Therapy Workshops: The Private Practice Secret to Increasing Clients and Maximizing Profits
The creation of multiple sources of income in private practice is possible with a little thought and planning… and it is well worth the effort. Having multiple sources of income in private practice can multiply your income and your client numbers, bolster your credibility, and open the path to exciting, profitable, and new opportunities. How, you might ask? By running therapy workshops.
If your sole focus is face-to-face consultations you are leaving money on the table.
If you’ve been searching for a way to implement multiple sources of income in your private practice, this is a must-read.
Ready to start making more money and filling up your books while gaining credibility and authority?
Why you must run therapy workshops
As a credible professional sharing specialized information which helps an audience with their specific challenge, you quickly become viewed as the expert once on stage. People take note of your insightful prose and your value increases markedly.
This enhanced credibility can lead to increased adherence to your clinical recommendations and enhance your share-ability. People talk about those who stand on stage!
“On stage” simply mean in front of an audience.
And speaking of an audience, the workshop vehicle allows you to create leverage. Leverage is the power of the rich. Rather than a practice’s income relying on traditional one-on-one consultations, you can suddenly and dramatically increase your private practice money sources in an efficient, effective manner by presenting to many at one time.
Leverage… Plus More Money
Great. You’ve decided to grab the workshop bull by the horns – Welcome to a new way of practicing! You’ve set aside the time and readied the resources, the date and time are set. Before your workshop rolls around, there’s another simple strategy to maximize your investment.
See when you think of creating therapy multiple sources of income, it helps to think outside the business box.
Let’s take a look:
Photos
Have photos taken of yourself presenting in front of the crowd. These add to your credibility, can be used on your website, in press releases and brochures, in your media pack and throughout social media.
Note for photos and recordings: Have your attendees sign a permission form to allow their appearance and remove non-consenting people from any recording.
Audio recording
Wear a microphone and record your presentation. As your workshop will focus on a specific health issue, there will be a niche not in attendance who need this information too. You can sell this as a product, give it away to build your database, connect with non-competing businesses with similar clients to see how you can work together, and in a moment I’ll share how this can become an incredible business card in the form of your own book…
Video recording
Record your presentation in both audio and visual. This can become a sellable multimedia product which has a more perceived value that audio alone. The recording can also be included in client education materials and form the basis a digital course which can be sold online, 24-7.
Become an author
There is a site I love called rev.com. Once you have your workshop recorded, head over to this site. Directly upload the file and you will receive a transcribed piece for only $1 per minute. A little editing, a cover and an initial paragraph explaining that this book is based on a live recording, and voila! You’ve just become an author and expert in this specific topic.
Imagine the increased adherence to your recommendations when gifting your book to new clients or the impact of using this as a business card at networking events. Write and distribute press releases about your book, contact the media for relevant stories i.e. if your book is about building and maintain trust you might be able to offer insight into a recent banking fiasco or the current political landscape, offer your book for sale in your practice, and reach out to your professional association. Become the go-to advisor for that topic.
Multiply your income
Therapy workshops can be offered for free or for a fee. Either way, they can multiply your income far more than an initial glance may reveal.
If priced, you’ve immediately expanded your therapy multiple sources of income by the purchase price times the number of attendees.
You can offer current clients a complimentary ticket to a paid event to retain loyalty and boost schedule commitment; as a thank-you gift for those who have referred clients to you or who have been regulars in your practice; or as part of a package.
If free, your workshop can generate new leads, education and community goodwill. Send your current clients a VIP invitation and encourage them to bring their family and friends — potential new leads.
At a workshop, you can sell products and packages, tie in advice which ethically explains why your therapy approach is beneficial for their problem, and give away complimentary initial consultations to those yet to begin in your practice. The most expensive part of marketing is gaining new clients, so shortcutting this step is well advised. People who attend workshops often like, well, workshops. Sell tickets here for your next one.
Hone your skills to expand your reach
Once you have some therapy workshop experience under your belt and feel comfortable presenting, consider which corporate businesses might benefit from your expert insights and approaches. Specialize in stress management and productivity? Big banks, multinationals and large resorts might want you to present. They often have a budget for staff development. Struggling for ideas? This list will help.
Relationship growth expert? Often times, network marketing companies seek out advice in this field. See how you can reach out to these groups.
With your book, as discussed above, you are well placed to make inroads into these companies, get paid handsomely for corporate workshops, and if they are local or you offer telehealth consultations, gain new clients as well.
Once you have presented to a big business, add their logo to your website, business card and book to further increase your credibility and create a rapid cycle of practice and financial growth.
Therapy workshop success tips
Focus on value. This is critical… Always offer value, then more value.
Know your stuff. Workshops are a great platform for those with knowledge, and for revealing the cracks in those without. If you specialize in relationship building, create your workshop around this. Sex therapist? Great… unless you decide to present on organizational psychology.
Choose a niche. Decide on the niche or niches you want to serve, love working in and excel at. Want to serve everyone and you will serve no-one. People want and need a therapist who can offer transformative therapy, and that’s what builds credibility, workshop attendances, and income.
Need help deciding on a niche? Take our ideal client quiz to see who you resonate most with.
See what works and what doesn’t. Not every workshop will be a raving success. See what people really want, and what they don’t by asking questions during and collecting written, anonymous participant feedback at the end of your presentation. Use this information to improve your content and delivery.
Follow up. As part of the registration process, collect phone numbers and emails. Once the workshop is over, follow up with participants during the next few days. Ask questions and see how you can offer your services.
The newsletter connection. When registering, have a tick box where workshop participants can opt-in to receive your regular practice newsletter. This builds a relationship over time, which at next to no cost, may result in a new client or referral down the track. Not sure how to start a practice newsletter? We’ve got you covered in our article, 8 Simple Steps To Starting Your Private Practice Newsletter Today.
Scared of public speaking?
As a therapist, you understand that fear is just that. If you need, consult a colleague who can help you overcome this. Plus, engage in the digital space to your advantage. Therapy workshops can be held online. While I recommend in person for the credibility boost and practice of standing on stage, you can supplement participant numbers — or even begin your workshop journey — via online delivery.
To maximize your impact and increase your multiple sources of income, therapy workshops ought to be a key component in your overall strategy. Private practice multiple income sources need to include more than consultations and this approach is powerful leverage and neatly enhances your other work too.
Want to see how a successful therapist is incorporating workshops into her private practice? Look no further than Lucinda Testo’s practice where she has incorporated wellness-based workshops into her day-to-day regimen.
[…] connectedness, loyalty and pierced value through age-appropriate music, reading material and decor, the specific workshops you offer, advertising, logo, identity and how your website can be designed to encourage maximal conversion. […]