Five Steps to Developing Your Brand Identity as a Therapist

The first step in developing your brand identity is identifying what your identity is. What makes you unique as a therapist?

• Specific training or credentials
• Working with special populations (i.e., disabled individuals, geriatrics, individuals with addictions, middle-aged women)
  

Next, identify the target audience for this brand. Who needs your help? What is their gender? Age? Work status? Where do they live? What do they read/watch? What other professionals or companies serve these clients? (Schools, churches/clergy, physicians, other therapists, nonprofit organizations)

Cultivate a list of outcomes these clients can expect -- what are the results?

Develop your message: What do you want to say to your target client? What problems can you help solve for them?

Next, develop your messaging strategy -- how do you want to communicate with your prospective clients? (website, brochures, newsletters, articles, public speaking engagements, fact sheets, fliers, posters, banners, magazine ads?).

Finally, develop your "product" -- what services or product will you deliver them to generate revenue? These can include: individual sessions, groups, phone coaching, on-site consultation, tapes, books/booklets, etc.

These are the first steps to marketing your practice online and offline.