Episode Overview

Episode 103: Pulling Back the Curtain: Private Practice Marketing That Works
Hosts: Dr. Kate Campbell & Katie Lemieux
Date: September 15, 2018

This engaging episode takes listeners behind the scenes of the Private Practice Startup’s approach to private practice marketing. Instead of interviewing a guest as usual, co-hosts Kate and Katie openly share their business journey, personal passion for branding and marketing, and the foundation and structure of their new e-course for therapists. The episode delivers practical insights for mental health practitioners aiming to attract their ideal clients, increase profits, and build their dream lifestyle—emphasizing the importance of mindset, branding, client clarity, and a focused marketing process.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Private Practice Startup Journey and Niching Down

• Origin Story
  • Initially started as a statewide training company named K2 Visionaries.
  • Shifted to the global digital space, rebranding as The Private Practice Startup to focus on helping therapists move from startup to mastery.
  • Kate and Katie recognized their passion—and their audience’s struggles—centered on branding and marketing, leading them to further niche into this area.
• Importance of Niching
  • Early mistakes included “going way too wide” and not being streamlined, which led to exhaustion and low profits.
  • “Each year we keep about doubling our profits and we've actually doubled our profits again in less than six months from last year. And that's all really due to the laser focusing, niche-based work that the company does.” —Katie Lemieux (08:06)
• Encouragement to Niche
  • Many therapists fear niching will limit them, but Kate and Katie’s results show the opposite effect: more profit, less time expended, and greater clarity in who they serve.

The Marketing E-Course: Structure and Core Promises

• Birth of the Course

  • Dreamed up on a “working retreat” after realizing a strong need for actionable, step-by-step marketing guidance for therapists.
  • The course implements the “exact process we teach our clients for creativity and clarity—when we got stuck, we just walked on the beach, and then it hit us.” —Katie Lemieux (10:50)

• Course Title:

  • Private Practice Marketing: The Spring Step-by-Step System for Clinicians to Fill Their Practice With the Clients They Love and Live the Life They’ve Always Dreamed Of (11:06)

• Core Promises (13:24):

  1. Create an authentic brand and craft irresistible marketing messages.
  2. Develop high-converting websites and directory profiles.
  3. Gain confidence with personalized, strengths-based marketing strategies.
  4. Achieve freedom, more income, and a dream lifestyle serving ideal clients.

Real Practitioner Success Stories

• Dr. Shaun Davis:
  • “I’m 25% into integrating the changes and in just a few weeks the calls more than doubled—his group practice went from 55% to 85% full.” —Katie Lemieux (14:17)
• Dr. Andrew Dobo:
  • “He sent an email using the marketing strategies…and within hours it generated enough business to pay for the consultations and coaching many times over.” —Dr. Kate Campbell (14:50)
• Dr. Heather Kuhl:
  • Shifted marketing approach from selling credentials to focusing on results for ideal clients. Outcome included greater clarity, improved online presence, and confidence. (15:47)

Pulling Back the Curtain: Course Modules Breakdown

• Metaphor: The course is designed as a movie production, linking the creativity and story-telling of movies to effective marketing.

1. Mindset Mastery: Channeling Your Inner Entrepreneur (17:49)

   • Focuses on building a business around your dream lifestyle.
   • “When we got into private practice...we had no business or marketing experience. Learning this transformed my mindset.” —Dr. Kate Campbell (17:49)
   • Includes strategies for celebrating wins to reinforce positive change.

2. Branding: Make Your Brand a Show Stopper (18:58)

   • Develops a unique brand identity with clear vision, mission, values.
   • “If you don’t create your brand, other people will create it for you. Nobody wants that.” —Dr. Kate Campbell (19:02)
   • Helps practitioners stand out, even in saturated markets.

3. Ideal Client Deep Dive: Character Study (21:10)

   • Guides therapists in understanding ideal clients on a deep emotional level.
   • Parallels acting and character development in film to truly embody client perspectives.
   • “It’s not about credentials and models; it’s about connecting with your client’s struggles and desired outcomes.” —Katie Lemieux (22:11)

4. Marketing Message Mastery: Scripting Your Way to Success (22:31)

   • Teaches practitioners how to communicate their value and attract ideal clients with effective, clear messaging.
   • “Marketing and sales are really the same thing—you won’t need a ‘hard sell’ if your marketing does its job.” —Katie Lemieux (23:24)

5. Directory Profile: Box Office Hit (23:58)

   • Step-by-step scripting for high-converting profiles (e.g., Psychology Today) to increase client inquiries in competitive markets.

6. Websites: Coming to a Theater Near You (24:28)

   • Views a website as a “trailer” for your practice.
   • Covers content, design, client experience—whether building new or refining an old site.

7. Marketing Strategies: The Show Must Go On (25:10)

   • Personalizes marketing based on practitioners’ strengths and passions.
   • Emphasizes relationship-building and networking as extensions of therapeutic skills.
   • “The number one marketing skill? Empathy. And that’s what we do all day long.” —Dr. Kate Campbell (26:08)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Each year we keep about doubling our profits and we've actually doubled our profits again in less than six months from last year. And that's all really due to the laser focusing, niche based work that the company does.” —Katie Lemieux (08:06)
• “When you get stuck in creativity, it’s time to remove yourself and go to a place where you feel connected…that’s where the creative juices were.” —Katie Lemieux (10:50)
• “If you don’t create your brand, other people are going to create it for you.” —Dr. Kate Campbell (19:02)
• “It’s this marriage between who you are personally and professionally coming together in one.” —Katie Lemieux (20:34)
• “The number one marketing skill that is needed above everything else is empathy.” —Dr. Kate Campbell (26:08)
• “We want you to have the love relationship with marketing, not a love-hate one.” —Katie Lemieux (25:41)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 05:14 | Announcement of podcast topic: "Pulling Back the Curtain: Private Practice Marketing That Works" | | 06:28 | How and why they shifted focus to branding and marketing | | 08:06 | The impact of niching and focusing their business | | 10:50 | Creative process behind the e-course “aha moment” and course structure | | 13:24 | The course promises and expected results for participants | | 14:17 | Real success stories: Dr. Shaun Davis | | 14:50 | Real success stories: Dr. Andrew Dobo | | 15:47 | Real success stories: Dr. Heather Kuhl’s shift in marketing approach | | 17:49 | Course Module 1: Mindset Mastery – building business around lifestyle | | 19:02 | Course Module 2: Branding – standing out through authenticity | | 21:10 | Course Module 3: Ideal Client Deep Dive: knowing your clients intimately | | 22:31 | Course Module 4: Marketing Message Mastery | | 23:58 | Course Module 5: Directory Profiles | | 24:28 | Course Module 6: Websites as trailers for your practice | | 25:10 | Course Module 7: Choosing marketing strategies that fit your strengths | | 26:08 | Your core marketing skill is empathy |

Flow & Tone

Kate and Katie’s tone is energetic, supportive, and relatable—mirroring their message that marketing can (and should) feel authentic and relationship-based for therapists. They share honestly about their own missteps and successes, and the importance of business self-discovery, celebrating wins, and community support.

Summary Takeaways

• Effective marketing for private practice is less about tactics and more about foundational clarity: mindset, branding, and understanding your ideal client.
• Therapists already possess many of the skills needed to be great marketers—especially empathy.
• Niching and focusing efforts pays off with greater profit, less stress, and more fulfillment.
• Kate and Katie’s e-course is carefully crafted from their own experience, client feedback, and the proven processes they teach—helping practitioners ignite sustainable growth and satisfaction in their private practices.
• The process is fun, creative, and intended to empower therapists to work with clients they truly love.

For more, access resources and connect with Kate and Katie at privatepracticestartup.com.