I’ve written a lot about how, as clinicians, we have clients and we have “customers”. Out clients are the focus of our face-to-face hours, but our “customers” and the ones who send us our clients. Our customers include physicians, attorneys, educators, other therapists, clergy, agencies… the list goes on and on.
Keeping a full-book not only requires great relationships with your clients; as a private practitioner, it also means that you must develop and maintain great relationships with your referral sources. You must provide ongoing value and stay on their radar.
Newsletters are THE BEST way I know of staying in touch. Clients love a newsletter because it helps them to feel more connected to you and they get some great information from you on a regular basis. The client-newsletter is often appreciated by your current clients, but it is also a fantastic way to bring in more clients.
Your client-newsletter should be in every waiting room, on every bulletin board, and perhaps even offered to your referral sources as a “health-related” mailing for their employees/clients/customers/students/etc. People not only read newsletters, but they have great “pass-along” value — people pass them on to others who will then have your contact information and know about your services.
The other type of Newsletter I would encourage you to consider is a customer-related newsletter. This is a newsletter that goes out to all of your referral sources. It provides an ongoing relationship and connection as well as helpful information, not only about your business and what you have to offer, but also about topics that might benefit them as well.
Written correctly, the customer-newsletter will be anticipated and welcomed. If you skip a month, you should get a few phone calls from people letting you know they didn’t get their newsletter that month.
Like everything else, there are certain things that make some newsletters more effective than others. I think you’ll be as surprised as I was to hear what those things are. I’ll give you one here —
No more than 40% of your Newsletter content should be relevant to your business
Hmmm… I know, that too me back, too. But now I understand. And I’ll share that understanding as well as other great tips in my next post.
It’s 9:15 and I’m on my way to attend the last day of a great marketing conference. I came to give me more ways to help you develop your practice; to find marketing strategies that work in our industry. I’m tempted to skip out at see beautiful downtown Chicago, but this conference is really almost too good to miss.
I can’t wait to share my experience with you!
Hi Deb,
Thanks for this tip! I love your blog and you really do inspire me. Because you send me great information for free, it makes me want to pay you for more (great marketing tip).
Linda, I’m happy to share all I’ve got. Thanks for your kind comment. I hope I can continue to be helpful to you.
Hi Dr. Legge!!
Your site was forwarded to me by Linda (above comment). She prompted me into Life Coaching a few years ago. I am now a Life Coach and I wanted you to know that your weekly inspirations for professionals has been applicable for me too in my business. Even though I work out of my home you have given me many ideas already as to how to increase my business and I have only been getting your letters a short while.
Thank you so much
Dixie
Hi Dixie and thanks for the kind words. I’m thrilled I can be of help to professionals in other disciplines. We are all in the business of providing value to our clients/customers, right? Good luck in your business!
Thanks Dr. Legge for the the great info. You mentioned in one of your blogs about the provider you use to get you on insurance panels which only charges $75 per insurance company. Would you be willing to shar which company that is. Thanks
Hi Felicia. Actually the source I use is Helping Hands (a division of Leggecy Enterprises). In full disclosure (and with pride) I can tell you that is Jim Legge, my husband, who has been doing practice management for several years. Jim provides rental space and a wide range of practice management services including credentialing for professionals in many professions. You can reach Jim at: JimLegge@choiceonemail.com or 716/204-5552 x 404.
I can vouch for Helping Hands. Jim was able to get me on several insurance companies and saved me the frustration, time, and annoyance of going through the insurance bureaucrac nightmare. Now that I’m doing a counseling practicum for my doctorate at a large agency that uses insurance as its main source of income, I am aghast at the amount of paperwork required for each client. I may see a client for 50 min. sessions but I easily spend another 50 mins. doing the forms! I am not doing even a third as much paperwork for insurance clients in my private practice, thank goodness or I would be ready to get off all panels.
@ Maureen — thanks for the kind words about Helping Hands (http://www.leggecyenterprises.com). Jim loves to help clinicians so they can use their time doing what they do best.
One of the biggest perks of private practice (over working in most agencies) is a lot less paperwork! Enjoy your new found time (when you finally have some) Maureen.