Whether you have a blog on your website, you create a monthly newsletter, you provide articles for your local newspaper, or you contribute to discussion boards — writing is a great way to get your name out there and keep it out there!
The more you write about what you do, the more your expert status will shine through. As people start to see your name attached to helpful information and articles, they will begin to make the association betwen you and your niche.
The problem with writing, is that we all face writer’s block from time to time.
I thought I’d give you some ideas for topics that might e of interest to your readers. I hope this gives you push to sit down and write for a bit. Devoting even 20 minutes a day to writing can yield a lot of exposure for you and your private practice.
A few things your reader’s might find helpful…
- How to choose a therapist
- What can I expect out of counseling?
- 7 tips for getting through the long winter
- How to raise your self esteem
- What to do when someone you love has depression
- How to help your loved on through a panic attack
- OCD basics — what you need to know
- Balancing life and work effectively
- Fighting fair
- When to say “no” to your kids
- What to do when your child is being bullied
- How to beat the “baby blues”
- When is it an “addiction”?
- 9 ways to de-stress your life
Even if you don’t like these… I hope I got you thinking.
Now — START WRITING!!!
Thanks Dr. Legge, good ideas! I think I need to get something like “Constant Contact” to post writings on as well.
@ Laurie – Email marketing resources like Constant Contact or AWeber are great ways to manage your database of readers and to send messages in a sequence, or from time to time. Thanks for pointing that out Laurie!
Deb:
I enjoy writing and have thought about a blog for some time. A blog is easier to do than a monthly newsletter. I also like the idea of contributing to discussion boards as I am on several. However:
1. How do you let people know you have started a blog, i.e. the marketing piece? Should I connect it to my website or use a commerical blog sit? ARe you going to do a blog on the “Art of the Blog?” I’m sure there are rules for writing blogs that differ from writing an essay, for example.
2. The discussion boards I belong to are professional ones. How do I find discussion boards that might be sources of potential clients?
Happy New Year!
Maureen Shea
@ Maureen — It is much easier to focus your marketing — drive people to your website. Doing a blog there gives people a reason to come back to your website time and time again. There are lots of YouTube videos and articles on the web for writing blogs. The best thing you can do is read a few that you like (I read Seth Godin’s blog and a few others every day) for ideas about style. Essentially, the blog is an extension of you — it is you talking to your followers. So, you just really need to be you!
With regard to discussion boards, let’s say your specialty is anxiety. You can join anxiety discussion boards and see what folks are talking/worrying/asking about. You can offer your insights to be helpful, and then if you come up with a program or product that will help them, you will have that audience.