Busted. Two final key beliefs in need of a reframe.
Today’s post builds on my prior post for the hard-working, caring health practitioner who would like to create more impact (for their clients and themselves) in less time.
We looked at what does and doesn’t work, in a high-level, yet practical view of things.
Here’s a recap:
ASSUMPTION —> REFRAME
1. It’s a hustle problem —> hustling keeps you spinning, rather than designing the practice you want
2. It's a revenue problem --> focus on profitability, from the beginning
3. Industry custom dictates my choices —> become a category of one, and use the power of contrast
Now onto the final two reframes. In each, communications plays a key role.
Assumption #4: It's a promotion problem that can be solved by broadcasting more widely, often, or loudly, especially on social media + email marketing.
This is a big assumption, and the one that can really keep a health-practitioner swamped and unsure—holding you back from growing a business or practice that can command higher rates.
How this looks in the day-to-day:
You’re lamenting your Facebook page, or that email newsletter update you’ve been meaning to get out. You’re unsure what to post, what channels to use, or what tone and frequency will move the needle. Sometimes you get inspired and post, and then go dormant—all the while unsure if you’re posting the right things to the right people. You may have even wondered about hiring a social media manager, a publicist, or someone to help you with Facebook ads. All of this drains you, in a persistent nagging way.
Why it happens, in the first place:
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Folks are worried that if they’re not promoting + broadcasting that they will fall behind—so they promote, before they position.
Why it’s a dangerous assumption:
It treats a surface symptom, rather than addressing a root cause. Yes, promotion is a part of marketing—sharing and selling what you do. But promotion can only support a clear, compelling message about who you serve and how you’re different.
Reframe: It’s a positioning + messaging problem.
Before you promote, take the time to identify your clear, core message in language that is simple, distinct, accessible, and relevant to the people you serve. Ground this message in the single, biggest benefit (or value) your ideal client receives from working with you. In a service-based business, your clear core message is foundational—and can fuel your practice forward. Start there.
Here’s an example from a current client. I’m finishing up a project with a talented movement specialist who has a Ph.D in somatic psychology, and deep expertise in movement sciences, anatomy, and the Feldenkrais Method. (And I’m looking forward to sharing the project with you soon—just a couple finishing touches next week.)
His core message: “I can help you learn your way out of pain.” It’s simple, direct, accessible, and the word “learn” sparks curiosity, and leads to you to wonder, “How so?”
With this message, he's speaking directly to a prospective client who’s tired of feeling at the mercy of their body, frustrated that traditional Physical Therapy hasn’t worked, and open to a new approach. And this message positions him as a welcomed solution to their problem that's defied other treatment.
His new private practice website that we’ve created together is organized around this clear message—and supported visually by new photography + design that amplifies this simple, distinct, resonant message.
This clear messaging can now anchor an orchestrated, on-going conversation with prospective clients. Specifically, my client’s going to write a series of concise articles for his site, explaining how his approach of learning your way out of pain can help specific conditions, like sciatica, low back pain, or migraines. Visitors to his site will be able to click on the name of their condition, and learn more. The idea is to present sophisticated, nuanced ideas in a way that is accessible and thoughtful. A distillation of thought, built on one clear message that cuts to the heart of the work.
I’m going to encourage my client to distribute these articles on his Facebook page, and his email list, in an intentional, coordinated way. But none of this would have been possible without a clear, resonant message to build on. He is positioning or distinguishing himself on a specific approach, or point of view—that establishes his expertise and authority and commands a premium rate.
Assumption #5: What matters most is what I say to other people—where the way I speak about my work to others is what’s holding me back. Hint: what you say to yourself, matters first.
How this looks in the day-to-day:
At times, you find yourself replaying in your head conversations with prospects, clients, and others with whom you discuss your work—wondering if you used the right phrasing, message, or line of questioning.
Why it happens, in the first place:
Because you care. When you’re invested in your work, your practice can feel personal, and touch parts of you that are outside of purely professional expertise.
Why it’s a dangerous assumption:
A sole focus on what you’re saying to others can prevent you from addressing a root cause: the conversation that you are having with yourself. This mindset piece is HUGE. You cannot address the outside conversation, unless you acknowledge the inside one.
Reframe: it’s an inside job—you’re in conversation with yourself long before you are in conversation with your client. Yes, you are an ambassador for your work. And the first person to be clear with is yourself.
THIS two-part assumption-busting post is a first step in rewiring that internal conversation, by calling out the assumptions (each with their accompanying self-talk and internal dialogue) and offering reframes.
Of the five, I’d love to know which one hit home for you.