Webinar: Emailing Prospective Therapy Clients
In this webinar, you will learn the best practices to effectively respond to
emails from prospective clients.
Length: 7:17
Here is the transcript of the webinar: Today, many therapists receive emails
from individuals who are interested in potentially becoming a client. Typically
these emails come through your professional website, therapist directories or a
site like MyTherapistMatch.com. There are many benefits of email, including:
- • Available 24/7
- • Low to no cost
- • Available anywhere
- • Exchange information quickly
There are, however, several problems that arise with email as a method for
connecting with prospective clients. Let's compare an email from a prospective
client to a phone call:
| |
Phone Call |
Email |
Risk with Email |
| Timing |
Immediate communication |
Delayed – dependant on when the therapist receives and responds |
*Inspiration for therapy may have passed *May have found another therapist while
waiting for you to respond |
| Medium |
Voice – therapist can pick up on and respond to tone, mood, etc. |
Written words |
Difficult to pick up on the 92% of communication which aren’t words |
| Conversation |
Two way |
One way |
Therapist can’t ask questions until they respond. No back and forth in real
time. |
| Commitment |
High |
Questionable |
Lowers the chances that the prospective client will respond. |
| Time to first session |
First exchange |
Can require multiple exchanges |
Email can take longer… |
Clearly, contact with a prospective client via telephone is preferable to email,
however, email is here to stay. Here is an example of an email exchange between
a prospective client and a therapist:
Dear Therapist,
I am recently separated (about 2 weeks), I'd like to discuss my shortcomings in
leading to this outcome. Hopefully, identifying and dealing with issues personal
to me.
From,
Prospective Client
The Therapist responded (first attempt)
Dear Prospective Client,
Sure, let me call you and we can discuss this. Can you please send
me your phone number and some good times to call you?
Thank you,
Concerned Therapist
After 3 days, there was no response from the client, so the therapist tried
a different approach and sent this email:
Prospective Client,
I was just wondering if you are still interested in talking with someone about
this. The breakup of a relationship can be such a difficult thing to go through,
fraught with grief and loss and self doubt and confusion.
It is very smart that you want to change the things you may be doing that can
prevent you from having a satisfying relationship.
I work with relationship issues almost exclusively in my practice whether it is
with couples or an individual who is seeking to improve his relationship skills,
so I feel sure that I will be able to help you with this.
Please call me at 310-xxx-xxxx and if I don't pick up then please leave me a
number so I can return the call.
Best
Concerned Therapist
The client responded and ended up meeting with the therapist.
How to respond to potential client email contacts:
- • Respond to emails as soon as possible so to reduce the chance of the
prospective client losing interest, finding another therapist, etc.
- Wear a blackberry or iPhone so that you can get emails on the go.
- • When responding, take your time to write a well thought out response. Since
you can only use words (8% of communication) try to write a response that:
- • Addresses their concern
- • Communicates that you understand that it what they are going through must be
difficult.
- • Establish authority by saying you have experience in their area of concern
- • Ask them for their phone number and times to call.
- • Offer to have the patient call you as a next step, not send another email
- • If you don’t hear back within 2 or 3 days, email them again.