8 Ways to Generate Income for Your Therapy Business Beyond Insurance!

If there is one thing that I know how to do in business, it is generate ideas that make money. I started my first business in middle school and it was so lucrative that my family was amazed and eventually took over it! While others may see the limitations and boundaries, I see the possibilities and the opportunities. Having said that, I have ran into many therapists lately who are concerned about the unpredictability of billing insurance. I think concerns about insurance are justifiable but these concerns should also be a reminder to diversify. I am sure you have heard of the saying, “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket!” and “There is more than one way to skin a cat!” (Why anyone would skin a cat is not of my understanding, but I get the principle). Things change and entrepreneurs who are able to succeed even during change, know how to diversify! Check out these eight ways you can add income to your therapy business without insurance. Feel free to share your ideas in the comment section as well.

1)     Accept Private Pay

There are people who can afford to pay privately for services. In fact, I know of  several therapy businesses that are very successful and they only accept private pay. You will need to research this target market and come up with your fee schedule. Perhaps, you can have a sliding fee scale or package prices. People pay for things they want and need if they see value in it! Market your value!

2)     Conduct workshops

There are subject areas that you know more about than the average therapist and the average therapist can benefit from learning from you. Additionally, there are subject matters that you know about that your clients may be interested in. You could do a single workshop or a series of workshops for either audience. As you continue to educate yourself, you can continue to educate others and make a profit doing so!

3)    Write and sell books

Differentiated instruction exists because people have different learning styles. Whereas, some people would prefer to interact with others and attend a workshop, others are comfortable simply reading information and applying that knowledge. Consider writing an e-book or publishing a book on amazon using createspace.com (It is free!). Your books can be sold on your website, social media sites and large vendor sites like amazon.com!

4)     Patent and sell products

Do you constantly think of products that can benefit your clients that don’t exist. Well, create it, patent it and sell it! I make it sound so easy, right? I understand it is easier said than done. However, I also know that where there is a will, there is a way and there are too many resources available for someone to simply say, they aren’t doing something because they do not know how. Find the resources and use them. People are probably waiting for your invention!

5)     Become a business affiliate

If you become an affiliate with a business, then you are basically forming a union with that business to market services or products in exchange for a percentage of the profit when the service or product is purchased. What is it that your clients are purchasing? Find the vendors and consider becoming an affiliate. Make sure you are affiliated with reputable and ethical companies because birds of the feather flock together and nothing is worth losing your good reputation!

6)     Buy an office space and sublease-commerical real estate

If your business can afford purchasing an office space either by paying cash or getting a business loan, then consider getting a space that is big enough for you to sublease to other businesses at a profit. For example, if you only provide counseling services, consider leasing to psychologists and psychiatrists. Their lease payment should cover the costs of the space plus additional profit for you. When the space is paid for, the majority of the lease payment is your profit. The businesses in the complex can then refer to each other. As Stephen Convey says, “Think win, win!”

7)     Become a continuing ed provider

Continuing education is required for licensed practitioners annually. Most professional organizations credential companies as continuing ed providers. The stamp of approval from these organizations adds to your credibility and opens doors to a larger audience. Your agency can become the go to organization for specific types of required continuing educations, such as ethics!

8)     Host specialized conferences

Are you good at organizing events? You don’t have to be the speaker but you can organize and host an event and arrange to have expert speakers do the workshops. You can minimize overhead by using your own location, a hotel conference room or the local town/cities’ recreational facilities and asking participants to get lunch on their own. If the topic is hot, participants are typically willing to pay for the specialized knowledge that may be difficult to obtain at general conferences.

Ok, there you have it—insurance is not the only payor source in the world. There are other possibilities. No more excuses, diversify!