?
In an excellent article called “Build your digital footprint in a hub and spoke model” Drew McLellan suggests everyone needs a hub that all their online and offline content point back to. He explains how using a hub/spoke model will increase your visibility on the web. A therapist being found by new clients on the web and with Google is now accepted as a critical factor in the development of a successful practice. When I apply this principle to therapist marketing the hub is the place where you ultimately want people to land when they are looking for a psychotherapist.
I think for most therapist, their hub should be their website. This is where you present the best picture of who you are as a therapist, all your contact information and valuable content (articles or blog). As Drew explains “… the logic behind this is pretty straightforward:
- You want to point all your links and backlinks to the same place — the spot you want Google to drive people to.
- You don’t want to spread out the Google juice — you want it concentrated on your hub location. The more links and juice pointed at the same place, the higher your ranking.
- You want people to find your best thinking, depth of knowledge and most authoritative voice — typically a blog or website.
- You want the search engines to drive people to where they can actually connect with you — human to human.”
So if you look at the above chart, it is a representation of what you may have as content both online and offline. In the center is your website. Then around the hub is all your content that should direct everyone that comes across it to your website. So here are some questions to check out your wheel/hub:
1) Do you have a hub?
2) If you have do not have one presently should you be looking at getting one built?
3) If the hub is your website. Is it up to the requirements of being your hub? Is should:
- Be well designed both for aesthetics and usability.
- Give the best possible picture of who you are as a therapist.
- Have all your contact information.
- Contain valuable content (articles or blog).
4) Does all your content outside your hub direct people to your hub? Check:
- Do you have your website address on everything?
- (If you are usually ahead of the marketing curve) have you added a QR Code to your business card? ( We will be doing a post on how to do this watch for it)
- That all your social media profiles have your website address.
As part of MHP’s practice management system we offer our therapist a directory listing with a link back to their website. We also produce and send a monthly client newsletter that can be branded with your logo and a link back to your website. So if you do not have these 2 important items as part of your hub or need more information about managing your practice click on the link to our Information Page- or Email: customercare@mentalhealthpros.com
Tags: marketing, therapist marketing, usability, web design
The one really important consideration for therapists is this idea of multiple streams of income.
I not only run a therapy directory and GET those sad emails from clients, but have felt personally the same way. What exactly? “I want a therapist who is going to HELP ME, not SELL ME STUFF.”
There is a little discussed “path” some therapists take when they get into marketing. It’s one where they get really wrapped up into asking for emails, for pushing their books, programs, for being completely blinded by genuine connections with others because they’re so busy being “The Expert”, the one with the wisdom to dispense.
Three rock star therapy bloggers I personally know, who have full, awesome practices, keep their blogs as their own separate identity, separate website presence, from their calm private practice website. They see the sanctity of therapy as different from the fun, informational, educational blogging side, where there may be multiple ways to give cash to get advice.
My two cents,
Elizabeth
Thanks for the insight. I agree there is a fine line between marketing effectively to bring in clients and become a sales business. I have seen some therapist websites that look very “commercial”. Once a therapist gets to that point a separation of the 2 businesses (as you described) probably is the way to go. As Director of Marketing here at MHP I am focused more on helping therapists who are just getting into the basics of marketing their practice. Every business has to “market” their product. My goal is that we supply therapists tips and information that helps them effectively utilize the every expanding selection of marketing methods and tools.
Kelly Ross
MHP Director of Marketing
As therapists we do want to offer ethical, empathic and effective services.
But why should our profession not use all the marketing tools available – web, directory, Facebook, Twitter, personal networks.
Marketing our services to ensure we can make a living, when done ethically, does not equate to selling our soul (or our clients’).
Balance is key. Promoting to get the message out we are able to help, but without seeking to profit on others’ misery nor saccrifice our own needs.