
Allison chats with member Kerry about her niche as a therapist for overwhelmed moms and the potential for a mother-daughter therapy page. They also explore client acquisition strategies, including Google Adwords, while considering inclusivity on...
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A
Foreign hi, welcome to the Abundant Practice Podcast. I'm Alison from Abundance Practice Building. I have a nearly diagnosable obsession with helping therapists build sustainable, joy filled private practices, just like I've done for tens of thousands of therapists across the world. I'm excited to help you too. If you want to fill your practice with ideal clients, we have loads of free resources and paid support. Go to abundance practicebuilding.com Links all right, onto the show. Some of y'all aren't sending HIPAA compliant email and it's a problem. Even if you're paying for a business Google Workspace account and have a signed BAA, your emails still aren't 100% compliant. That's where Palbox comes in. You can connect Palbox to your Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 email one time and you're completely covered. No one has to sign into portals. It sends and it shows up like any other email behind the scenes. Powbox soft checks the security settings of the recipient and ensures that the email is sent properly so you're not violating HIPAA in the ways you may accidentally be. Now, I know HIPAA isn't sexy, but we don't avoid compliance in an Abundant practice. We check the boxes we need to check and this is the easiest way to do that with email. Check out my friends@powbox.com that's P A U B O X Use Code abundant to get $250 off your first year of powbox. That makes it less than $100 for your first year. Again, that's P A U B O X.com use code ABUNDANT so I've talked about TherapyNotes on here for years. I could talk about the features and the benefits in my sleep. But there are a couple things I want you to know about therapynotes that doesn't typically make it into an ad script. First is that they actually care if you like their platform. They don't only make themselves available on the phone to troubleshoot so you don't pull your hair out when you get stuck. They also take member suggestions and implement those that there's client demand for, like Therapy Search, an included listing service that helps clients find you internal and external secure messaging clinical outcome measures to keep an eye on how your clients are progressing. A super smooth super bill process, real time eligibility to check on your client's insurance. In my conversations with the employees there at all levels, they all really believe in their product and they want you to love it too. Second, they are proudly independently owned. Why should you care about that because as soon as venture capital becomes involved, the focus shifts from making customers happy to making investors happy. Prices go way up, innovation plateaus. Making more money with as little output as possible becomes the number one focus. With over 100,000 therapists using their platform, they've been able to stay incredibly successful. And they don't have to sacrifice your experience to stay there. You can try two months free@therapynotes.com with the coupon code Abundant.
B
Hi, Allison. Hi, Kerry.
A
How you doing?
B
Hi.
A
Good.
B
I am a couple minutes late.
A
Oh, it's really. No, no problem at all. Yeah. What would be most helpful today?
B
So I think just determining a little bit about my niche and then I'm not sure how these work. If you can take a gander at my website while we're doing this, I don't know if that's.
A
Typically, we don't end up having a good amount of time for that. Okay, so let's talk through niche and then we can talk about messaging, which you can take to your website.
B
Yeah, really niche and marketing is really the long and short of it is I've been in practice since 2011 when I first started. Way back then, having a great website was kind of like a novel thing. At the time I was married to a graphic designer, web designer who created this beautiful website for me and it was lovely and also knew about Google Ads and was able to like get me. So I really, I did really pretty well in my first few years and then having kids and then divorce and then pandemic, everything just kind of changed as it did for everybody. So in the last couple years, I've been sort of trying to kind of essentially rebrand myself and remarket myself. I had really built myself a client base on client couples work and that was great, but I would just want to do something different now. And so the niche that I. Well, I think it's a niche. First of all, is the first question. What my website is geared towards is basically overwhelmed moms. Moms who are struggling with kind of the mental and emotional load and are kind of juggling all of these different roles in their lives and need to find a way to, you know, practice establishing, maintaining better boundaries, you know, improving the relationships in their. In their lives, that sort of thing.
A
Yeah, love it.
B
Is that a niche?
A
Yeah, I mean, I think the messaging of that niche is there's so much daily lived experience in being an overwhelmed mom. Right. You know it, I know it. Every mom out there knows it. There are varying degrees of overwhelm depending on how involved the partners are or how, what kind of support you have? Are you a working mom? Are you, you know, like, are you a work at home mom? Are you, you know, there's just so many different things. So it's getting clear on that exact ideal client. And what, maybe she's got a supportive partner. Yeah, but we are in this soup where women do everything in the house. And so maybe if it's a male partner, like he'd be willing to pitch in and help. It's just not something that they've discussed.
B
Yeah.
A
So if that's your ideal client, that's going to be different messaging than a single mom who is really juggling basically all of it except for every other weekend.
B
Yeah. Yep. Okay. Okay. And I guess that part I just haven't totally figured out yet because I don't. And I can, I think, anticipate when the answer is good. I don't want to like narrow in too much and like exclude other people. But I think the lesson for that for me is since I've launched my website, strangely the highest percentage of clients I've received are men who are in a totally different situation, which I don't mind working with. I mean, I, you know, I think that's fine, but it's just kind of interesting. But I, so, so I'm, I'm sort of not sure how specific I should get in in the kind of speaking to the ideal client. I've already, you know, launched the website, but I process of potentially redoing a couple things on it and launching a Google Ad campaign in January.
A
So first of all, I'm curious, how are these men finding you?
B
Those were referrals primarily.
A
Okay. Yeah, got it. Okay.
B
But a couple of them did find me via my website and one of them is, it's funny because he called and said, I really liked your website. I liked the messaging. I don't know if you work with men, but I'm going through a divorce and I have daughters because part of my website too speaks to like the mother daughter relationship. And he was taught and he was really wanting to, is really wanting to kind of make sure he has a better relationship with his daughters as they go through this divorce. Love it. Yeah.
A
So, yeah, I'm thinking about what is it like a square? It's a rectangle. But a rectangle isn't a square or vice versa. I always get it mixed up. But you can speak to one very specific person within your website and it will bring in people who are similar to that, that person or people who have Some values that they see on your website, like this guy.
B
Okay.
A
So you can risk being very specific. And there are ways to do it. Like let's say. Let's say your ideal client does have a partner. You can say if you have a partner, comma, they're blah, blah, blah. So that leaves it open for the single moms or the single dads.
B
Yeah, right.
A
There are ways to do it where it welcomes people in while still being very specific about who you speak to.
B
Okay. Okay. So can I ask another question?
A
Yeah.
B
One of the things that I am trying to determine, and I'll try to be as brief as possible about this. So when I first hired a designer to do my new website, what I was originally thinking was I was going to basically have two audiences I was speaking to. One were the overwhelmed moms, and then the second was essentially couple family therapy with moms and adult daughters. But I couldn't figure out. I just couldn't figure out kind of how to make them separate. There was so much bleed over between the copy that I couldn't figure out how to really do the. The family therapy one. And then I thought, well, maybe I should just. Because I just needed to get a new website up because mine was old and dusty and I was approaching the deadline. I was like, I'm just gonna go with this one for now and just gear it towards overwhelmed moms. But working on that relationship of women who have become mothers themselves and are realizing, oh, I've got some stuff to unpack from my family and have moms who are obviously still living and. And willing to kind of look at that with them is something that's really interesting to me. And I've done a little bit of. And I would like to do more of. But I just can't figure out how to, like, speak to that on my website without it sounding a lot like what I already have written for the overwhelmed moms. Is that making sense?
A
It is. I think you could do it on a specialty page.
B
Okay.
A
And it could just be called, like mother daughter therapy, that page. And you could say, you know, so many of the clients who come to me who are currently overwhelmed moms realize that there's work to be done on their relationship with their mom. And you can describe what that work often looks like. Like, what's some of the messiness between them or how it might be affecting their current way of doing life. Like.
B
Right, right.
A
Particularly if they had critical moms or moms with very high standards or however you want to phrase it.
B
Right, right. Or moms who. Yeah. Worked all the time or whatever it was that is showing up for them. Yeah.
A
Because you can really speak to how we are parented is often how we start parenting, because that's the example we had.
B
Yep, Yep. So when you say a specialty page that's different than a separate services page.
A
It could be a services page. Like, I use those kind of inter. Interchangeably.
B
Okay.
A
So you could have, like, services, and under that, you could have, like, individual therapy where you talk about the therapy you do, which is going to be like, basically a repeat of everything you said. And then you could have mother daughter therapy. Okay.
B
And so that's what I started with. My hesitation with that was I don't want to work with children.
A
Right.
B
So I don't want it to be like, with teens and their moms.
A
I don't want it to be that.
B
Or little kids and their moms, you know? So I'm trying to figure out how to. It just sounds so clunky to me. Like adult daughters. I don't know. I'm not sure.
A
Yeah, you could call it mother daughter therapy. And in your copy, you could talk about, like, the daughter in this has kids.
B
Yeah.
A
You can guide them. And you can even say something at the bottom. Like, if you're looking for therapy for you and your child.
B
Yeah.
A
That is still an adolescent.
B
Yeah.
A
Here's somebody I recommend.
B
Here are some resources.
A
Yeah.
B
Yeah. Okay. What is your opinion about breaking that out? I'm just curious in general what your opinion is on having more than one niche. And I mean, I've read and, you know, looked at a lot of your stuff on that, but also, does this qualify as a niche? This. Yeah.
A
I feel like the overlap of them is so strong.
B
Okay.
A
If the overlap wasn't strong, I wouldn't. I mean, that's why you were having trouble. This is the same copy.
B
It is the same copy.
A
Yeah. So it's basically like you work with women who are overwhelmed with being mothers, and you work with them and their mothers.
B
Yeah.
A
So, yeah, to me, it's like, maybe.
B
It could be something that's just in that page. Like, also, if you're struggling, click on this link. And then I can just do like a sort of a mini specialty page. I'm like, you can bring your mom in too. Would that work? Or like, it could.
A
It could. But I think that would feel more like if you're already in therapy with me on your own, you can bring your mom in versus new people who want to come with their moms can.
B
Right. Good point. So just doing that second page is okay. And that would be fine to do that, to speak to that group. Okay.
A
Yeah.
B
Okay.
A
Because it's ultimately the same exact ideal client. It's just her plus her mom.
B
Yeah. Can I just get your opinion on that? Like, does that sound like. I don't know. I think I'm just like, I'm. And I know this is like a therapy session when they, you know, there's just like doubt for me because I did, you know, I was solidly a couple's therapist for so long, and it's like, I knew what to say, I knew what to do, I knew how to speak to that audience. I'm like, is this a thing that's out there?
A
It is. It's interesting because I'm working with somebody in limitless practice right now who is moving away from that niche. So I'm like, oh, maybe I should link them so that you can get those referrals. She's been doing it as a coach, though. So she's been doing it nationwide. Yeah. But maybe there's some people in your state. Yeah, she did it. She loved it for a really long time and is ready for a change.
B
Oh, yeah. I would love to be connected with her just to kind of bounce ideas off and.
A
Yeah, I'll ask her today.
B
Yeah. If she's open to it. That would be wonderful. And then the other thing is just generally, what else do I need to do? So I'm. I need clients, like yesterday and I dragged my feet on this because all the, you know, imposter syndrome and all that stuff. So what I'm planning to do is launch a Google Ad campaign starting in January under the advisement of this marketing company that I hired to do that. And they're just going to run it for me because for a long time, one of the reasons I'm in the position I'm in now is because I kept telling myself, like, oh, I should be able to do this myself, or I can figure this out myself because my ex husband used to do it. I'm like, but that. He had a career in that. That's what he did, you know? So anyway, I'm. I'm, you know, a day late, a double or short with this, and I. I kind of just need to get clients in the door right away. Other than this, just generally, I mean, are there other online. You know, I'm on Psychology Today. I think that's the only one I'm on right now. Like, what else can I. And should I be Doing just generally to try and just get this out there.
A
Are you networking?
B
I need to be networking more. I need to be networking more.
A
For sure.
B
Yeah, for sure. I do. I guess I'm kind of curious, like, if there are just like specific groups I should be trying to network with or is it just other therapists? I mean, I am in a big online Facebook group for my community here in the Twin Cities. And so. And I have contacts. I just have kind of. I think my personal life just kind of got in the way for a while and I sort of like shrank back a little bit. So, yeah, I'm a little hesitant to back into marketing or networking, but yeah, I know I need to be doing that. Yeah.
A
Yeah. And I think about couples therapists.
B
Yeah, right.
A
Like, you probably are already connected with a lot because you were a couples therapist.
B
Yeah.
A
Because some of those women are going to need their own therapist and they're hearing about those dynamics between mothers and daughters.
B
Yeah.
A
And for them to be able to be like, you know what? I have a colleague who specializes in this relationship can be really powerful.
B
Okay. Right. I mean, and I do know a ton of couples therapists and I, you know, I mean, that's the bulk of my clients right now are referrals from other therapists. So I think I just need to be more intentional about that. I know that this is in your, all of your great materials, but can you just remind me, is there like. I know there's not like a perfect formula, but like, about how many like contacts or hours should I be spending on that?
A
I would send out at least five emails a week. Most of them will go unanswered. That's okay. Okay. And aim for one or two lunches or coffees or zoom coffees per week.
B
Okay.
A
And that's for the introverted folks. If you're feeling extroverted. One week, then I would send out double that. I'd Send out to 10 emails.
B
Yeah, yeah.
A
And we've got a template for that and the what to say when course to make the email part easier.
B
Okay. And these are new people each week, I assume.
A
Or you can do new or just reconnecting with people. Like that counts. In fact, the relationships you've already formed are going to be the ones that are more likely to refer to you. So it's like really making sure if you're reaching out to new people, you are forming an actual relationship, not just like a one night stand version of networking.
B
Yep. For sure. And I do. I just, I mean, I have a lot of people just who I went to grad school with that are still in the area that I. Yeah, quite well. But I just kind of got fell out of touch, you know, it just kind of. So. But it's ok. Okay. It's okay to just come up again and be like, yeah, yeah, it's great.
A
And I mean, after the years you've had, like, the hits kept coming. That's a lot.
B
I'm gonna write a book called My Menopound Divorce because it was all in one year.
A
Huh. Damn, that's a rough year. It's a big year.
B
2020 was a big year. So anyway, I'm Okay. All right. So five to ten emails a week. I can do that. I used to do fundraising. I can do cold call.
A
Oh, y. Totally. And this is easier because it's cold emails.
B
Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not actually asking for money from people. Okay. All right. Oh, blogging. How important is it? Number one and two, how much content actually needs to be in it? And is it okay if it's. Well, let me just get to the point. I'm a music lover. I really love music. I just, like, I'm always listening to music. I grew up in a musical family, and so I was like, you know, thinking about a blog. I'm like, the only thing that would actually be interesting to me is if I posted, like, a link to a song and then talked about how I thought the song I created. And I'm like, not a musician. Like, what's that? Is. Is that completely crazy? Like that?
A
Are your clients music people? Do they care? Because our blogs really need, like, your eye. And this is where you got to get specific about your ideal client. We don't want to write a single word on our website or our blogs that our clients don't care about. So I would say blogging would be beneficial if you're going to use SEO as a strategy. Yeah, it's good for people getting to know you better. But I always think of blogging and SEO as being like, a jelly sandwich is fine, but peanut butter and jelly is better. Right.
B
Okay.
A
So keeping those two together. And I would like. I would recommend SEO. Like, you're in an area that is not overdeveloped for SEO. You can still get a foot in.
B
Okay.
A
But you would need to hire. Yeah, I mean, it's not like the middle of nowhere would be. But I would hire it out if you're going to do it.
B
Okay.
A
And. And let's count. Let's see. You've got online listings A website, networking, Google AdWords, and then potentially SEO and.
B
Blogging would be the other. Would be the fifth one. That. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that's kind of the golden rule, right, is to have five.
A
Yeah.
B
Okay. Yeah. I was kind of going back and forth between SEO and. I mean, my budget only kind of allowed for one firm. And I know my ADHD brain. I'm like, I'm not going to do this unless, like. Yeah, I'm just not gonna do it on my own. So I went with the. With the Google Ad. Do you think that's the right thing to start with? Because I.
A
It really depends. Okay. I've never had luck with Google Ads, and I've hired it out three different companies, but it. Okay, you have had luck with it before.
B
I have, but it was before people were using it a ton, and I kind of not maxed out, but, I mean, I was, like, probably spending 500amonth.
A
On it, you know, so I would see how this goes. And do you have a commitment with this company, like, a certain number of months or.
B
I think it's three months. Yeah, I think it's three months.
A
So I'd reassess it Three months. You should know within one month. They should really have it locked in within the first month.
B
Yeah.
A
And if you're not seeing results from them, then I would consider investing in SEO.
B
Are you able to share with me the company that you are?
A
Oh, yeah, of course. Yeah. Simplified SEO consulting.
B
Okay.
A
And so in the party, you'll see she's the one who walks you through how to do a blog post in the SEO section of the marketing fundamentals course.
B
Okay.
A
And they're who I've trusted with my SEO. I only hear good things about them from the people I refer to them, which is not the case for other companies I've used.
B
Okay. And can I ask the companies that you use for Google Ads that worked?
A
It was years ago.
B
Was it Revkey by any chance?
A
No.
B
Okay. Because that's a company I hired which someone else locally but in with a different niche, had a good experience with them.
A
Great.
B
So hoping it goes well, but I am a little nervous about it.
A
You've had success with it before, so, like, let's leave space for, like, this works in the past.
B
Yep.
A
Hopefully work again.
B
Yeah.
A
And if not, you'll pivot. That's what you do.
B
Yep. Clearly I've been doing.
A
You have pivoted really well.
B
The jury's still out, but I think it's okay. Yeah. Okay. All right. So I have my website up. It's not getting to enough people, but the people that it is getting to seem to be responding well to it. So I think what I need to do is just kind of do what I was. What I was planning on doing, which this has been really helpful to just kind of confirm that for me. So all of that mother daughter page, get that up and then in January kind of go on on both of those campaigns. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
A
And really do, like, network. Now's not a great time to network. Probably.
B
Right.
A
So network starting in January.
B
Yeah.
A
Maybe go ahead and make your list of who you want to network with.
B
Yeah. And even. Yeah, yeah. I might just start with people who, like, even in my building, because there are a ton of therapists in here who I, you know, know and see in the hall. But, like, yeah, maybe we could even get something on the calendar for after the new year. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. All right. Thank you. This has been so helpful.
A
I'm glad.
B
It's just really good to just have this confirmation and encouragement. So thank you.
A
Absolutely. Yeah. Keep me updated in the party Facebook group.
B
I will for sure. Thanks. Thank you. Sure.
A
Bye.
B
Bye.
A
Bye. Make sure your email is actually HIPAA compliant with Pow Box. Use code Abundant to get Palbox for less than $100 your first year@pau box.com if you're ready for a much easier practice, Therapy Notes is the way to go. Go to TherapyNotes do and use the promo code abundant for two months. Free. If you're listening, you probably need some support building your practice. If you're a super newbie, grab our free checklist using the link in the show Notes. I'd love for you to follow rate and review, but I really want you to share this episode with a therapist friend. Let's help all our colleagues build what they want.
Abundant Practice Podcast – Episode #614: Changing Niches
Host: Allison Puryear
Guest: Kerry
Release Date: January 22, 2025
In Episode #614 of the Abundant Practice Podcast, host Allison Puryear engages in a insightful conversation with Kerry, a seasoned therapist seeking guidance on redefining her professional niche. The episode delves into the challenges of niche marketing, effective messaging, and strategic networking to revitalize a private practice.
Kerry begins by expressing her ambition to rebrand her therapy practice after years of specializing in couples therapy. She shares her target audience: overwhelmed mothers struggling with the mental and emotional burdens of juggling multiple roles.
Kerry:
“I think the niche... is overwhelmed moms. Moms who are struggling with kind of the mental and emotional load and are juggling all these different roles in their lives...”
(05:22)
Allison affirms that this is indeed a viable niche, emphasizing the universal relatability of overwhelmed motherhood and the varying dynamics depending on factors like partnership support.
Allison:
“There are varying degrees of overwhelm depending on how involved the partners are or what kind of support you have...”
(05:50)
The discussion transitions to crafting precise messaging that resonates with the ideal client. Kerry is concerned about being too narrow and potentially excluding other client demographics. Allison advises that specific language on the website attracts the right clientele while still leaving room for inclusivity.
Allison:
“You can speak to one very specific person within your website and it will bring in people who are similar to that, or people who have some values that they see on your website...”
(07:43)
Kerry shares her experience of receiving unexpected male clients, prompting Allison to suggest maintaining specificity without limiting potential clientele.
Kerry contemplates expanding her services to include mother-daughter therapy but worries about diluting her primary focus. Allison recommends creating specialty pages on her website to address different client needs without overwhelming the main message.
Kerry:
“I just can't figure out how to speak to that on my website without it sounding a lot like what I already have written for the overwhelmed moms...”
(10:24)
Allison:
“You could have a services page and under that, you could have individual therapy and then mother-daughter therapy...”
(11:07)
This approach allows Kerry to cater to both niches effectively, ensuring clarity and targeted communication.
The conversation shifts to marketing tactics essential for attracting clients. Kerry outlines her plans to launch a Google Ad campaign and inquires about additional online strategies. Allison emphasizes the importance of networking alongside digital marketing efforts.
Allison:
“I would send out at least five emails a week... and aim for one or two lunches or coffees or Zoom coffees per week.”
(17:40)
Kerry admits to struggling with networking due to personal challenges but recognizes its necessity. Allison reassures her by suggesting practical steps and leveraging existing connections, especially among former couples therapists who can refer clients seeking individual therapy.
Kerry candidly discusses her hesitations rooted in imposter syndrome and past life events, including a divorce and the pandemic's impact on her practice. Allison provides encouragement, highlighting the importance of persistence and adaptability in overcoming such obstacles.
Kerry:
“I have clients in the door right away. Other than this, just generally, are there other online... what else can I do?”
(15:58)
Allison:
“You have to form actual relationships, not just a one-night stand version of networking...”
(18:05)
This segment underscores the emotional and psychological hurdles therapists often face when adjusting their professional focus.
When Kerry inquires about the role of blogging and SEO, Allison advises that content should align with the interests of her ideal clients. She likens SEO and blogging to complementary elements that enhance website visibility and client engagement.
Allison:
“Blogging would be beneficial if you're going to use SEO as a strategy. It's good for people getting to know you better...”
(20:20)
Kerry reflects on her passion for music and considers integrating it into her blog. Allison advises ensuring that any content, including musical references, resonates with her target audience to maintain relevance and engagement.
As the episode concludes, Allison provides Kerry with actionable steps to implement her rebranding strategy:
Update the Website:
Launch Marketing Campaigns:
Intensify Networking Efforts:
Consider SEO Services:
Allison:
“If you're not seeing results from them, then I would consider investing in SEO...”
(22:30)
Kerry:
“I might just start with people who, like, even in my building, because there are a ton of therapists in here who I know and see in the hall...”
(24:30)
Allison encourages Kerry to maintain regular communication within her professional community and seek support from peers to bolster her rebranding efforts.
Episode #614 of the Abundant Practice Podcast offers a comprehensive exploration of niche marketing for therapists. Through Allison and Kerry’s dialogue, listeners gain valuable insights into defining their target audience, crafting compelling website messaging, leveraging networking, and employing effective marketing strategies to build a thriving private practice. The episode serves as a practical guide for therapists navigating the complexities of rebranding and expanding their professional horizons.
Notable Quotes:
Kerry: “I just need to get clients in the door right away.”
(07:04)
Allison: “There are varying degrees of overwhelm depending on how involved the partners are...”
(05:50)
Allison: “Blogging would be beneficial if you're going to use SEO as a strategy...”
(20:20)
Allison: “You have to form actual relationships, not just a one-night stand version of networking.”
(18:05)
Resources Mentioned:
Abundance Party Membership Program:
Step-by-step guidance on building a private practice. www.abundanceparty.com
Free Practice Building Tools:
Checklists, worksheets, and more at www.abundancepracticebuilding.com
Powbox:
HIPAA-compliant email solutions. Use code ABUNDANT for $250 off. Visit powbox.com
TherapyNotes:
Practice management software. Use promo code ABUNDANT for two months free. Visit therapynotes.com
Stay Connected:
For further support and resources, therapists are encouraged to join the Abundance Party community or reach out via email at help@abundancepracticebuilding.com.