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WHO are my CLIENTS??

jb5150

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So I ve built my site (lighthousecounselling.ca), FB page, Google Business, Yelp, etc.etc...

And I realize I am not quite clear as to who my clients are!

Background: I am a clinical counsellor/therapist and I currently work as an associate treating trauma clients.

My chosen niche is Relationships with an attachment bent. "I am the guy that helps you get unstuck in your relationships".

I am finding it a challenge to whittle-down characteristics of potential clients in this niche (and I know they're out there). What I have so far is:

-people who have insecure attachments
-probably between 20-late 30s
-mostly women? (women are far more likely to seek-out counselling services in a relationship)

I am struggling a bit to figure out other variables. Is there any tools or ideas the community can share with me regarding this niche?
 
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grindmode

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So I ve built my site (lighthousecounselling.ca), FB page, Google Business, Yelp, etc.etc...

And I realize I am not quite clear as to who my clients are!

Background: I am a clinical counsellor/therapist and I currently work as an associate treating trauma clients.

My chosen niche is Relationships with an attachment bent. "I am the guy that helps you get unstuck in your relationships".

I am finding it a challenge to whittle-down characteristics of potential clients in this niche (and I know they're out there). What I have so far is:

-people who have insecure attachments
-probably between 20-late 30s
-mostly women? (women are far more likely to seek-out counselling services in a relationship)

I am struggling a bit to figure out other variables. Is there any tools or ideas the community can share with me regarding this niche?
Google Ad words and @Andy Black, listen and read EVERYTHING in his signature... Priceless info that should answer your own question.
 

Andy Black

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So I ve built my site (lighthousecounselling.ca), FB page, Google Business, Yelp, etc.etc...

And I realize I am not quite clear as to who my clients are!

Background: I am a clinical counsellor/therapist and I currently work as an associate treating trauma clients.

My chosen niche is Relationships with an attachment bent. "I am the guy that helps you get unstuck in your relationships".

I am finding it a challenge to whittle-down characteristics of potential clients in this niche (and I know they're out there). What I have so far is:

-people who have insecure attachments
-probably between 20-late 30s
-mostly women? (women are far more likely to seek-out counselling services in a relationship)

I am struggling a bit to figure out other variables. Is there any tools or ideas the community can share with me regarding this niche?
Here's another way to think about it:

Consider your "market" as a "demonstrated cashflow".

What is money already being spent on that indicates the person spending is in your market?
 

KrisB

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You need to fill out a Customer Avatar or "ideal client profile". You can google the term, or just use the cheatsheet here: learn.infusionsoft.com/customer-service/customer-experience/how-to-create-your-customer-avatar (I don't work for these guys or know them, it's just a good cheatsheet).

Start with obvious demographics: age/ race/ geographic location/ income/ education then work up to a more detailed picture.

I took a 2.5 second look at your website and I can sketch you a rough picture of your customer avatar just by using common sense:

Jennifer is female, 42, white, married, heterosexual, college educated, employed in a whitecollar occupation, with a combined household income of $80K+ and lives within driving distance of your office. She has two kids, 12 and 15, keeps signing up for a yoga class she doesn't attend, and is deeply disturbed by how her body is changing. Every day is a new wrinkle or grey hair, and the pounds seem to be creeping on. Her husband of 16 years seems more and more distant, and she can't even remember the last time they made love. It feels like everything between them is either silence or fighting; she hates it and she's afraid she's starting to hate him for it. She wants to see a counselor, and he has reluctantly agreed but shows little enthusiasm. She doesn't consciously realize it, but she's looking for a voice of authority to tell him what he's doing wrong so their relationship can go back to the good old days.

Now, you know a lot more about this relationship and counseling stuff, but the basics are easy - mainstream demographics for Vancouver area combined with who usually pays to see a marriage counselor.

Hope that helps,

K
 
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Lauryn

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You know what's crazy? You probably won't nail your target client until you get clients.

Sounds a little backward, but throw out the imagination-based exercises of what you think your best clients would be and what they look like, and start marketing with a content strategy based according to the problems you want to solve. Of course, dig into some SEO and paid ad research, dig around reddit, and start doing research to see what questions people are asking that aren't getting answered - that you can answer - and start working the content for it.

This does a few things:

  1. Creates inbound traffic: People who are looking for your help are going to find you based on what you're providing and their need for answers. Your job is to add the calls to action, compelling information, and personality and energy needed to make yourself attractive and magnetic (and sculpted) to add them to your mailing list, or drive them to speak to you.
  2. Fills your site with the right quality content: Think in depth information, 3-5K words. Maybe 20-25 articles TOPS that are evergreen. Brian Dean of Backlinko is kick a$$ for some of this.
I would also look into developing video also. You're helping people who may not read, but may watch video. May not watch video but will listen to a podcast.

Basically, create the content, get out there, and see WHO comes to you. When people come to you they're more likely to pay your price and need your help with less convincing.
 

grindmode

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Your selling a service and seem to have much more time/experience in the creation of a "business" not sure if it's a "fast lane" business but regardless this may help...

I'm working on my "fast lane" business taking action but if were talking about money, I had/have been BROKE struggling to cover the necessity of LIFE such as buying food and paying for health insurance... Last week I realized from @Andy Black that how much creating true VALUE is absolute the key to success rather than simply "chasing money" as I had been doing while not realizing this... Long story short...

Last Friday (02/10) when I closed my eyes to go to bed I had 27 cents to my name... Embarrassing, yep. Job? Nope. Why? I refuse as burned any/every "boat" in my life to have no other options but to succeed. Now, (Monday) as of 2 hours ago from this posting I have ~$1,600 created since Friday (some in cash and some in my PayPal account on "HOLD" for security processes required initially upon creating a brand new Ebay account), regardless its money created since Friday with minimal work... Not a long term "fast lane" business nor ANYTHING as complex or advanced as your business/skills you mentioned in your business, but the simple concept can be SEEN or UNDERSTOOD maybe from another aspect that could help YOU...

$1,600 is not anything to brag about and I am in no way trying to act or think I know some "secret". What happened was in creating that $1,600 as "income to cover my food and such" I sold aka flipped a few items. One thing in particular I sold was something I plan on using in my "fast lane" business plan eventually and that's it "CLICKED"!

I was focusing on "digging for gold" and creating a website along with learning social media marketing, planning out and even programming/learning coding to run my "fast lane" business completely "paperless"... ALL WHILE I HAD NO CUSTOMERS NOR ANYTHING TO OFFER CUSTOMERS if I had any other than some "fancy idea's" along with a sad looking website that is not even hosted yet with a domain name... THIS BOTHERED ME!

Back to roughly 2 hours ago, 1 product I "flipped" with some particular "niche" programming some open source/the rest coded myself I sold for a profit on eBay... Cool story, right? Well, immediately after receiving an email notification my item had sold I had 2 messages from other eBay members... One from the person who bought this item and one from another who was bidding on this item... What did they want?

The individual/company behind the account who purchased the item wanted to know how much for 10 more of the identical items they just purchased AND HOW SOON COULD I HAVE THEM SHIPPED. The other person who bid on my item who did not "win" the auction asked in their message could I or did I have any more of that item they bidded on as they were ready to buy along with a request to put this same software/program I have been working on with successful completing for my "fast-lane" business onto mobile smartphones... I have yet to get a response back on the particulars of how many phones, the type of phones, etc...

Moral of the story, I was focused on digging "GOLD" as I mentioned, which it sounds like you are doing the same or "chasing the money" yet have no VALUE or clients for whatever reason.... Now, my "fast lane" business or a puzzle piece of my "fast lane" business without realizing it and call it dumb "luck" has me scrambling to "SELL SHOVEL'S" without ANY advertising or marketing now when website is irrelevant to "Selling my shovel's" and honestly I have no interest or desire to learn "online marketing" whether it be through social media or google ad words which I have already contacted multiple freelancer's to do all the things requiring special skills/in depth knowledge while I truly see the VALUE I have created and NOW it's time for a website combined wit all the "fluff" to get my "shovel" business going and my blinker is on switching lanes as we speak....

Hope this petty small chump change lesson turned into now having customers crept up on myself all while I was focusing so much on a "catchy" website and the "fluff" not only was working "dumb" but blinded to the "shovel" business that I don't see any sleep in the near future as it's game on...

Apply this to your legit sounding and much more experienced skills then you'll have the GOOD problem of clients yet not having all the "fluff" or a fully function site or maybe not even have a site... THEN mash on the gas :) Good luck bud!
 
Last edited:

jb5150

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Jun 18, 2016
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Here's another way to think about it:

Consider your "market" as a "demonstrated cashflow".

What is money already being spent on that indicates the person spending is in your market?
Interesting reframe.

Probably a lot of self-help guides, workbooks, POSSIBLY going to a couple's workshop, or self-improvement weekend retreat.

A lot of people don't like to admit they have relationship difficulties, but the anonymity of the internet affords them an outlet for airing 'dirty laundry' so-to-speak.


At $140/50 minute session I'd imagine most of my clients will be more established, 25+, and are feeling pretty stuck/last resort OR those who have had positive experiences with other forms of counselling and see the utility/value.

The 'carrots'/enticements I offer are "affordable rates (sliding scale / introductory offer / discount)", online counselling available, "FREE consultation".

I am also targeting potential referral sources. Sending cold emails to Wellness Clinics, doctors, lawyers, Occupational therapists, Pyshiotherapists, ANYONE who has any contact with people experiencing trauma.

On the relationship end (my preferred niche) that I am trying to develop I am focusing more on advertising campaigns, FB, developing original content (articles, VLOGs, infographics on hot-button issues regarding relationships) - kinda my 'pixy dust' to help generate interest in my service and website. I will also be asking other organizations to backlink me.

As for tapping into my client base directly I am not sure what more I can be doing (probably lots, I am just not aware of).
 
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jb5150

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You need to fill out a Customer Avatar or "ideal client profile". You can google the term, or just use the cheatsheet here: learn.infusionsoft.com/customer-service/customer-experience/how-to-create-your-customer-avatar (I don't work for these guys or know them, it's just a good cheatsheet).

Start with obvious demographics: age/ race/ geographic location/ income/ education then work up to a more detailed picture.

I took a 2.5 second look at your website and I can sketch you a rough picture of your customer avatar just by using common sense:

Jennifer is female, 42, white, married, heterosexual, college educated, employed in a whitecollar occupation, with a combined household income of $80K+ and lives within driving distance of your office. She has two kids, 12 and 15, keeps signing up for a yoga class she doesn't attend, and is deeply disturbed by how her body is changing. Every day is a new wrinkle or grey hair, and the pounds seem to be creeping on. Her husband of 16 years seems more and more distant, and she can't even remember the last time they made love. It feels like everything between them is either silence or fighting; she hates it and she's afraid she's starting to hate him for it. She wants to see a counselor, and he has reluctantly agreed but shows little enthusiasm. She doesn't consciously realize it, but she's looking for a voice of authority to tell him what he's doing wrong so their relationship can go back to the good old days.

Now, you know a lot more about this relationship and counseling stuff, but the basics are easy - mainstream demographics for Vancouver area combined with who usually pays to see a marriage counselor.

Hope that helps,

K

Hey interesting read (infusion.com), thanks for that! Def food for thought.

Great case study. You're not the husband by any chance? lol I bet you've certainly got a knack for writing, quite a common story.

Definitely have a few demo variables but the issue is where are these people hanging out??? Everywhere.

Nobody is immune/exempt from relationship issues. I've placed the following postcards in cafes/coffee houses (ppl still use this term?), higher end groceries stores in posh areas of town, and community centres to no avail. Mind you I only did this once.


Generally people come in for counselling when they feel they've exhausted all other avenues (at least from my experience). And I have a fair amount of trauma clients now who have had TERRIBLE experiences with counsellors. Most of my clients are more than willing to give me testimonials and have made considerable strides in overcoming their trauma experience.

On another note, I reached out to a bunch of Wellness Clinics, and this one about 45 minutes away is quite interested in taking me on as an associate (70/30 split), and I'd be working primilarly with couples. Unfortunately I am not sure if its an area I'd set up my own private practice.

Thanks for the input, I really do appreciate it. Everyone.
 

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jb5150

Contributor
User Power
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Jun 18, 2016
141
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You know what's crazy? You probably won't nail your target client until you get clients.

Sounds a little backward, but throw out the imagination-based exercises of what you think your best clients would be and what they look like, and start marketing with a content strategy based according to the problems you want to solve. Of course, dig into some SEO and paid ad research, dig around reddit, and start doing research to see what questions people are asking that aren't getting answered - that you can answer - and start working the content for it.

This does a few things:

  1. Creates inbound traffic: People who are looking for your help are going to find you based on what you're providing and their need for answers. Your job is to add the calls to action, compelling information, and personality and energy needed to make yourself attractive and magnetic (and sculpted) to add them to your mailing list, or drive them to speak to you.
  2. Fills your site with the right quality content: Think in depth information, 3-5K words. Maybe 20-25 articles TOPS that are evergreen. Brian Dean of Backlinko is kick a$$ for some of this.
I would also look into developing video also. You're helping people who may not read, but may watch video. May not watch video but will listen to a podcast.

Basically, create the content, get out there, and see WHO comes to you. When people come to you they're more likely to pay your price and need your help with less convincing.

People who are motivated for change/and fed-up with getting into toxic relationship after toxic relationship. Those with deeper pockets who can justify the $120/140 per 50 minute session. I've done a lot of SEO my self, and plan to do some more but overall I feel I need to roll up my sleeves and do the grunt work of making contacts rather than focusing on my website as I have for months. Reddit is a good place to survey, from what it seems. Also codependency groups online, just to get an overall sense of what I am looking at client-wise.

Problem I am currently facing is a scarcity one - scarcity for cash lol Hence my applying to other Clinics where I can have more clients that I can then funnel the $$ and space for my own practice. W/o that I am dead in the water. In the mean time I am contacting other professionals to try and 'fill the pipeline' and get in contact w anyone who may know people in need of relationship counselling.
 

jb5150

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Jun 18, 2016
141
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Your selling a service and seem to have much more time/experience in the creation of a "business" not sure if it's a "fast lane" business but regardless this may help...

I'm working on my "fast lane" business taking action but if were talking about money, I had/have been BROKE struggling to cover the necessity of LIFE such as buying food and paying for health insurance... Last week I realized from @Andy Black that how much creating true VALUE is absolute the key to success rather than simply "chasing money" as I had been doing while not realizing this... Long story short...

Last Friday (02/10) when I closed my eyes to go to bed I had 27 cents to my name... Embarrassing, yep. Job? Nope. Why? I refuse as burned any/every "boat" in my life to have no other options but to succeed. Now, (Monday) as of 2 hours ago from this posting I have ~$1,600 created since Friday (some in cash and some in my PayPal account on "HOLD" for security processes required initially upon creating a brand new Ebay account), regardless its money created since Friday with minimal work... Not a long term "fast lane" business nor ANYTHING as complex or advanced as your business/skills you mentioned in your business, but the simple concept can be SEEN or UNDERSTOOD maybe from another aspect that could help YOU...

$1,600 is not anything to brag about and I am in no way trying to act or think I know some "secret". What happened was in creating that $1,600 as "income to cover my food and such" I sold aka flipped a few items. One thing in particular I sold was something I plan on using in my "fast lane" business plan eventually and that's it "CLICKED"!

I was focusing on "digging for gold" and creating a website along with learning social media marketing, planning out and even programming/learning coding to run my "fast lane" business completely "paperless"... ALL WHILE I HAD NO CUSTOMERS NOR ANYTHING TO OFFER CUSTOMERS if I had any other than some "fancy idea's" along with a sad looking website that is not even hosted yet with a domain name... THIS BOTHERED ME!

Back to roughly 2 hours ago, 1 product I "flipped" with some particular "niche" programming some open source/the rest coded myself I sold for a profit on eBay... Cool story, right? Well, immediately after receiving an email notification my item had sold I had 2 messages from other eBay members... One from the person who bought this item and one from another who was bidding on this item... What did they want?

The individual/company behind the account who purchased the item wanted to know how much for 10 more of the identical items they just purchased AND HOW SOON COULD I HAVE THEM SHIPPED. The other person who bid on my item who did not "win" the auction asked in their message could I or did I have any more of that item they bidded on as they were ready to buy along with a request to put this same software/program I have been working on with successful completing for my "fast-lane" business onto mobile smartphones... I have yet to get a response back on the particulars of how many phones, the type of phones, etc...

Moral of the story, I was focused on digging "GOLD" as I mentioned, which it sounds like you are doing the same or "chasing the money" yet have no VALUE or clients for whatever reason.... Now, my "fast lane" business or a puzzle piece of my "fast lane" business without realizing it and call it dumb "luck" has me scrambling to "SELL SHOVEL'S" without ANY advertising or marketing now when website is irrelevant to "Selling my shovel's" and honestly I have no interest or desire to learn "online marketing" whether it be through social media or google ad words which I have already contacted multiple freelancer's to do all the things requiring special skills/in depth knowledge while I truly see the VALUE I have created and NOW it's time for a website combined wit all the "fluff" to get my "shovel" business going and my blinker is on switching lanes as we speak....

Hope this petty small chump change lesson turned into now having customers crept up on myself all while I was focusing so much on a "catchy" website and the "fluff" not only was working "dumb" but blinded to the "shovel" business that I don't see any sleep in the near future as it's game on...

Apply this to your legit sounding and much more experienced skills then you'll have the GOOD problem of clients yet not having all the "fluff" or a fully function site or maybe not even have a site... THEN mash on the gas :) Good luck bud!


I know what you're saying. I also know that chasing money is like chasing a cat...it becomes ever increasingly elusive the more you go after it.

That said, I chose the niche of relationship counselling, more specifically focusing on attachment and codependency (a lofty word I often dont use so I dont confuse people); "ever felt one foot in/out of a relationship? I am the guy who helps you make that decision as to wether to stay or go" sort of deal. Who hasn't felt this way at one time or another? I'd the client I am looking for is the guy (or girl) who is up at 3 am worrying, unable to sleep about his current relationship OR perhaps he's single and just got out of another stinker of a situation - he's thinking "hmmm....all these women are saying the same thing about me maybe there's truth to it". Its for the person who feels almost forever destined to getting into bad relationships, but isn't so far jaded that he/she fails to see hope and is resigned to living in a house, alone, with 100 cats.

On the other side of the coin, I do (as previously mentioned) have a scarcity mindset in that my current arrangement is 50:50 with the clinic I work for. I am barely scraping by, having a good deal enough time living life as a human being, so creating an alternative source of income is necessary for building my business (hence my reason for finding work as an associate at anther clinic).


The FASTLANE piece of all of this?
Once I have about 25+ client hours / week I can bring in 'associates' and rent-out multiple locations. Take a cut of what they make in exchange for providing the space, and clients from the referral network I build. Can expand to multiple locations, kind of what my friend is doing now, though I think he's so focused on creating the illusion of a big Clinic that the associates are losing faith in his ability to provide them clients to work with.

I know because I am one of them. IMO you should never expand too fast, especially if you aren't filling your associates' 'trough' and then taking on new associates only to advertise that you have all these multiple locations and people working for you. I think his system will implode at some point, but I hope to fast-track my own practice well before then.
 
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Last edited:

Fotis

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Do you have clients?

If yes, ask them what they do in their lives. What magazines they read...
shows they watch...groups and forum they are members of etc. See if there
are commonalities.

If yes, buy the magazine, watch the show, join the group/forum and take
notes. This is the subconsciousness of your market. You will learn more
about your customers by immersing yourself in it, than you would if you kept
trying to create an avatar.

Cheers,

Fotis
 

jb5150

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Jun 18, 2016
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Do you have clients?

If yes, ask them what they do in their lives. What magazines they read...
shows they watch...groups and forum they are members of etc. See if there
are commonalities.

If yes, buy the magazine, watch the show, join the group/forum and take
notes. This is the subconsciousness of your market. You will learn more
about your customers by immersing yourself in it, than you would if you kept
trying to create an avatar.

Cheers,

Fotis

My clients are currently ones with MVA-related trauma. That said, several of them have relationship related issues, and one in particular I've been working on her attachment patterns/codependency issues with her ex.

I'm not getting a clear profile of who my clients are, its a bit frustrating. Maybe I am trying to run before learning to walk/jog.

As per forum contributions (guest Bloging) i think that's a great idea for sure, but if my practice is local I should find a local forum to contribute. Problem is I don't see any relationship specific forums in my city.

It feels like I am trying to hit a moving target (and maybe in some sense this is accurate).
 

grindmode

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Sounds like a complex hybrid of basically acting as a psychiatrist, counselor, and a priest who is trying to build a church for the sole purpose of profits... I'm lost in your whole plan but I wish you luck.
 
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jb5150

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Sounds like a complex hybrid of basically acting as a psychiatrist, counselor, and a priest who is trying to build a church for the sole purpose of profits... I'm lost in your whole plan but I wish you luck.
That's completely opposite of what I am doing. I'm not sure where you got this from.

The market dictates the need. There are very few attachment-focused therapists out there. I am simply trying to gain a clearer understanding of the clients seeking my services so I can make some target-specific campaigns and advertising decisions rather than casting my net wide and painting myself as a generalist.
 

grindmode

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That's completely opposite of what I am doing. I'm not sure where you got this from.

The market dictates the need. There are very few attachment-focused therapists out there. I am simply trying to gain a clearer understanding of the clients seeking my services so I can make some target-specific campaigns and advertising decisions rather than casting my net wide and painting myself as a generalist.
Okay that clarifies it somewhat... so I'm not trying to insult you but maybe you should NARROW your area or niche... It's not as you explain something like a drug rehab/counseling retreat or center while being a "mini" Tony Robbin's type self taught motivational counselor and trying to have people overcome addictions to events in their life that cause them grief still...

Do you have schooling or just going about this as "self taught"? Out of curiosity.... If this is your DEAD SET GOAL identifying what peoples problems are or trying to figure out how they thing by hanging on forums or doing things they do will not come close to walking a life in the shoes of some of the types of problems people face in life... which you don't want to try and treat/counsel someone without the proper deep personal experiences as they have had or some serious psych knowledge....

I would focus on something niche in your case maybe say "Holistic Medicine" or something... Solving an addiction or even talking someone through counseling on tramatic life events causing them grief is not a "fast lane" business more of something you do as a passion or as recovered addict or person they can connect with... Just a touchy field. Maybe try teaching NLP...
 

jb5150

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Okay that clarifies it somewhat... so I'm not trying to insult you but maybe you should NARROW your area or niche... It's not as you explain something like a drug rehab/counseling retreat or center while being a "mini" Tony Robbin's type self taught motivational counselor and trying to have people overcome addictions to events in their life that cause them grief still...

Do you have schooling or just going about this as "self taught"? Out of curiosity.... If this is your DEAD SET GOAL identifying what peoples problems are or trying to figure out how they thing by hanging on forums or doing things they do will not come close to walking a life in the shoes of some of the types of problems people face in life... which you don't want to try and treat/counsel someone without the proper deep personal experiences as they have had or some serious psych knowledge....

I would focus on something niche in your case maybe say "Holistic Medicine" or something... Solving an addiction or even talking someone through counseling on tramatic life events causing them grief is not a "fast lane" business more of something you do as a passion or as recovered addict or person they can connect with... Just a touchy field. Maybe try teaching NLP...

Schooling-wise I hold a BA in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology, beyond this I am trained various interventions and techniques (some useless, others not) and take an eclectic approach to assessment and treatment. My mainstay is attachment and Emotionally Focused Therapy which focus on 'attachment dance' in relationships and corrective attachment experiences so couples can learn to connect more meaningful ways.

Fluff aside, my approach is partly psychoeductional/insight base, and the other action-based in terms of offering pragmatic solutions instead of cliches or whimsical notions of what a healthy relationship ought to look like. That said, I am no Dr. Phil nor have any aspirations to be.

Holistic medicine has nothing to do with what I do, nor does it have much to do with my more formal training.

With all due respect, you and I seem to be having two entirely different conversations.
 
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grindmode

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Schooling-wise I hold a BA in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology, beyond this I am trained various interventions and techniques (some useless, others not) and take an eclectic approach to assessment and treatment. My mainstay is attachment and Emotionally Focused Therapy which focus on 'attachment dance' in relationships and corrective attachment experiences so couples can learn to connect more meaningful ways.

Fluff aside, my approach is partly psychoeductional/insight base, and the other action-based in terms of offering pragmatic solutions instead of cliches or whimsical notions of what a healthy relationship ought to look like. That said, I am no Dr. Phil nor have any aspirations to be.

Holistic medicine has nothing to do with what I do, nor does it have much to do with my more formal training.

With all due respect, you and I seem to be having two entirely different conversations.
There we go... Then by all means do your thing... I still don't feel it as a "fast lane" business but thats my opinion and I respect yours. The point I was trying to relay is not that school is necessary but having been an addict at points in my life combined with seeing traumatic things which I won't go into much more depth other than having seen many friends die in front of my eyes in non naturally ways....

I can't imagine an abuse or rape victim and I do give you props for being a person to actually have a care to helping people with problems thats something if you can change even just 1 person or help them worth all your years of work for them and rewarding for YOU knowing you did so... Again, not sure how its a fast lane business... and I'll leave it at that... I wish you good luck bud.
 

jb5150

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There we go... Then by all means do your thing... I still don't feel it as a "fast lane" business but thats my opinion and I respect yours. The point I was trying to relay is not that school is necessary but having been an addict at points in my life combined with seeing traumatic things which I won't go into much more depth other than having seen many friends die in front of my eyes in non naturally ways....

I can't imagine an abuse or rape victim and I do give you props for being a person to actually have a care to helping people with problems thats something if you can change even just 1 person or help them worth all your years of work for them and rewarding for YOU knowing you did so... Again, not sure how its a fast lane business... and I'll leave it at that... I wish you good luck bud.
I have a keen understanding of addiction, and empathy for those struggling with addiction having a dear friend who is sucked into the undertow of his own cycles. I have also worked as an addictions counsellor at the Salvation Army, and the common theme amongst them all is trauma, and yes, of course, broken attachment (that which is often satiated by forming a bond with a substance).

That said, I am not targeting those with addiction per se, though it often does come up in this line of work. I respect your honesty in that its hard to place yourself in the mind of an abuse or rape victim, not that this is a population I am attempting to tap into. I won't counsel couples were abuse is continuing, and if there was any indication of rape or sexual assault I am bound to notify the authorities and this would be more about dealing with trauma than relationship or couples counselling.

I digress. Where I live you can't call yourself a clinical counsellor without having at least a graduate degree.

I do want to keep the thread on topic, in spite of taking this brief detour. I am simply looking for ideas/ways of delving more into what clients for my practice may look like.
 

grindmode

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I have a keen understanding of addiction, and empathy for those struggling with addiction having a dear friend who is sucked into the undertow of his own cycles. I have also worked as an addictions counsellor at the Salvation Army, and the common theme amongst them all is trauma, and yes, of course, broken attachment (that which is often satiated by forming a bond with a substance).

That said, I am not targeting those with addiction per se, though it often does come up in this line of work. I respect your honesty in that its hard to place yourself in the mind of an abuse or rape victim, not that this is a population I am attempting to tap into. I won't counsel couples were abuse is continuing, and if there was any indication of rape or sexual assault I am bound to notify the authorities and this would be more about dealing with trauma than relationship or couples counselling.

I digress. Where I live you can't call yourself a clinical counsellor without having at least a graduate degree.

I do want to keep the thread on topic, in spite of taking this brief detour. I am simply looking for ideas/ways of delving more into what clients for my practice may look like.
Gotcha. Knowing even further as someone who previously struggled with anxiety majority of all my life (severe anxiety) at younger ages I honestly didn't know where to turn besides street drugs which is not really much help... I can maybe give 1 helpful piece of advice and get your post back on track...

As an adult or as I matured, I realized illicit drugs were not the solution to my anxiety issues and other problems... I tried many psychiatrist/counseling all to leave with a few new prescriptions to fill... As I grew older I and now I realize the crazy amount of simply Benzo's a doctor would prescribe someone such as myself... So where have I turned to or things I have tried to overcome this pharmaceutical nasty class of drugs...? I tried Kratom, Phenibut, Kava, etc. so that could be a great starting point for you... There are all kinds of forums about those natural alternatives along with people I found giving advice or surrounding those circles where these items in particular were sold or talked about using were also anxiety suffering individuals wanting to get off high doses of addictive Pharma scripts...

Maybe that can be 1 helpful thing for you from someone who can speak from real life experience.
 
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MidwestLandlord

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Glad to see you're still around. Also glad to see you're working with other professionals to try and get clients, I remember we talked about that on your other thread.

I'll try to get this back on topic...

How many relationship improvement books came out last year? I couldn't find a figure, but I did find that the self help book industry is about $10 billion a year. So there is demand for these types of services.

Part of the fastlane road map, so to speak, is being contrarian. Doing what your competition is NOT doing.

I imagine most of your competition targets exactly who you talk about here: heterosexual women with the means to pay for the service.

But online counseling, I think, could be a huge selling point for men. Women are more likely to seek out this kind of help sure, but why? Social stigma sure, but is it also because that's who shrinks target for customers? To give an example: Men in relationships with women that suffer from borderline personality disorder often end up codependent, and often end up going from relationship to relationship with multiple women that display those symptoms. I believe men like this are vastly underserved in the counseling world. Is there a market there?

Also, you're in Vancouver, no? What about women in same-sex relationships?

You know what's crazy? You probably won't nail your target client until you get clients.

Sounds a little backward, but throw out the imagination-based exercises of what you think your best clients would be and what they look like, and start marketing with a content strategy based according to the problems you want to solve.

This ^^^^
 

Andy Black

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jb5150

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Glad to see you're still around. Also glad to see you're working with other professionals to try and get clients, I remember we talked about that on your other thread.

I'll try to get this back on topic...

How many relationship improvement books came out last year? I couldn't find a figure, but I did find that the self help book industry is about $10 billion a year. So there is demand for these types of services.

Part of the fastlane road map, so to speak, is being contrarian. Doing what your competition is NOT doing.

I imagine most of your competition targets exactly who you talk about here: heterosexual women with the means to pay for the service.

But online counseling, I think, could be a huge selling point for men. Women are more likely to seek out this kind of help sure, but why? Social stigma sure, but is it also because that's who shrinks target for customers? To give an example: Men in relationships with women that suffer from borderline personality disorder often end up codependent, and often end up going from relationship to relationship with multiple women that display those symptoms. I believe men like this are vastly underserved in the counseling world. Is there a market there?

Also, you're in Vancouver, no? What about women in same-sex relationships?



This ^^^^
Where else would I go? :p

Still have the counsellor directory on my mind but its a bit on the backburner for the moment as I want to build my practice as helping people work through their relationship difficulties is my interest, and also because I need the income. Beyond this I do plan to fastlane things by expanding into other areas with associates working for me.

Online counselling is being done more and more now, and there is a small market for it. Definitely something I'd sell, and may make a focal point of my online ad campaigning.

As for men who end up codependent in the circumstances you'd outlined I'd say they are more likely to be 'pursuers' or in attachment terms anxious-preoccupied to get into a relationship with a woman with BPD to begin with.

So we can back up a bit and assume that my clients, in all likelihood, are anxious-preoccupied/'pursuers' as avoidants/'withdrawer' generally speaking, externalize problems to being everyone else but them and are probably less inclined to seek outside help. <- another variable in my client 'avatar'.

Now where would such people hang-out (on and offline)? What type of message would grab them? and what type of professionals would have access to them who I can partner with and build a network?

I am in Vancouver. Same sex population can be something to tap into but I've little to no experience working with the other issues they often face.



" and start marketing with a content strategy based according to the problems you want to solve." <= what exactly does this mean? Maybe you or Lauryn can answer this for me.
 
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jb5150

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"Spend your money on diesel and coffee"


Go get some clients. Take it from there?

Listen to these two podcasts:

Your market isn't a demographic, it's the people spending money to solve the problem you can solve.

As @Lauryn says, you'll define your market as you engage them.

Listen to the call I had with @TedM too (see link in my signature to all my recordings with forum members).
Thanks again Andy! Giving them a listen to now.

Re the consulting podcast, I am wondering if I'd be well served changing my tag line from "Helping guide you to a better self" to something more tangible, or specific to my niche. That said, my niche will likely expand over time, and I don't want people to think I don't cover other issues outside of relationship-related matters.
 

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I am also targeting potential referral sources. Sending cold emails to Wellness Clinics, doctors, lawyers, Occupational therapists, Pyshiotherapists, ANYONE who has any contact with people experiencing trauma.

Think outside the box, you might also consider "unofficial" counselors. Who do people with bad relationships vent to long before they see a lawyer? Hairdressers and bartenders. Craft a referral offer to every salon and bar owner within 30 miles radius of your office. Make it worth their while to pass your name along to their whiny clients.

Think in terms of how your clients actually move through their day to day worlds, and get your solution in front of them.
 

jb5150

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Think outside the box, you might also consider "unofficial" counselors. Who do people with bad relationships vent to long before they see a lawyer? Hairdressers and bartenders. Craft a referral offer to every salon and bar owner within 30 miles radius of your office. Make it worth their while to pass your name along to their whiny clients.

Think in terms of how your clients actually move through their day to day worlds, and get your solution in front of them.
Not a bad idea at all, though not sure how viable it is to market my services to hardressors or bartenders, but I get the idea.

I am going to be contracted to do some couples counselling about 45 minutes drive from where I am at. Great area as its quite urban but little to no competition. The owner is eager to hit local places that may become referral partners for me. I can always take clients for myself, in addition to the one's she throws my way.

Definitely worth while to think about how my clients navigate through their day. As Lauryn and blackAndy suggest, get a few (or look at a few I already have) to discern their habits so I can more strategically target/tap-into this niche.
 
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jb5150

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UPDATE:

So in the past several months I've had the chance to work with hundreds of car accident trauma survivors. The funding is there as our government funded insurance corp fronts funding for psychotherapy for such people. I am planning to market my services along this vein to doctors, and other medical professionals who come in contact with people experiencing distress from their accidents. I figure aligning myself with a few doctors at least should help secure enough clients where I can then branch out and hire in contractors do to the work - in exchange i give them clients and a space to practice, and I take a percentage of their session rate.

I have also in the process attracted a few relationship distress clients, and revamped my website front page copy to reflect the 'avatar' or profile of the people seeking out my services (lighthousecounselling.ca if you'd like to take a look).

Still, I think this whole process can be amped-up, that I am missing something or have a few rocks left unturned. Any ideas or insights are appreciated as always:)
 

Ron Tester

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UPDATE:

So in the past several months I've had the chance to work with hundreds of car accident trauma survivors. The funding is there as our government funded insurance corp fronts funding for psychotherapy for such people. I am planning to market my services along this vein to doctors, and other medical professionals who come in contact with people experiencing distress from their accidents. I figure aligning myself with a few doctors at least should help secure enough clients where I can then branch out and hire in contractors do to the work - in exchange i give them clients and a space to practice, and I take a percentage of their session rate.

I have also in the process attracted a few relationship distress clients, and revamped my website front page copy to reflect the 'avatar' or profile of the people seeking out my services (lighthousecounselling.ca if you'd like to take a look).

Still, I think this whole process can be amped-up, that I am missing something or have a few rocks left unturned. Any ideas or insights are appreciated as always:)
Hi, jb5150,

I'm not here to tell you I know what's best, so take this with a grain of salt, but we market to physicians in my business and here's what I've learned:

1) Most physicians are too busy to think about you or your service, even when they're talking with your ideal client. They have their own things they're paying attention to—documentation, billing, moving along to stay timely with the rest of their patients, etc. You could be offering the perfect service for their patients and there's very little chance they will remember to mention you (unless they have a deep personal relationship with you or they operate differently than most physicians).
2) If possible, in addition to marketing to/educating the physician, ask them if you can train their staff (receptionists, medical assistants, nurses) about who to look out for, who might benefit from your services, etc. You may have to bring in breakfast or lunch for them but they are more likely to remember to refer to you than the physician.
3) If possible, leave something in writing for the staff to remind them who you're looking for/who you can help. We leave a bright neon yellow laminated half sheet (8.5" X 5.5") with our ideal clients' description and how we can help them (in your case, I would recommend the single biggest benefit you provide to your clients). We leave them with the staff, but we also leave them in the exam rooms to remind the health-care practitioners about us and our services.
4) If possible, leave something written (brochures or flyers) in the doctor's waiting rooms.
5) If someone has been in an accident, they might need physical therapy (full disclosure: I'm a PT, although I don't treat people for accident-related injuries). I would contact local clinics, see if they treat accident injuries. If so, I would market to them. Not just the therapists, the receptionists and techs as well.
6) If someone has been in an accident, they might be contemplating/pursuing a lawsuit (depending on how things are done in your area). I would strongly urge you to consider marketing to the attorneys in your area that pursue that work. Especially since, at least where I'm from (Texas), lawyers usually receive a contingency fee as a percentage of the insurance settlement, and the insurance settlement is usually a multiple of the total expenditures associated with the medical bills. Bottom line: if more money is spent on the medical bills post-treatment, the more the settlement, the more the lawyer makes. I'm not encouraging gaming the system, only pointing out that lawyers may have an actual motivation to refer to you (besides just doing good for their clients).

I hope this helps. Sorry if it's all too basic. Also, feel free to message me if you want to discuss specifics.

Best of luck!
Ron
 

jb5150

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Hi, jb5150,

I'm not here to tell you I know what's best, so take this with a grain of salt, but we market to physicians in my business and here's what I've learned:

1) Most physicians are too busy to think about you or your service, even when they're talking with your ideal client. They have their own things they're paying attention to—documentation, billing, moving along to stay timely with the rest of their patients, etc. You could be offering the perfect service for their patients and there's very little chance they will remember to mention you (unless they have a deep personal relationship with you or they operate differently than most physicians).

For sure, MDs have busy schedules and are often spread across clinics. I was fortunate enough to have a reply from a doc at a local clinic of 7 other doctors who sees the benefit in having a therapist. Hopefully I can sell the other 7 on the utility of my service when I meet w them in September.

Of course being onsite I am not so out-of-sight-out-of-mind.

The other idea can be to target a niche focused MD such as the one my friend uses who gives him dozens of referrals a month (he's since expanded due to demand).


2) If possible, in addition to marketing to/educating the physician, ask them if you can train their staff (receptionists, medical assistants, nurses) about who to look out for, who might benefit from your services, etc. You may have to bring in breakfast or lunch for them but they are more likely to remember to refer to you than the physician.

This is a good idea, and I am doing this at a clinic I am currently contracted with, however they aren't exactly providing me any clients atm so its very one-sided.

The canadian thing is to bring Timbits (tim hortons donuts), hopefully the ROI is high on this rather than spending $ and time dragging one of them out for lunch;)

3) If possible, leave something in writing for the staff to remind them who you're looking for/who you can help. We leave a bright neon yellow laminated half sheet (8.5" X 5.5") with our ideal clients' description and how we can help them (in your case, I would recommend the single biggest benefit you provide to your clients). We leave them with the staff, but we also leave them in the exam rooms to remind the health-care practitioners about us and our services.

On this front I have car accident centric trauma brochures I leave at the clinics. In it it describes how trauma forms, and how trauma therapy can be of benefit, in addition to a quasi PTSD-symptom checklist for Doctors to watch-out for.

4) If possible, leave something written (brochures or flyers) in the doctor's waiting rooms.
5) If someone has been in an accident, they might need physical therapy (full disclosure: I'm a PT, although I don't treat people for accident-related injuries). I would contact local clinics, see if they treat accident injuries. If so, I would market to them. Not just the therapists, the receptionists and techs as well.

I am also targeting PTs, Occupational therapists etc ANYTHING rehab related I am getting in there. However, I consider these specialists 2nd tear, as for me to get an insurance referral a doctor's referral/note is needed. A client of a PT would still have to be directed back to their Doc to get the funding to be able to see me. Still, it is worthwhile to get the word out and advertise to these people.

6) If someone has been in an accident, they might be contemplating/pursuing a lawsuit (depending on how things are done in your area). I would strongly urge you to consider marketing to the attorneys in your area that pursue that work. Especially since, at least where I'm from (Texas), lawyers usually receive a contingency fee as a percentage of the insurance settlement, and the insurance settlement is usually a multiple of the total expenditures associated with the medical bills. Bottom line: if more money is spent on the medical bills post-treatment, the more the settlement, the more the lawyer makes. I'm not encouraging gaming the system, only pointing out that lawyers may have an actual motivation to refer to you (besides just doing good for their clients).

How it works here is we can do what's known as Direction of Pay agreement with law firms that are big enough offer such a thing. The standard rate I charge is $100 per 50 minute session, with lawyers I charge $140 and the DoP can be 50% meaning half up front, and half at time of settlement (whenever that is). Regardless having lawyers on board is huge, I have reached out via cold email to paralegals and legal assistants with very little to no response.

Maybe I should drop by the firms in person. Thank you for the input Ron, I appreciate it.


I hope this helps. Sorry if it's all too basic. Also, feel free to message me if you want to discuss specifics.

Best of luck!
Ron
 
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