Marketing a Profession:Marketing a Profession:
The Business Strategy ofThe Business Strategy ofLPCA of Georgia LPCA of Georgia
The ChallengeThe Challenge
A Profession SurroundedA Profession Surrounded — — varying varying types of practitioners, licensed and types of practitioners, licensed and unlicensedunlicensed
An Identity LackingAn Identity Lacking — — widespread widespread confusion as to real meaning of “counselor”confusion as to real meaning of “counselor”
Limited Revenue BaseLimited Revenue Base — — membership, membership, advertising, convention, and workshops; advertising, convention, and workshops; not enough recurring revenue sourcesnot enough recurring revenue sources
The ResponseThe Response Define Product and MarketDefine Product and Market — — be clear be clear
on “pain & gain” in multiple market levelson “pain & gain” in multiple market levels
Conduct “Branding” ExerciseConduct “Branding” Exercise — — make make product distinctive and easily recognizedproduct distinctive and easily recognized
Build ConfidenceBuild Confidence — — associate “Brand” associate “Brand” with high level of competencewith high level of competence
Promote FullyPromote Fully — — send common message send common message to multiple levels via multiple sourcesto multiple levels via multiple sources
Product and MarketProduct and Market
WHOWHO — — legislators, organizations, other legislators, organizations, other professions, counselors, professions, counselors, the publicthe public
WHATWHAT — — association, services, association, services, recognition, recognition, the counseling professionthe counseling profession
HOWHOW — — promote professionalismpromote professionalism by by conspicuously raising standards and conspicuously raising standards and making performance visiblemaking performance visible
““Branding” — Counselor IdentityBranding” — Counselor Identity
Early EffortsEarly Efforts and “Scope of Practice” and “Scope of Practice”
Ad-hoc CommitteeAd-hoc Committee — 2008 — 2008
Potential TargetsPotential Targets for Message for Message
LegislatorsLegislators
Counselors and allied ProfessionalsCounselors and allied Professionals
PPublicublic
GoalGoal — “Elevator Statement” — “Elevator Statement”
Mental Health Counselors Mental Health Counselors promote quality of life!promote quality of life!
Mental Health Counselors are highly trained, licensed professionals who work with people struggling with life or suffering from clinical disorders, to help them heal and grow and achieve personal goals, so they can feel better about themselves and enjoy a better quality of life.
Building ConfidenceBuilding Confidence
Focusing on supervisionFocusing on supervision and counselor and counselor “fitness” to practice“fitness” to practice
Taking on professional IssuesTaking on professional Issues — — post-post-licensure supervision, unlicensed practice, licensure supervision, unlicensed practice, “distance counseling,” etc. “distance counseling,” etc.
Building alliancesBuilding alliances — — Georgia licensing board, Georgia licensing board, other associations, etc.other associations, etc.
Introducing continuous improvementIntroducing continuous improvement (CIP) (CIP) methods to raise qualitymethods to raise quality
Counselor SupervisionCounselor Supervision 2000 Supervisor “Registry”2000 Supervisor “Registry” — first — first
requirement for training in supervisionrequirement for training in supervision
2009 Registry Standards2009 Registry Standards — strengthened — strengthened requirements by adding specific contentrequirements by adding specific content
2010 Introduced CPCS2010 Introduced CPCS — upgraded to — upgraded to certification program with plans to add experience certification program with plans to add experience requirementrequirement
2010 Proposed Rule Change2010 Proposed Rule Change — would — would require all counselor supervision for licensure to be require all counselor supervision for licensure to be done by CPCSdone by CPCS
Comprehensive PromotionComprehensive Promotion MaterialsMaterials — — Newsletter, Convention brochure, Newsletter, Convention brochure,
scroll pens, etc.scroll pens, etc.
WebsiteWebsite — — Planned renovationsPlanned renovations
““Social networking”Social networking” — — Coordinated Coordinated identification and messageidentification and message
Local mediaLocal media — — TV, radio, print, electronicTV, radio, print, electronic
LPCA Outreach programLPCA Outreach program — — Georgia Georgia schools, hospitals, treatment facilities, etc.schools, hospitals, treatment facilities, etc.
WorkshopsWorkshops — — Georgia schools, hospitals, Georgia schools, hospitals, treatment facilities, etc.treatment facilities, etc.
Early ResultsEarly Results ConventionConvention — — increased proposals, increased increased proposals, increased
attendance, record revenues, greater follow-up attendance, record revenues, greater follow-up interestinterest
CertificationCertification — — increased applications and increased applications and renewals; clear interest from Board and other renewals; clear interest from Board and other associationsassociations
MembershipMembership — — increased interest on campus increased interest on campus and among independent practitioners; connection and among independent practitioners; connection to Identityto Identity
FeedbackFeedback — — increased commentary from other increased commentary from other healthcare providers: “more businesslike, more healthcare providers: “more businesslike, more professional”professional”
RememberRemember
Running an association means Running an association means running a businessrunning a business
Business success begins with Business success begins with marketingmarketing
Association markets exist in Association markets exist in multiple multiple levelslevels
Success at all levels requires Success at all levels requires visibilityvisibility and and credibilitycredibility