SelfhelpMagazine

by Charles H. Browning, Ph.D. and Beverley J. Browning, Ph.D.
reviewed by Rose Piper LaCroix

Self-help Product Review Rating Scale (1=low 5=high)
Clarity: (5)
Practicality: (5)
Target-Audience:	Private practitioners

Are you looking for a step by step guide to help you build and maintain a successful private practice comprised primarily of private pay clients? Well, look no further. In the best selling Private Practice Handbook you will find a wealth of ideas, with easy-to-follow instructions on everything from brochure development to marketing strategies designed to attract referrals from a variety of referral sources.

According to the Dr's Browning, "For maximum practice security at least 60% of your practice should be comprised of clients who are able to pay your full fee. To attract cash-paying clients you need proven ethical and effective marketing techniques."

As a consultant I believe it is important to pass valuable information on to the clinicians with whom I work. Over the last 10 years I have read many books on this subject and the Private Practice Handbook remains my favorite. I tell my clients, "if you will invest in this book, then select 5 to 10 ideas that you feel personally and professionally comfortable implementing, and apply consistent daily effort, you will be successful." I know this sounds simplistic, but it really does work.

Every idea in this strategy-packed Handbook has been tested and proven successful by many therapists and psychiatrists throughout the country. It is full of what I call "Universal Truths" about building and maintaining a practice from the ground up. Whether you're just getting started or you are just trying to cope with the changes managed care has created, you will find methods that will make your marketing efforts fruitful. Even if you don't feel comfortable wearing your marketing hat, you will save both time and money by avoiding costly mistakes and pitfalls that are commonly made by many of your colleagues.

Here are just a few of the topics covered:

How to save money when setting up the new practice. The do's and don'ts of a successful practice. Getting new clients from workshops and seminars. 12 methods for keeping the practice thriving. Announcements that work and don't get trashed. How to generate new referrals from physicians. Ways to increase your caseload from client word-of-mouth referrals. 20 techniques for bringing in more practice income. 26 case studies showing how the busiest clinicians attract a steady flow of full-fee cash paying clients. A short course on creating a compelling brochure for your practice.

Although I make no money from the sale of these books, I offer them for sale at all of my seminars. I always feel that the extra effort is worth it because the response has always been tremendous. One therapist describes it as "a blueprint for survival in private practice." Now in it's 12th printing (and it's 4th edition) the Private Practice Handbook is a tool that should be kept-not on your bookshelf- but on your desk where you can refer to it often. Use it as your guide to develop a clear, concise plan of action that will help you to thrive in private practice. As someone has wisely said, "if you want to do good, then you must do well." This manual will help you do both.

Rose Piper LaCroix has 10 years of marketing experience in building private practices for mental health professionals. You won't get a lot of philosophy about marketing because she believes in a nuts and bolts approach to building and maintaining a private practice. You can reach her at (909) 989-7006 PST.