July 29, 2025 • 26 mins
Ever feel like marketing advice demands you pick just one niche—but your caseload says otherwise? If you love working with a range of clients and fear that niching down means giving up what you enjoy, this episode is for you.
In this special "Ask Anna" edition, I answer a question therapists ask all the time: "How do I market my practice if I don’t want to give up variety?" We dig into the real issue behind that question (spoiler: it's not actually about variety) and explore how to create a clear, compelling message without boxing yourself in.
You’ll learn about the "Red Thread" framework I teach inside my programs—a strategy that helps you tie together your range of interests so your marketing feels both focused and freeing.
Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:
1️⃣ Why the fear of picking "wrong" keeps so many therapists stuck between joyless clarity and vague marketing
2️⃣ How the "Red Thread" helps you connect the dots between diverse client types and a cohesive message
3️⃣ The four types of Red Threads (person, problem, outcome, and approach) and how to discover which fits your practice best
Resources & Links Mentioned:
- Confident Copy program: walkerstrategyco.com/cc
- Join the waitlist for Confident Copy to access exclusive bonuses: walkerstrategyco.com/cc-waitlist
- The Walker Strategy Co website: walkerstrategyco.com
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Enjoying the podcast? Subscribe so you never miss an episode—and feel free to share it with a fellow therapist who’s building their private practice.
Explore more marketing support for therapists: The Walker Strategy Co website: walkerstrategyco.com
About Marketing Therapy
Marketing Therapy is the podcast where therapists learn how to market their private practices without burnout, self-doubt, or sleazy tactics. Hosted by Anna Walker—marketing coach, strategist, and founder of Walker Strategy Co—each episode brings you clear, grounded advice to help you attract the right-fit, full-fee clients and grow a practice you feel proud of.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Hey there.
Welcome back to MarketingTherapy episode 18.
Today we're kicking off what will likelybe an intermittent series called Ask Anna.
So this is where I'm going to be answeringreal questions I get from therapists,
whether that's in our dms email insidemy programs, or from the clients
that I've worked with over the years.
(00:25):
Because let's be honest, if one personis asking it, hundreds are quietly
wondering the same thing, right?
And today's question, it's funny,when I put out our first ask for
the Ask Anna episode, I got this inthree different places, different
versions of the same question.
It is truly one of the most commonones that I get, and quite frankly,
(00:47):
one of the most misunderstood.
So today I'm answering a questionI received from Melissa via
email and Robin in our Facebookgroup among many, many others.
And that question is essentially,what do I do when I like variety?
Does it mean that I can'tmarket myself effectively?
(01:07):
Do I have to pick just one thing?
What do I do if I enjoy variety?
This comes up constantly.
I am regularly, I'm talking weeklycoaching clinicians on this in our
Confident Copy program, and this comes upwith therapists who are brand new and with
those who are seasoned, been in practicefor years, and it makes a ton of sense.
(01:31):
Because when you hear peopletalk about marketing or niching,
it's often presented in this allor nothing black and white way.
It's like your only choices are pick onepopulation, stick with it forever, you're
married to it now, or give up on having aclear niche or a specific message and just
(01:51):
throw a laundry list of issues out there.
Here's what I wanna say and what we'regonna talk about in this episode.
This isn't really about variety.
This is about the fear that if youchoose wrong, you're either gonna
lose clients or you're gonna lose joy.
Am I right?
(02:11):
If you're sitting here listeningright now and you enjoy working with
this wide variety of clients and youfeel like all the marketing advice
has told you, you can't do that.
If you want to be effective, then youfeel like you're left with two choices.
Lose clients because you're not marketingeffectively or lose joy because you're
burnt out serving only one of thosepopulations in the name of marketing.
(02:36):
So what you're really asking, what Robinand Melissa, and so many of you are really
asking is, how do I market myself withoutsacrificing the parts of my work I love?
That's exactly what we'regonna talk about today.
Because yes, you canhave a dynamic caseload.
(02:56):
Yes, you can love doingmultiple things and yes, you
can market yourself effectively.
You can attract full feeright-fit clients while doing so.
Now first I wanna look at what's goingon underneath this primary question
because when someone asks, what if I likeworking with lots of different types of
(03:18):
clients on the surface, that sounds likea branding issue or a messaging issue.
But when you dig a little bit deeper,it's not really actually about variety.
It's about fear, which so manyof our marketing challenges are
when we're honest with ourselves.
Fear that if you get too specific.
You'll lose out on clients.
(03:39):
You could help fear if you narrowin, you're gonna box yourself
into something that doesn't feelsustainable or leads to burnout.
Fear that you're gonna cut offpart of your identity, something
you've enjoyed for many years.
Possibly fear that you're gonna cut offpart of your income and end up stuck
(04:00):
in something you don't actually enjoy.
So this fear often gets masked bya kind of internal tug of war that
I see, and I hear this often whencoaching clinicians in confident copy.
They say things like, I know Ishould be more clear, but I don't
want to pick just one thing.
I want my caseload to feel sustainable,but I also want it to be full.
(04:25):
I want to enjoy my work, but Ialso want clients to actually
find me and pay my full fee.
I want to sound like a specialistor an expert, but I don't want to
abandon the things I'm good at.
And the result of all that tensionis most therapists default to
(04:45):
trying to say everything at once.
I see this often when encouragingfolks to share their niche
statements in our Facebook group.
They will try and pack absolutelyeverything they could possibly
do as a therapist into theirniche and into their marketing.
They write a homepage for theirwebsite that lists every single
(05:07):
demographic they could serve.
Every presenting issue,every modality they use
they initiate networking conversationswhere that new person they've met
likes them, but they have no idea who'sactually the right fit to send their way.
It is these therapists trying tohit every single note just in case.
(05:29):
Let me cover my bases,is what I see So many do.
But here's what I want to gentlysay, and this is ultimately something
that I think the people asking thisquestion already know that when you
try to speak to everyone in the samesentence, no one really hears you
(05:49):
because no one feels truly seen.
Your favorite clients, the onesyou absolutely love working with.
That light you up.
You get excited when yousee them on your calendar.
They're not looking for atherapist who says everything
or claims to work with everyone.
They're looking for someone who gets them.
(06:11):
Someone who can name what they're goingthrough in a way that makes them stop
and think, are you, in my head, itfeels like this was written just for me.
That's the type of experience clients inthis market in particular are seeking.
They don't know that.
But when we see what actually resonatesand what doesn't, that's the type
(06:33):
of experience they're looking for.
And when you try to hedge your betsand just speak to everyone, spray and
pray, as we say, you dilute the thingthat would actually make you stand out.
This episode is about a lot ofdifferent things, but if there's only
one thing you take away, I want youto remember that there's a reason.
(06:56):
That clients choose you.
Even if you serve teens, couples, peoplewith trauma and eating disorders, this
big variety of clients, there's a reasonevery single one of those chooses you.
And if you are using your marketing tospray and pray, and you are not hitting on
(07:19):
that reason, that thing that leads them.
To choose you, then you will sound vagueand you will dilute the expertise that
your clients are ultimately looking for.
So often I see clinicians make thismistake and the cost is massive.
They get on consults and feellike they're auditioning for
(07:40):
jobs they didn't even apply for.
Can you resonate with that?
Have you ever been on a consult where youfeel that way or clients aren't actually
a fit, but they take 'em on because theydid reach out and they need someone?
Sometimes they even have a caseload that'stechnically full, but it's not energizing.
It's not exciting.
(08:00):
It's not lighting them up andreminding them why they got
into this work to begin with.
Oftentimes, I'll also see in theseclinicians kind of this low key anxiety
about raising their rates or puttingthemselves out there because they're not
sure how to do that without losing people.
That's what they're operating fromis this fear of losing people,
(08:23):
of excluding, and so they end upstaying small in their marketing.
And oftentimes there'sthis weird sense of shame.
You know, you see other therapistsout there being super successful and
maybe enjoying variety and somehowthey've got something you don't.
And so it can really feel likeyou should be able to better
explain the work you do by now.
(08:45):
I think that's the real tension here.
And here's what's extra tricky.
A lot of therapists try to solvethis by doing what the internet
tells them to do or chat GPT.
So they force themselves, theypigeonhole into one population or
one age group, one issue in the nameof niching, and then they end up
(09:08):
attracting only that kind of client.
And while the marketing feels a littlebit clearer, the work feels flat.
And repetitive and limiting.
And the clients who do this, whonarrow themselves in the name of
marketing, they miss the richnessof the variety they once had.
(09:31):
Maybe you're someone who enjoyed varietyin a group practice or community mental
health setting, and then launched yourprivate practice and quote unquote
niched because you were quote unquotetold to, and now you're like, I miss.
Those age groups, Imiss those demographics.
I miss treating those issues, and youcan start to feel a little bored or a
little burnt out, and then it feels likeyou're back to this black and white thing.
(09:54):
Well, I either stay here or I go broadand I go back to being vague and generic.
I want to tell you right nowthat there is a third option
one where your message is clear.
And your caseload is energizing and yourclients feel seen in your marketing, not
just as a checkbox on a list, oh yes,I qualify for this item on the laundry
(10:18):
list, but as a real human with real needsthat you are uniquely equipped to help.
That's what I wanna talk about next as weget into really answering this question.
How do I maintain variety in my marketing?
So this third alternative, what do you dowhen you enjoy working with a wide range
(10:41):
of people, but you still want to attractfull fee, right-fit clients without
being scattered or generic or boring.
You find your red thread.
Your red thread is a concept thatif my confident copy students
are here listening, or maybeyou're a magnetic niche method
student, you know all about this.
(11:02):
Your red thread is about tying togetherthe variety of clients that you enjoy
and finding that thing, that reason thatthose clients pick you regardless of which
bucket or category they may fall into.
Because here's what Ibelieve about this work.
I believe you can have asmuch variety as you want.
(11:24):
I believe you can have abeautifully diverse and interesting
and sustainable caseload.
You just need a message thatties it all together, and that
is what the Red Thread does.
It's the through line, the theme that runsunderneath all the work you love to do.
It's what makes you not a generalist,whatever that is, that's your red thread.
(11:49):
It's what gives your practice focus.
Even if all your clients don'tall look the same on paper.
Now, there are four kinds of red threadsthat we see most often and that we
have seen be incredibly effective,particularly in the private pay space.
You don't have to memorize these, butwhen you hear them, I'm guessing one
(12:09):
or two might instantly click for you.
So there's four types of red threads.
The first is a person based.
This means that you workwith a type of person.
Even if the circumstances forthat person are different.
So that can be high achieving women, newparents, helpers, neurodivergent people.
(12:31):
The details vary, but it's thisidentity thread that's consistent.
So if you reflect on the variety thatyou enjoy, the clients that light you up.
Is their common denominator.
Something about who they are.
Then there's a problem based red thread.
This is the traditional versionof thinking about a niche, and
(12:54):
that's where you help peoplethrough a really specific struggle.
So traditionally that's, well, I do griefor I do trauma, but it can actually be a
lot more creative than that if you want.
It can be anxiety that's rooted inperfectionism or overthinking people
pleasing a disconnection from yourself.
Relationship issues.
(13:16):
So in a problem based red thread, youcan work with teens and couples and
adults, but they're all navigatingthe same internal challenge.
That's the theme inthis type of red thread.
Now the latter two red threads thatI'm gonna share here are especially
powerful if you have a wide rangeof clients you enjoy serving.
(13:36):
So when I am coaching cliniciansthrough this in confident copy and we're
deciding how to articulate their redthread and how to put words to their
niche, if they have what feels like verydisparate specialties, usually one of
these is what we lean into most heavily.
So the next one is outcome based.
So this is you focusing onthe result or the outcome.
(13:58):
People want out of therapy, evenif they're coming from different
backgrounds, different demographics,different presenting issues.
Your clients want to feel moreconfident, more connected.
They want to experience long-term change.
They want to restore a sense ofjoy or balance in their life.
They wanna heal the root cause.
(14:19):
The desire here is the common thread.
And that can be really, reallypowerful if you have a wide range
of presenting issues because you asa clinician are likely leading them
to some similar end point, right?
So reflecting on that can be powerful.
And then finally is theapproach based red thread.
So this is the one that'sabout how you work.
(14:41):
So if you notice the first three personproblem and outcome, they were about your
clients and what they have in common.
Sometimes you are your niche, so itcould be your method, it can be something
very specific like E-M-D-R-I-F-S, brainspotting, relational life therapy,
or it can just be your style, yourenvironment, your direct, honest, no BS
(15:04):
approach, your inclusive environment.
Clients are drawn to you inthis case, not just for what you
help with, but how you do it.
So those are the four kinds of red threadperson problem, outcome, and approach.
And at this point, I have coachedthousands of clinicians in this
(15:25):
framework and seen the way that it canliberate clinicians who have felt bound
by the traditional niching advice.
And enjoy rich variety while still havinga very clear and focused message that
establishes them as an expert, as aspecialist in the minds of their clients.
(15:46):
Now, most of the clients I work with oftensee themselves in more than one of these.
So if I just ran through this and you'relike, well, I see similarities in all of
them, you're absolutely not alone in that.
That's very, very normal.
In Confident Copy, we help you figureout which one or two are going to create
the strongest foundation for your niche.
Because yes, there are likely themesin all of these, but which one or
(16:08):
two are really the cornerstones foryou to base your marketing upon?
And here's the key there.
We always come back tothe client's perspective.
What are they looking for?
What do they think they need help with?
What's going to make them stop scrolling?
And say to themselves, this feelslike me for your example, maybe your
(16:31):
red thread is your somatic approach.
You realize that that's the common theme.
But if your clients are mostlyshowing up, just saying, I wanna feel
less anxious in my relationships,we need to lead with that.
They aren't necessarilyseeking out somatic therapy.
And so the approach based red threadmight not be the best fit there.
Can you see what I mean?
(16:52):
So you're still using the somatic work?
But your marketing is speaking to whatyour clients are actually aware of
right this minute that my friends ishow you enjoy variety and still have
focused effective marketing, particularlywhen it comes to private pay clients.
(17:13):
Now, once we identify a red thread,it's one thing to know this, it's
another to bring it to life, right?
So here's how we do that.
We start by writing a nichestatement that reflects your variety.
We need to make sure that weare calling out those distinct
groups, but still feels cohesive.
It's the kind of thing where everysingle one of your ideal clients could
read it and feel like, yes, that's me.
(17:35):
So it's about figuring out a way tolanguage the work that you do in such
a way that every single client would belike, are you speaking directly to me?
That's the cool part of a red thread.
'cause that's actually possiblewhen we figure out what yours is.
After that, we look atyour website structure.
Okay?
So we need to make sure that there isa clear path for each of the different
(17:58):
types of clients that you work with.
It's not that we are justmashing them all together and
marketing to them all at once.
We need to make sure that there's ahome for each one of those different
specialties on your website.
We don't want anyone tofeel like an afterthought.
We want everyone to feel like theybelong because you are speaking to
them specifically, and that happensprimarily through your website structure.
(18:19):
Then we bring that red thread into placeslike your homepage and your about page,
the more universal pages of your website.
That way, no matter who landson your site, they feel seen.
They feel like you get it, and they trustthat you're someone who can help them.
So that red thread becomes a themefor all of the marketing that you do.
And then the specialties underneaththat, those different demographics or
(18:41):
presenting issues that you enjoy, thosebecome the pillars of your marketing.
So sometimes you lean intoyour red thread more heavily.
Sometimes you lean into thosepillars more heavily, but they
all work together as a system.
'cause here's the thing, youdo not need a single narrow
niche to get full fee clients.
What you need is a clear and cohesivemessage that shows people what makes
(19:06):
you the right therapist for them.
Because again, if there's anythingyou take away from this episode,
I want it to be the reminder thatthere is a reason people pick you.
There is a reason you are the righttherapist for the right client.
Once we figure out what that somethingis, we unlock the power of your marketing.
(19:28):
The thing I love most about thisred thread framework and putting
it into action with cliniciansis watching the shift in energy.
That happens when therapistssee it come together.
It actually just happenedtoday in Confident Copy.
I have been working over the last weekwith a newer student on figuring out her
niche, and today it clicked and she said,I know my clients can see themselves in
(19:52):
these words, there's a sense of relief andexcitement kind of sitting up straighter
and being like, yes, I found it.
I found it.
Those light bulb momentsare the best because.
It is, it's liberating from thetraditional advice they've gotten that
they have to make themselves smallor box themselves in to be effective.
(20:15):
That's what this work is about,helping you own the work you
do best and then reflect it ina way that actually connects.
When therapists land on their redthread and really start to put this
concretely together, everything beginsto shift and not just in theory,
I've seen it over and over again.
(20:36):
They start getting inquiries fromRightFit clients, people who actually
feel aligned with their work, whoare willing to pay their full fee.
Without a ton ofhandholding or convincing.
I think one of my favorite things I hearfrom Confident Copy students, and I've
heard this from a handful of them, isthey get on consult calls and clients
(20:57):
read the website, copy back to them,like proving how deeply they connected
with it and the consults, they oftenstart to feel easier 'cause the person
on the other end already feels connected.
They already feel seen.
They already know what they want.
And they already trust that you're thetherapist who can help them get it.
(21:18):
Your marketing did this heavy liftingin this initial rapport building
that when you get on the phone,you're already 50% of the way there.
I love hearing from clinicians after theyunlock this too, that they feel confident
raising their fees, that they don't feellike they have to niche down further in
order to justify that they see the valueof what they're offering and they've
(21:39):
put words to it, and that is empowering.
And even beyond the marketingwins, there's something
more personal that happens.
Right?
And this is, again, getting back tothe fundamental fear that is underlying
this common question about variety.
It feels like you have to sacrificeeither clients or joy, right?
(22:02):
The fear that you're missing something.
All of a sudden, you don'thave to sacrifice your joy
in the name of marketing.
You don't have to erase the nuanceof your work in order to sound clear.
You can be the versatile, dynamic,multi-passionate clinician that you are
and still run a premium ful fee practice.
(22:23):
I think that's the greatest win of all.
No longer defaulting to a nichethat doesn't fit or staying stuck
in that vague middle zone thatisn't really helping anyone.
You start speaking clearly, youstart showing up powerfully, and
your marketing finally reflects thedepth, the variety, the richness,
(22:44):
and the quality of your work.
So I've been chatting for a while,but hopefully offering a helpful
answer for anyone who has beensitting here thinking to themselves,
how do I do this well, when I enjoyso many different types of clients?
So Melissa, Robin, I hope thiswas helpful for you and I hope it
(23:05):
was helpful to anyone else thathas wrestled with that question.
If this conversation has hit home for you,and if you have been trying to figure out
how to talk about the work that you dowithout shrinking it down to some box, or
if you've been holding back from marketingbecause nothing feels quite right, I want
(23:25):
you to know that we can help with that.
And that's actually exactly what we do.
Inside of Confident Copy.
We help therapists like you defineyour red thread, shape it into a
niche that still honors your variety,and then most importantly, bring it
to life in your marketing in a waythat actually resonates with those
(23:46):
clients that you love working with.
The ones who are ready, who arefull fee, who feel like a yes.
From the very first email you get fromthem and if you've been stuck in that
place where you're trying to sound clear,but end up feeling boxed in, please
know today that there is a better way.
(24:07):
Twice every year.
We reopen confidentcopy at a reduced rate.
We add in some reallyincredible extra bonuses.
And if you're listening to thisin real time, summer 2025, the
next one is coming in August.
So over the next few weeks, I'mgonna be sharing more of the behind
the scenes of Confident Copy.
What happens, the power of the coaching,the community, the curriculum there.
If you're not already on ouremail list, make sure you are.
(24:29):
There's a link in the show notes tojoin the wait list for Confident Copy.
By joining the wait list,you get an extra discount.
Hello, extra savings.
But you also qualify for acontinuing support bonus that I've
never offered in this way before.
That allows us to continue workingtogether for six months following
the Confident Copy Program soI can really help you implement
(24:49):
as you move on from the program.
Now, whatever it is that you chooseto do, whether I see you in Confident
Copy, where I would love to supportyou or not, please know that you
don't have to give up variety,nuance, or joy just to market better.
There is a better way and I wouldlove the opportunity to show it to
(25:11):
you inside of Confident Copy, or atthe very least, by continuing to hang
around this podcast and this community.
I'm so grateful that you're here andI'll see you in the next episode.
Hey there.
Welcome back to MarketingTherapy episode 18.
Today we're kicking off what will likelybe an intermittent series called Ask Anna.
So this is where I'm going to be answeringreal questions I get from therapists,
whether that's in our dms email insidemy programs, or from the clients
that I've worked with over the years.
(00:25):
Because let's be honest, if one personis asking it, hundreds are quietly
wondering the same thing, right?
And today's question, it's funny,when I put out our first ask for
the Ask Anna episode, I got this inthree different places, different
versions of the same question.
It is truly one of the most commonones that I get, and quite frankly,
(00:47):
one of the most misunderstood.
So today I'm answering a questionI received from Melissa via
email and Robin in our Facebookgroup among many, many others.
And that question is essentially,what do I do when I like variety?
Does it mean that I can'tmarket myself effectively?
(01:07):
Do I have to pick just one thing?
What do I do if I enjoy variety?
This comes up constantly.
I am regularly, I'm talking weeklycoaching clinicians on this in our
Confident Copy program, and this comes upwith therapists who are brand new and with
those who are seasoned, been in practicefor years, and it makes a ton of sense.
(01:31):
Because when you hear peopletalk about marketing or niching,
it's often presented in this allor nothing black and white way.
It's like your only choices are pick onepopulation, stick with it forever, you're
married to it now, or give up on having aclear niche or a specific message and just
(01:51):
throw a laundry list of issues out there.
Here's what I wanna say and what we'regonna talk about in this episode.
This isn't really about variety.
This is about the fear that if youchoose wrong, you're either gonna
lose clients or you're gonna lose joy.
Am I right?
(02:11):
If you're sitting here listeningright now and you enjoy working with
this wide variety of clients and youfeel like all the marketing advice
has told you, you can't do that.
If you want to be effective, then youfeel like you're left with two choices.
Lose clients because you're not marketingeffectively or lose joy because you're
burnt out serving only one of thosepopulations in the name of marketing.
(02:36):
So what you're really asking, what Robinand Melissa, and so many of you are really
asking is, how do I market myself withoutsacrificing the parts of my work I love?
That's exactly what we'regonna talk about today.
Because yes, you canhave a dynamic caseload.
(02:56):
Yes, you can love doingmultiple things and yes, you
can market yourself effectively.
You can attract full feeright-fit clients while doing so.
Now first I wanna look at what's goingon underneath this primary question
because when someone asks, what if I likeworking with lots of different types of
(03:18):
clients on the surface, that sounds likea branding issue or a messaging issue.
But when you dig a little bit deeper,it's not really actually about variety.
It's about fear, which so manyof our marketing challenges are
when we're honest with ourselves.
Fear that if you get too specific.
You'll lose out on clients.
(03:39):
You could help fear if you narrowin, you're gonna box yourself
into something that doesn't feelsustainable or leads to burnout.
Fear that you're gonna cut offpart of your identity, something
you've enjoyed for many years.
Possibly fear that you're gonna cut offpart of your income and end up stuck
(04:00):
in something you don't actually enjoy.
So this fear often gets masked bya kind of internal tug of war that
I see, and I hear this often whencoaching clinicians in confident copy.
They say things like, I know Ishould be more clear, but I don't
want to pick just one thing.
I want my caseload to feel sustainable,but I also want it to be full.
(04:25):
I want to enjoy my work, but Ialso want clients to actually
find me and pay my full fee.
I want to sound like a specialistor an expert, but I don't want to
abandon the things I'm good at.
And the result of all that tensionis most therapists default to
(04:45):
trying to say everything at once.
I see this often when encouragingfolks to share their niche
statements in our Facebook group.
They will try and pack absolutelyeverything they could possibly
do as a therapist into theirniche and into their marketing.
They write a homepage for theirwebsite that lists every single
(05:07):
demographic they could serve.
Every presenting issue,every modality they use
they initiate networking conversationswhere that new person they've met
likes them, but they have no idea who'sactually the right fit to send their way.
It is these therapists trying tohit every single note just in case.
(05:29):
Let me cover my bases,is what I see So many do.
But here's what I want to gentlysay, and this is ultimately something
that I think the people asking thisquestion already know that when you
try to speak to everyone in the samesentence, no one really hears you
(05:49):
because no one feels truly seen.
Your favorite clients, the onesyou absolutely love working with.
That light you up.
You get excited when yousee them on your calendar.
They're not looking for atherapist who says everything
or claims to work with everyone.
They're looking for someone who gets them.
(06:11):
Someone who can name what they're goingthrough in a way that makes them stop
and think, are you, in my head, itfeels like this was written just for me.
That's the type of experience clients inthis market in particular are seeking.
They don't know that.
But when we see what actually resonatesand what doesn't, that's the type
(06:33):
of experience they're looking for.
And when you try to hedge your betsand just speak to everyone, spray and
pray, as we say, you dilute the thingthat would actually make you stand out.
This episode is about a lot ofdifferent things, but if there's only
one thing you take away, I want youto remember that there's a reason.
(06:56):
That clients choose you.
Even if you serve teens, couples, peoplewith trauma and eating disorders, this
big variety of clients, there's a reasonevery single one of those chooses you.
And if you are using your marketing tospray and pray, and you are not hitting on
(07:19):
that reason, that thing that leads them.
To choose you, then you will sound vagueand you will dilute the expertise that
your clients are ultimately looking for.
So often I see clinicians make thismistake and the cost is massive.
They get on consults and feellike they're auditioning for
(07:40):
jobs they didn't even apply for.
Can you resonate with that?
Have you ever been on a consult where youfeel that way or clients aren't actually
a fit, but they take 'em on because theydid reach out and they need someone?
Sometimes they even have a caseload that'stechnically full, but it's not energizing.
It's not exciting.
(08:00):
It's not lighting them up andreminding them why they got
into this work to begin with.
Oftentimes, I'll also see in theseclinicians kind of this low key anxiety
about raising their rates or puttingthemselves out there because they're not
sure how to do that without losing people.
That's what they're operating fromis this fear of losing people,
(08:23):
of excluding, and so they end upstaying small in their marketing.
And oftentimes there'sthis weird sense of shame.
You know, you see other therapistsout there being super successful and
maybe enjoying variety and somehowthey've got something you don't.
And so it can really feel likeyou should be able to better
explain the work you do by now.
(08:45):
I think that's the real tension here.
And here's what's extra tricky.
A lot of therapists try to solvethis by doing what the internet
tells them to do or chat GPT.
So they force themselves, theypigeonhole into one population or
one age group, one issue in the nameof niching, and then they end up
(09:08):
attracting only that kind of client.
And while the marketing feels a littlebit clearer, the work feels flat.
And repetitive and limiting.
And the clients who do this, whonarrow themselves in the name of
marketing, they miss the richnessof the variety they once had.
(09:31):
Maybe you're someone who enjoyed varietyin a group practice or community mental
health setting, and then launched yourprivate practice and quote unquote
niched because you were quote unquotetold to, and now you're like, I miss.
Those age groups, Imiss those demographics.
I miss treating those issues, and youcan start to feel a little bored or a
little burnt out, and then it feels likeyou're back to this black and white thing.
(09:54):
Well, I either stay here or I go broadand I go back to being vague and generic.
I want to tell you right nowthat there is a third option
one where your message is clear.
And your caseload is energizing and yourclients feel seen in your marketing, not
just as a checkbox on a list, oh yes,I qualify for this item on the laundry
(10:18):
list, but as a real human with real needsthat you are uniquely equipped to help.
That's what I wanna talk about next as weget into really answering this question.
How do I maintain variety in my marketing?
So this third alternative, what do you dowhen you enjoy working with a wide range
(10:41):
of people, but you still want to attractfull fee, right-fit clients without
being scattered or generic or boring.
You find your red thread.
Your red thread is a concept thatif my confident copy students
are here listening, or maybeyou're a magnetic niche method
student, you know all about this.
(11:02):
Your red thread is about tying togetherthe variety of clients that you enjoy
and finding that thing, that reason thatthose clients pick you regardless of which
bucket or category they may fall into.
Because here's what Ibelieve about this work.
I believe you can have asmuch variety as you want.
(11:24):
I believe you can have abeautifully diverse and interesting
and sustainable caseload.
You just need a message thatties it all together, and that
is what the Red Thread does.
It's the through line, the theme that runsunderneath all the work you love to do.
It's what makes you not a generalist,whatever that is, that's your red thread.
(11:49):
It's what gives your practice focus.
Even if all your clients don'tall look the same on paper.
Now, there are four kinds of red threadsthat we see most often and that we
have seen be incredibly effective,particularly in the private pay space.
You don't have to memorize these, butwhen you hear them, I'm guessing one
(12:09):
or two might instantly click for you.
So there's four types of red threads.
The first is a person based.
This means that you workwith a type of person.
Even if the circumstances forthat person are different.
So that can be high achieving women, newparents, helpers, neurodivergent people.
(12:31):
The details vary, but it's thisidentity thread that's consistent.
So if you reflect on the variety thatyou enjoy, the clients that light you up.
Is their common denominator.
Something about who they are.
Then there's a problem based red thread.
This is the traditional versionof thinking about a niche, and
(12:54):
that's where you help peoplethrough a really specific struggle.
So traditionally that's, well, I do griefor I do trauma, but it can actually be a
lot more creative than that if you want.
It can be anxiety that's rooted inperfectionism or overthinking people
pleasing a disconnection from yourself.
Relationship issues.
(13:16):
So in a problem based red thread, youcan work with teens and couples and
adults, but they're all navigatingthe same internal challenge.
That's the theme inthis type of red thread.
Now the latter two red threads thatI'm gonna share here are especially
powerful if you have a wide rangeof clients you enjoy serving.
(13:36):
So when I am coaching cliniciansthrough this in confident copy and we're
deciding how to articulate their redthread and how to put words to their
niche, if they have what feels like verydisparate specialties, usually one of
these is what we lean into most heavily.
So the next one is outcome based.
So this is you focusing onthe result or the outcome.
(13:58):
People want out of therapy, evenif they're coming from different
backgrounds, different demographics,different presenting issues.
Your clients want to feel moreconfident, more connected.
They want to experience long-term change.
They want to restore a sense ofjoy or balance in their life.
They wanna heal the root cause.
(14:19):
The desire here is the common thread.
And that can be really, reallypowerful if you have a wide range
of presenting issues because you asa clinician are likely leading them
to some similar end point, right?
So reflecting on that can be powerful.
And then finally is theapproach based red thread.
So this is the one that'sabout how you work.
(14:41):
So if you notice the first three personproblem and outcome, they were about your
clients and what they have in common.
Sometimes you are your niche, so itcould be your method, it can be something
very specific like E-M-D-R-I-F-S, brainspotting, relational life therapy,
or it can just be your style, yourenvironment, your direct, honest, no BS
(15:04):
approach, your inclusive environment.
Clients are drawn to you inthis case, not just for what you
help with, but how you do it.
So those are the four kinds of red threadperson problem, outcome, and approach.
And at this point, I have coachedthousands of clinicians in this
(15:25):
framework and seen the way that it canliberate clinicians who have felt bound
by the traditional niching advice.
And enjoy rich variety while still havinga very clear and focused message that
establishes them as an expert, as aspecialist in the minds of their clients.
(15:46):
Now, most of the clients I work with oftensee themselves in more than one of these.
So if I just ran through this and you'relike, well, I see similarities in all of
them, you're absolutely not alone in that.
That's very, very normal.
In Confident Copy, we help you figureout which one or two are going to create
the strongest foundation for your niche.
Because yes, there are likely themesin all of these, but which one or
(16:08):
two are really the cornerstones foryou to base your marketing upon?
And here's the key there.
We always come back tothe client's perspective.
What are they looking for?
What do they think they need help with?
What's going to make them stop scrolling?
And say to themselves, this feelslike me for your example, maybe your
(16:31):
red thread is your somatic approach.
You realize that that's the common theme.
But if your clients are mostlyshowing up, just saying, I wanna feel
less anxious in my relationships,we need to lead with that.
They aren't necessarilyseeking out somatic therapy.
And so the approach based red threadmight not be the best fit there.
Can you see what I mean?
(16:52):
So you're still using the somatic work?
But your marketing is speaking to whatyour clients are actually aware of
right this minute that my friends ishow you enjoy variety and still have
focused effective marketing, particularlywhen it comes to private pay clients.
(17:13):
Now, once we identify a red thread,it's one thing to know this, it's
another to bring it to life, right?
So here's how we do that.
We start by writing a nichestatement that reflects your variety.
We need to make sure that weare calling out those distinct
groups, but still feels cohesive.
It's the kind of thing where everysingle one of your ideal clients could
read it and feel like, yes, that's me.
(17:35):
So it's about figuring out a way tolanguage the work that you do in such
a way that every single client would belike, are you speaking directly to me?
That's the cool part of a red thread.
'cause that's actually possiblewhen we figure out what yours is.
After that, we look atyour website structure.
Okay?
So we need to make sure that there isa clear path for each of the different
(17:58):
types of clients that you work with.
It's not that we are justmashing them all together and
marketing to them all at once.
We need to make sure that there's ahome for each one of those different
specialties on your website.
We don't want anyone tofeel like an afterthought.
We want everyone to feel like theybelong because you are speaking to
them specifically, and that happensprimarily through your website structure.
(18:19):
Then we bring that red thread into placeslike your homepage and your about page,
the more universal pages of your website.
That way, no matter who landson your site, they feel seen.
They feel like you get it, and they trustthat you're someone who can help them.
So that red thread becomes a themefor all of the marketing that you do.
And then the specialties underneaththat, those different demographics or
(18:41):
presenting issues that you enjoy, thosebecome the pillars of your marketing.
So sometimes you lean intoyour red thread more heavily.
Sometimes you lean into thosepillars more heavily, but they
all work together as a system.
'cause here's the thing, youdo not need a single narrow
niche to get full fee clients.
What you need is a clear and cohesivemessage that shows people what makes
(19:06):
you the right therapist for them.
Because again, if there's anythingyou take away from this episode,
I want it to be the reminder thatthere is a reason people pick you.
There is a reason you are the righttherapist for the right client.
Once we figure out what that somethingis, we unlock the power of your marketing.
(19:28):
The thing I love most about thisred thread framework and putting
it into action with cliniciansis watching the shift in energy.
That happens when therapistssee it come together.
It actually just happenedtoday in Confident Copy.
I have been working over the last weekwith a newer student on figuring out her
niche, and today it clicked and she said,I know my clients can see themselves in
(19:52):
these words, there's a sense of relief andexcitement kind of sitting up straighter
and being like, yes, I found it.
I found it.
Those light bulb momentsare the best because.
It is, it's liberating from thetraditional advice they've gotten that
they have to make themselves smallor box themselves in to be effective.
(20:15):
That's what this work is about,helping you own the work you
do best and then reflect it ina way that actually connects.
When therapists land on their redthread and really start to put this
concretely together, everything beginsto shift and not just in theory,
I've seen it over and over again.
(20:36):
They start getting inquiries fromRightFit clients, people who actually
feel aligned with their work, whoare willing to pay their full fee.
Without a ton ofhandholding or convincing.
I think one of my favorite things I hearfrom Confident Copy students, and I've
heard this from a handful of them, isthey get on consult calls and clients
(20:57):
read the website, copy back to them,like proving how deeply they connected
with it and the consults, they oftenstart to feel easier 'cause the person
on the other end already feels connected.
They already feel seen.
They already know what they want.
And they already trust that you're thetherapist who can help them get it.
(21:18):
Your marketing did this heavy liftingin this initial rapport building
that when you get on the phone,you're already 50% of the way there.
I love hearing from clinicians after theyunlock this too, that they feel confident
raising their fees, that they don't feellike they have to niche down further in
order to justify that they see the valueof what they're offering and they've
(21:39):
put words to it, and that is empowering.
And even beyond the marketingwins, there's something
more personal that happens.
Right?
And this is, again, getting back tothe fundamental fear that is underlying
this common question about variety.
It feels like you have to sacrificeeither clients or joy, right?
(22:02):
The fear that you're missing something.
All of a sudden, you don'thave to sacrifice your joy
in the name of marketing.
You don't have to erase the nuanceof your work in order to sound clear.
You can be the versatile, dynamic,multi-passionate clinician that you are
and still run a premium ful fee practice.
(22:23):
I think that's the greatest win of all.
No longer defaulting to a nichethat doesn't fit or staying stuck
in that vague middle zone thatisn't really helping anyone.
You start speaking clearly, youstart showing up powerfully, and
your marketing finally reflects thedepth, the variety, the richness,
(22:44):
and the quality of your work.
So I've been chatting for a while,but hopefully offering a helpful
answer for anyone who has beensitting here thinking to themselves,
how do I do this well, when I enjoyso many different types of clients?
So Melissa, Robin, I hope thiswas helpful for you and I hope it
(23:05):
was helpful to anyone else thathas wrestled with that question.
If this conversation has hit home for you,and if you have been trying to figure out
how to talk about the work that you dowithout shrinking it down to some box, or
if you've been holding back from marketingbecause nothing feels quite right, I want
(23:25):
you to know that we can help with that.
And that's actually exactly what we do.
Inside of Confident Copy.
We help therapists like you defineyour red thread, shape it into a
niche that still honors your variety,and then most importantly, bring it
to life in your marketing in a waythat actually resonates with those
(23:46):
clients that you love working with.
The ones who are ready, who arefull fee, who feel like a yes.
From the very first email you get fromthem and if you've been stuck in that
place where you're trying to sound clear,but end up feeling boxed in, please
know today that there is a better way.
(24:07):
Twice every year.
We reopen confidentcopy at a reduced rate.
We add in some reallyincredible extra bonuses.
And if you're listening to thisin real time, summer 2025, the
next one is coming in August.
So over the next few weeks, I'mgonna be sharing more of the behind
the scenes of Confident Copy.
What happens, the power of the coaching,the community, the curriculum there.
If you're not already on ouremail list, make sure you are.
(24:29):
There's a link in the show notes tojoin the wait list for Confident Copy.
By joining the wait list,you get an extra discount.
Hello, extra savings.
But you also qualify for acontinuing support bonus that I've
never offered in this way before.
That allows us to continue workingtogether for six months following
the Confident Copy Program soI can really help you implement
(24:49):
as you move on from the program.
Now, whatever it is that you chooseto do, whether I see you in Confident
Copy, where I would love to supportyou or not, please know that you
don't have to give up variety,nuance, or joy just to market better.
There is a better way and I wouldlove the opportunity to show it to
(25:11):
you inside of Confident Copy, or atthe very least, by continuing to hang
around this podcast and this community.
I'm so grateful that you're here andI'll see you in the next episode.
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