June 3, 2025 • 30 mins
Episode Summary
Welcome to the first episode of the Slaying the Summer Slump series—a special June edition of Marketing Therapy designed to help you turn this slower season into serious momentum. Summer in private practice can feel like a mixed bag: lighter schedules, quieter inboxes, and that nagging sense of “shouldn’t I be doing something?”
This episode invites you to shift out of panic mode and into intentional action with a simple but powerful audit. You’ll explore the three key areas of your marketing—visibility, consistency, and conversion—to find your biggest opportunity this season. Whether you’re resting on purpose or finally tackling that specialty page, this is your permission slip to start where you are and make your marketing work for you.
Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:
1️⃣ How to tell if your practice is actually visible to the right people—and simple steps to increase visibility fast
2️⃣ Why consistency isn’t about doing everything but about doing something—and how to choose the right marketing habit
3️⃣ The quiet ways conversion might be leaking from your website or consult calls (and how to fix them)
Resources & Links Mentioned:
- Google Doc Audit Worksheet
- PsychToday Success Pack: walkerstrategyco.com/ptsp
- Done-for-you services: walkerstrategyco.com/services
- Confident Copy: walkerstrategyco.com/cc
- The Walker Strategy Co website: walkerstrategyco.com
Past Episodes to Check Out:
- Episode 6: Spoiler Alert: Your Marketing Needs to Evolve
- Episode 8: 3 Sneaky Ways Fear is Sabotaging Your Progress
- Episode 2: The Disconnect Costing You Clients
Connect + Subscribe
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.
(00:00):
Hey there.
Welcome back to MarketingTherapy, episode nine.
Today's episode is exciting becauseit is the first in a series we
are doing the whole month of Junecalled Slaying the Summer Slump.
Say that five times Fast.
We hosted the slaying thesummer slump a few years ago.
I believe it was 2023.
And it was a hit it was justa series of free trainings
(00:21):
really focusing on how to make.
The most of this season, and sowe're excited to be bringing it back
here on the podcast, but refreshedmade current for the market.
Things are differentthan they were in 2023.
And this is what I hope to be a reallyuseful resource in the summer of 2025.
And in future times when maybe you'reexperiencing a lull in your practice.
(00:44):
'Cause the truth is summer can feelreal weird in private practice.
We know that.
Your clients are pausing.
Others might be traveling, they might begraduating and moving on from therapy.
And as a result, your caseload mightfeel a little or a lot lighter right now.
But so often instead of enjoying thebreak, you're feeling that real low
(01:09):
grade anxiety, that constant buzz of,shouldn't I be doing something right now?
So this series is here to reallyanswer that question with a clear and
resounding yes you should, but not froma place of pressure or a place of panic,
but really from a place of intention.
(01:30):
I.
Because when you know how to use this timestrategically, this classic summer slump,
without burning out or spinning yourwheels, summer actually becomes one of the
most powerful seasons in your business.
So over the next few episodes,we're gonna be diving into what
that can look like in practice.
(01:52):
We're gonna talk about how toreconnect with what you really
want from your practice, how tobuild referral relationships.
Even if networking makes your skincrawl, you're not alone in that.
And also why your personal brandis more important than ever when
it comes to attracting privatepay and premium fee clients.
But today's episode is about one thing,starting where you are right now,
(02:18):
looking honestly at what's working,what's not, and where your biggest
opportunity is to make progress.
One cool thing about this slayingthe summer Slump series is at the
end of every episode, I'm gonna giveyou a short and actionable challenge.
Nothing overwhelming.
We're not talking hours and hours ofwork, but something small that you can
actually do this week to start buildingthat momentum in your marketing.
(02:42):
So definitely stick around for that.
Okay, let's dive in.
Why is summer the best time toinvest in your marketing, and how
can you start making the most of it?
Now, we know right nowyour schedule is lighter.
Your inbox is quieter, and you're tornbetween enjoying the break and signing
off, and, going to the pool withyour kids or freaking out about it.
(03:04):
You are constantly feelingthat push and pull.
So if you've ever foundyourself refreshing your
email, watching the calendar.
Wondering when the nextslot is gonna be filled.
And as a result, wondering ifsomething is wrong with your
marketing or your niche or your fees.
You are so not alone in that.
But remember that a slower seasondoesn't mean something's broken.
(03:27):
We've talked about this before.
I will link to the recentpodcast episode we did on your
Marketing needing to evolve.
But a slower season doesn'tmean something's broken.
It means you have a window.
It means you have margin.
That you normally wouldn't.
This is a window to breathe.
It's margin to regroup, to maybeclean up the pieces of your business
(03:49):
that you've been meaning to get to,but haven't had the time, or quite
frankly, the energy to tackle until now.
Because here's the thing that I'veseen, and this is now my sixth
summer supporting clinicians.
In the summer slump.
The therapists who feel behind inthe fall are usually the ones who
spent the summer stuck in indecision,spinning, tinkering, tweaking.
(04:15):
If you listen to our recentfear-based marketing, maybe doing
the whole tweaking Taylor thing,waiting for clarity to strike.
But the ones who feel that confidenceand clarity when the new school year
hits and when we expect to see kind ofthat, that September surge, they are the
ones who use this time with intention.
That doesn't mean hustlingnonstop for the next three months.
(04:37):
It means absolutelybuilding in time for rest.
So sometimes making use of this seriesis resting on purpose, and sometimes
it's finally sitting down to writethat specialty page that's been staring
you down for the last six months.
So summer doesn't have tobe a slump in every regard.
It can actually be a realturning point in your practice.
(04:58):
A few years ago, Iworked with a clinician.
Her name is Sarah, and she'd been inprivate practice for about a year.
Her was slowly building her caseload,doing really good work, kind of getting
a feel for who her ideal client reallywas and gaining that confidence, both
as a clinician and as a business owner.
But marketing still reallyfelt like a mystery to her.
She wasn't really sure how hercurrent clients were finding
(05:20):
her, where her next one was gonnacome from, and then summer hit.
Her first summer in private practice,she had several clients pause.
Multiple cancellations each week.
A couple graduated and herweeks looked a lot emptier.
And Sarah would've had really goodreason to panic or to spiral or
(05:41):
to believe that she was failing.
But what was really cool is Sarahmade a decision that summer.
She decided, if I'm gonna havefewer client hours this summer,
then I'm going to fill thosehours with something that matters.
She updated her Psych Today profile.
She rewrote some parts of herwebsite that became more clear after
having worked with her ideal clientsfor the last eight to 10 months.
(06:06):
She reached out and reconnectedto a few colleagues that she'd
been meaning to connect with.
Finally scheduled some ofthose Zoom networking chats
because they were also slower.
She even carved out a few hours oneweek to write content for the fall.
She had decided she wanted to starta blog, and so she spent some of
her summer months writing blogposts and kind of getting a backlog
ready so that when things gotbusier, they would be ready to go.
(06:30):
Now, here's the thing.
By August, I wish I could tell you,and then Sarah entered the fall
and her entire caseload was full.
That's not true.
She wasn't completely full.
But you know what, she was, she was proud.
She wasn't wondering where her timehad gone because she had used it.
And then as September andOctober came, she had momentum
(06:50):
and that momentum paid off.
She had inquiries.
She saw referrals coming in.
And she had a lot more confidence comingout of that summer from taking action,
even if it was imperfect or scrappy.
So that's really what I want for you.
Not a perfect summer and probablynot a completely full calendar.
(07:12):
That's okay.
That's allowed to happen.
It doesn't mean something's wrong,but a season where you can look
back and know you didn't waste it.
That is what I want for you.
There's a misconception though that summeris a bad time to work on your business,
that it's too quiet, that no one doeswant therapy, that no one's looking.
But I actually think that thatmakes summer the best time to
(07:34):
invest in your marketing becauseyou're not in survival mode.
You're not stretched thin withback to back sessions and a
million client needs, right?
You've got that breathing room andit's in that space that I think
really good decisions happen.
It gives you the room to make thosestrategic changes, to take care of
the things you've been putting off.
And remember, clients are still looking.
(07:55):
I mean, I met in a confidentcopy call today and we heard from
multiple students who had gottenfull fee clients from psych today.
I think networking a primarycare physician a couple
different ways just this summer.
So it's not that they're not looking.
And what's interesting is that thosewho are looking are pretty motivated and
pretty ready and looking to make the mostof this season for themselves as well.
(08:19):
So that really means that yourmarketing needs to be strong
enough to meet that moment.
So, like I said, this.
The first episode of our Slaying theSummer Slump series is about helping you
start where you are, because we cannotget to where you want to go if we don't
understand first where we're beginning.
Because one of the biggest reasonstherapists don't take action in these
(08:42):
slower seasons isn't because they're lazy.
It's because they're uncertain, right?
It's that feeling of shouldn't I be doingsomething you get off a session and you
don't have another session for an hour.
And then you look back,what happened to that hour?
I should have been doing something.
It's that feeling.
So that's where this exercise,today's audit comes in.
This is a really quick but powerful way toget out of the spin that you find yourself
(09:07):
in the uncertainty, the indecision,the paralysis, and into action.
I wanna help you identify whereyour biggest opportunity is for
this summer and the actions thatwill actually make a difference.
In those areas.
So today we're gonna walk throughthree key areas of your marketing,
visibility, consistency, and conversion.
(09:31):
And I really want you to engage with this.
Like maybe that means you pausethis episode to be able to think
on the prompts that I give you.
Maybe you pull out a notebook.
This episode was meant toactually be put into action.
Okay?
So write things down,be honest with yourself.
Really engage.
This is what's gonna help you findthat next move for your summer.
(09:53):
So let's start withthe idea of visibility.
And the question here is, are theright people even finding you?
I sat down with a therapist earlierthis week who was wondering if we
needed to invest in his website.
We'd met for a discussion to talkabout whether or not our done for
you services were right for him.
And I take these calls reallyseriously because not every single
(10:16):
person needs to invest in done foryou copy or done for you design.
And so I use those calls not justto quote unquote sell, but actually
to understand the state of thepractice to determine if I actually
think this is the right next step.
So I was talking to this clinician who hadpoured a lot of effort into his website
and had poured a lot of effort intonetworking and SEO and things like that.
(10:38):
And we were able to determine, based onhis metrics and what he was seeing in his
practice, that he was doing a great job.
When it came to visibility,people were finding him.
And so that led us to think, youknow what, maybe we should invest
in improving the website becauseenough people know about him.
This isn't true for many of thetherapists that I work with.
(10:59):
Many of the therapists that I workwith launch a website, put out a
site today profile, maybe make acouple of networking calls, and
then wonder where the clients are.
And when we look at the numbers and welook at what they're doing, it turns
out no one really knows they even exist.
That is what visibility is about.
It's the part so many therapistsskip because it feels like
(11:19):
it's out of their control.
Well, how am I supposed tohelp people know about me?
Fortunately, visibility is actually oneof the more fixable problems in marketing.
So here's some questions I want you toask yourself when it comes to visibility.
One, do people know I exist?
Just first and foremost, do peopleknow that my practice is out there?
(11:39):
Two, am I visible in the places myideal clients are actually looking?
We've talked before about the factthat if your ideal clients aren't
likely to be blog readers or scrollingInstagram, then maybe you don't
have to be those things either.
Do you have a clear and compellingniche that's actually standing out?
(12:00):
We know that the noise around findinga therapist, the options available to
your clients are greater than ever.
So are you standing out sothat people know you exist?
Are you active on directorieslike Psychology Today and other
places, kind of low hanging fruitfor clients to learn about you?
And have you been visible tocolleagues who might refer to you?
(12:23):
When we look at the data, and thisis, we're actually gonna have an
entire episode just on networking.
Networking reign Supreme, wordof mouth is absolutely bar none
irreplaceable in your marketing.
So have you been visible to colleagues,real people who can be referring to you?
So many therapists say that they rely onreferrals, but referrals only happen if
(12:45):
people know what you do, who they shouldrefer to you, why you're the right fit,
and trust that you're really good at it.
So even networking is notjust this passive activity.
You need to make sure that the rightpeople know, not just to refer to you, but
who to refer to you how to refer to you.
If you haven't connected with a newpotential referral source in the past 30
(13:08):
to 60 days, it's probably sign to do that.
This is an opportunity.
Visibility isn't just networking though.
It's all of the ways thatpeople learn about you.
So, SEO is another great one.
Does your website show up when someonesearches for a therapist in your area?
Is it clear when I get tothat website what you help
with, what you specialize in?
(13:30):
So this idea of visibility arethe right people even finding you?
Like I said, this is a gap so manytherapists have and they don't realize it.
They think that because they pressedlaunch, got their PLC, that the
clients automatically come in.
But if they don't know that you'reout there, then how can they decide
you are the right fit for them?
(13:51):
So if this is your weak spot,here's a couple actions.
Audit your psych Today Profile.
Psych today still works.
I will die on that hill.
Is it going to fill your practice theway that it would've six years ago?
No.
Can you absolutely still get rightRightFit clients through that
directory for very little effort?
Yes.
But don't just polish the language here.
(14:12):
I also want you to audit your PsychologyToday profile for your headshot, your
video script, the images that you use,your intro to new client statement,
the specialties that you've chosen, thezip codes may be that you're targeting.
All of these things influence psychologytoday and your ability to be visible.
Our psychology, today's SuccessPack is an amazing resource.
(14:34):
It's $27 less than the costof one month of psych today.
So grab that if you need it.
But jump in there and look at your profileas a whole, not just the words, but
every part that makes up that experience.
The next thing I want you to consideris getting visible to referral sources.
Like I mentioned, if you haven'tconnected with someone new in the last
30 to 60 days, that's an opportunity.
(14:56):
So consider making a list of fivelocal or niche adjacent clinicians,
so people that could refer to you.
If you see moms connect with childtherapists, if you see men connect with
couples therapists, and reach out tothem, whether that's with a quick intro
email, an invite to connect on a Zoomcall, an invite to a local coffee shop.
(15:17):
Just some comments back and forthon a Facebook thread, something, get
visible to a few new referral sources.
Next up, consider Googlingyourself if you haven't recently.
Are you showing up?
When people are looking for therapistsin your city, SEO is a very large
discipline and it's not something thatyou're necessarily going to transform
(15:38):
overnight, but you can absolutelybe taking some action this summer to
improve your search rankings and yourlikelihood of showing up in front of
people looking for your services on Googleat the very moment that they need you.
One other thing I want you to consider,if you see clients in person, listen up.
If you haven't yet claimed or updatedyour free Google Business profile,
(16:02):
you need to do that right now today.
Head over there.
It's going to improve not just yourlocal visibility in general, but your
ability to rank organically on Google.
Add photos services, a great description.
Contact info, be as thoroughthere as you possibly can.
If you are an in-person practice and youdon't have a Google business profile,
you are leaving visibility on the table.
(16:26):
So those are some things I want you toconsider if visibility is your weak spot.
Next up, consistency.
That's part two of this audit.
Are you showing up regularlyenough to stay top of mind?
It is one thing to reach out to areferral resource once it is another,
(16:46):
to stay in contact and to cultivaterelationship with those people.
This one might sting alittle bit, but be honest.
Have you been ghosting your own marketing?
I know it can be hard when you arejuggling back-to-back sessions and
just life business ownership, butmarketing is like a relationship.
(17:07):
It's like a garden.
It needs tending, it needsreconnection, and most therapists
for lots of different reasons, areoften wildly inconsistent with it.
A few things to ask yourself on this.
One, do you have anyregular marketing habit?
Is there anything you'redoing on a regular basis?
(17:27):
If not, maybe even adding one thing therecould really start to move the needle.
Two, are you staying in contactwith networking sources or are you
just expecting that if you talkto them once, that's sufficient.
Remember, this is a relationship.
If you post or share content, whetherthat's on social media or blogging
(17:48):
or podcasting, whatever that mightbe, sending emails, are you doing
that regularly or sporadically?
And then another thing here, justpractically, are you blocking
time to work on your practice?
Or are you just hoping you'llmagically find that time?
It'll just arrive.
You have to be intentional therebecause if you don't make space for
(18:08):
your marketing, it will always fallto the bottom of your to-do list.
I've made the joke to ConfidentCoffee students before that.
I would rather clean my base boardsthan do certain parts of my marketing.
It's okay if you feel the same way.
But it's not okay.
If you want to get results and continuecleaning your base boards, okay?
(18:29):
You have got to make space andbe intentional about this or else
you'll just sit there with veryclean baseboards wondering where
all of your referrals are, right?
If this is your weak spot, I wantyou to choose one day in time per
week to focus on marketing, okay?
I want you to actually putit into your calendar the way
you would a client session.
(18:51):
And you don't move it.
This is time dedicated to yourmarketing and to growing your practice.
It's a non-negotiable.
30 minutes is enough.
An hour would be great.
Whatever you can muster, putit in there and be intentional.
Then pick one marketing action to repeatweekly, especially if you don't right
(19:13):
now have any regular marketing habits.
We don't need to, biteoff more than we can chew.
Start with one.
Pick one marketing action thatyou're going to repeat weekly.
Maybe that's reaching out to someone,maybe that's posting something, sending
an email, updating a page of yourwebsite, anything that builds traction.
(19:33):
And then finally, I love to use themetaphor that success leaves clues.
If your clients are often finding youin one particular way, whether that's
from one particular referral source orvia one particular blog post or wanting
one particular thing, lean into that.
Let that direct where some more ofyour consistent efforts come from.
(19:55):
Success leaves clues, so gostudy where success has left
those clues in your practice.
The point here isn't to doeverything every week, right?
Like I said, we're not bitingoff more than we can chew.
But it is meant, especially in thesesummer months, to build a rhythm into
the way that you show up to your practiceand to your marketing to help you stay
(20:15):
present, to keep showing up to treatmarketing, like the relationship that it
is, like the garden that needs tending.
So that's the second part.
Consistency.
And then finally thethird part, conversion.
When people find you.
Are they actually saying yes?
When people find you, arethey actually saying yes?
(20:37):
Let's say someone doesland on your website.
They do click into yourPsych Today profile.
A colleague does pass along your name.
Then what do they arrivethere and feel seen?
Do they arrive there and have this sensethat this therapist really gets me?
This might be a good fit.
Do they have a sense that they know howto and want to get in touch with you?
(21:03):
Because if not, that's where theleak happens and all the effort
you poured into the first twoparts of this audit, visibility
and consistency flows right on out.
I've referenced before the metaphorof pouring water into a leaky bucket.
If you can't convert the peoplethat are learning about you, then
marketing is going to be a very,very frustrating relationship.
(21:26):
Here's what I want youto ask yourself here.
Does your website speak to yourideal client's real world experience?
Is it meeting them at their point of need?
Is your niche obvious and emotionallyresonant with your right fit clients,
not just clinically accurate?
We talked about this back in episode two,the disconnect that's costing you clients.
(21:49):
Is your niche obvious and emotionallyresident, not just clinically accurate?
Is your contact processridiculously simple?
And is there anything you coulddo to make it even simpler?
Do you feel confident whenyou get on a consult call?
Because that's the finalstep of conversion.
It's one thing for themto reach out to you.
(22:11):
It's another for them tobecome a paying client.
So are you showing up tothose with confidence?
You would be surprised how many clientsdrop off simply because they're confused.
They don't quite know what to do, theydon't quite connect with you, or they
just had a better consult experience orwebsite experience with someone else.
That's where.
(22:32):
We have opportunity forimproving conversion.
So here's a couple actions to take.
If you feel like conversion is your weakspot, I want you to ask two to three non
therapist friends to review your website.
So send it out to folks who are nottherapists, people that you trust
will give you honest feedback.
Can they immediately tell whoyou help and how to reach you?
(22:55):
Then walk through your own site.
Is the contact process clear?
Is the form simple and easy to fill out?
Are you actually making peoplewant to reach out or are you
putting up unintentional barriersthat prevent them from doing so?
Next, consider practicing consultcalls with a colleague, especially
(23:16):
when it comes to how you talk aboutyour work, how you respond when
someone says, I'll think about it.
It when you state yourfees, practice those things.
Don't just expect them to roll off thetongue if you've never done it before.
And finally, revisit your copy.
Revisit the words that you're using.
Are you using real life examples,emotionally clear language, or is it just
(23:39):
caught in that clinical jargon that's atotal turnoff to your RightFit clients?
This is often the part that feels themost uncomfortable for therapists.
So if I've suggested these nextsteps to you and you feel a little
icky you're not alone in that.
But this can also be a really,really powerful place to grow
and improve your marketing.
(23:59):
Because it's here thatwe start to create those.
I read your website and I knowyou're the therapist for me.
I heard about you and I can tell thatyou're exactly who I've been looking for.
Your directory jumped off the page at me.
It's where we startcreating those experiences.
So there you have it.
Visibility, consistency, conversion.
(24:20):
I threw a lot at you here in thisepisode, and I'm going to include
in the show notes a link to justan easy Google doc that includes.
Each of these questions and action stepsto consider for each of these areas.
This is what I want you to do firstas we look ahead to the summer, as we
consider the fact that your calendarmight be a little bit quieter and there
(24:41):
might be a little bit more margin.
I want you to know what to do with thattime because you completed this audit and
because you identified which opportunitiesexist for you, and then started
plotting what your next steps can be.
Maybe one has already jumped out at youand you know where you need to focus.
Maybe it hasn't yet, and you need towork through these questions, but this
(25:02):
is a moment to actually start takingaction and to plot your next steps
through this summer so that you're notspinning in that indecision and you're
not looking back at the hour betweensessions and wondering where it went.
You can be so much more intentional,so much more effective with this
time, and ultimately leave this summerso much more proud and with so much
(25:25):
more momentum in your marketing.
Remember, clarity doesn't comefrom thinking harder about things.
It comes from doing.
So before we move into the finalchallenge for this episode,
here's what I want you to do.
Go back through the three categories,visibility, consistency, conversion,
(25:46):
and ask yourself honestly, which ofthese feels the weakest right now?
Where might you be leakingthe most potential?
And what might have been sitting onyour mental to-do list for way too long?
Remember, you're not writinga whole business plan here.
You're just spotting the gap,the most immediate opportunity.
(26:08):
So once you know which of thesecategories is your focus, you'll
be able to take the next step.
If visibility is the gap, then yournext step might be reaching out to
referral sources or starting to getcreative about getting traffic to your
website so people know that you exist.
If consistency is where you're fallingshort, then your next move might be
(26:29):
blocking time and sticking to thatsmall, repeatable action each week.
If it's conversion, that's really yourweakness right now, then your move is
likely updating copy, simplifying yourcontact process, practicing consults.
Remember, you don't need totackle all three right now.
Just commit right now to one.
(26:50):
Because when you know what to focuson, you can stop spinning and start
actually getting some real traction here.
So that's where we land today,this first episode of our
Slaying the Summer Slump series.
You do not need to fixeverything this summer.
You do not need a flawless planor a 10 point strategy, but you
do need to start where you are.
(27:11):
You do need to identify what needsto happen so you can stop spinning.
Before we wrap up, here'syour weekly challenge.
Something small that you can do rightnow to really start shifting your
energy and your momentum forward.
Complete the audit, sotake 10 to 15 minutes.
Use the Google Doc linked in theshow notes to reflect really honestly
on these three areas, visibility,consistency, conversion, and identify
(27:36):
the one that needs the most attention.
Then block time on your calendar.
Even if consistency wasn't yourweak point, I want you for the next
month at least, to choose a dayand time to work on your marketing.
Treat it like a client session,protect it, show up for it, take it
seriously, because that small pocketof time can genuinely be the moment
(28:00):
that you start changing things.
Next week we're gonnazoom in even further.
We're gonna talk about how to reconnectwith your authentic clinician and how
to get really clear on what you actuallywant your practice to look like so
that your marketing can reflect it.
But for now, I want you to take a breath.
Be proud that you're showing up,that you're here, that you're
(28:24):
thinking, that you're noticing,and then let this be the month, the
season when things finally start toclick and you start taking action.
You've got this, andI'll see you next week.
Hey there.
Welcome back to MarketingTherapy, episode nine.
Today's episode is exciting becauseit is the first in a series we
are doing the whole month of Junecalled Slaying the Summer Slump.
Say that five times Fast.
We hosted the slaying thesummer slump a few years ago.
I believe it was 2023.
And it was a hit it was justa series of free trainings
(00:21):
really focusing on how to make.
The most of this season, and sowe're excited to be bringing it back
here on the podcast, but refreshedmade current for the market.
Things are differentthan they were in 2023.
And this is what I hope to be a reallyuseful resource in the summer of 2025.
And in future times when maybe you'reexperiencing a lull in your practice.
(00:44):
'Cause the truth is summer can feelreal weird in private practice.
We know that.
Your clients are pausing.
Others might be traveling, they might begraduating and moving on from therapy.
And as a result, your caseload mightfeel a little or a lot lighter right now.
But so often instead of enjoying thebreak, you're feeling that real low
(01:09):
grade anxiety, that constant buzz of,shouldn't I be doing something right now?
So this series is here to reallyanswer that question with a clear and
resounding yes you should, but not froma place of pressure or a place of panic,
but really from a place of intention.
(01:30):
I.
Because when you know how to use this timestrategically, this classic summer slump,
without burning out or spinning yourwheels, summer actually becomes one of the
most powerful seasons in your business.
So over the next few episodes,we're gonna be diving into what
that can look like in practice.
(01:52):
We're gonna talk about how toreconnect with what you really
want from your practice, how tobuild referral relationships.
Even if networking makes your skincrawl, you're not alone in that.
And also why your personal brandis more important than ever when
it comes to attracting privatepay and premium fee clients.
But today's episode is about one thing,starting where you are right now,
(02:18):
looking honestly at what's working,what's not, and where your biggest
opportunity is to make progress.
One cool thing about this slayingthe summer Slump series is at the
end of every episode, I'm gonna giveyou a short and actionable challenge.
Nothing overwhelming.
We're not talking hours and hours ofwork, but something small that you can
actually do this week to start buildingthat momentum in your marketing.
(02:42):
So definitely stick around for that.
Okay, let's dive in.
Why is summer the best time toinvest in your marketing, and how
can you start making the most of it?
Now, we know right nowyour schedule is lighter.
Your inbox is quieter, and you're tornbetween enjoying the break and signing
off, and, going to the pool withyour kids or freaking out about it.
(03:04):
You are constantly feelingthat push and pull.
So if you've ever foundyourself refreshing your
email, watching the calendar.
Wondering when the nextslot is gonna be filled.
And as a result, wondering ifsomething is wrong with your
marketing or your niche or your fees.
You are so not alone in that.
But remember that a slower seasondoesn't mean something's broken.
(03:27):
We've talked about this before.
I will link to the recentpodcast episode we did on your
Marketing needing to evolve.
But a slower season doesn'tmean something's broken.
It means you have a window.
It means you have margin.
That you normally wouldn't.
This is a window to breathe.
It's margin to regroup, to maybeclean up the pieces of your business
(03:49):
that you've been meaning to get to,but haven't had the time, or quite
frankly, the energy to tackle until now.
Because here's the thing that I'veseen, and this is now my sixth
summer supporting clinicians.
In the summer slump.
The therapists who feel behind inthe fall are usually the ones who
spent the summer stuck in indecision,spinning, tinkering, tweaking.
(04:15):
If you listen to our recentfear-based marketing, maybe doing
the whole tweaking Taylor thing,waiting for clarity to strike.
But the ones who feel that confidenceand clarity when the new school year
hits and when we expect to see kind ofthat, that September surge, they are the
ones who use this time with intention.
That doesn't mean hustlingnonstop for the next three months.
(04:37):
It means absolutelybuilding in time for rest.
So sometimes making use of this seriesis resting on purpose, and sometimes
it's finally sitting down to writethat specialty page that's been staring
you down for the last six months.
So summer doesn't have tobe a slump in every regard.
It can actually be a realturning point in your practice.
(04:58):
A few years ago, Iworked with a clinician.
Her name is Sarah, and she'd been inprivate practice for about a year.
Her was slowly building her caseload,doing really good work, kind of getting
a feel for who her ideal client reallywas and gaining that confidence, both
as a clinician and as a business owner.
But marketing still reallyfelt like a mystery to her.
She wasn't really sure how hercurrent clients were finding
(05:20):
her, where her next one was gonnacome from, and then summer hit.
Her first summer in private practice,she had several clients pause.
Multiple cancellations each week.
A couple graduated and herweeks looked a lot emptier.
And Sarah would've had really goodreason to panic or to spiral or
(05:41):
to believe that she was failing.
But what was really cool is Sarahmade a decision that summer.
She decided, if I'm gonna havefewer client hours this summer,
then I'm going to fill thosehours with something that matters.
She updated her Psych Today profile.
She rewrote some parts of herwebsite that became more clear after
having worked with her ideal clientsfor the last eight to 10 months.
(06:06):
She reached out and reconnectedto a few colleagues that she'd
been meaning to connect with.
Finally scheduled some ofthose Zoom networking chats
because they were also slower.
She even carved out a few hours oneweek to write content for the fall.
She had decided she wanted to starta blog, and so she spent some of
her summer months writing blogposts and kind of getting a backlog
ready so that when things gotbusier, they would be ready to go.
(06:30):
Now, here's the thing.
By August, I wish I could tell you,and then Sarah entered the fall
and her entire caseload was full.
That's not true.
She wasn't completely full.
But you know what, she was, she was proud.
She wasn't wondering where her timehad gone because she had used it.
And then as September andOctober came, she had momentum
(06:50):
and that momentum paid off.
She had inquiries.
She saw referrals coming in.
And she had a lot more confidence comingout of that summer from taking action,
even if it was imperfect or scrappy.
So that's really what I want for you.
Not a perfect summer and probablynot a completely full calendar.
(07:12):
That's okay.
That's allowed to happen.
It doesn't mean something's wrong,but a season where you can look
back and know you didn't waste it.
That is what I want for you.
There's a misconception though that summeris a bad time to work on your business,
that it's too quiet, that no one doeswant therapy, that no one's looking.
But I actually think that thatmakes summer the best time to
(07:34):
invest in your marketing becauseyou're not in survival mode.
You're not stretched thin withback to back sessions and a
million client needs, right?
You've got that breathing room andit's in that space that I think
really good decisions happen.
It gives you the room to make thosestrategic changes, to take care of
the things you've been putting off.
And remember, clients are still looking.
(07:55):
I mean, I met in a confidentcopy call today and we heard from
multiple students who had gottenfull fee clients from psych today.
I think networking a primarycare physician a couple
different ways just this summer.
So it's not that they're not looking.
And what's interesting is that thosewho are looking are pretty motivated and
pretty ready and looking to make the mostof this season for themselves as well.
(08:19):
So that really means that yourmarketing needs to be strong
enough to meet that moment.
So, like I said, this.
The first episode of our Slaying theSummer Slump series is about helping you
start where you are, because we cannotget to where you want to go if we don't
understand first where we're beginning.
Because one of the biggest reasonstherapists don't take action in these
(08:42):
slower seasons isn't because they're lazy.
It's because they're uncertain, right?
It's that feeling of shouldn't I be doingsomething you get off a session and you
don't have another session for an hour.
And then you look back,what happened to that hour?
I should have been doing something.
It's that feeling.
So that's where this exercise,today's audit comes in.
This is a really quick but powerful way toget out of the spin that you find yourself
(09:07):
in the uncertainty, the indecision,the paralysis, and into action.
I wanna help you identify whereyour biggest opportunity is for
this summer and the actions thatwill actually make a difference.
In those areas.
So today we're gonna walk throughthree key areas of your marketing,
visibility, consistency, and conversion.
(09:31):
And I really want you to engage with this.
Like maybe that means you pausethis episode to be able to think
on the prompts that I give you.
Maybe you pull out a notebook.
This episode was meant toactually be put into action.
Okay?
So write things down,be honest with yourself.
Really engage.
This is what's gonna help you findthat next move for your summer.
(09:53):
So let's start withthe idea of visibility.
And the question here is, are theright people even finding you?
I sat down with a therapist earlierthis week who was wondering if we
needed to invest in his website.
We'd met for a discussion to talkabout whether or not our done for
you services were right for him.
And I take these calls reallyseriously because not every single
(10:16):
person needs to invest in done foryou copy or done for you design.
And so I use those calls not justto quote unquote sell, but actually
to understand the state of thepractice to determine if I actually
think this is the right next step.
So I was talking to this clinician who hadpoured a lot of effort into his website
and had poured a lot of effort intonetworking and SEO and things like that.
(10:38):
And we were able to determine, based onhis metrics and what he was seeing in his
practice, that he was doing a great job.
When it came to visibility,people were finding him.
And so that led us to think, youknow what, maybe we should invest
in improving the website becauseenough people know about him.
This isn't true for many of thetherapists that I work with.
(10:59):
Many of the therapists that I workwith launch a website, put out a
site today profile, maybe make acouple of networking calls, and
then wonder where the clients are.
And when we look at the numbers and welook at what they're doing, it turns
out no one really knows they even exist.
That is what visibility is about.
It's the part so many therapistsskip because it feels like
(11:19):
it's out of their control.
Well, how am I supposed tohelp people know about me?
Fortunately, visibility is actually oneof the more fixable problems in marketing.
So here's some questions I want you toask yourself when it comes to visibility.
One, do people know I exist?
Just first and foremost, do peopleknow that my practice is out there?
(11:39):
Two, am I visible in the places myideal clients are actually looking?
We've talked before about the factthat if your ideal clients aren't
likely to be blog readers or scrollingInstagram, then maybe you don't
have to be those things either.
Do you have a clear and compellingniche that's actually standing out?
(12:00):
We know that the noise around findinga therapist, the options available to
your clients are greater than ever.
So are you standing out sothat people know you exist?
Are you active on directorieslike Psychology Today and other
places, kind of low hanging fruitfor clients to learn about you?
And have you been visible tocolleagues who might refer to you?
(12:23):
When we look at the data, and thisis, we're actually gonna have an
entire episode just on networking.
Networking reign Supreme, wordof mouth is absolutely bar none
irreplaceable in your marketing.
So have you been visible to colleagues,real people who can be referring to you?
So many therapists say that they rely onreferrals, but referrals only happen if
(12:45):
people know what you do, who they shouldrefer to you, why you're the right fit,
and trust that you're really good at it.
So even networking is notjust this passive activity.
You need to make sure that the rightpeople know, not just to refer to you, but
who to refer to you how to refer to you.
If you haven't connected with a newpotential referral source in the past 30
(13:08):
to 60 days, it's probably sign to do that.
This is an opportunity.
Visibility isn't just networking though.
It's all of the ways thatpeople learn about you.
So, SEO is another great one.
Does your website show up when someonesearches for a therapist in your area?
Is it clear when I get tothat website what you help
with, what you specialize in?
(13:30):
So this idea of visibility arethe right people even finding you?
Like I said, this is a gap so manytherapists have and they don't realize it.
They think that because they pressedlaunch, got their PLC, that the
clients automatically come in.
But if they don't know that you'reout there, then how can they decide
you are the right fit for them?
(13:51):
So if this is your weak spot,here's a couple actions.
Audit your psych Today Profile.
Psych today still works.
I will die on that hill.
Is it going to fill your practice theway that it would've six years ago?
No.
Can you absolutely still get rightRightFit clients through that
directory for very little effort?
Yes.
But don't just polish the language here.
(14:12):
I also want you to audit your PsychologyToday profile for your headshot, your
video script, the images that you use,your intro to new client statement,
the specialties that you've chosen, thezip codes may be that you're targeting.
All of these things influence psychologytoday and your ability to be visible.
Our psychology, today's SuccessPack is an amazing resource.
(14:34):
It's $27 less than the costof one month of psych today.
So grab that if you need it.
But jump in there and look at your profileas a whole, not just the words, but
every part that makes up that experience.
The next thing I want you to consideris getting visible to referral sources.
Like I mentioned, if you haven'tconnected with someone new in the last
30 to 60 days, that's an opportunity.
(14:56):
So consider making a list of fivelocal or niche adjacent clinicians,
so people that could refer to you.
If you see moms connect with childtherapists, if you see men connect with
couples therapists, and reach out tothem, whether that's with a quick intro
email, an invite to connect on a Zoomcall, an invite to a local coffee shop.
(15:17):
Just some comments back and forthon a Facebook thread, something, get
visible to a few new referral sources.
Next up, consider Googlingyourself if you haven't recently.
Are you showing up?
When people are looking for therapistsin your city, SEO is a very large
discipline and it's not something thatyou're necessarily going to transform
(15:38):
overnight, but you can absolutelybe taking some action this summer to
improve your search rankings and yourlikelihood of showing up in front of
people looking for your services on Googleat the very moment that they need you.
One other thing I want you to consider,if you see clients in person, listen up.
If you haven't yet claimed or updatedyour free Google Business profile,
(16:02):
you need to do that right now today.
Head over there.
It's going to improve not just yourlocal visibility in general, but your
ability to rank organically on Google.
Add photos services, a great description.
Contact info, be as thoroughthere as you possibly can.
If you are an in-person practice and youdon't have a Google business profile,
you are leaving visibility on the table.
(16:26):
So those are some things I want you toconsider if visibility is your weak spot.
Next up, consistency.
That's part two of this audit.
Are you showing up regularlyenough to stay top of mind?
It is one thing to reach out to areferral resource once it is another,
(16:46):
to stay in contact and to cultivaterelationship with those people.
This one might sting alittle bit, but be honest.
Have you been ghosting your own marketing?
I know it can be hard when you arejuggling back-to-back sessions and
just life business ownership, butmarketing is like a relationship.
(17:07):
It's like a garden.
It needs tending, it needsreconnection, and most therapists
for lots of different reasons, areoften wildly inconsistent with it.
A few things to ask yourself on this.
One, do you have anyregular marketing habit?
Is there anything you'redoing on a regular basis?
(17:27):
If not, maybe even adding one thing therecould really start to move the needle.
Two, are you staying in contactwith networking sources or are you
just expecting that if you talkto them once, that's sufficient.
Remember, this is a relationship.
If you post or share content, whetherthat's on social media or blogging
(17:48):
or podcasting, whatever that mightbe, sending emails, are you doing
that regularly or sporadically?
And then another thing here, justpractically, are you blocking
time to work on your practice?
Or are you just hoping you'llmagically find that time?
It'll just arrive.
You have to be intentional therebecause if you don't make space for
(18:08):
your marketing, it will always fallto the bottom of your to-do list.
I've made the joke to ConfidentCoffee students before that.
I would rather clean my base boardsthan do certain parts of my marketing.
It's okay if you feel the same way.
But it's not okay.
If you want to get results and continuecleaning your base boards, okay?
(18:29):
You have got to make space andbe intentional about this or else
you'll just sit there with veryclean baseboards wondering where
all of your referrals are, right?
If this is your weak spot, I wantyou to choose one day in time per
week to focus on marketing, okay?
I want you to actually putit into your calendar the way
you would a client session.
(18:51):
And you don't move it.
This is time dedicated to yourmarketing and to growing your practice.
It's a non-negotiable.
30 minutes is enough.
An hour would be great.
Whatever you can muster, putit in there and be intentional.
Then pick one marketing action to repeatweekly, especially if you don't right
(19:13):
now have any regular marketing habits.
We don't need to, biteoff more than we can chew.
Start with one.
Pick one marketing action thatyou're going to repeat weekly.
Maybe that's reaching out to someone,maybe that's posting something, sending
an email, updating a page of yourwebsite, anything that builds traction.
(19:33):
And then finally, I love to use themetaphor that success leaves clues.
If your clients are often finding youin one particular way, whether that's
from one particular referral source orvia one particular blog post or wanting
one particular thing, lean into that.
Let that direct where some more ofyour consistent efforts come from.
(19:55):
Success leaves clues, so gostudy where success has left
those clues in your practice.
The point here isn't to doeverything every week, right?
Like I said, we're not bitingoff more than we can chew.
But it is meant, especially in thesesummer months, to build a rhythm into
the way that you show up to your practiceand to your marketing to help you stay
(20:15):
present, to keep showing up to treatmarketing, like the relationship that it
is, like the garden that needs tending.
So that's the second part.
Consistency.
And then finally thethird part, conversion.
When people find you.
Are they actually saying yes?
When people find you, arethey actually saying yes?
(20:37):
Let's say someone doesland on your website.
They do click into yourPsych Today profile.
A colleague does pass along your name.
Then what do they arrivethere and feel seen?
Do they arrive there and have this sensethat this therapist really gets me?
This might be a good fit.
Do they have a sense that they know howto and want to get in touch with you?
(21:03):
Because if not, that's where theleak happens and all the effort
you poured into the first twoparts of this audit, visibility
and consistency flows right on out.
I've referenced before the metaphorof pouring water into a leaky bucket.
If you can't convert the peoplethat are learning about you, then
marketing is going to be a very,very frustrating relationship.
(21:26):
Here's what I want youto ask yourself here.
Does your website speak to yourideal client's real world experience?
Is it meeting them at their point of need?
Is your niche obvious and emotionallyresonant with your right fit clients,
not just clinically accurate?
We talked about this back in episode two,the disconnect that's costing you clients.
(21:49):
Is your niche obvious and emotionallyresident, not just clinically accurate?
Is your contact processridiculously simple?
And is there anything you coulddo to make it even simpler?
Do you feel confident whenyou get on a consult call?
Because that's the finalstep of conversion.
It's one thing for themto reach out to you.
(22:11):
It's another for them tobecome a paying client.
So are you showing up tothose with confidence?
You would be surprised how many clientsdrop off simply because they're confused.
They don't quite know what to do, theydon't quite connect with you, or they
just had a better consult experience orwebsite experience with someone else.
That's where.
(22:32):
We have opportunity forimproving conversion.
So here's a couple actions to take.
If you feel like conversion is your weakspot, I want you to ask two to three non
therapist friends to review your website.
So send it out to folks who are nottherapists, people that you trust
will give you honest feedback.
Can they immediately tell whoyou help and how to reach you?
(22:55):
Then walk through your own site.
Is the contact process clear?
Is the form simple and easy to fill out?
Are you actually making peoplewant to reach out or are you
putting up unintentional barriersthat prevent them from doing so?
Next, consider practicing consultcalls with a colleague, especially
(23:16):
when it comes to how you talk aboutyour work, how you respond when
someone says, I'll think about it.
It when you state yourfees, practice those things.
Don't just expect them to roll off thetongue if you've never done it before.
And finally, revisit your copy.
Revisit the words that you're using.
Are you using real life examples,emotionally clear language, or is it just
(23:39):
caught in that clinical jargon that's atotal turnoff to your RightFit clients?
This is often the part that feels themost uncomfortable for therapists.
So if I've suggested these nextsteps to you and you feel a little
icky you're not alone in that.
But this can also be a really,really powerful place to grow
and improve your marketing.
(23:59):
Because it's here thatwe start to create those.
I read your website and I knowyou're the therapist for me.
I heard about you and I can tell thatyou're exactly who I've been looking for.
Your directory jumped off the page at me.
It's where we startcreating those experiences.
So there you have it.
Visibility, consistency, conversion.
(24:20):
I threw a lot at you here in thisepisode, and I'm going to include
in the show notes a link to justan easy Google doc that includes.
Each of these questions and action stepsto consider for each of these areas.
This is what I want you to do firstas we look ahead to the summer, as we
consider the fact that your calendarmight be a little bit quieter and there
(24:41):
might be a little bit more margin.
I want you to know what to do with thattime because you completed this audit and
because you identified which opportunitiesexist for you, and then started
plotting what your next steps can be.
Maybe one has already jumped out at youand you know where you need to focus.
Maybe it hasn't yet, and you need towork through these questions, but this
(25:02):
is a moment to actually start takingaction and to plot your next steps
through this summer so that you're notspinning in that indecision and you're
not looking back at the hour betweensessions and wondering where it went.
You can be so much more intentional,so much more effective with this
time, and ultimately leave this summerso much more proud and with so much
(25:25):
more momentum in your marketing.
Remember, clarity doesn't comefrom thinking harder about things.
It comes from doing.
So before we move into the finalchallenge for this episode,
here's what I want you to do.
Go back through the three categories,visibility, consistency, conversion,
(25:46):
and ask yourself honestly, which ofthese feels the weakest right now?
Where might you be leakingthe most potential?
And what might have been sitting onyour mental to-do list for way too long?
Remember, you're not writinga whole business plan here.
You're just spotting the gap,the most immediate opportunity.
(26:08):
So once you know which of thesecategories is your focus, you'll
be able to take the next step.
If visibility is the gap, then yournext step might be reaching out to
referral sources or starting to getcreative about getting traffic to your
website so people know that you exist.
If consistency is where you're fallingshort, then your next move might be
(26:29):
blocking time and sticking to thatsmall, repeatable action each week.
If it's conversion, that's really yourweakness right now, then your move is
likely updating copy, simplifying yourcontact process, practicing consults.
Remember, you don't need totackle all three right now.
Just commit right now to one.
(26:50):
Because when you know what to focuson, you can stop spinning and start
actually getting some real traction here.
So that's where we land today,this first episode of our
Slaying the Summer Slump series.
You do not need to fixeverything this summer.
You do not need a flawless planor a 10 point strategy, but you
do need to start where you are.
(27:11):
You do need to identify what needsto happen so you can stop spinning.
Before we wrap up, here'syour weekly challenge.
Something small that you can do rightnow to really start shifting your
energy and your momentum forward.
Complete the audit, sotake 10 to 15 minutes.
Use the Google Doc linked in theshow notes to reflect really honestly
on these three areas, visibility,consistency, conversion, and identify
(27:36):
the one that needs the most attention.
Then block time on your calendar.
Even if consistency wasn't yourweak point, I want you for the next
month at least, to choose a dayand time to work on your marketing.
Treat it like a client session,protect it, show up for it, take it
seriously, because that small pocketof time can genuinely be the moment
(28:00):
that you start changing things.
Next week we're gonnazoom in even further.
We're gonna talk about how to reconnectwith your authentic clinician and how
to get really clear on what you actuallywant your practice to look like so
that your marketing can reflect it.
But for now, I want you to take a breath.
Be proud that you're showing up,that you're here, that you're
(28:24):
thinking, that you're noticing,and then let this be the month, the
season when things finally start toclick and you start taking action.
You've got this, andI'll see you next week.
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