Links
Your guide to launching in 14 simple steps
https://psychologists.drrosie.co.uk/launch-in-14-simple-steps
The Ideal Client Avatar explained
https://psychologists.drrosie.co.uk/the-business-of-psychology/ideal-client-avatar-psychologists-therapists-marketing
Join the Do More Than Therapy Membership
https://psychologists.drrosie.co.uk/the-do-more-than-therapy-membership/
What is a funnel and why do psychologists and therapists need one in their marketing?
If you have decided that you want to do more than therapy in your business, and if you have ever visited a website that talks about “online marketing” it is HIGHLY likely that Facebook now targets you with lots of ads from Californian online marketing tycoons telling you how to create the perfect “funnel”.
It would be very easy to switch off and ignore that messaging because we don’t naturally enjoy the idea of funnelling people. I know I never clicked on anything with that word in it until recently. However, now I understand it, I actually think, a little like the ideal client avatar that we looked at a few episodes back, that we need to know about funnels and how to use them.
Essentially a "funnel" is just another way of talking about the journey someone takes from knowing nothing about you to working with you. It constitutes steps 3 through to 14 of the “14 steps to a simple launch” guide you can download. In my mind I break it down into four stages.
1.Making people aware of you
2. Building know, like and trust or showing them you are an expert
3. Letting them know what you offer and how it could help them
4. Making sure they know exactly how to get it (if they want it).
The idea is to move people through the four stages so they feel confident to buy what you are offering if it lines up with what they need. In this episode I am going to break these down a little to give you an overview of what you are trying to achieve at each stage.
Stage one: Making people aware of you
You may have 7 PhDs and be an absolute professional authority in helping people diagnosed with bi-polar to lead full and rich lives. You may be the best at it and your peers may be really excited that you are making an online course. But if no one who is struggling with bi-polar knows that you are the best at it you are still not going to have anyone to sell your online course to. This is where most of us are when we start out on our journey as we often don’t have much of a public profile and we often don’t really like shouting about our expertise.
Activities for this stage: Blog posts, valuable social media posts, podcasts, videos on social media, in person networking events, press coverage, good search engine optimisation, publishing research, writing a book or a book chapter. You can amplify all of these things using paid advertising once you know what works well. The aim is always to build your credibility and authority so that when people are struggling in a particular area your name comes up.
Stage two: Showing the people that are now aware of you that you are an expert
People need a lot of reassurance before they are willing to consider investing precious time or money in our products or services. This is especially true when it relates to mental health, people who are suffering feel vulnerable and are not going to want to risk taking a course that might make them feel worse. This stage is all about proving that you can help. Depending on the group you are talking to you might also want to emphasise hope for change and showcase stories of resilience and people who have come through difficult times.
Activities for this stage: Getting people onto your email list through downloadable guides, cheat sheets etc or free webinars, value packed emails, highly valuable social media content (in your own group if possible), talking to them individually in your community and in your emails.
Stage three: Letting them know what you offer and how it can help them
This is where you give them clear information about what you are offering, how it can help them in specific and tangible ways. At this stage you are still inviting feedback on your offer and responding to this feedback (that never stops!) This is also a good time to show them the social proof that change is possible and that you have helped people to achieve change in the past.
Activities for this stage: Emails and social media posts explaining what you are doing and the benefits it can bring for people, emails and social media showing social proof, events and webinars that showcase what you are offering (like a free live event that is related to your online course as this helps people understand what working with you would be like)
Stage four: Making sure they know how to get what you are offering
People are busy and often overwhelmed so you need to make it very easy for someone to buy what you are offering. There is plenty of evidence that people don’t read most of their emails and even if they read it, they might not be in a position to click “buy” at that moment. This stage is therefore about making sure nothing gets in the way of someone who wants to buy your product or service.
Activities for this stage: Reminder emails, frequently asked questions posts, videos troubleshooting common problems. I hope this has been a helpful definition of the horrible marketing term “funnel”.
It is helpful to use this alongside the launching in 14 simple steps downloadable guide link above.
As ever please rate, review and subscribe to the podcast and do let me know what you think you can find me in the Do More Than Therapy Facebook group or @rosiegilderthorp on Instagram.
