Four Marketing Strategies Therapists Must Master to Grow a Private Practice
Whether you're just starting out in private practice or looking to grow an existing one, understanding the full client journey—from first contact to ongoing care—is essential. In this post, we’ll walk through the key stages that turn interest into action, and action into lasting therapeutic relationships. From generating quality leads to following up with inactive clients, each step plays a critical role in building a thriving, sustainable practice.
Lead Generation
This is the very first step in bringing in a client. Simply put, it’s the process of putting your services out into the world and hoping people reach out because they’re interested. For example, you create a Psychology Today profile, publish it, and ideally, someone calls and schedules with you. That’s lead generation—getting the right people (your ideal clients) to express interest in your services. The more leads you generate, the more opportunities your practice has to grow.
But not all leads are created equal. What we really want are high-quality leads—people who are a good fit for your services and who you can genuinely help.
Here are a few lead generation strategies:
Easy and Cost-Effective
Directory Listings
Psychology Today
Alma
Zencare
Therapy Den
Google My Business
Networking
Responding to ISO (In Search Of) posts
More Involved/Costly (in Time and/or Money)
Google Ads
Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Ads
SEO
Website Development
Social Media Marketing
2. “Sales”
Yep, cringe now. Most therapists don’t love the idea of being in “sales.” It sounds uncomfortable and maybe even unethical. But here’s the truth: when a potential client reaches out—whether for a free consult or more information—you are guiding them through a process that shares similarities with sales. You’re helping them move from interest to action.
Of course, we’re not talking about pressure tactics or compromising your ethics. But many therapists fall short during this stage and lose out on clients—not because of their clinical skills, but because they didn’t manage this process well.
Key follow-up and “sales” activities include:
Responding quickly to the initial outreach
Using automations like text responses or call routing
Managing leads through a CRM (Customer Relationship Management system)
Following up consistently over time
Checking insurance benefits on their behalf
Answering questions in a timely manner
Making it easy for clients to contact you and schedule
I am currently offering access to the CRM I am using to anyone who is ineterested. Book a free call with me to learn more.
Active Client
Once a lead becomes an active client, you’re in your zone. This is where your clinical work takes over, and you’re doing what you do best: providing care.
Inactive/Fell-Through Clients
If you’re tracking your leads in a CRM, you’ll end up with a list of what we call “warm leads”—people who expressed interest but didn’t convert. Maybe someone emailed you after finding you on Psychology Today, you responded, but never heard back. Don’t just let those leads disappear.
Keep them in your CRM pipeline, and periodically follow up. A quick check-in email or text can go a long way. You’d be surprised how often a simple follow-up re-engages someone who was interested but got distracted.
Growing a successful practice isn’t just about being a great therapist—it’s also about understanding how clients find you, how they decide to work with you, and how to stay connected with those who might come back later. By paying attention to each stage of the potential client journey, you’re setting yourself up not just for more referrals, but for a practice that runs smoothly, ethically, and sustainably. Start where you are, and keep refining as you go.
If you are interested in working together with me, I would love to hear from you. Book a free call below.
