Unknown Co-host (3:31)

Far in your life.

Allison (3:32)

All right, number two, let's talk about the financial side of your practice. This is a big one. If you're on insurance panels, you'll probably see faster growth than someone who is strictly private pay. Because insurance companies act as a marketing team for you, they make it easier for people to find you. They handle a lot of the financial conversations. Insurance can help you build a larger clientele quickly because it makes your services more accessible to people who might not be able to afford it otherwise. But here's the thing that gets tricky. Insurance companies may not always pay well. Some can be a really huge headache to work with. Depending on your area, taking insurance may mean a pretty big pay cut. But if you're in a position where you need to build quickly, that lower pay rate may be worth it, at least for a little while. On the other hand, private pay gives you much more control over your rates and can be a lot more financially rewarding in the long term. But that doesn't mean it's like the fast track to growth. It will take longer to fill your caseload if you're private pay. But if you're comfortable with a slower and steadier pace, then this can be a better choice for you. Ultimately, you need to decide what works best for you. And if you are considering taking insurance, make sure you do your homework. Learn what the insurance companies in your area are like. Talk to your local colleagues. Get insights about what it might be like for that insurance to be a part of your practice. Next is finding your niche. 99.9% of the time, having a clear niche is going to help you grow your practice much faster than being a generalist. And let's be real, most of us didn't get into this field just to be average at everything. We got into this because we have a passion for helping people. We want to work with those who really benefit from our expertise. The key here is to choose a niche that aligns with what you're best at and the people you enjoy working with. I know that there's a lot of pressure to pick a popular niche that promises quick success. Don't fall into that trap. The best niche for you is the one that lights you up. When you're excited and you're energized by your work, that enthusiasm shines through. It attracts the right clients through great marketing. Some niches are going to take longer to develop than others. So remember, any niche can be successful if you're really passionate about it. If you're someone who loves working with teens, families, individuals, whatever, going through a really specific challenge, that's your niche. Your niche is the challenge itself, as they describe it. It's not their understanding of it three months into sessions. It is what they're coming into therapy for. Don't chase a niche just because it seems like it's going to be really marketable or have faster growth. It is creating a practice you love that serves your ideal clients that I am really wanting for you. This next one's kind of tricky, but it's true. Your location has a really big impact on how quickly your practice grows. I am not talking about where you rent your office space for those of you who are in person. I'm talking about your city in general. If you're wanting to have some kind of more localized therapy, whether that's in person or whether that's online, if you're in a city that already values therapy, then you're in a really good position. If you're not, I would market to those cities that really value therapy. People in those areas tend to already understand the importance of therapy, and it is easier to build a client base when you're not having to convince therapy people that therapy is like a real thing. That said, some less saturated markets can also be a great opportunity, especially if your community is starting to recognize the value of therapy. If you're in an area where there aren't many therapists. That's a chance to step in and serve the need that's already there. But at the end of the day, it's about finding the opportunity where you are, whether that's a crowded city or a smaller town, or virtually throughout your entire state. Fee structure is another thing that is going to make or break the speed with which we build. You might think that lowering your fees is actually going to bring in more clients, but that is not the case. Perceived value is a really huge factor in how clients choose their therapist. One of my clients shared a story that stuck with me. I've actually had a couple clients show this recently, but she was looking for a couples counselor. She realized that she had already ruled out all the therapists who charged the same rate she did because she assumed that they were less competent. Instead, she chose somebody with a higher fee, assuming that that higher price signaled more experience or expertise. This is not about judging others or assuming that high fees always mean high quality therapy because that's not the case. It's just a reminder that your fee is a part of your perceived value. So don't be afraid to raise your fee if it feels aligned with what you want need in your life right now. Pricing is not just about what's fair to you. It's about how your clients perceive the value they're getting. Marketing your practice is a really, really, really huge part of all of this. It can feel really overwhelming at times. There is so much advice out there on how to market. But the reality is just because something worked for the person in the office next to yours or your friend you went to grad school with does not mean it's going to work for you. The best marketing strategy is the one that aligns with your strengths and it allows you to stay consistent. So I say all therapists need to.

Unknown Co-host (8:48)

Have a great website.

Allison (8:49)

All therapists need to network. But some therapists love social media, while others find that writing blogs or running workshops are their sweet spot. The trick is finding what's authentic to you and stick with that. Because marketing is definitely not about doing everything that could bring in clients. It's about doing very few things really well. So instead of throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks, choose up to five strategies that resonate with you and keep doing those consistently. Seventh factor that impacts your growth is having the right support system. It is crucial for success. The therapists who tend to build their practices faster are the ones who have a really strong network of people cheering them on whether that's mentorship or a peer support group or an online community like mine, having people who understand your challenges and can offer advice is really, really priceless. Isolation can be a real growth killer. The more you connect with others who are on the same journey. Not the naysayers, not the people who say, wouldn't you like a nice, steady, stable job? Let's not talk to those people about your business, but the other people who are going on the same journey. That's the more you talk to them, the faster you're going to go. And if you don't have a solid support system yet, please seek one out. It makes such a huge difference. Number eight I would say that impacts the speed of your practice growth. His luck. I know that's not something we can control, but luck is a real factor in how quickly your practice grows versus somebody you might be comparing yourself to. So maybe you get a referral from a perfect source or you just happen to meet the right person at the right time. You can't control luck, but you can control how open you are to luck, how many opportunities you give it to land in your lap, and you can control how you respond to it. So if things aren't going as fast as you want, I want you to try shifting your focus to the things that are going well. Take stock of all the good things in your life. Maybe your health, your family, the fact that you're building a practice that aligns with your values. Gratitude can really be a game changer when it comes to shifting your mindset and staying positive. And I want you to think through these eight growth factors and think about of the ones you can control. How in are you on those? Like maybe the person you're comparing yourself to has been nailing each of these things and you're nailing two or three of them. Do what you need to do to make sure that you have the practice you want. That's going to take work and it's going to take consistency. If you're ready to get more intentional with your practice building and focus on factors that really matter, I have a free worksheet for you called the Common Marketing Strategies for Therapist that can help speed up your growth. Dm me the word sheet and I'll send you this week's worksheet as well as links to all the previous worksheets. And if you want or need help with marketing so that clients can come in the door, I want you to join us in the Abundance party. We have helped thousands and thousands of therapists fill their practice by teaching them the marketing strategies that work best for them, and they then get to love the practice that they built instead of feeling like they just keep kind of trying things and they're not sure if they're the right things to try. All right, y'all. You can find the party in the Show Notes if you're listening to the podcast or hit us up with the word party on social media. I will see y'all later and I hope you have a great day.

Unknown Co-host (12:04)

If you're ready for a much easier practice, Therapy Notes is the way to go. Go to therapynotes.com and use the promo code abundant for two months free.

Allison (12:16)

I hope that helped.

Unknown Co-host (12:17)

If you have questions for Ask Allison.

Allison (12:18)

Or you want to get your hands.

Unknown Co-host (12:19)

On the worksheet for this episode, go to abundancepracticebuilding.com Links.

Allison (12:28)

If you're listening, you.

Unknown Co-host (12:29)

Probably need some support building your practice.

Allison (12:32)

If you're a super newbie, grab our.

Unknown Co-host (12:33)

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.