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Member’s Share Their Marketing Experiences

Marketing

Elaine Rodino, Ph.D., Chair:
Public Relations & Public Education Committee

The April Media Pitch to our network of over 450 newspapers nationally and over 300 radio stations was on Suicide and Depression [April is the highest month for suicides]. The Pitch was posted on our website and on the Division 42 listserv. Below are some responses to the listserv posting, we hope you will be energized by these to develop your own media marketing ideas.

On April 24th Raymond Shred, Ph.D. from Nanaimo, BC posted: Hi. I’m new to 42. Just wanted to let you all know that the pitch letters work in mysterious ways. I sent it out (revised for local and Canadian use) and got one request for an interview. If you’re interested I’ve appended the article as it appeared yesterday.

Later on May 17th Sandy Ceren wrote from San Diego wrote: I edit the pitch and use it in my weekly newspaper columns always mentioning APA when I do.  I don’t know if it is making any difference yet, but it sure helps me out when I’m too busy to think up a worthy column.

Jeff Barnett asked: Wonderful.  Thanks, Sandy.  Do you ever receive referrals and are told they came to you because of your column? 

Sandy replied: I’ve been writing for some time and have received only one referral, but she has sent me her friends.  About 20 years ago I wrote for another local paper and although I received many compliments from other psychologists, I don’t recall having received any referrals from other readers.   Restaurant hosts recognize my face from my byline, but it has never secured me a table without a reservation.  Through the years I’ve had a lot of media exposure and I’m told I do a good job, but it yields zilch returns in the way of referrals!    I’m not a REAL celebrity.

Ginger E. Blum from Middletown, CT wrote: I have a monthly news column, going on 8 years now and I always use APA media articles (I usually make minor changes to fit local area).  I frequently get phone calls about my articles and it definitely keeps me in referrals.

Raymond Shred replied with his experiences: I’ve had a more mixed experience here in Nanaimo.  I did one interview that appeared in the local paper in January -- I received about 5 referrals from that one.  The article was about Auditory processing disorders in children and how this is often confused with ADHD.  The referrals were four children and one adult who wanted a definitive diagnosis of ADHD (he didn’t have it). 

I had a second interview published in April, as far as I can tell, it has resulted in no referrals.  A number of current clients and friends noticed the article but that was it.  I did have one man call because he thought the message was wonderful -- he is a survivor of a suicide attempt and PTSD and Depression -- he wanted help in getting the word out as he has become an anti-suicide motivational speaker.  Currently, I am gathering ideas for a June campaign aimed at parents with ideas about summer activities for their children (and themselves). 

Elaine Rodino added: Although you cannot see direct referrals to your practice from your column, according to all that is known about marketing and advertising, your name gets more recognition and when people wonder who to go to for psychotherapy, they are more likely to think of you.  People calling for an appointment may not say or remember that this is how they learned about you.  Even if the referral comes from another source, the fact that you’ve written columns in your area for so many years will reinforce that referral from someone else. This is how marketing works. When we see the direct result happen quickly...that’s the icing on the cake.

Ginger E. Blume responds with important advice about the results of consistent presence in the media: I think there are several reasons the column has fed my practice.   First, I live in a small New England town. I also did a twice daily psycho-educational radio show for 4-5 years and give targeted talks to local organizations (some free and some paid). Together, with the newspaper and the radio, I had a lot of name recognition.  None of my efforts paid off for about the first two years in the media, but after that, I’ve never had to worry about enough referrals. I think success had to do with consistently placing myself in the media as an expert AND delivering quality service.  A consistent image and message is key. 

This was echoed by Donald J. Franklin: I think you are missing the point of these interviews etc. The idea is to continually have your name in the media so your name will be a familiar one in the community. Then, when someone needs a psychologist, they will have “heard” of you, but probably will not recall where. That will increase the likelihood you get a call from the person. In essence, this is the difference between advertising and marketing.

Kate Hays, Ph.D., Toronto, posted: I think when I first started, my notion was that I could create a local “Dear Katie” column; one that would be oh so easy.... People would write in questions, all I’d need do was answer them. Over the years, I made a few pleas for questions, but generally, needed to create the content rather than rely on others.

More literally, as others have mentioned, creating a sample column and pitching it is the way to do it. Editors really are always looking for new content, new voices, new angles. Another thought, given your expertise and interests, would be to contact a specific sports magazine and make inquiries about their interest, either in a column or being on an expert panel.

As for what steps one takes, among the most important are making sure that one makes time to do something else (the ol’ “what am I not going to do if I take this on?”) and setting some goals that have time frame, long term desires, some level of reality, and an opportunity for regular review and revision.

Scott Green, Ph.D., from Rockville, MD responded: Kate, Valerie et al., I truly appreciate the suggestions about getting a column up and running at a local paper.  For those of you who don’t know (and that’s most of you), Kate has been a valuable mentor to me as I develop my own practice/company focusing on sport psychology consultation and she has truly given me quite a few gifts of insight!  I’m happy to add other names to that list of mentors and I appreciate the value of this list!

More advanced suggestions came from Jack Lesyk: Another indirect benefit of having authored a column: Have reprints available in your waiting room.  This enhances your credibility with your current clients and provides them with something to pass on the family and friends.  It may get them talking about you in a positive manner and as an expert on the topics that you’ve written about.

And finally, Robert Plummer, Ph.D., Saginaw, Michigan adds: Also, a marketing idea; consider copying your past columns into three-fold brochures to mail out to prospective referral sources, past referral sources, etc.

Members who are not on the Division 42 Membership Listserv, please also send us your comments. Send them to me at Erodino@aol.com, or fax: (310) 454-6046.

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