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7. Develop a Marketing Plan
In order to market your private practice successfully you must have an integrated marketing plan. One of
most common mistakes helping and healing professionals make is trying a few methods of marketing your practice haphazardly, and when
results are not immediate, they erroneously assume
techniques don’t work. Flourishing private practices are frequently built upon a number of marketing strategies that work together over time. To market effectively you must make yourself repeatedly visible to potential clients and referral sources so that they get to know and trust you.
. Choose Marketing Methods That Excite You
Take some time to explore and develop marketing methods that suit your unique talents and interests. There are numerous ways to promote your practice. To get ideas, read books, take courses, ask other professionals how they built their practices, or hire a marketing consultant or coach. Marketing can be an enjoyable and creative process that provides a balance to
work you do with your clients. Find a way to take pleasure in this aspect of your business and you will be more motivated to do it.
9. Make a Commitment To Build Your Practice
Typically it can take anywhere from 1-3+ years to build a full practice. Exactly how long will depend on several factors including
size of your current network, how effectively you market,
demand for your area of expertise, and how much time you spend developing your practice. Make a commitment to take action steps on a regular basis. It’s best if you set aside a specific amount of time on a weekly basis for marketing your practice, and try to stick to this schedule even when you become discouraged or become tempted to allow other things to take priority.
10. Get Support
Because you will be primarily working alone, you may feel isolated and discouraged at times. It’s important to have people and resources you can access for support. Most successful people have consistently had other people helping them. Whether you get expert guidance from a professional business coach or consultant, or get help from your colleagues and friends, getting support, guidance and feedback on your ideas and goals is essential. The more support you get,
greater your chances of success with your private practice.
Many professionals who are having difficulty building their practices tell me
reason they can’t get clients is either because there is too much competition or because of tight economic times. While it may be true that competition for clients has increased and that financial resources are limited for many people, there will always be those professional sin your particular field who do have a full practice. Competition is not going to go away and you have you don’t have control over
economy. You need to find a way to develop and sustain a private practice in spite of these apparent obstacles. If you act on
above ten guidelines on a consistent basis, you should have a thriving practice within a few years. Be persistent, believe in yourself, learn from your mistakes, and most importantly, get out there and be visible.

Juliet assists coaches, therapists and healing professionals in marketing their services and creating compelling copy for their websites and other promotional materials. She can be reached at http://www.julietaustin.com or http://www.marketingaprivatepractice.com