Getting Paid: How to Introduce Yourself Online and In-Person to Create a Positive, Professional Image, Get More Clients, Referrals, Jobs, and Speaking Opportunities

Currently with so many online video meetings, presentations, and events, most therapists are having to introduce themselves quite a lot. Get more clients, referrals, and job opportunities by making a positive professional impression when you introduce yourself, online or in-person, by including the right information.

Read on for tips to make the most of your introductions, tips that reveal little details you may want to include when you introduce yourself.

As you read the following information, be sure to remember:

• Only do and say things that fit for you, your clients, and your practice—and always within legal and ethical guidelines
• You can ignore everything written in this article and still be successful. Discover what works for you, your clients, your professional designation, and the practice setting you work in.

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Tip 1: When you introduce yourself include all the information a person might need to find or contact you with a referral, job opportunity, speaking opportunity or something else:

1. Your full name and License Status or Professional Designation
2. Where you work: Private Practice, Name of Agency, Organization, Counseling Center.
3. City where your agency/organization/practice is located. Even if you’re only seeing clients virtually, include a location because it helps people remember you.
4. Who you work with or specialties
   
5. Your Pronouns. If it fits for you or your community, the pronouns you use can be included. In English and any other language you or your clients/colleagues/community/others speak. Where you place your pronouns is up to you--after your full name, professional status, address, or anywhere else it is fits best to you in this list. 
   
   Samples:
   
   Hi, I’m Ana Chavez, LMFT, AAMFT Approved Supervisor. I’m based in West LA where I have a Private Practice working in-person and remotely with clients. I work with individuals and couples and specialize in work-related stress, anxiety, and relationship issues.
   
   Michael Weinstein, LMFT, CAMFT Certified Supervisor. In my Santa Monica Private Practice I provide remote therapy sessions to clients throughout the state of California and specialize in anger management, relationship issues, and couples in conflict.
   
   Sandra Ho, LCSW. At the Gender Health Center in Los Angeles, I counsel, in-person and virtually, children and adults who are exploring gender identity and/or sexual orientation issues and those who are Trans/gender diverse. My pronouns are she, her, ella.                                                       
   
   Derek Johnson, AMFT, At the Angeles University Counseling Center in Culver City, Under the supervision of Shanda Ramos, LMFT, I work with clients who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ and/or the Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Community. I specialize in anxiety, trauma, and relationships.

Sometimes it may be possible to add an additional short sentence about you that personalizes your introduction a bit more.

Sample: 
Tina Duvall, LMFT. At the Beverly Counseling Center I specialize in working with teens and young adults who have eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and anger management issues. Send me your angry teenagers, the angrier the better! They’re my favorite clients to work with.

Tip 2: Whenever you ask a question verbally in an online group of more than five or an in-person event:

1. Before you ask your question
2. Say/state your full name and professional designation
3. Then ask your question
   
   Sample, said aloud: Shuri Moore, LMFT, slight pause, my question is . . .
   
   
4. Do this /State your name each time you ask a question. Repetition of this kind is good!
   
   
5. *Optional: Include your location after your professional designation
   
   Sample, said aloud: Shuri Moore, LMFT, Santa Monica, slight pause, my question is . . .

Why? 
1. Whether online or in-person, it makes it easy for the speaker, moderator or person monitoring the chat to quickly pair your name with your face.
Yes, you’re right, Zoom and other video features often have your name below the screen view of you. However, when you state your name first, the speaker or person monitoring the chat doesn’t have to take their attention away from looking at and listening to you, to read and process your name—and neither do the participants. Not only do people appreciate this, they tend to have a positive impression of you and they have a better chance of remembering your name the more times they hear you say it.

2. Both in-person and online, stating your full name allows the speaker to know you by name and to address you by name while answering your question.
Any speaker appreciates being able to interact with a question asker by name—it makes the speaker look good without having to ask your name. Also if the speaker, or audience member, wants to connect with or contact you after the presentation, knowing your full name makes that possible. This is true for both online and in-person events.

3. Audience members appreciate knowing your full name.
For in-person events, an audience member or the speaker may want to connect with you before you both leave and it makes it easier to find you at the venue or online after. Ditto for video. When someone knows your full name it makes it easy to look you up online. People may contact you with referrals, job opportunities, speaking or workshop presentation invitations, etc.

4. Don’t hurry saying your name to get to your question, take your time.
We all need a moment, whether in-person or online, to shift our focus from one person to the next when someone is asking a question. If you hurry through your intro, it doesn’t allow people that extra moment they need to be able to register your name and your presence as well as the question you’re asking.

5. As you’re stating your name, this is the moment when everyone’s attention is on you. Utilize it. 
It’s a prime marketing moment for people to see you, hear you, and pair you with your name both online and in-person. A clear, focused, unhurried stating of your full name and professional designation before your question allows both the speaker and the audience members to experience you and hear your name and have the opportunity to remember it. Doing this activates people’s focal attention, which is a good thing.

Tip 3: Type your name and contact information into the chat box after you introduce yourself online in a Zoom or other group video call. 
Full name, professional designation, place you work, location, website, email, phone, and pronouns if that fits for you; and three or four words about who you work with. Nothing else or people won’t read it.

No more than 3 or 4 words or initials (EMDR, SE, TRM, etc.), or people will ignore it.

Sample typed into chat box:
Shuri Moore, LMFT, Santa Monica and Online, ShuriMoore.com, ShuriMore@gmail.com,
310.123.4567, GenZ & Millennial Women. Pronouns she, her, hers.

In the chat at the end of your contact info you could also add something about how to contact you, i.e., Contact by email or text is best.

Tip 4: Whenever you are at an in-person event and introduce yourself or ask a question from your seat at a small table, STAND UP.

• Yes, stand up even if they have brought the microphone to you.
• Stand up—and don’t start talking until you are fully standing up.
• Why? Standing up means people can see you, hear you, and take in you and your information better. If you’re not on a stage or platform people won’t be able to see you.
• Also, not starting to talk until you are fully standing gives people a moment to shift their attention to you so they don’t miss the beginning of what you say.

Tip 5: For professional events, make sure your screen name is your full name, not just your first name or nickname.

• Remember, the more times your full name is seen, the more people will remember it. Take advantage of this opportunity. 

That’s all for today on how to make the most of your introductions to fill your practice and further your career.
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Lynne Azpeitia, LMFT, AAMFT Approved Supervisor, is in private practice in Santa Monica where she works with Couples and Gifted, Talented, and Creative Adults across the lifespan. Lynne’s been doing business and clinical coaching with mental health professionals for more than 15 years, helping them develop even more successful careers and practices. To learn more about her in-person and online services, workshops or monthly no-cost Online Networking & Practice Development Lunch visit www.Gifted-Adults.com or www.LAPracticeDevelopment.com.
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