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Reviewing a rental lease for a medical room can be scary. But don't worry, we've got a few tips to help you out before you sign on the dotted line.
1. Consider insurance Does the contract contain information surrounding liability? In most cases, you are responsible for any injury occurring as a result of activity in the room. Ensure that you have paid insurance to cover yourself. One thing to ensure is that you have inspected the room to check it is in good condition. If there are areas that are damaged or likely to cause accidents ask for these to be repaired. Do this before signing the lease. You don't want one of your patients tripping over torn carpeting. 2. Clarify complimentary inclusions and what needs an extra fee. It may be that when you saw the room advertised, they listed a wide range of available amenties. Usually, rental companies will show somehow, which are free and which are paid for. But not always. Don't be caught out and sign a rental room agreement, only to find you can't use what you thought you could. Take any extra fees into consideration when choosing a medical room to lease. Inclusions advertised should be listed on your contract. If you notice some are advertised, but not on the contract, ask to include them. That way your access to these amenities is protected. 3. Know what is a competitive price for what you want Before signing any contracts, do your research. Consider if the price that the room will cost is fair, or something you can afford. Are there hidden fees that you didn't see when first inquiring? What are other rooms going for, in a similar location? What are the Included/excluded amenities? 4. What is the cancellation policy? Your business may change, or outgrow the space you're looking at renting. Be aware from the beginning of the process to leave the rental space. This will help you in the long run, when it's time to move on. How much notice do you need to provide? What form of notice do you need to provide? (email, written or verbal) 5. Repairs and Maintenance The light bulb will need changing. The floor may need vacuuming. Or something more serious might break, like the furniture in the room. Find out what your obligations are for repairs and maintenance. It's good to know this ahead of time, before something goes wrong. Ideally, the less maintenance and repairs you have to perform, the better. - Does the building hire a cleaner for maintenance? -What is the process for notifying a repair needed? - Are there repair or maintenance fees? 6. Deposits and fees All deposits and fees should be on your contract. The contract should be clear on whether this is a refundable deposit, and how it may be used. -How much is the deposit? - How will the deposit be used (eg. repairs policy, or cleaning) -How will your deposit be returned to you at the end of the lease period? 7. Time frame of lease Ensure that you are happy with the time listed on lease. This should be clear, and detail the time you are obligated to pay rent for. Before signing, ensure that this time suits your business model. - Will you outgrow the space within that time? -Are there inspections of the rental space within that time? -What is the process for a lease extension?
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Looking for advice on renting a counselling room? You’ve come to the right place. We know that finding the perfect room to run your counselling business from can be a challenge. There’s a lot of advice around, which can at times, be overwhelming. In this guide, we’ve prepared answers to most concerns regarding renting a counselling room.
Table of Contents:
1. Finding the perfect Counselling Room Finding the perfect room to rent and run your business from can be tricky. There’re a lot of properties and rental options around, so it’s important to consider these factors before you sign a lease:
2. Think about Additional Fees Finding your counselling room is exciting! If you think you’ve found the base for your business to grow from, celebrate the win, but also consider assessing any additional fees before signing a lease. You don’t want to get stung with additional fees or expect services in your lease that are actually add ons. Here are a few additional fees to look out for.
3. Furnishing your Counselling Room The level of furnishing your counselling room needs can vary, depending on what is included in your lease. Some rental counselling rooms will provide all necessary furnishings and others will offer more flexibility for you to customise the room. Here are a few things to consider as you look at furnishing your rooms.
4. What clients want from a Counselling Room Knowing what your clients expect to experience as they enter your space can be helpful in making sure you’ve offered the best service. Having a great space will enhance the patient’s experience and ultimately make them more open to receiving your care. The design of your counselling room can play an important role in the comfort of your clients.
5. Assess Your Opportunities Now you’ve established your business in your leased counselling rooms, it’s time to consider what opportunities you have. Continuing to evaluate the opportunities available to you through the space you lease is an important factor in making the most of your room and experiencing business growth.
Why Wellshare Counselling Rooms? Wellshare is a health co-working facility operating in Sydney CBD, in the beautiful Dymocks building. Wellshare has a range of rooms for hire, including counselling rooms. Wellshare is distinct from other co-working spaces because it has been developed with the needs of health and wellness professionals in mind. Wellshare provides you with a beautiful environment for you to grow your business autonomously. We value flexibility, and offer both full-time and part-time leases to our tenants. All leases include: · 24/7 Access · Access to internal breakout areas · Access to kitchen facilities · Building outgoings included · Electricity usage included · Regular cleaning · Secure high-speed NBN internet · Branding on your room door · Branding at reception · Direct access to public transport · Disabled access and facilities · End of trip facilities e.g shower · FREE use of HICAPs terminal · Professional working environment · Retail and shopping mall in building Our counselling rooms are designed for your brand to shine through. Customize the space to suit your business and clients. We have a wide range of room sizes, from small to large. Our rooms are an affordable option, providing you with everything you’ll need. Each room has been designed to make the most of natural light, and provide spaces that are cozy, but not cramped. For convenience, we have secure facilities to allow you to store your equipment on site. But the benefits to your lease don’t stop there. Additional Services: Wellshare loves to offer the best value for its tenants. That’s why we offer a range of additional services that can be added on to your Wellshare experience for an additional fee.
Mentorship opportunities — Wellshare offers free business development mentorship sessions. In these sessions, you’ll learn from Sydney’s top therapists, what it takes to run a successful counselling business in the CBD. Also on the Wellshare team are a number of business experts across — digital marketing, video content producer and copywriting — who are available to assist you in developing your business further. Community — Working for yourself can be an isolating experience. We know this because we’ve been there. That’s why at Wellshare, we’re developing a culture of like-minded professionals who strive for success in their business. We offer in-house events and webinars to assist in professional development. These opportunities help you create a name for yourself amongst your peers. Growth — Join Wellshares online directory. We’ll provide you with a professional headshot and advice from our in-house entrepreneur, Anthony Bloomfield. Anthony is the founder of Wellshare, with over 15 years experience in helping businesses grow. Affordability — We know that the cost of owning your own private practice isn’t always worth it. While your name may be on the door in traditional clinic-based practice, the stress and financial strain can be exhausting for many professionals. At Wellshare, we offer affordable solutions for practitioners looking for a new model of private practice. Over the years, we’ve learned that most patient’s don’t care about who owns the clinic, but rather what’s inside. We’ll provide you with the counselling room, waiting room and other facilities so you can reap the benefits of business, without the strain and financial pressure. Location — Wellshare is located in the historic Dymocks building in Sydney CBD. Established on George St, your room will be close by to public transport to offer both yourself and your clients’ convenience. Our rooms offer clean and modern design, blended seamlessly with the historical charm of the Dymocks building. With great design and affordable prices, Wellshare offers a wonderful base for practitioners to establish their business. Ready to hire a counselling room in Sydney? Book a tour at Wellshare. So you’ve decided to start your own therapy business? Congratulations! We know that starting your own business is a big step. It’s both exciting and scary. But it doesn’t have to be. At Wellshare, we’ve been where you are. We’re passionate about helping health and wellness professionals launch their business from our modern and functional co-working space.
Table of Contents: 1. Things to consider before renting a therapy room? 2. Choosing the Right Therapy Room 3. Booking a therapy room 4. How to set up a beautiful therapy room 5. Attracting Clients to your Room 6. Keeping Staff and Clients Happy 7. Ongoing Considerations in Renting a Therapy Room 8. Why Wellshare? Many of our tenants have started and grown their businesses using our rental rooms. Today we’ll be sharing our ultimate guide for renting a therapy room and growing your business! Are you ready? 1. Things to consider before renting a therapy room? Where do you want to work? There is a wide range of options available to you. You could work from home, set up in an existing clinic, or explore something a little different… like co-working spaces. Thanks to co-working spaces you no longer need to commit to a long term lease. Working from a rental therapy room will give you a bunch of benefits including:
With all these benefits, it’s easy to get very excited about rental therapy rooms (we know we’re excited!). But there are a few things you should think about before you sign a lease. Insurance. It can sound boring, but insurance is one of the most important factors to consider when renting a therapy room. Making sure your insurance is in order early on in your business can save headaches (and money) later on! While we’re not insurance professionals, we think it’s a good idea. Do yourself a favour and ask the following questions:
Finances. Before starting any business venture, it’s a good idea to check your finances are in order. Doing so will help you start your business off on the right foot, and foresee some of the challenges that may be in store for you. Minimise your stress and ask yourself:
Your support crew. Starting your business can be incredibly stressful. Between paying bills and hustling to find new clients, you may find yourself burned out quick. In times of good times and bad, it’s important to have people to support you. Before you open the doors to your business, identify people in your life who can support you in your new venture. Having a supportive network can protect your physical and mental health amid the strain you may be under. Think about those you can rely on. You’ll thank yourself later.
2. Choosing the Right Therapy Room There is a wide range of therapy rooms available for you to base your business from. Whether you feel excited or overwhelmed by the choices is another question entirely. Regardless of how you’re feeling, here are a few tips to help you choose the therapy room that’s right for your business. Hourly or daily use. Rental therapy rooms now have a wide range of lease availabilities. No longer are you trapped into a yearly contract, left feeling mildly panicked, wondering if your fledgling business will fly or fall. When you’re just starting, consider renting a room that gives you the option to rent the room for shorter periods. The flexibility of coworking rooms is one of the biggest advantages for your business. Some questions that might help you figure out what type of lease is best for you?
Amenities. Many coworking spaces, such as Wellshare come with a range of amenities included in your lease. Think about what you need to run your business. In traditional startups, you need to pay for everything, from the furniture to the photocopier. All these amenities can add up as you start your business! Save yourself some cash and choose a therapy room that has what you’ll need. Put your money toward other areas of your business, like marketing that otherwise might get neglected. Wellshare therapy rooms include the following amenities:
Location. Where your business is located is vital. If clients can’t find you, your business won’t grow. Studies have shown that convenience is one of the most important factors in clients choosing which clinic to visit. They want to be able to access your services quickly. This means ensuring your business is located close by to public transport and is easily accessible. When picking your therapy room, consider your clients.
Want to read more about what matters most to health care consumers? Check out this study: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/life-sciences-health-care/us-lshc-cx-survey-pov-provider-paper.pdf 3. Booking a therapy room Once you’ve decided on a facility you’d like to operate your business from, it’s a good idea to take a closer look. Book a tour, chat to the team from the facility. This is an opportunity to ask all the questions you might have about what operating from the room looks like. The team at Wellshare are all friendly, professionals who are keen to help you achieve your business goals. Following your tour, take your time reading over the lease and sign on the dotted line. As you assess your therapy room lease, take special note of the following details. Maintenance. Before you sign to book a room, take the time to understand the expectations of renting that space. Depending on the space, some facilities may expect you to pay an additional fee if the facility is damaged in any way during your hire time. Generally, best practice is to ensure that at the end of your hire time, leave the facility in the state you hired it in. If there’s any problems with maintenance, document these and report them to management early.
Minimum rental hours. Ensure you have a good understanding of what hours you would be able to rent the room for. If you’re just starting, you might only need the room for a few hours, rather than the whole day. Ask what rental packages are available, hourly or daily leases are common. The ability to hire a room for a few hours provides flexibility and can save you cash - don’t pay for a full day if you haven’t got a full day’s work.
Exit Policy. It may sound strange to think about leaving before you arrive, but it’s a good idea. Learn about the cancellation policy of the hired room to ensure you don’t accidentally incur fees when it’s time to eventually move on. Most facilities have at the very least a minimum 24hr notice cancellation policy.
Ask what additional resources are available. Some co-working spaces, (including Wellshare) have a range of other services that may be helpful for you. Ask about these early on. Whether it’s consulting with a business advisor, marketing expert or a copywriter you may be surprised what additional services you can access when you hire the room.
4. How to set up a beautiful therapy room So you’ve chosen your therapy room! Well done! But your work isn’t over yet. It may seem fairly basic, but don’t undervalue the impact decorating and design can have on your business. Clients who feel welcomed into your space may feel more comfortable and have a positive experience. If they have a positive experience, they may tell their friends and family about your business! This can lead to… new clients. Here are a few things to think about to ensure your therapy room is looking and functioning its best. Furniture layout. Consider how the room is arranged. Depending on the arrangement of your lease, some furnishings may or may not be provided for you. Ensure furniture is comfortable and heavy enough to protect everyone’s safety (no one wants a chair thrown). Regardless, take a moment to consider how best to set up the room for your clients. - Avoid trip hazards like rugs, particularly if your clients may be prone to falls. - Consider the placement of chairs and other seating. Often, face-to-face seating can feel confrontational, so place chairs slightly off to the side to allow client comfort. Lighting. Through the use of lights, lamps and candles the atmosphere of your therapy room can be adjusted to suit the service you’re providing. Lighting also plays an important role in the safety of your practice. Ensure that the room is well lit so you can conduct your service safely, and people don’t stumble or trip because of poor lighting. Materials. Natural materials such as light woods seem to be preferred by clients, as opposed to glass and chrome. Often, clients don’t want to think about the previous occupants in the room, so avoid materials that may show fingerprints more easily. Go natural. Plantlife is a trend in decorating for a reason. Plants, whether real or artificial can have a big impact in the atmosphere of your therapy room. Consider how you can include the natural element into your therapy room. Whether through the inclusion of plant life, or a painting of a nature scene. These can often have a calming effect on clients. Likewise, your colour palette should be relatively neutral. Clean. It should go without saying, but presenting your therapy room in a tidy and clean state is one of the easiest ways to have a beautiful room. Show your professionalism in your space by avoiding clutter or rubbish. Clients will appreciate the attention to detail and will assume this extends to your quality of care. Budget. Decorating your room is essential, but it doesn’t have to be costly. Many quality decor items can be found at affordable department stores, second-hand shops and online. You might even be able to reach out to friends and family. Get creative. Artwork. Artwork can be surprisingly divisive. Be conscious of what pieces you choose to decorate your room with. A safe bet is usually calm, nature-themed pieces - such as of trees. 5. Attracting Clients to your Room You’ve got your business ready to go, your room is looking gorgeous, but without clients, your business won’t last long. Welcome to the hustle. Attracting clients is often one of the most challenging aspects of starting your business. There’s a wealth of advice online on this topic, and it can certainly feel overwhelming. So here are a few of the top tips we’ve heard of (and tested for ourselves). Marketing. It’s a word many in business are familiar with, but what does it mean? Marketing is your plan of action to attract (and keep) a steady influx of clients to your business. It’s how you get the word out. While you could just wait for people to show up, consider how you can actively market your business. Research and make a plan of action. LinkedIn. Social media can sometimes be overlooked by health professionals. But online platforms can be a great place to connect with clients, educate and attract them to your business. Choose a platform where your clients are spending time, be it Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest (the list goes on, so I’ll stop there) and engage with them. We don’t mean spam their feed but offer great content. Spotlighting members of your team, sharing some top tips or sharing useful resources are a few ideas. On social media, it’s easy for clients to tag friends and family or provide reviews of your service. Leverage this for your business. Signage. It sounds pretty basic, but you’d be surprised how many businesses don’t use signage to their advantage. Increase your visibility by ensuring your rooms use signs that are easily visible to passersby (or other clients if you’re in a co-working space). Networking. Connecting with other professionals provides the opportunity for referrals. Be friendly and open to discussing your work with others, you never know who might refer someone to you down the track. Return the favour when you can. Both clients and businesses benefit when collaborative care is given. 6. Keeping Staff and Clients Happy Running your own business comes with many challenges. One of these can be retaining good staff. While there’s always a natural time for people to move on, retain staff the best you can by providing a respectful workplace and valuing their work. Manners shouldn’t be under-appreciated. When it comes to keeping clients happy, focus on what you can control and what you know about your client’s needs. Evaluate your business and do your best to provide an efficient and comfortable service. Keep wait times to a minimum when possible, and utilise technology that enhances your service.
Healthcare clients are functioning more and more as consumers. Speed and ease of access are important. Enable your patients to plan for the financial impact of their visit, many will appreciate not needing to ask the price - but have it offered readily. Consider how you can collaborate with other health and wellness professionals to offer holistic care to your clients. This can be as simple as having a flyer available for a complimentary service from a practitioner you trust and are happy to refer to. At the end of the day, you won’t make everyone happy. Thinking you can lead to exhaustion. Just do your best and focus on offering quality service to your clients and staff. 7. Ongoing Considerations in Renting a Therapy Room So you’ve been in your rental therapy room for a while, and you’re thinking ‘what’s next?’. Here are a few things to consider as you continue to operate your business. Room to grow. Has your business outgrown your room? You may need to consider other options for your business if your room is starting to feel a little small. Maybe you’re thinking of taking on a team member to help you manage your client list. Evaluate where your business is at, and reflect about where you’d like to be in future. Opportunities. You may have unexpected opportunities arise from working from a co-working space. Maybe it’s attending a networking event, speaking at a conference or building a referral network. Whatever the opportunity, you’ll need to evaluate these on an ongoing basis. Your time is limited, especially as your business grows. Say yes to those that are likely to take you toward your goals, or you’re interested in. Consider mentoring. Starting your own business, you will have learnt a lot! Consider registering with a mentor program, or taking someone under your wing to share your knowledge with. You’ll reinforce your learning, as well as be a part of someone’s professional/personal journey. Professional Development. While many professionals require a certain level of professional development to maintain registration, this isn’t the case for all health and wellness jobs. Or for business owners. Education is inherently valuable and can help your business grow. By investing in yourself, you shift your business model towards that of practice-focused. The skills and lessons you learn, you take with you wherever your career takes you. -What conferences are on in your field? - What online courses could you take? - Do you subscribe to any journals or industry newsletters? - Do you attend business growth events? Wellshare knows how important development and learning is in our professional journey. That’s why we have a team of in-house entrepreneurs and business experts. We regularly put on events designed to help you grow your businesses. No, attendance isn’t compulsory if you rent a room from us - but you’ll be missing out! Remember why you started. Sometimes, in the humdrum of running our business, we can lose sight of why we started. It’s important to reflect and try your best to keep your goals in front of your mind. Doing so can make the journey more motivating, and rewarding. 8. Why Wellshare? You’ve made it through the Ultimate guide for renting a Therapy Room! Well done! Before you go, here’s one question we haven’t answered yet. Why rent a therapy room from Wellshare? If you’ve been looking into rental rooms, you probably know there’s a bunch available. What makes Wellshare different? Wellshare is specifically designed with health and wellness practitioners in mind. We know that as a health and wellness business, you have unique needs from a rental space that your average co-working space may not be equipped for. Wellshare therapy rooms are located in Sydney CBD in the historical Dymocks building. Your clients will enjoy our purpose-built waiting room (great for building those business referrals) and cozy, but not cramped, therapy rooms. All rooms ensure patient/practitioner privacy. You can enhance the room to your preferences, to offer your clients the experience you want. Store your equipment on-site and enjoy 24/7 access to grow your business how you want, when you want. Our various therapy rooms are suitable for:
Do you feel as if you could be marketing your practice better?
Many psychologists and therapists offer brilliant services to their clients but struggle when it comes to the business of marketing. Today we’re here to dispel some of the difficulty and give you 26 marketing tactics to consider to help your therapy services reach new clients. 1. Brand Consistency Though you may not like to think of your practice as a brand, the truth is many people now access healthcare with the mindset of a consumer. This means your business should have a brand. Why? Having a brand enables recognition from clients and assists you to more easily build your professional reputation. A brand can be your name, or it can be a business name. Either way, to create trust and credibility you will need to make sure your brand is consistent. This means thinking about maintaining consistent appearance and messaging across your website, social media, business cards and physical space is important. Don’t undervalue the impact a strong brand profile can have on your business. 2. Building Strong Relationships As you practice your business, build positive relationships with those around you. From your colleagues to your clients, positive word of mouth matters. Being respectful, and considerate goes a long way. 3. Referral Network Running your own psychology practice or therapy business can be tiring, and at times isolating. It’s important to consider how you can utilise your network to support your business. When’s the last time you sent a colleague an email to check and see how they were going? Have they learnt anything new recently? Or do you have something of value to share with them? Reach out to fellow psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors and psychiatrists. Your colleagues may have too much work than is manageable and may like to refer some of their clients to you. Or they may have enquiries from patients who are better suited to your area of focus than theirs. Maintaining positive relationships with those in your industry helps for when business is quiet. When it’s not, consider returning the favour and referring to other professionals. 4. Website design Having a functional and beautiful website is vital. Would you trust a physical store that had cracked windows, flickering lights and a bad smell when you entered. Of course not. Your website is your physical store in the digital world. The vast majority of clients expect to be able to find out about services they need online. Simply put, if your business doesn’t have a website, you’re missing out on potential clients. If your website doesn’t look good it will negatively impact you too. Getting a great website has never been easier. Create your own website using an easy to use website builder, or hire a website designer. Your clients will appreciate having a convenient place to find out all about your business. 5. SEO Having a website for your clinic is useful for another reason. SEO. Or Search Engine Optimization. Through incorporating keywords and phrases into your site, you’ll make your website more likely to be chosen by search engines to show to people. People rarely click past the first page of Google, and even more, rarely go past the second. Don’t let your site be buried - think about SEO so that when potential new clients are doing their research so your services are readily available. 6. Video marketing If you’re comfortable public speaking, or in front of a camera it’s worth thinking about video marketing. Video marketing is an effective way of getting the attention of clients. Whether it’s a video tour of your clinic or an interview with you, video marketing can be a helpful addition to your marketing strategy. 7. Blog An engaging blog offers value to clients before they book an appointment. Use a blog to interact with clients, and offer them helpful advice on a range of topics relevant to your field. If you’ve assisted them outside of an appointment, people may be more likely to ask about other ways you can help them. 8. Offer Telehealth or Online consultations The last few years have also seen a rise in digital therapy services - vulnerable people or young people may be more comfortable with accessing services that are not face to face. This is the case for a range of reasons, but a driving factor is convenience. Texting counsellors or other online practitioners is much more common than previously - in particular, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Offering alternatives to in-person services shows your business values accessibility and is technologically up to date. 9. Email marketing Emailing a newsletter can be a great way to stay in touch with existing clients and offer additional value. Don’t bombard their inbox, but keep your communication helpful - Maybe you’re running a free educational webinar or releasing a book? Think about what value you can provide to someone who might be in need. 10. Find a niche Many psychologists do not focus on a particular niche for fear of restricting their potential client pool. The opposite is the case. Finding an appropriate niche can assist you in finding clients that are looking for help with a specific problem. Consumers equate specialisation with trust and competence. They will also be willing to pay more because they’re accessing a specialist - rather than a generalist. Knowing your niche will also help you to build your referral network more specifically. For example, if you offer services specific to children, it can be useful to let schools and teachers know of your services. 11. Public Speaking Opportunities for public speaking can take multiple forms. Whether it’s appearing as a guest speaker at a conference, or being interviewed on an LinkedIn - public speaking opportunities shouldn’t be overlooked for their marketing value. These opportunities provide exposure for your business and build credibility in both your brand and you as a professional. 12. Local Media Though a more traditional form of marketing, your local media shouldn’t be overlooked. Local media can be particularly helpful if your target audience uses these media forms regularly. If you’re running an event in your local area - let the local paper or radio know. 13. Signage and visibility It’s surprising how often signage is overlooked when it comes to marketing. But having adequate signage that is easily visible will help clients locate your therapy rooms. Your client’s experience of your service begins before they enter your rooms. Minimize confusion or anxiety by ensuring all signage is well-positioned. 14. Flyers Though not as popular as they once were, flyers and business cards still have a place in some marketing strategies. There are clients that prefer having a flyer or business card to take with them. While we don’t recommend spending the majority of your marketing budget on this, flyers are worth considering. You may like to ask relevant businesses if you can display your flyers or business cards in their waiting rooms. 15. Conference attendance Attending events allows you to build credibility and network with others. Networking boosts brand awareness and the possibility to expand your referral network. Do try to keep your interactions with others genuine. 16. Checking in with existing clients Ensuring your relationships with existing clients is positive can go a long way to securing the future potential of your clinic. This can be as simple as a follow-up call or email to check in with clients you haven’t seen in a while. Alternatively, you may like to send out holiday greeting cards wishing them well for the coming season. Clients value authentic care, so going the extra step for those in your business can help boost positive word of mouth referrals and boost client retention. But make sure your actions are authentic. 17. Free trials of paid directory Listing yourself in a directory is helpful for exposure and access to clients utilising those directories. Many of these offer a free trial, which is worth doing. If you’ve not landed any clients before the trial period ends, cancel your listing. Doing this ensures you haven’t lost any money but provides the potential to connect with new clients. 18. LinkedIn LinkedIn is often an untapped resource. Useful in particular for connecting with like-minded professionals, this is another way to boost your brand profile and build a referral network. You may be invited to participate in opportunities you otherwise may not have been aware of. 19. Get a free Google business listing Even if you don’t yet have a website, one of the first things you can do as a business is getting a Google listing. This means that clients who Google you will be able to find all the necessary information quickly. List your booking phone number, rooms address, hours and any other relevant information. 20. Expert appearances Often the media will call for an ‘expert’ to weigh in on particular issues. Take advantage of these opportunities to build your credibility. Foster connections with your local media outlets, or other businesses who may be interested in collaborating with you. The beauty industry, in particular, is one to avoid dismissing, as they have a lot of financial backing and interest in health-related topics. 21. Write for others As with expert appearances, writing for other people’s blogs or as a guest contributor to a magazine again builds brand credibility and exposure. If you enjoy writing, this can be a great addition to your marketing. Guest posting on other blogs will often provide a backlink to your website - driving traffic to your services long after you’ve finished the article. 22. Volunteer Volunteer opportunities arise from time to time, whether it’s speaking to a group of highschoolers about a career in psychology, or assisting a local charity with counselling. While volunteering can cost time, and you may not see an immediate return for your investment - it’s still valuable. Through volunteering, your reputation in your local community will be built, and potential future clients may have a positive first interaction with you - outside of your clinic rooms. 23. Determine your call to action Knowing what action you’d like clients to take is key to figuring out which marketing tactics will be best for your practice. Do you want clients to book a therapy session? Or refer a friend to your services? If you decide to run a giveaway or other incentives to your service, it’s important to remember your responsibilities as a healthcare provider. It’s a good idea to ensure you’re familiar with AHPRA’s advertising guidelines. https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Publications/Advertising-resources/Legislation-guidelines/Advertising-guidelines.aspx 24. Online ads Targeted advertising online, and on social media can be an effective marketing method. Online ads often have a greater reach and cost less than an advertisement in physical form. Before deciding where to place your ad, you should consider all the factors that may impact its success. Outline some specific goals you have for the campaign, so you can measure if it’s worth repeating this tactic. https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Publications/Advertising-resources/Legislation-guidelines/Advertising-guidelines.aspx 25. Partner with other practitioners or brands Are there businesses in your area that may benefit from your services? It can be worth considering who you can collaborate with to boost both businesses brand awareness. You may be able to put on an event or training session that adds value for both business’s clients. Businesses that psychologists may like to consider collaborating with include: Yoga studios, health co-working spaces, pharmacies, universities, aged care facilities, RSLs and more. 26. Your email signature If you haven’t already, set an email signature. This is an easy way to let everyone know who you are and what services you offer. |
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