How to Get Private Pay Therapy Clients
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If you’re looking to attract private pay clients to your private practice, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, find out how to get private pay clients through your website, other marketing initiatives, and more.
There are several benefits to having private pay clients on your caseload, including:
- No limits on how many sessions you can have with a client (many insurance companies put a cap on the number of sessions for each client)
- The ability to charge a higher rate and see fewer clients
- Less admin work (since you won’t need to bill insurance and file claims), and increased flexibility
With that in mind, here are five tips for how to get private pay therapy clients.
Tip #1: Carve out a niche
Here’s the deal: As much as many of us want to be available to a wide audience, people don’t typically pay premium rates for generalists in any type of health care setting.
Think about client readiness here. If you have a splinter and need to go to the doctor, you’re probably willing to wait until Monday so that you can use your insurance and pay less, even though the splinter is bothersome.
Well, what if you broke your arm? Are you still going to wait until Monday to see your general practitioner and pay less with insurance? No, you’re probably going to jump in the car and head to the emergency room because you have higher motivation and need to see someone who can help you.
In this case, you’re willing to pay for the appropriate avenue of specialized services. The same concept can apply to therapy.
Your niche will drive how to start your own private practice and build it. Truly, niching is a key step for how to get private pay clients.
Identifying your niche will give you direction on what training you will benefit from pursuing—rather than just trying to get a certification because it’s popular or what everyone is doing right now.
Having a specialized niche will also allow you to set a competitive rate, build out your client experience, drive your marketing messaging, and build an intentional network.
To find your niche, focus on what sets you apart from others. Your niche will evolve over time, so don’t get too caught up in whether or not you will want to work with this population forever.
However, in general, focus on the following elements to set your niche when determining how to get private pay therapy clients:
- Diagnosis
- Gender
- Age
- One other key characteristic
For example: “I work with mothers between the ages of 30 to 45 who have experienced childhood trauma and are looking to build healthier relationships with their children.”
Tip #2: Develop an aesthetically pleasing and compelling website
Many clinicians get overwhelmed when it comes to building out their websites, but it’s often the first thing clients see when they are considering working with a therapist. You only have one chance to make a great first impression.
If web design isn’t your thing, consider working with a web designer. However, if you’re DIY-ing, be sure to include a homepage, about me, services, contact, and a blog.
In regard to aesthetics, remember that clients aren’t clinicians. They won’t know what certain jargon means, and unless you’re marketing to other therapists, they won’t be impressed. Be specific in your language and use lists where you can to make information easy to read and understand.
Additionally, consider getting professional branding pictures or headshots done. There are plenty of options for photographers with varying price points, and an engaging picture is incredibly effective in conveying who you are to a client.
If a client is going to pay you a higher rate and invest in your business, they expect to see the same level of professionalism reciprocated in your marketing. A balance of pictures and words on a page will help break up paragraphs on your website, making it more visually appealing.
You may also want to include testimonials from satisfied clients. Be sure to consult with your ethics board on this and have a conversation with your client before posting their words to the public, but a strong testimonial goes a long way.
Tip #3: How to get private pay clients through search engine optimization (SEO)
If you’re just getting into the marketing game of starting a mental health private practice, the term search engine optimization (SEO) may be new to you. But it can be a game changer for your content that you put online (aka, your website, social media, directory listings, blog articles, etc.).
SEO is how your content talks with Google—giving it the potential to show up on page 1 or page 95 when a client is searching for a therapy provider. It’s an excellent tool to utilize in how to get private pay clients.
Here are several avenues for ensuring your SEO is serving your business:
Hire an agency
Your first option is to hire a separate agency to do this work for you. If you go this route, try to learn the basics of what you’re looking for so that you know what to ask for. SEO is a hot topic right now and you want to be sure you’re getting what you pay for.
Take a class
The second option is to take a class and learn more about SEO yourself. For new business owners who are just learning how to start a private practice, this is often money well invested.
Do-it-yourself
The third option is to DIY what you can find on YouTube. If this is the option you’re pursuing at this time, then look for information about relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and alt text for your images.
Also, be sure to add keywords to your website, social media, and any other information you are putting out online.
Tip #4: Master the art of storytelling in your marketing
People connect with other people much easier than they connect with a blank slate. While it may be an effective therapeutic tool in the clinical relationship, it’s not an effective strategy when it comes to how to get private pay therapy clients.
Instead, take time to reflect on your story and your “why.” When you’re working on how to get clients in private practice, consider why you do this type of work.
Rather than a general “I want to help everyone,” try to tie your “why” to your own story. This is a much more compelling read as clients are reading through dozens of clinicians. They will always want to work with someone who “gets them.”
You want to be sure to include some of this storytelling in your professional bio, as this is the first opportunity to grab a potential client’s attention.
Marketing agencies refer to this as a “niche statement” or your elevator pitch. Other elements of a strong bio include your relevant education, training, and personal interests or anecdotes.
Again, your goal is to share who you are authentically so that a potential client will relate to you when they’re a good fit. Clients who pay private pay rates aren’t looking for someone that says, “I work with depression, anxiety, and PTSD, and can meet you where you’re at to get you where you want to be.” While this may be true, it doesn’t give them anything of substance to connect with.
Tip #5: Crafting a client experience
Lastly, you want to craft a professional client experience. This should begin from the moment a client finds you online and decides to reach out.
Think about the client journey here. Having systems in place once you have onboarded a client, like an electronic health record (EHR), is critical. This can automate tasks like scheduling a consultation call, sending email confirmations, and payments and billing.
You will also want to ensure that you are communicating with your clients professionally. From the consultation call, to scheduling, to email communication in-between sessions, you want your client to feel comfortable and valued so they are building rapport with you.
Other aspects of a client experience you want to ensure you have thought about are:
- Secure and encrypted data storage: This not only maintains HIPAA compliance but also ensures clients are comfortable sending you their information.
- Secure communication: Encrypted messaging for confidentiality.
- Billing and payment: Enable automatic billing online for convenience.
- Resource sharing: Provide clients with access to educational materials and forms.
- Balanced caseload: Ensure you have a balanced number of clients so you are protecting yourself from burnout. Clients paying private pay expect you to be on your A-game.
How to get private pay clients to maintain a thriving practice
Attracting private pay clients involves carving out a niche, developing an aesthetically pleasing and compelling website, mastering SEO, including storytelling in your marketing, and crafting a professional client experience.
These strategies on how to get private pay clients are essential for setting up a private practice that thrives. Implement these tips to build a successful practice, attract the clients you want to work with, and maintain a sustainable and rewarding career.
Register today for our free webinar, on Thursday, August 22 at 12:00 PM PT, to learn more about setting your new private practice up for success.
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