John's Monthly Marketing Mailer

Each month JMMM will provide readers insight into the many ways a practice can be expanded using the Internet; some for free, others for a small investment that ideally returns a profit quickly. Topics presented include improving web site copy, social media, pay-per-click advertising, free Internet ads, and more. If you have a web site, you must leverage your presence and attract new clients in the most efficient -- and inexpensive -- way possible. Learn how with John's Monthly Marketing Mailer.

June 2009: What's The Best Way To Instill Confidence In A Potential Client?

The answer to that question.... VIDEO. 'But why would I need a video on my Web site?' you ask. I'm a therapist, not a movie star. Well, the answer is... you're a therapist, not a movie star. Everyone knows who Brad Pitt is... but I'll bet you're not as well known as he is. Potential clients would probably like to know a little about you before they agree to see you in person.

So, let's take the example of a potential client who finds your Web site through any of the numerous ways you might be found. She's reading about your practice, "checking you out", deciding if you're the one. Depending on her specific issue she might be feeling a bit vulnerable, unsure if therapy is the right thing for her, and if you're the right therapist she can open up to. A friendly face could help her decision making process. Your friendly face. And while a head shot is nice, its effectiveness pales in comparison to that of a short, simple video of you speaking about your experience, your method, etc.

'But I'm REALLY NOT a movie star', you persist, as sweat beads begin to form. 'I can't speak in front of a camera like Leno or Oprah'. My response... how do you know that? You've been on TV lately? You can relax, I'm not suggesting you reenact the final scene of Death of a Salesman here. A simple hello, my name is, I've been practicing for this many years, I've helped countless clients with.... etc. Nothing too crazy here, pardon the pun.

The goal is to allow the prospect to experience you, to get a sense of your personality. To kick the tires, if you will. It's really a phenomenal opportunity that therapists of yesteryear could have only dreamed of. You're living in the future.... technology is here for the taking. So, use it to expand your practice.

Email or call me and I'll give you a few pointers... or we can set something up where I'll shoot a simple video of you and arrange to have it up on your site in no time at all.

April 2009: Is Anyone Finding Your Practice on the Internet?

How are you currently promoting your practice? If your efforts involve a Web site, are potential clients finding you? How many? Enough? The answer I usually hear is that there could always be more.

There are many ways to increase visitors to your site. You could run through the streets screaming out the name of your Web site. You could spend $10,000 on a full page ad in the NY Times. You could hire a plane to do some skywriting at the beach.

Or you could do something that works, and won't cost you very much money at all. Pay-per-click advertising is something you may have heard of, and you may have even tried it out. But chances are, if you're like most small business people, especially in the mental health profession, you're no expert here. And that's a shame, because it really works. Why, because you decide how much you pay, not the advertising company.

In addition to bringing in new clients, pay-per-click, as opposed to other forms of advertising, can pay for itself. For example, if you run an ad in a local community paper that costs you $100, you pay what you pay no matter how many clients the ad attracts to your business. When the ad run is complete, you tally up the score to see if it was worth it. If it wasn't, what are your options? Well, you could change your ad copy/design and pay another $100 for a new run, or you might decide to never run an ad in that publication again.

Now, with pay-per-click, things are different. Take Google Adwords, for example. You open an account, for $5, and you don't pay anything else until a prospective client clicks on one of your ads and comes and visits your Web site. You first design a text ad, or 2, or 5, or 50... then you decide how much money you're willing to spend each time a prospective client visits your site. And you decide how much you want to spend per day. $1 / day? No problem, whatever you feel comfortable. And you can change your budget whenever you like.

Then, you begin tracking the results to see what's working. After a day or two, you notice that things aren't working as you hoped they might. So, what are your options? Here, you have plenty, and they represent the Power of Pay, as I call it.

First, you can almost immediately see which ads and keywords are working. Those that AREN'T, get rid of them and focus your efforts, and money, on the good ones. Those that ARE working, by bringing people to your site, well, you can increase your bid or amount per click to make them work even better, and bring even more clients in. You can run the ads at different times of the day, or different days of the week, all based on what the free analytics say you should do.

You can even pause the ad whenever you like, and start it up again whenever. As long as you see that the ads are generating clients for you, you know that they're paying off. There are many more options for you but the point is that pay-per-click allows you to react quickly to what is, and isn't, working with your ads. And that translates into saving advertising dollars. Moreover, it means that once you get your ads working properly, they're essentially going to pay for themselves. Pay $5 a week and bring in one client... how about $10 for 3 new clients? Hey, I'm sure you'd all take that ROI!

So, I hope I've conveyed the Power of Pay to you. For more info, please visit my site http://barloweinteractive.com/PayPerClick.aspx