Episode 22: How to Market a Cash-Pay Private Practice (with Whitney Owens)

While insurance companies take care of the majority of  client referrals for insurance-based practices, marketing a cash-pay only private practice is a different ball game! Generating your own leads can be a challenge, and we want to give you the basics to get started.

Today, Julie is joined by Whitney Owens, a Licensed Professional Counselor and Private Practice Consultant in Savannah, Georgia. In addition to running her practice, she offers individual and group consulting through Practice of the Practice. Whitney places a special emphasis on helping clinicians start and grow faith-based practices. She hosts a podcast to help faith-based practice owners called the Faith in Practice Podcast!

Episode Highlights:

• Draw your clients in with an eye-catching website
  • Focus on your SEO (Search Engine Optimization), hire a professional to make sure your website has an eye-catching look, make sure you clearly explain that you are cash-pay only on your website (not on the home page
• SEO Conversion
  • Make sure to utilize your SEO on whichever website platform you use in order to generate organic leads
  • Online reviews help boost SEO conversion - reach out to friends, family, and neighbors to leave you positive and genuine reviews in order to build up your SEO. Then, continue to ask your clients to write reviews towards the end of their sessions.
• Referral relationships are important
  • Take time to attend functions to meet people
  • Invite potential referral partners out for coffee
  • Continue to reach out to prospective referral sources
  • Consistency is key!
• Phone Services
  • Make sure you have someone who can consistently answer the phones and turn those calls into clients
  • Ensure your staff knows how to discuss being cash-pay only - they should be knowledgeable in explaining why you are cash-pay only, superbills, and how out of network benefits work
• How much should someone spend on marketing?
  • This depends on how you are trying to grow
  • SEO and website optimization is a great investment
  • Focus more on creating genuine connections with referral sources rather than trying to run ads all over the place
• Make sure to measure your marketing
  • Track metrics to know where your leads are coming from and what areas of your marketing are most effective - intake calls, Google searches, doctors referrals, etc.
  • KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
    • Google Analytics
    • Social Media (Facebook & Instagram offer metrics)
    • Email Tracking

Links & Resources:
Water's Edge Counseling
Practice Of The Practice - Whitney Owens
Practice Of The Practice - Group Practice Boss
Faith In Practice Podcast
Clockwork by Mike Michalowicz
GreenOak Accounting
Therapy For Your Money Podcast