The therapist (or healer) will pick a niche market that they love. Very often the clinician herself is part of this niche and, as such, is quite attuned to the problems this niche faces. She develops solutions, concepts, ideas, interventions and maybe even products to help this niche. A passion arises. Confidence grows. The calling becomes about ‘getting the word out’ about the solutions to these problems. The therapist, often quite unexpectedly, realizes that she Stands for Something. And she needs to get her message out. She begins to want to help more people – a lot of people.

Without realizing it, she is like a plant who has outgrown her container. She feels a new sense of aliveness and wants to almost evangelize her thoughts. She often has trouble articulating what is happening to her.

But what is happening?

She is ready and beginning to step up into a leadership role with her niche market. And her message? In marketing language this is called ‘a platform.’ It is what you stand on and stand for. It is your unique message.

Whether or not you wish to step up into a leadership role, it is still important to have a platform – to stand for something. You don’t have to want to be a leader to have a platform.

Some therapists start with their platform. They are clear on their message and then design the ideal client that needs to hear that message. Others pick a niche and elicit the problems from that niche. These problems should be:

* Problems the prospective client knows they have and

* Problems the prospective client wants to pay for help with.

From these problems, the platform develops.

So, as your marketing-coach, I invite you to ponder:

1.) What is it you stand for? Your platform?

2.) What is your message?

3.) Can you see yourself moving into a leadership role with your niche?

Casey Truffo, MFT is an award-winning speaker and coach to therapists on five continents. She is the author of Be A Wealthy Therapist: Finally, You Can Make a Living While Making a Difference. Founder of BeAWealthyTherapist.com and the Therapist Leadership Institute, her vision is to teach therapists how to ethically and honestly earn a good living.

If you have any questions, please contact us at (949) 309.2590 or visit our website at http://www.beawealthytherapist.com and http://www.therapistleadershipinstitute.com

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