Selling the Couch

Today’s session is a conversation about how to navigate guest appearances on podcasts. Whether you have future aspirations to launch a podcast or desire to grow your visibility by appearing on podcasts, this will be a helpful session for you! Podcasting offers possibilities for interesting connections and unimaginable opportunities. Join us to learn more!

Our Featured Guest

Dustin Riechmann

Dustin Riechmann is a new friend with whom I connected on LinkedIn. From an engineering background, Dustin has become an internet marketing and copywriting whiz. His entire niche is focused on helping entrepreneurs pitch themselves to bigger and bigger podcasts, which is a huge accelerant to business growth. Podcasting appearances help you establish social proof and open the doors to partnerships you could never imagine. Dustin shares his background story of coming to this niche and what he has learned along the way. He gives practical insights into crafting pitches to podcasters and much more valuable information on this topic.

You’ll Learn: 

• The steps Dustin took as an engineer, consultant, entrepreneur, and digital marketer before his COVID-forced entrance into the podcasting world
• Why Dustin began guesting on established podcasts instead of starting his own
• How Dustin has used his three elements of a podcast pitch (relational anchors, clear service to the audience, and a clear and friendly call to action) to an 80% success rate
• Why Dustin sees podcast guesting as a specific part of the umbrella of partnership marketing
• Dustin’s mindset shift: “No one else has to lose for me to win. We can all win together!”
• How Dustin approaches his podcast pitch with his three elements, customizing the relational anchors to connect with the host on an authentic and personal level
• An overview of Dustin’s work and the Podcast Pitch Playbook

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

If you have ever considered creating an online course, or if you are already a course creator, you have probably thought a lot about marketing that course. The challenge is how to be thoughtful and creative in marketing your course, which becomes a separate income stream for your business. Starting a podcast is one of the best ways to market your course while creating a solid, compound income stream, and we are talking strategy today as I share what I’ve learned through my experience. Join us!

You’ll Learn:

• Why starting a podcast has been one of the most rewarding personal and professional endeavors of my life
• Why podcasts are the perfect way to produce authentic, evergreen content and establish trust
• How a podcast becomes a way to avoid burnout and take self-care breaks while staying consistent with releasing and re-releasing content
• How podcasts allow dynamic ads, which are pure magic (Captivate makes it easy!) and help build your email list
• How the podcasting format allows pre-roll, mid-roll, and end-roll ads to market your courses/resources consistently
• How the “flywheel effect” serves to compound your efforts over time if you leverage your existing course students on your podcast

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

How you can find Heather’s course, free webinar, and other resources at www.lovefilledlife.com 

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

Today’s session is about leaving psychotherapy for coaching. This transition is one that many therapist colleagues have made, and the reality is that many more are shifting from the field of therapy into coaching. Several major factors play into this decision, and my guest today gives a transparent look at his experience in this transition. Join us to learn more!

Our Featured Guest

Dr. Corey Wilks

Dr. Corey Wilks is a good friend and licensed psychologist who joins us for an open and honest look at his transition from therapy to coaching.  In giving a glimpse into the circumstances and perspectives that led him to make this decision and shift his career, he shares how his career goals have changed over the years, what autonomy means to him, and why it is important. We wrap up by discussing mistakes that therapists often make in this career change and the drawbacks to leaving a traditional career in mental health.

Corey's Website 

You’ll Learn:

• Corey’s career goals back in grad school—and how they have changed
• Understanding autonomy, freedom, and why these are Corey’s top priorities
• Corey’s realizations about therapy, wellness, and burnout
• Considerations in making the shift to entrepreneurship
• The biggest mistake people make in turning from therapy to coaching
• The difference in coaching as a much more solo-based endeavor than therapy
• Corey’s advice to a therapist considering becoming a coach
• The distinction between the roles of therapist and coach—and how Corey navigates “the line”

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

How you can find Heather’s course, free webinar, and other resources at www.lovefilledlife.com 

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

Today’s session is a coaching call, and our main focus is on a struggle that many course creators face. When you are an expert in your course content, how do you find the balance in presenting information without overwhelming your students? I feel sure that every course creator has felt this struggle, so I hope you find today’s call to be helpful.

Our Featured Guest for today’s coaching call:

Heather England, Ph.D., LCP, LCPC, CST, CDWF

Dr. Heather England is a coach, certified sex therapist, and licensed clinical psychotherapist in Overland Park, Kansas. She is part of our online course mastermind, which you can explore at www.sellingthecouch.com/mastermind. Heather is in the process of creating a course on erectile dysfunction, and she has already learned a lot in preparation to launch her course. Her biggest question is how to present her course without information overload for her students. You are invited to listen to the coaching call with Heather and Melvin!

Love Filled Life

You’ll Learn:

• How Heather evolved as a sex therapist and realized the need for more information
• How Heather found the niche for her online course in helping men with erectile issues
• A common mistake that our colleagues make in creating an online course
• How the STC Mastermind course has fast-tracked Heather’s course creation and launch (scheduled to begin in a few short weeks!)
• How Heather’s four-week course is structured with videos, downloadable resources, and a coaching call
• Why Heather is being intentional to allow her students to maintain anonymity if they prefer
• Tool options that can be used to allow students to submit questions to Dr. Heather privately
• Why Heather is struggling to uphold her standards of competency and concrete research without overwhelming her students with information and exercises
• How Heather is approaching a particular module of her course that includes a lot of information
• How to pare down exercises and activities to the most important “Aha moment” for students
• The value of using a survey to get feedback at the end of EACH module–rather than waiting until the end of the entire course
• Heather’s top takeaways from this coaching call and how she plans to implement what she has learned

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

How you can find Heather’s course, free webinar, and other resources at www.lovefilledlife.com 

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

Today’s session is all about rebranding. We are taking a behind-the-scenes look at how different circumstances might affect the business you’ve established and force you to rebrand. Should you view this kind of pivot as a failure? Absolutely not! Let’s explore this topic together.

Our Featured Guest

Kevon Cheung

Kevon Cheung is the founder and head teacher at Small School. He was a previous guest on the podcast several years ago, and I’ve taken his Build in Public Mastery Course to help overcome my fears about posting on social media. I learned a lot of helpful information about creating effective posts on LinkedIn, YouTube, and the STC podcast. Kevon’s wisdom and practical knowledge have helped me lean into vulnerability in many areas. In light of his rebranding from Public Lab to Small School, Kevon shares the pain and difficulties in business building and rebranding, why he felt the need to rebrand, and what he teaches in his online “small courses.” He also explains where he sees course creators stumbling the most. 

Small School

You’ll Learn:

• The painful parts of Kevon’s rebranding process (Changing your identity and “rebuilding what you’re known for”)
• Kevon’s thoughts about working through the inevitable feelings of failure when a change became necessary (How to reframe your mindset about a pivot)
• The biggest mistake course creators make
• Kevon’s #1 piece of advice for entrepreneurs and course creators
• Kevon’s reasoning behind his “all in” attitude about online courses
• Knowing when to add a course as a new offering (Have you validated your expertise with your audience?)
• Where course creators stumble the most–and why the goal is to create an experience that connects, surprises, and delights
• Kevon’s perspective on what a “small course” is

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

Many therapists have created online courses or have thought about creating an online course. It’s one of the best ways to increase your visibility, establish your expertise, and expand your audience and impact in the world. The course creation journey is not an easy one, and it’s full of challenges and ups and downs. Join us for a transparent look at the process from today’s guest!

Our Featured Guest

Linda Murphy, MEd, MA, LMHC

Linda Murphy is a group practice owner in Florida, and she’s a member of the STC Online Course Mastermind group for therapists. Linda is the founder of the Banana Man Society and the Relationship and Divorce Counseling Center. She developed her idea to create a course for dealing with a difficult person because she saw that topic come up often for her clients, and she realized over time that there had to be a better way to distill and share information beyond 1:1 therapy. She created “Banana Man” as a metaphor for dealing with a difficult person–and the Banana Man Society was born. In this session, Linda gives an open, honest look at her course creation journey, along with insights into how she refined her idea. She shares tips and strategies she has learned that might be helpful to others in the course creation process. 

Website

You’ll Learn:

• How to embrace the mindset of connection, support, and collaboration
• How Linda realized in her first career, as a teacher, that connection is more important than content
• How Linda developed the idea for her online course
• The origins of Banana Man as a metaphor for options in dealing with difficult people
• Why Linda created an animated video of the Banana Man story (through the STC Mastermind group)
• Linda’s best tips for others about creating a successful online course:
• Lean into who you are and be authentic.
• Market yourself and be creative with social media.
• Where Linda sees her course going in the future with a specifically targeted niche
• Linda’s thoughts about the impact and benefits of the STC Online Course Mastermind group 

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

Today’s session is in response to a frequent question about optimizing your LinkedIn profile. I don’t pretend to be a LinkedIn expert, but I have learned some valuable lessons in the past two years of using this platform. As I share screens and info with you today, you may find it more helpful to watch the YouTube video rather than simply listen to the audio. So many people are curious about LinkedIn and how to use it best, so I’m happy to share some of my insights today!

You’ll Learn:

• View your profile as a landing page, not a sales page. 
• Tips for your banner (Canva is a great resource!), profile picture, text, and graphics
• My philosophy when trying something new: “Get going, get good, and then get smart.”
• Including credibility and social proof in your LI profile
• Beware of playing the analytics game!
• Taplio is a great resource for scheduling LI posts.
• Structure your “About” section with an emphasis on storytelling.
• Gauge your level of engagement with your ideal client.
• Be clear and simple about your call to action.
• Connect with your audience on a deeper level through your “Featured” section.
• Thoughts about maximizing the impact of your “Activity” section
• Tips for other sections on your LI profile

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

Creating an affiliate program for your online course can make a huge difference in your sales, but there are important things to consider. Being ready to start an affiliate program has prompted me to ask for a lot of advice from creators whose values align with mine. Do you want to know what they told me? Join me for this episode to learn more!

You’ll Learn:

• My explanation of the basics of an affiliate program and how it works
• 5 things successful creators told me to think about:
• Start with a small group of beta testers and get their valuable feedback. (I’m starting with a group of four people.)
• Establish your affiliate’s tax status from the start. (You’ll need to fill out the proper forms.)
• Set up auto payouts and refunds. (Take advantage of systems that make these processes easier. We use Kartra.)
• Think of your course as a way to build a “microphone” for your student, their message, and their social media/email marketing. (This makes it easier to bring in affiliate income.)
• Consider the 80/20 principle. The top 80-90% of your sales will come from the top 20% of your affiliates. (Ask, “What can I create to fuel the top 20% of my affiliates?”)

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

If you've ever thought about starting a podcast but felt overwhelmed by the idea of keeping it up long-term, this episode is for you! Whether you're still dreaming of launching or you've already started and are feeling burnout, I'm here to share the habits that have completely transformed my approach to podcasting. Podcasting can be an incredibly powerful tool to extend your reach and grow your impact beyond the therapy room, but without a sustainable strategy, it’s easy to get caught up in the chaos. In today’s episode, I'll walk you through the 7 simple yet impactful habits that have changed my relationship with podcasting and made this endeavor sustainable for the long haul. Get ready to hear how you can implement these practices into your own podcasting journey and finally create a process that works for YOU!

You’ll Learn: 

• 7 habits that have changed everything for me:
• Design for longevity, not growth.
• Learn how I structure my podcast schedule around the life I want.
• Capture ideas daily.
• I use a private Slack channel to keep podcast ideas and give me a pipeline of new content.
• Follow a repeatable episode outline.
• Establish a framework for solo and guest episodes, and use solo episodes to invite people to your products and services.
• Batch record on off-months.
• I record January and February episodes in November and December and keep 3-6 episodes “in the bank” to create a buffer and flexibility.
• Warm up my voice and energy before recording.
• There are simple habits (tea, deep breathing, diction exercises, etc.) that work to help me treat my podcast like a speaking engagement.
• Promote my own offers first, and not just sponsors.
• Research shows that podcasters are the most trusted media personalities, and inviting people in through dynamic ads is a game changer. (Check out Captivate and the discount available for STC listeners.)
• Engage with listeners on a regular basis.
• Ask listeners what topics they want you to cover. Podcasting is not a one-way street!

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

How do you know if your idea for an online course is a good one? Today’s session kicks off a three-part series about online courses and how to build a sustainable online course as a therapist. The most common question I get is about ideas for online courses. If you’ve thought about launching an online course but have some hesitancy, this episode will be helpful for you. I remember going through the dilemma of choosing course ideas and wondering which ones are good. It was overwhelming, but I found a way to determine if a course idea is good, and I’m sharing what I’ve learned. 

You’ll Learn:

• The best course ideas aren’t invented but are discovered in the questions your people are already asking.
• Three anchors for validating a good course idea:
• Your audience is already dropping clues.
• Pay attention to how you are seen as an expert.
• If someone asks you the same question three times or more, that’s a signal.
• Validate before you build.
• Don’t spend time creating slides without validating your idea.
• Put together a poll or Google form to get feedback. (Fathom.video is a helpful resource!)
• Don’t chase what’s trending; choose what’s enduring.
• Ask, “Will this course idea still be relevant 10-15 years from now?”
• Use AI tools to gather information.
• If you’re looking for a great free resource about your online course, check out our Course Creator Starter Kit.

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.