In our last article, we discussed the most common fears you might have with regard to becoming self-employed. The last of those was the fear of marketing yourself. After all, you are trained as a therapist, and marketing is an entirely different discipline! It’s okay if you don’t know what you’re doing now… But when it’s time to market your new practice, you need to look like you do know what you’re doing! And that prospect can overwhelm some therapists… So here are three ways you can market yourself successfully.

Gather the facts. As a therapist, you were trained to gather the facts about a patient before treating them. Now, you will gather the facts about your target demographic before you market your services to them. Learn about their industries, their needs, their problems, their costs – including their recovery costs, and their potential weak points… And develop a plan to help them.

We suggest that you hone your focus to a 60-mile radius. Research the employers, physicians, human resource associations, workers comp agencies and attorneys, and insurance claims agents in that area. When you’ve taken the time to get to know about them first, that familiarity will carry over to your presentations and conversations with them.

For Employers, gather the following information:

• Type of business and work
• Number of Employees
• Average injury rates, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• Ratings and programs offered by Best Employers stats

For human resource associations, workers comp agencies and attorneys, and insurance claims agents, research:

• Number of members
• General membership organizations
• How often do they meet?

Prepare your marketing materials. Use your research to prepare materials specifically geared toward each target group. Remember, knowing your therapy practice and knowing their businesses are two very different things! When your materials show that you understand their needs, you will have a good chance of getting in the door to then accurately convey the myriad of ways that you can help them.

Don’t be afraid of technology! Use it! Sometimes, those of us who trained to work with people can be intimidated by technology. But remember, behind every phone or computer screen is a real live person. You can reach your target demographic via real-life networking, but the internet also offers vast opportunities to expand your practice. Digital marketing and social media are not to be feared, but embraced as the powerful tools they are!

When you choose the KEY Method, we don’t just provide services for use with your markets.. The point is to network with Employers and learn how to work alongside them as members of their team. We will teach you that too! Contact us to learn more, and we will show you how to launch a practice that is every bit as fulfilling as it is successful.