When last we met, I hammered home the imperative that you’ve got to take advantage of every opportunity to make connections that will build a positive impression of you and your practice. We talked about depleting your 1,000-strong supply of business cards, getting comfortable giving your elevator speech, and casting a wide net in terms of potential referral sources. We even explored the idea of hosting an open house reception to officially launch your practice.
So what do I do when the party’s over, you ask? In addition to the personal glad-handing and getting your business cards and name into circulation, you should consider doing at least some low-cost advertising. I chose to run a fairly sizable, full-color display ad to announce the opening of my practice in our local newspaper. The ad ran for four weeks and it generated my very first patient (I know this because of course I track how each patient gets to me on my initial contact form). Her course of brief therapy paid for the ad plus one month’s rent and phone bill. Was it worth it? In my estimation, yes, although I have forgone the extra expense of color since then.

I also have run a four-week slate of print ads that are part of the local paper’s full-page “Ask the Experts” series. Each so-called expert is featured with a photo, logo, contact information and a self-penned Q&A. My questions included: “Can medication cure depression?” “My physician says I’m experiencing panic attacks. Can I make them stop?” “I think our marriage is in trouble. Can therapy really help?” and “My physician referred me to a psychologist, but I’m hesitant. What is therapy like?” Whether your paper’s ad director will put together an “experts” page or not, you can certainly design a stand-alone ad in that format. I’ve found so far that even some pretty sophisticated acquaintances view my ads as “articles,” because they provide helpful information. An independent pharmacist and an accounting firm in my town run weekly “infomercial” style ads that stand out because they feature useful tips and tidbits.

Those of you in urban areas will want to place any print advertising in vehicles that are likely to reach your target patients, so look for neighborhood newspapers or free local papers that reach niche markets (e.g., the lesbian/gay/bisexual community, seniors, hip young professionals, parents, ethnic communities with which you have language or other expertise, etc.).

I also looked into Yellow Pages advertising and quickly learned that it’s very expensive to take out a display ad. I opted to spend about $25 a month on a directory listing that includes my name, my business name, and the URL for my web site. Turns out that was a pretty good choice, because the URL, printed in colored ink, really makes my listing pop. It also makes it easy for people to find out more about me and my practice, whereas they’d have to pick up the phone to get information about the competition. I recommend the name-plus-URL as a relatively inexpensive option for many newbies (and others), because it will give you a listing that catches people’s eye and it’s likely to drive folks to your web site.
Other potentially effective ways to advertise include free and paid online directories. If you’re an APA member and pay the practice assessment, you can list your practice in APA’s online and telephone psychologist locator service. How to do so is not entirely obvious. Go to www.apapractice.org, then click on the Locator Service link on the blue-shaded area at the bottom left side of the page and follow the instructions from there. The public can get to your listing either from the APA web site or from its consumer information site, www.APAHelpCenter.org. Our own Division 42 also provides a listing service, but I’m not sure how John Q. Public might happen upon the division web site. Your state association also is likely to offer a similar service, so be sure to investigate how to be listed. If you happen to do trauma work, as I do, you can be included in a free referral service sponsored by the Sidran Institute, which provides traumatic stress education and advocacy, at www.sidran.org. Organizations related to other conditions or therapeutic approaches also offer practitioner listings, so do some digging to get your name into cyberspace.

There are numerous paid directories online. Perhaps best known is the one offered by Psychology Today (www.psychologytoday.com). Check the archives of the Div42 e-list to read comments from members regarding their assessments of this directory. Most that I’ve read have been favorable. In my opinion, such commercial directories may be best used by practitioners in sizable metropolitan areas (which will be most of you), where getting your name to the public via a multitude of channels will help you compete in a more crowded marketplace. If you’re interested in this type of listing, try googling “psychologist directory” or “psychotherapist directory” and you’ll find a plethora of choices to check out.

As I mentioned in the last IP issue, joining local organizations is a very effective means of getting seen and becoming better known. Typically, you’ll mingle with community movers and shakers who themselves come into contact with other influential folks, all of whom are – say it with me! – potential referral sources or patients. Even in small towns like mine, organizations like the Chamber of Commerce also provide display space for members to place business cards, rack cards, and brochures.

If you’re not financially able to be a joiner, consider offering to give a brief talk on a psychology-related topic you know well. Rotary and other civic clubs are always on the lookout for speakers at their meetings, and you’re quite likely to receive an enthusiastic response if you ask to do a shtick for their members. Your local public library also may have a community meeting room in which you can host a mini-workshop.
For example, you might give some basic background information on how stress does its dirty work in the mind and body. Take advantage of apahelpcenter.org’s interactive demonstration on stress and mind-body health, which lets you can click on various parts of the human body and see information about how mental wellbeing affects physical wellbeing. You could use this demo during your talk. Then you might teach audience members a simple relaxation technique, such as diaphragmatic breathing, and conclude with a short guided imagery session in which you mentally transport audience members to a serene place. If they leave your talk feeling informed, refreshed, and uplifted, well then you’ve just sold them on your services!

By the way, apapractice.org has developed “toolkits” for practitioners who want to participate in the public education campaign, “Talk to Someone Who Can Help” (aka, your friendly neighborhood psychologist). On our mind-body theme, for example, you can get a toolkit that will prepare you to do a presentation on mind-body health with regard to heart disease, stress in general, or stress on the job. This includes basic, downloadable information on how to hold an event, resource guides to help you bone up on the topic, discussion guides to help you organize your talk, PowerPoint presentations, flyers to promote your event, fact sheets to hand out to attendees, and even audience evaluation forms. Training in how to use APA’s public education materials is also available for those who sign up to take part in the campaign to make psychology a household word.

As you can see, there’s no excuse for not finding multiple ways to communicate about your practice and what you do. Start with what feels comfortable and gradually try to extend your reach as you gain confidence.

Be sure to read the next issue of the IP for more tips, tricks, and lessons learned about building a new practice.

In response to an offer she couldn’t refuse (made by Lillian “The Enforcer” Comas-Diaz), Debbie Klingender recently began serving as chair of Division 42’s Student/Early Career Psychologist committee. She is looking for some fresh faces to join her on the committee and share their ideas about how the division can better serve the special needs and interests of newbies. Make your voice heard! Contact Deb at drdeb@wellspringpsych.com.