| Much has been said over the years about the power | | | | and the Von Trapp dancing in the Belgium train station |
| of thinking positive thoughts and focusing on what you | | | | - but, really, who didn't?). |
| want. Napoleon Hill wrote about this in the early 1900s | | | | I predict that in the not so distant future, websites that |
| as he interviewed many of the most successful | | | | market a practice without offering a no-charge |
| businessmen of the day. Then of course there were | | | | informational product will be passed over in favor of |
| books from Dale Carnegie and Normal Vincent Peale. | | | | those that do. Anderson suggests that sooner or later |
| Many psychologists, most notably Marty Seligman, | | | | all businesses will need to learn how to compete with |
| share the clinical benefits of Positive Psychology. Our | | | | "free." |
| culture really jumped on board the Law of Attraction | | | | Actually this is great news for you! You have a ton of |
| with the release of The Secret a few years ago | | | | information in your head and in your heart that can help |
| (along with all the books by Abraham Hicks and | | | | people. You helped the young mother who was |
| Michael Losier). | | | | terrified when she found out she was pregnant again. |
| Now I am not going to get into a spiritual debate here. | | | | You helped the estranged couple to find love with |
| My intention is to invite you to notice how things go | | | | each other again. A frightened child can smile again |
| when you focus on what is wrong in your practice - or | | | | thanks to you. Your wisdom, day after day, session |
| for that matter in your life. It is easy to do that | | | | after session, heals and transforms. The powerful |
| because bad stuff takes attention and energy. | | | | questions that you invite your clients to consider propel |
| But for now, let's just take a moment to gently and | | | | them to happier, more functional lives. Imagine how |
| gratefully remember the good stuff. Watch a cat | | | | wonderful it would be if more people had a chance to |
| stretch or a dog's tail wag excitedly. The world is filled | | | | experience that wisdom. By putting a no-charge info |
| with wonderful and very funny things and our time | | | | product (audio, report or video) on your website, you |
| here is short. Let's have a ball! | | | | help people you may never meet in person. Plus you |
| A note about this article... It came from some | | | | will create demand for people who want to go deeper |
| conversations in my beta group. We talked about a | | | | and do one on one work with you. |
| pink spoon as the first (and no-charge) product in a | | | | What does it take to create your pink spoon? First, |
| multiple streams of therapy income business. But I think | | | | ask yourself "What would my web visitor be |
| now all practice websites should offer a pink spoon - | | | | interested in?" Then decide if you want to create a |
| sooner rather than later. | | | | written, video or audio product. Today you will find that |
| Amber, my online business manager and I were talking | | | | there are some very simple tools to help you create |
| yesterday about this. When we first started working | | | | your first pink spoon. |
| together years ago, not everyone had email | | | | After that, you'll need some technical skill or a high |
| addresses. And most therapists didn't have websites | | | | school student to help you get it on your site. Then |
| and the online therapist locators didn't exist. Yet here | | | | keep track of how many downloads it so you know |
| we are - some of us have so many email addresses | | | | how well it is working for you. |
| we can hardly keep track. | | | | It is just about here that I find many bright, motivated |
| So, I am going out on a limb here and say that you | | | | therapists seem to, well, stop. They have thought |
| need to give something of value away for free on | | | | about a pink spoon and have some ideas for content. |
| your site. I don't think this is really optional anymore. We | | | | But the transition from idea to product seems difficult. |
| call this no-charge item a pink spoon - a free taste - | | | | Is this you? Do you find yourself with ideas but for |
| just like the tiny taste you get at the ice cream store. | | | | some reason haven't moved ahead in ways you'd |
| This pink spoon is important whether you want a | | | | like? A client of mine in North America recently said |
| multiple streams of therapy income business or want | | | | "When I'm afraid it won't be perfect, I stop myself." |
| to increase the number of clients coming into your | | | | Here is the advice I offered her: Focus on completion |
| practice. | | | | not perfection. While it is important to think about the |
| Chris Anderson, business author of the book FREE | | | | content of your pink spoon and how you want to |
| writes that the culture expects to search the web and | | | | deliver it, don't let the desire to make is perfect keep |
| view and download information at no-charge. Take a | | | | you stuck. Set a date. Get it done. After all I can tell |
| look at You Tube - where you can view millions of | | | | you from experience, it will never be perfect - you will |
| videos at no-charge. My 83 year-old Dad enjoys | | | | revise it later. So here is your permission to make it |
| sharing his favorites with us (He loved Susan Boyle | | | | just 'good enough. |