WP 24 | The do's and don't of paid advertising with Joshua Brummel

In this episode of the Wise Practice Podcast, Whitney Owens interviews Joshua Brummel, co-founder of Therapy Flow, about the dos and don'ts of paid marketing advertising in counseling practices. Joshua shares his journey of transitioning from the corporate marketing and sales space to working with cash-pay counselors, and how Therapy Flow came to be. He also explains the concept of paid advertising and its evolution from traditional newspaper ads to digital platforms. Here are the main takeaways from the podcast:

1. The Importance of Niche Selection

Joshua highlights the importance of selecting a niche when building a counseling practice. Choosing an industry or population to specialize in can help build a solid business foundation and provide expertise in that area. He says, "You know, counselors talk all about all the time, like choosing a niche or choosing an industry to build a really good business around. And we decided to go all in on counselors with Therapy Flow specifically, you know, a number of years ago, so that way we could best serve our population, become even deeper experts on what we do."

• Action Step: Consider selecting a niche or industry to build your counseling practice around, as it can help build a solid business foundation and provide expertise in that area.

2. Understanding Paid Advertising

Paid advertising is a way of promoting your business to a larger audience by paying for ads on digital platforms like Google or Facebook. Joshua explains how this works: "There are a couple large platforms out there that have risen to the surface as the best place to pay for your slots. That's kind of what I'm talking about. So there are lots of ways to pay for your advertising. But for this, we're gonna focus on the ones that have shown themselves to be the most profitable or the most competent on getting your digital ads or your digital goods, so to speak, in front of users at a mass level." Typically, Google and Facebook ads are effective platforms for reaching clients for therapy practices.

• Action Step: Research digital platforms like Google or Facebook and learn how paid advertising works, so you can determine if it's a viable option for your counseling practice.

3. Dos and Don'ts of Paid Advertising

When it comes to paid advertising, there are certain things you should do and others you should avoid. Joshua shares some dos and don'ts to keep in mind:

Do's:

1. Do define your target audience clearly.

2. Do use specific and relevant keywords.

3. Do include a clear call-to-action (CTA).

4. Do test and experiment with different ad formats and messaging.

5. Do track your results and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Don'ts:

1. Don't use generic or vague language in your ads.

2. Don't neglect your landing page or website experience.

3. Don't overspend or bid too high on keywords.

4. Don't use false or misleading claims in your ads.

5. Don't neglect the importance of building and maintaining your online presence beyond paid advertising.

Overall, paid advertising can be a powerful tool for counseling practices to reach a wider audience and grow their businesses. By selecting a niche, understanding how paid advertising works, and following best practices, counselors can create effective marketing strategies that help them achieve their business goals.

Links and Resources

• My Therapy Flow

• My Therapy Flow Instagram: @therapyflow

• My Therapy Flow YouTube: @therapyflow

• My Therapy Flow Facebook: @therapyflow

• Wise Practice Facebook Community Group

• Whitney Owens on Instagram

• Visit Whitney Owens Consulting

• Email your questions to Whitney

Show notes and podcast production by James Marland