When you're building your business, there are 2 major steps, one focused inward, the other focused out. The first step clarifying your vision. Before you act, you have to know who you are as a therapist, and who you most want to serve. Getting clear on this vision and purpose will help you with every business decision you'll have to make. With a clear vision, you can create a great strategy and then...The next major step is about taking action. With your clear vision, you get out there and start sharing your message, letting your potential clients and referral sources know who you are and what you have to offer. This includes creating or revamping your website, building relationships with colleagues, public speaking, and all of the other potential marketing activities you might choose.
But these two steps are not only linear, rather they are a dance, a back and forth. Let's say your vision is clear, so you go into action mode: building your reputation, bringing in more clients, marketing yourself, revamping your website, going and going and going. At some point, after months or years of success with this, you start to feel less inspired. You're trying and trying with diminishing results and diminishing satisfaction. That just means it is time to go back to step one!
As soon as you start to feel burned out or uninspired, take a step back and reset your vision. You are always changing as a therapist. You're learning new skills, getting wiser and more seasoned. Every now and then you need to slow down and think about what inspires you NOW. Maybe you've learned a new method recently. Maybe a new set of issues feels compelling to you now. Develop a new vision based on all of your growth and new interests.
Once you integrate all the ways you've changed as a therapist into your vision, your step two efforts will feel less effortful, and those marketing activities will once again be a natural outgrowth of the work you're here to do.