Are you a new therapist or thinking of becoming one?
Do you have dollar signs in your eyes and the thought of being your own schedule maker make you tingle a bit in the nether regions at the freedom of it all?
Does the thought of making $60-$100 an hour, or more, make you squeal with delight at all of the things you can buy and do?
That is awesome! Now do you know what it takes to make those dreams a reality? Do you have a marketing strategy and a ritual that you implement daily to make that all actualize for you?
With being in the industry for over 14 years and a Clinic owner for over 7, I have been able to observe a consistent pattern with new people entering the holistic industry. As the pattern was so prevalent that I could set my watch to it, I started to do some digging. Why? I get bored and find human behavior fascinating. Plus if I could find the hang ups I could assist my own team when new people join us.
I even devised a survey of all the therapists I knew and asked them – What are the three things you wished you knew before you decided to be a therapist?
HERE ARE THE TOP 3 AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
1. That your first few months in the industry is going to be very little money and lots of time to either sit and doubt yourself or get to work creating and implementing a strategy.
Most people who come out of their training, workshop or whatever have a false assumption that if they hang their shingle out – whether it is with a clinic or on their own, that people will come. INCORRECT.
My favorite line that I keep in the forefront of my marketing strategy is this – “ If people cannot find you, do not understand your value and how this will assist them – then you functionally do not exist.”
You need to be putting yourself out there consistently and with a focused message and a fever that no matter what, those articles are written, the posts are done, you are talking to people in a way that they understand exactly what you can do for them or someone they know. If not – you are dead in the water, as we say in my world.
2. Only listen to those who have achieved what you desire.
There are a billion of haters, whiners and cry-babies out there. Who love to tell you how hard it is, how it is impossible and how nothing works and it is everyone else’s fault for their lack of success. Listen up – THEY HAVEN’T DONE IT SO THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO ASSIST YOU. I have seen so many people over the 14 years sitting in a staff lounge in the back of a center who have no clients and yet they have no problem instilling their crappy ideas into fresh talent who do not know any better.
Successful people want other people to succeed so they will help you. Struggling people want you to struggle so that it empowers their belief that this industry is hard.
If you can find someone who has achieved a full practice – stalk them like white on basmati rice and pick their brain. Then implement everything they say like a rock star for 90 days and then re-evaluate as to what works and what does not work. Then find the next one to stalk for fresh ideas.
3. Specialize in something you love and then market yourself like crazy.
One of the things I love is coming up with articles, events, offerings, specials, tips, etc for the client to assist them with their best life possible. However, if you are trying to be everything to everyone you will be the master of nothing. Think of it as driving multiple cars to the finish line. You will never win.
Pick what you are most knowledgeable about. What you are constantly reading about and doing for yourself. Look at your service offerings and then start asking yourself – how can I package this in a way that can assist my client? Develop your plan or your program and then build it out. If you are not sure how to build it out or how to package it – reread #2.
These are the top three – are there more? Yes. Do you need to know them right now? Maybe. You can decide if continuing to find issues to solve will contribute to you growing quickly or if staying tight and focused on these three is more than enough to keep you occupied with manifesting an amazing career.
This industry is filled with amazing things, great people, great clinics and miracles. Do your due diligence, implement, enjoy, repeat.
