Have you ever heard the story about how Steve Jobs made the first iPod a worldwide success?
At the time, there were countless MP3 players on the market.
No one understood why we needed one more … until they saw Apple’s revolutionary marketing campaign.
Up until then, everyone bragged about how many gigabytes their MP3 players had.
That meant math.
What is a gigabyte anyway?
How much space does a single song take up?
Apple flipped the script.
Instead of abstract digital measurements, iPod’s simply advertised, “1,000 songs in your pocket.”
By changing “gigs” to “songs,” Apple solved a problem.
In terms of technology, everything remained the same. The size of an iPod was still measured in gigabytes. Yet, everything was different.
People no longer had to wonder if their MP3 player would hold all their favorite songs.
1,000 songs is roughly 75 full albums.
With that much music, you would always have a song that matches your mood.
» Long car ride.
» Short run.
» Morning commute.
» Family vacation.
1,000 songs is at least 48 hours of music.
The possibilities were endless.
A lifestyle was born.
This brings us to my next point …
People don’t buy products and services — they buy solutions to problems.
This is just as true for your therapy practice as it is for an iPod.
Most people aren’t coming to you because they want EMDR or CBT or IFS. They don’t quote the DSM-5 on their intakes or consult calls. They are unhappy, unfulfilled, or unloved.
People just want to feel “better” and “happy.”
It should be easy … describe their problem and offer a solution. Instead of jargon, give them a path away from their pain and towards their pleasure.
Yet, so many therapists get it wrong. And, it’s easy to understand why.
How often do people ask, “what do you do?”
For years, my answer was, “I make websites for therapists.”
While that’s true, have YOU ever woken up in the middle of the night thinking, “gee, I need a website?”
Probably not. (but maybe?)
If you’re like most of therapists I help, you want:
- More clients for less money
- Less stress and overwhelm
- More time to do what you love
- A thriving practice
- To stop dealing with insurance
- To make the world a better place
Marketing and web design are solutions to your problems.
What I “do” is provide a clear path to fill your caseload, pay your bills, grow your practice, and earn $300k+/year.
That’s what you really want, right?
Then reach out today and schedule a free 15-minute clarity call.
We can figure out what solutions your dream client is looking for and come up with a plan to get them into your practice.
But enough about me … back to more practical advice for YOU.
Identifying your dream client’s problems requires a full understanding of what makes them tick.
While demographics are important, they are just a part of the big picture. Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you get started:
- What are their hobbies, hopes, and dreams?
- Where do they work – and how much do they earn?
- Are they happy with their life?
- What keeps them up at night?
- What would life look like if their #1 concern suddenly went away?
- What words and phrases do they use to describe their issues?
- How do you weave all that into your marketing efforts?
These are just some of the questions you need to answer before doing marketing for therapists, creating a website, doing paid ads, posting on social media, or anything else.
It’s also essential to ask yourself this “simple” question:
How can your dream client’s life be made better by your content – even if they never interact or reach out.
That’s the real magic question.
When you can speak to your dream client in a non-salesy way, you create a deep personal connection.
By providing value and solutions because it’s the right thing to do, you inspire people to know, like, and trust you.
When you craft your website and marketing from this standpoint, you stand out in from all the other therapists hoping for a miracle from their Psychology Today profile.
And, perhaps most importantly, this approach to marketing your practice can actually make the world a better place.
