1. Brand Yourself and Promote Your Business in Play Therapy
Presented by: Emily Lewis and Chrissy Pate

2. Objectives
Learn how to optimize your play therapy website to brand yourself
Understand how to use blogging to promote yourself as a play therapist
Learn how to streamline your play therapist social media pages and efforts to make the biggest impact
Identify different referral methods and follow up for you play therapy business

3. Topics We Will Cover Website SEO Blogging Social Media
Eblasts/Newsletter
Referrals
Follow ups
Misc. Topics

4. Why Brand Yourself
Can’t Help People if They Don’t Know About You

5. Websites Should You Use Your Own Website or Your Company’s
Will you always be working for the same organization
What if you need more clients and they are not helping
What if you want to do other things….speaking events, articles, and want to promote yourself
You can still use your company’s site but you won’t lose momentum if something changes
You might want to check with your company and see if they allow this

6. Branding
What is Branding: creating a name, symbol or design that identifies you business
Do I brand my name or my business name?
If you don’t own your own company: use your name
If you own your own company: pick one to start with
What are your goals? 
Brand the other after you get started

7. Website Options WordPress: Easiest platform to use Most cost effective
Most used platform
Easy to hire help and cheaper
Easy to search for help on a topic
Don’t use free versions with ads
You get what you pay for

8. Website Cost Cost Domain name: Hosting: Design and setup-$500 one time
GoDaddy.com: under $10 yearly
Brand your domain name (Name or company)
Don’t let it expire
Hosting:
What allows organizations and individuals to post a website onto the Internet. It holds your website.
Blue Host:  $50 yearly
Shared hosting: get basic package
Design and setup-$500 one time

9. How to Design Website What to Include Where to Put Things
Name, logo, contact info, pictures
Most important things you offer should have tabs
Where to Put Things
Contact info visible
Easy to navigate
What not to Have
Music!
Too many images
Too much scrolling

10. How to Design Website Cont.
Think about being a consumer
Where would you want things?
Have someone test this out on your site first
Look at other websites to get ideas on what you like and don’t like
Make sure your website has a responsive design
Mobile friendly for example
Client Forms-print at home and bring in, saves time!
Possibility to schedule appointment online

12. SEO
What is it: Search Engine Optimization: free or organic web traffic from search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.)
How does it work? Your website needs to tell the search engines the right information so people can find you

13. Words Matter What words are you using: Use exact words and in order
Play Therapist in Kansas City Mo. 
Kansas City Play Therapist
Play Therapist in KCMO
What words you use matter
Early childhood center vs daycare
Prenatal yoga vs Pregnancy yoga
What are people looking for on search engines: don’t forget location
Make a list yourself 
Ask your friends
What is your competition doing
Tools to help you decide

14. Where you use these words matter
Titles
Beginning of content
Don’t over use!
Be natural
Example: As a Play Therapist in Kansas City I have had many parents come in and ask for advice on….
Label your image
End with a short about me paragraph that includes keywords. 
Include: picture, labeled, name or company name and what you do
Links: use appropriate links and try to get others to link to you.
Link the right words
Don’t link (except internal links) your keywords

15. Blogging
What is it: Blogs are a type of website. Content is posted from most recent entry to oldest. Usually updated more frequently
Why use it: Pages are static. Blogs post regular content and “knock on search engines door regularly”
How often: Once a week

16. Blogging Continued How to blog: What to blog about:
No long articles-Use short paragraphs, bullet points etc.
Work in bulk and schedule
What to blog about:
Sit down and write out a list of ideas
Series

20. Social Media Which ones to use Why use it:
Lots of options-usually no cost to set up page
Always changing
Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest
Start with one and add after you get comfortable
Why use it:
Another way to brand yourself. Go where people are.
Use website as “home base” link back to website
If you can’t afford or maintain website right now, at least have a social media page
If blogging use content and don’t make double work

22. Social Media Continued
What to post
Similar content to website, newsletters, eblasts, etc.
Include pictures and videos
Include things people will want to share
How often
You can use paid ads
Other online sources
Review sites
Databases-APT, Insurance, etc.

23. Eblasts/Newsletters What are they Why use them How often
Platforms-some free and some paid
Mailchimp
Constant Contact
Drip and many more
Why use them
How often
What to include
Auto send
Drip campaigns

25. Referrals How to get referrals
Word of mouth
Online-website/Facebook
Professionals-school counselors/social workers/doctors
Once you get a referral, thank the source and work hard keep referral

26. Follow Up Why follow up How to follow up Shows you care
Can help with referrals
How to follow up
Letters, post cards, s
A thank you can go a long way and get a possible referral

27. Other Topics Setting up Your Playroom
First Impressions are important
Pictures/videos of yourself and playroom on website and social media
Privacy Issues
Top Plugins: Anti-Spam, Newsletter, Contact Form, SEO
Paid Ads
Moz Local, Google My Business, Databases