Someone
recently contacted me to find out more information about hypnotherapy and
whether hypnosis could help him to achieve a particular goal. We chatted for a
while, and I gave him some information about hypnotherapy and how I use
hypnosis and therapeutic guided imagery to help my clients achieve various
vocational and avocational self-improvement goals. At the end of our
conversation, he wanted to know if there was anywhere he could read more
information about my experience as a certified hypnotherapist so he could make
a decision about whether to give hypnotherapy a try. I gave him my business
card and brochure and referred him to my website (www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com)
so he could read more about me and what I do.
After
we said goodbye, I thought about our conversation in the context of the best
and most effective ways to disseminate information not just about my practice
but hypnosis and hypnotherapy in general. Even though it is becoming a more
mainstream therapy, I am aware that people are still a little wary about
hypnosis. They want to know if they will become vulnerable to some kind of mind
control or manipulation while they are in hypnosis. Will they do or say
something stupid or embarrassing, or break a confidence or reveal a bank
pass-code while they are in-state? (The answer is no, no, no and no.) But the
fact that these concerns remain prevalent suggests to me that my colleagues and
I need to continue to share the facts and dispel the myths about what we do.
One of the best
ways to do this is through conversations with people about what we do. Here are
some suggestions for the most effective ways that I have found to share this information:
·
Advertise and write blogs/articles: I limit my
advertising budget to a few equestrian-themed publications. However, I write a hypnotherapy-themed
blog just about every night to keep spreading the word about the many ways
hypnosis and John Kappas, Ph.D.’s model, Theory of Mind, are generally relevant
to daily life. I specifically tailor the topics of my essays to illustrate how the
therapeutic techniques I learned or behaviors I studied during my training and
continuing education at the Hypnosis Motivation Institute are relevant to my
(and your!) daily life. I let people know when I have written a new blog by posting
a short “announcement” about it on Twitter and on my personal and business
Facebook accounts. I also provide a link that will take you directly to the
blog on my website.
·
Business cards and brochures: These are still
among the most effective (and immediate) ways to promote your practice. I
always carry business cards with me to give out. I have “rented” space at my
local tack store to display my cards for prospective equestrian clients, and my
bank does this for me, for free!
·
Donate hypnotherapy session(s) or handwriting
analysis: Hypnotherapy sessions and/or formal handwriting analyses are unusual
(and intriguing) prizes in a silent-auction or raffle at a fundraiser or social
event. The best way for people to learn about hypnosis is to experience it.
·
Dress code: Hypnotherapists, as therapists,
follow professional codes of ethics and conduct. Wear clothes that best
represent what you do as a therapist and your commitment to this work of
helping your clients achieve their goals.
·
Marketing materials: When I am out running
errands on the weekend, I typically wear a baseball cap with my company name
and website on it. I want people to ask me about the words they are reading so I
can tell them about what I do and how hypnosis is an effective tool to help
people change undesired behaviors.
·
Network in the community: Introduce yourself to local
chiropractors, masseuses, hair-stylists, yoga instructors, your bank, dry
cleaners, etc. Let people know what you do, where you are located and how much you
charge for your sessions. Even other hypnotherapists can be a great source of
referrals if you specialize in different areas than they do: e.g., hypnosis to improve
sports performance versus smoking cessation.
·
Professional affiliations: Keep up your
professional affiliations, such as the American Hypnosis Association, the
Hypnotherapists Union, your local chamber of commerce, etc. In addition to
providing professional support these organizations will often “link” the
website for your practice with theirs. (Be sure to return the favor!)
·
Professional referrals: At some point in our
career as a hypnotherapist, we may need to refer a client to a licensed medical
doctor or mental health worker for further evaluation or to provide assistance
that is out of our scope of expertise. Similarly, once the physician has ruled
out any medical causes of his patient’s headache, he may refer the patient to
you as a hypnotherapy client so you
can help him manage the stress that causes his pain.
·
Promote your practice through social media: I am
active on Twitter and Facebook and write/post about various topics. Of course, I
have provided information about my practice, Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, on these
accounts. However, it is not necessary to “talk shop” all the time to get
attention for your practice. Several of my Twitter followers have become
specifically interested in what I do, but only after we had been communicating
about our mutual interests for many months.
·
Website: A good website goes a long, long way to “market” you to a wide
population. Be sure to update the site periodically by posting new client
referrals, updating your professional certifications and even changing the photographs
or design to refresh the search programs.
Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in
Southern California. She graduated with honors from the
Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about
Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.
© 2014
