When healing professionals market their practice, they often attempt to cover all bases by trying to appeal to all types of people with all sorts of problems. Often this stems from a fear that if you dont attract everyone you wont fill your private practice. While there are successful generalists out there, in the current competitive market it is wise to target your marketing efforts to a specific population(s) you want to work with. Why is this the case? In the first place, people like to hire those who they view as being experts because there is an expectation that they will then get the best service possible. Think of what you do when hiring someone. For example, if you had chronic back pain and had a choice between hiring an alternative health practitioner who was a generalist or someone who specialized in that area, who are you more likely to hire? Second, you will have a better idea of where to market your private practice if you know who you are marking to. For example, if you treat pregnant women, you can target your marketing to those specific groups instead of focusing on the general population which wont be as effective. Third, targeting a specific market makes it easier for people to find you and understand how you might help them. In the long run, you will become better known for what you do, attract more suitable clients, and provide a higher quality service. In the end, this is better for your clients in addition to being better for your pocketbook. |
