Time – there’s never enough – especially when it comes to marketing your private practice. Here are five things you can do to find time for marketing that will help you build a successful private practice.
1. Start with a six-month plan. If you are not doing very much marketing or if you are unhappy with your marketing efforts, a six month marketing plan is a good place to start. Schedule some time in your agenda to create a marketing plan. Anticipate marketing opportunities related to holidays or special events like mental health week or national depression screening day.
2. Set monthly and weekly marketing goals. Once you’ve developed a six month plan, the next step is to include marketing time in your monthly and weekly agenda. How much time is enough time? If you are seeing less than 10 clients per week a good guideline is to spend at least one day per week on marketing.
3. Create a marketing to-do list. Include a variety of marketing activities like distributing your brochure, presenting a free seminar at your local library, or writing a newsletter. Create a weekly to-do list and use it!
4. Double-up your marketing efforts. Keep a good supply of brochures and business cards in your car and in your briefcase so that you can take advantage of impromptu marketing opportunities – drop off brochures at a doctor’s office that is next door to a networking event you are attending.
5. Take time to get your office organized. A messy office can and will distract you when you are working on marketing your private practice.
Lucy MacDonald, M.Ed.
Private Practice Advisor
*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA