Private Practice Marketing Strategies That Are Key to Successful Hiring

Have you ever wondered what are the private practice marketing strategies that are key to successful hiring? If you have ever felt frustrated after you hired someone to manage your website, social media, or email, then read on my friend. An editorial calendar and content calendar are  not things we really think about as counselors, but I’m going to show you why they are vital to your marketing AND hiring strategies. 

Private Practice Marketing Strategies That Are Key to Successful Hiring

The Editorial Calendar for content

My business coach Jenny Melrose introduced me to editorial and content calendars. An editorial calendar is a way to pre-plan an entire year with themes and ideas. A content calendar is usually only one month ahead and is populated with specific posts and emails. You can watch me walk you through mine here.

Before I created an editorial calendar, I struggled with inspiration and consistency. It would be May and Mental Health Awareness month so I would plan tons of engaging posts and informative emails. Then I would pat myself on the back for being engaged and consistent. Then it would be June and I’d have to do it all over again. Eventually I went back to my former inconsistent self because I was doing it all on the fly and only when I felt inspired.

Then I thought, (cue Charlie Foxtrot) “Oh, I know what will fix this. I’ll hire somebody.” Spoiler alert: It didn't fix that. And it wasn't my former assistant's fault; it was mine! The person I hired couldn’t do their job because they couldn’t read my mind. I hired them to be my voice, but because I didn’t onboard them with an editorial calendar, I was culpable. After all, they can't read my mind and describe what therapy can do the way I can.

The Editorial Calendar for Onboarding 

Incorporating an editorial and content calendar into your standard operating procedures and onboarding processes makes hiring amazing. Here's a simple plan that will get you started:

• Create a dedicated folder in Google Drive.
• Sit down with a calendar and a spreadsheet (I use Google apps to keep everything in one place) and decide on a theme for each month. Shoot for six months minimum.
• Start with a month that will inspire you and write down a topic based on your theme for each week. 
• Finally, create two email subject lines, and two social media posts for each week based on your theme and weekly topic.

Here are some examples:

“5 coping strategies for that Thanksgiving dinner with your in-laws”

“How I define an apology”

“What’s a boundary anyway?”

“10 ways to say I love you when your partner's love language is words of affirmation”

Marketing Your Private Practice

When you hire that special someone to help you market your private practice, don't blame your new hire if you lose your voice and your brand. Instead train them to use your editorial and content calendars as part of your onboarding procedures. Editorial calendar and content calendars may be new ideas for practice owners, but they are vital to your marketing AND hiring strategies. 

Blog post by Kate Walker Ph.D., LPC/LMFT Supervisor

Looking for resources for your supervision practice? Get the Essential Guide for Self-Employed Mental Health Professionals: