Word-of-mouth alone is usually not enough to bring you new clients, so your behavioral health business plan should put a high priority on marketing. Marketing can be difficult for new entrepreneurs, so here are some methods to get you started.
Establish a central online presence.
These days, having an online presence is non-negotiable. Before launching your practice, get a website up and running. Include important information such as:
- Location
- Office hours
- Professional background and credentials
- Which clients you serve
- Your specialties
- Accepted insurance and other payment options
- How to contact you
Don’t ignore social media.
Besides a website, you can create a Facebook page for your practice at little or no cost. This makes it easy to add and change information, or share inspiring quotes and helpful information.
Platforms like Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram can also supplement your online presence. However, your practice should still have a main website where you can direct potential clients.
Keep your social media updated regularly. Using an app like Buffer to schedule posts can help save you a lot of time.
Social media can make it difficult to balance personal and professional interactions. Set boundaries beforehand, such as not accepting friend requests from clients or responding to inquiries under your personal account.
Use secondary listings.
You can also establish a business description on Google My Business or Google Maps, as well as healthcare-specific sites like Healthgrades or Psychology Today therapist listing. As your practice becomes established, check in periodically to make sure all information is still up-to-date.
Use paid ads.
You can do a lot of marketing for free, but paid advertisement can give your practice a big boost. You can create promoted posts on social media, or use Google Ads to help your practice appear at the top of search engine results.
With online ads, you can target users who belong to specific demographics or locations, so the most relevant people will see it. Depending on your budget and client demographics, you may also consider more traditional advertising, such as newspaper ads.
Consider content marketing.
Content marketing produces and shares informative, entertaining content to answer questions or solve problems. It encourages your reputation and helps people find you more easily. This can include:
- Blogs
- Podcasts
- Informational videos
- Email newsletter
- Social media posts
- Newspaper letters to the editor
You can also write guest posts and articles on others’ websites. Sign up for HARO (Help A Reporter Out) and respond to relevant queries.
Keep in mind that content marketing is a long-term strategy that requires patience and dedication.
Get involved in your community.
Participating in your own community is a great way to get the word out about your behavioral health practice. There are numerous ways
- Give talks at local libraries or clinics
- Offer your expertise to local podcasts or news affiliates
- Partner with other local social services, even pro bono
Ultimately, the most effective type of marketing is the one you will use consistently. Choose one or two strategies and commit to them for a few weeks or months. Marketing requires a lot of time and hard work, but it can have a big payoff.
The right software can help all aspects of your business, from marketing to documentation to billing. BestNotes offers customizable, all-in-one EHR and CRM solutions that can help you launch and operate your private behavioral health practice with less stress and better results. Contact us today to learn more.