Social Media for Therapists Made Easy: Attract Clients Without Feeling Salesy


No matter how good your hypnotherapy training was, setting up a practice can still feel like a steep learning curve. There is advice out there, some too expensive when your practice is not yet making much money and some so time-consuming that you would never have time to see clients if you followed all the advice. It's nice to have a quick and easy time-saver that adapts to your style so, this month, I’m looking at how the POST method helps to create effective social media posts. 

 

Hypnotherapy Social Media Marketing

Social media is one of the most important ways to market yourself. It’s simple to set up, and there are free opportunities, though admittedly not as many as there were a few years ago. And even if social media isn’t your favourite thing, it’s where many of your clients are looking for help..

Having said that, even when you have a great idea for a post, the way you word it matters. And many hypnotherapists struggle to create content that attracts potential clients, especially if they’re new to writing for social media. We all know that clear, compelling posts can increase client leads, and even help us build rapport, but creating them is another matter.

Having a basic structure, like POST, to follow can help you design and write social media posts to have as much impact as possible, whilst still allowing your voice to come through.

 

The POST Model for Creating Social Media Posts

POST stands for:

PROBLEM – work out what your ideal client struggles with. Example: “Many people fear flying, especially as we approach the holiday season.”

OFFER – tell them your solution (hypnotherapy). Example: "Hypnotherapy offers a natural way to calm your nerves and regain control before you board the plane."

SUPPORT – provide evidence to support your offer. Example: "One of my clients, Sarah, said, 'After just a few sessions, I was able to fly stress-free!'"

TAKE ACTION – also known as the CTA (Call to Action) it’s important to tell your clients what they need to do. Example: "Take the first step to a stress-free holiday - book your consultation now!"

 

Why the POST Model Works

If writing social media posts makes you feel self-conscious or unsure, having a structure like POST helps take the pressure off. You don't have to find the perfect words every time, just follow the framework.

  • Problem: Establishing a relatable issue grabs the audience’s attention. People engage when they see their challenges reflected. You’ll notice that our example works with just one of the many issues that hypnotherapy can help with, but this will be your best approach. Remember that you’re not advertising hypnotherapy as such, but the results it can offer. Running a variety of single-issue campaigns is better than expecting people to read down a list of what you can do, hoping their issue is there. And you can pick a new topic to write about each week or month, which will also help you decide what to talk about in your posts.

  • Offer: Presenting you and/or your service as the answer gets people interested in knowing more. At this stage, they don’t need many details about how you achieve your results, they just want to know you can help.

  • Support: Proving your credentials is key to asking a potential client to contact you. Otherwise, you may sell them on the idea of hypnotherapy, but they’ll look elsewhere for a hypnotherapist. If you don't have client testimonials yet, talk about your training, specialisms, how passionate you are about helping clients, or even research - all of these build trust too.

  • Take Action: Encouraging the next step reduces any uncertainty that your reader has about how to take advantage of your offer. The idea is to prompt an action or decision on their part that could lead to client conversion. I can remember many years ago reading a study about print ads that said putting ‘Call Now’ and a phone number got significantly more responses than putting the number alone.
    According to Vaghasiya (2024):
    - Using a specific CTS can increase conversion rates by 161%
    - Placing the CTA at the end of the information can increase conversions by 70%
    - Adding urgency, such as a time-limited offer, can increase conversions by 32%

 


 

The POST Model in Action

To show you how you can adapt the POST model to your personal style, here are some examples. Of course, you can mix and match the ideas or experiment with different styles to see which brings you the best response.

This one is friendly and chatty and uses the therapist’s own experience of hypnotherapy as social proof.

Hate spiders but can't help freaking out when one appears? You're not alone!
I used to be exactly the same – until hypnotherapy helped me finally get over my spider fear. It felt like magic at the time, but really it was just retraining my mind to react differently. 
If I can do it, so can you!
Book your free consultation today and take the first step towards a calmer, spider-proof you.
Contact me to find out more!

 

This one is based on your qualifications and experience but is still informal and approachable.

Does the sight of a spider send you running for the door?
Hypnotherapy could help you feel calmer and more in control – without needing to love spiders!
I've helped hundreds of clients overcome their phobias in over 10 years as a qualified hypnotherapist – so you're in safe hands.
Take the first step to living without fear.
Book your free consultation today.


This one is more formal and designed to attract clients who prefer an evidence-based approach.

Did you know? 
Studies show that hypnotherapy can reduce phobic anxiety in up to 80% of cases (Van Dyck et al., 1991).
If you're struggling with a spider phobia, hypnotherapy could help you respond more calmly – without needing to face your fear head-on.
Find out more about how hypnotherapy could help you overcome your phobia. 
Book your free consultation today.

 

And, finally, we have one that's using a client testimonial to encourage others to act.

Terrified of spiders? You don't have to be.
"I can't believe how calm I feel now! I used to panic just seeing a spider on TV, but after three hypnotherapy sessions, I barely think twice. Thank you!" – Sarah, X-town
Hypnotherapy could help you finally feel calm around spiders, without needing to love them!
Book your free consultation today and start living without fear.

 

Copywriting Tips for Hypnotherapists: What to Do (and What to Avoid)

  • Avoid being vague, especially when you specify the problem your client is facing.

  • Keep things short and simple so they are easy to understand. White space is your friend.

  • Summon up your inner marketer by all means but remember that your clients are likely to respond better to empathy and helpful information than to aggressive sales techniques.

  • Don’t forget to include an attractive image with your post, perhaps with some keywords or information on it.

  • If you use AI to help with social media posts, put a brief description of the POST method into your thread and instruct it to use this as a template when constructing posts for you.

 

Social Media posts for hypnotherapists

The POST model helps you build rapport with clients and encourages them to find out more about your services so that you can build your practice.

It’s easy to remember (because it’s about posts!) and to use, meaning that you have a framework to produce social media content quickly and confidently, whilst still reflecting your personal style. 

Why not give it a go when you next create some posts?


If you'd like more simple ideas to help you build your hypnotherapy business...

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References

Vaghasiya, K. (2024). 25 New Call to Action (CTA) Statistics in 2024. [online] Best Social Proof & FOMO app for your website | WiserNotify. Available at: https://wisernotify.com/blog/call-to-action-stats/.



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Author: Debbie Waller is an experienced hypnotherapist and hypnotherapy trainer. She is the author of Anxiety to Calm: a Practical Guide to a Laid-Back Life, The Hypnotherapist's Companion, Their Worlds, Your Words, and The Metaphor Toolbox, all available from Amazon or direct from the author. Find out more about Debbie's services on
Yorkshire Hypnotherapy Training - multi-accredited hypnotherapy practitioner training, taster days and foundation levels.
CPD Expert - accredited CPD and other therapy training (online and workshops options), expert and qualified hypnotherapy supervision

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