Standing Out
Landscape
Ohio Launching Decade-Long Longitudinal Study to Examine Behavioral Health Outcomes - Ohio Capital Journal
Changes in California Legislation Have Adverse Effects on Behavioral Health Programs - CalMatters.org
Eight Mental Health Biotech Companies Making a Difference - LABIOTECH
Lesson
Attracting & Retaining Your Best Clients
For your practice, finding and retaining clients can be a multifaceted challenge that requires a strategic and empathetic approach. Building a robust client base begins with a thorough understanding of the target demographic and the unique needs of individuals seeking clinical services. Tailoring outreach efforts to resonate with these needs establishes a solid foundation for client acquisition.
Effective communication plays a pivotal role in client retention. This begins from your first point of contact. Establishing a genuine connection with clients through active listening and empathy fosters trust and a sense of security. This interpersonal bond encourages clients to stay committed to the therapeutic / healing process. Implementing client feedback mechanisms and adapting strategies accordingly demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and client-centered care.
Moreover, staying informed about emerging trends in therapy and healing modalities, as well as cultural nuances enables clinicians to remain relevant and attractive to diverse client populations. Leveraging digital platforms for outreach, education, and communication can also enhance visibility and accessibility. However, it is important not to sacrifice scaling for authenticity - there is a happy medium that blends an active, engaged digital presence and individualized messaging.
Beyond these strategies, maintaining a client-focused mindset is paramount. Regularly evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic interventions, demonstrating cultural competence, and fostering an inclusive and non-judgmental environment contribute to a positive client experience. The ability to adapt approaches to the evolving needs of clients ensures that clinicians and healers remain indispensable partners in their clients' mental health journeys.
In summary, the art of finding and retaining clients in the health and wellness industry demands a combination of market awareness, effective communication, and a commitment to client well-being. By embodying these principles, you can not only attract new clients, but also cultivate mutually beneficial relationships that endure over time.
Life
Admission Marketing: My Response to the BetterHelp Advertising Strategy
Something struck me while watching a YouTube ad the other day.
Because I research and engage a lot with mental health and related areas on the internet, it is not a surprise when I receive a lot of ads for BetterHelp. I see them quite a bit. And while the mental health advocate in me is generally happy to see therapy reach the scale it deserves - the ads themselves stir another response in me.
BetterHelp ads don’t make me feel good.
About going to therapy. Or in general.
The message I keep hearing is ‘it’s okay to not be okay’, ‘is this just me?’ or ‘I never thought I needed this but …” - while valid clinical angles, I would argue they are ineffective consumer-facing marketing tools.
It traces back to a concept I coined during grad school called Guilt Marketing.
Almost every single advertisement you see has one thing in common: the goal is to make you feel good. Montages of friends drinking High Noons in a hot tub. A wife lighting up when she sees a new Lexus in the driveway with a huge Christmas bow on the roof.
Hell - even pharmaceuticals that treat some obscure condition show images of young, happy people, doing the things they love.
The environment around the product is affirming. If you say yes, good things will happen.
In my opinion, if an advertisement does not get you excited or at least in a slightly better mood, it has not done its job. Ads are meant to activate the viewer, not withdraw them.
Nobody wants to see themselves as the depressed person in an ad. The person suffering from panic attacks. The person who is confused, angry, or out of control. While these depictions may be accurate of how we truly feel some days, hitting these nerves, I feel, forces us to pull in.
It’s like the weight loss ad showing the Before photo, but NOT showing the After photo.
The only other advertisement I can think of that leaves us feeling shittier is the Unicef / donation to marginalized population / save the animals genre. Despite being extremely well known, I don’t know if therapy would benefit from being in the same category…
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You don’t have to feel at your lowest to start therapy.
You don’t have to ‘admit’ anything.
You don’t need to be in crisis or, frankly, have anything wrong with you to benefit fully from therapy.
Better Help - I would argue - is not best for those in crisis.
My experience with Better Help was meh. I had a BetterHelp therapist during one of the most intense times in my life and it felt like coaching more than psychotherapy. It didn’t hurt, but it didn’t really help. I was actually able to process my experiences with a better (fit) therapist a year later (not from BetterHelp). The point being - starting therapy isn’t about feeling down. It’s not as simple as marketing decision makers at BetterHelp might think. Therapy can be exciting. (Right? Just me?) Or at least it should be marketed as such. It helps to feel ready, motivated, prepared … to go deeper.
Guilt Marketing has spawned a new subgenre: Admission Marketing.
To get someone to purchase your goods or services, they first must admit - to themselves and others - that they need it. I don’t know about you, but admitting things that might otherwise be sensitive, does not come naturally or easily.
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The BetterHelp messaging does not normalize therapy. Or people who go to therapy. Each commercial isolates the individual who is suffering. It turns into a person alone in space, having an inner dialogue, or staring at their screen in a dark room.
It does not show community.
It does not show friends talking about therapy with each other.
It does not show improved emotional regulation.
It does not show a better relationship with their parents.
It does not show tears of joy when they feel actual change happen.
In my view, it does nothing to reduce the stigma. It does well to display the appropriate intensity of our experiences and provides an option on where to go next. But close the loop.
Make us feel normal for doing this. Because that is what we all crave the most.
When we are in it.