She had everything going for her:
- 7 years’ experience working with self-harming teens
- She was certified in DBT
- The local hospital referred families to her regularly
- She had great connections with several high school counselors
- Incidents of teen self-harm were unfortunately on the rise
Celeste’s practice should have been thriving.
But it wasn’t.
Why wasn’t it?
Celeste was missing the key ingredient!
What is the key ingredient to niche selection?
There are many factors therapists consider when selecting a niche. Experience is one of them. Training is another. Market opportunity is yet another important consideration.
In Celeste’s case, she had all three. She was trained in a respected evidence-based approach, she had lots of experience with her target population, and she had a market that, unfortunately, was growing. So what was Celeste missing? Why wasn’t her practice growing? Celeste was missing the obvious. She was missing the key ingredient to being successful in any endeavor. Celeste lacked motivation.
Why does motivation matter so much?
Motivation is what keeps you going. Without motivation, you won’t market yourself effectively. Without motivation, you won’t perfect your expertise. Without motivation, you will give your referral sources and clients the distinct feeling that you’re “not really into this.” And that is the kiss of death.
Where does motivation come from?
I used to think that motivation came mostly from passion. While passion works for some people, I’ve seen plenty of therapists highly motivated by other factors, as well. Some are motivated by financial need: the fact that they have a family of five to feed and there is no other income. Some are motivated by the fact that they truly love the folks in their client population. Others are motivated by status. And, yet, working as part of a team motivates others. If their niche requires them to coordinate treatment plans with other professionals, they so enjoy the camaraderie that they do a bang up job. Finally, others are motivated by perfecting a certain modality or therapeutic approach.
Bottom line, where there’s a will, there’s a way. The source of the will doesn’t matter. It only matters that you have it. You must be motivated!
But, but…
I am motivated! But what if there’s no market for what I want to do?
Many therapists have had this concern; however, we have found that when a therapist clearly defines a niche, there is almost always a market. If you’re excited about a certain population or problem, then a niche can be carved out that will work.
What if I’m motivated, but not experienced? How can I hold myself out as an expert?
This is a stumbling block for many of us. Here is what numerous others have found: If you just dive in, you’ll make it work. Note that you do not have to fire your existing clients. And you don’t have to turn down non-niche clients that call. However, if you carve out your new niche and develop a powerful marketing system, you will begin to attract your perfect clients. In so doing, you’ll get more experience, naturally. Once dedicated to your new niche, you’ll find the education you need to become an expert, over time. That is simply the way it works!
Case Study
Let’s get back to Celeste. What did she do with her fledgling practice?
First, Celeste did some soul-searching. It wasn’t easy, but she finally came to the conclusion that all of her experience, education and contacts didn’t matter a hoot because she wasn’t motivated to use it!
In my class, Celeste saw other therapists empowered by their niches. She felt the passion in their marketing messages, and knew, that if she were their potential client, she’d call them immediately.
Celeste had an “Ah Ha” moment. She had already been writing articles for a local magazine. These articles led her to her niche. Celeste decided to work with mature women who were struggling with their sense of purpose after an event such as divorce or the kids leaving home. Since she felt much more connected to this client group, she became motivated, and the marketing became almost fun. Celeste continued to see her existing teen clients, but began to market herself effectively in her new niche. Today, Celeste’s practice is still a mix of the old and the new, but she’s now has more women than teens as clients. Celeste’s niche transition is working!
Summary
In choosing a niche, you should consider:
- Passion
- Experience
- Education and training
- Market Opportunity
But none of that matters if that niche doesn’t motivate you!
Next Steps
When you’re defining your niche, don’t be overly logical. Make sure that you come up with something you really want to do.
Like Celeste, you CAN make your practice one that you want!