Waitlist strategy to capture warm referrals

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In this episode, I sit down with Nicole McCance of the McCance Method to talk about what’s actually working right now to grow a therapy group practice when the market feels tighter and “easy referrals” aren’t showing up like they used to. We dig into practical lead generation moves that don’t depend on social media, how to use consult calls and follow-up like an actual sales process, and why hiring an admin sooner than you think can pay for itself. Nicole also shares a physician-referral playbook, a “waitlist strategy” you can run this week, and a simple end-of-year review approach to double down on what’s working and cut the rest.

Main Topics Discussed

• Nicole’s origin story: from solo practice to 55 clinicians, then selling the practice (00:39)
• Why practice growth feels harder right now and how coaching strategies have shifted (02:12)
• Social media reality check, and what tends to convert faster than “content” (03:00)
• Lead sources: SEO vs Google Ads vs optimizing your Google Business Profile (06:17)
• Email marketing, consult calls, and the follow-up process most clinicians skip (07:32)
• Handling “I want to see the owner” and positioning the team-based model (08:15)
• Hiring an admin early and making the role revenue-generating through follow-ups (09:50)
• Physician referral strategy: scripts, getting into the EMR, and progress reports (27:27)
• End-of-year review: referral data, focus, and the 80/20 clean-up (35:48)
• December planning: clinician vacation coverage and PTO cashflow surprises (38:20)
• The “waitlist strategy” for warm referrals from therapists who can’t take new clients (41:17)

Cool Things Mentioned

• The Testing Psychologist mastermind groups and business consulting
• Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists
• Nicole’s website: www.mccancemethod.com
• The Business Savvy Therapist podcast: www.mccancemethod.com/podcast
• Nicole on Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicole.mccancemethod
• Free masterclass (How to Build a 7-Figure Group Practice): www.mccancemethod.com/webinar-free-masterclass-from-solo-to-superteam
• Google Business Profile: www.google.com/business
• Google Business Profile Help: support.google.com/business
• Psychology Today therapist directory: www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists
• Indeed employer hiring platform: www.indeed.com/hire
• SimplePractice: www.simplepractice.com
• TherapyNotes: www.therapynotes.com
• Jane App (practice management): www.jane.app
• Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL): ised-isde.canada.ca/site/canada-anti-spam-legislation/en

Featured Resources

I am honored to partner with two AMAZING companies to help improve your testing practice!

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About Nicole McCance

Nicole McCance is a Psychologist (retired) turned Business Coach for therapists scaling to a group practice. She expanded her private practice to 55 therapists and multiple 7 figures in 3 years (with toddler twins at home). Nicole sold her clinic in the 4th year and then retired as a Psychologist in her 5th year. She now teaches therapists how to help more people, make more money and have more freedom following her proven method.

Get in Touch & Resources:

• The McCance Method: https://mccancemethod.com/
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/nicole.mccancemethod/
• Podcast: https://mccancemethod.com/podcast/
• Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/947689352498639

About Dr. Jeremy Sharp

I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents.

As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids.

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