Growth Strategy
Your practice, reviewed properly, with a plan you can act on
A Growth Strategy is a full strategic review of how your practice is found, how it's judged, and what's getting in the way of it growing.
- £1,200discovery call, written report, walkthrough
It starts with a single objective
Before anything gets analysed, we agree what the Strategy is for. Not “improve my marketing.” One measurable objective over a defined period, in your words, agreed out loud.
That objective then becomes the lens for the whole document. Every recommendation has to earn its place by moving you towards it. Anything that doesn't gets cut, or named explicitly as a later phase. It's the difference between a strategy and a checklist.
What gets looked at
structure, copy, how someone actually makes contact, and whether it holds up on a phone
how you appear in Google, and increasingly what AI assistants say when someone asks them to recommend a therapist
BACP, UKCP, Counselling Directory, Psychology Today and modality-specific bodies, checked for consistency and for services you offer but haven't listed
whether they exist, whether they're claimed, and whether they're visible anywhere that matters
how a client actually books, how many steps it takes, and how you get paid
who a client in your area is genuinely choosing between, what they offer and what they charge
Prefer to see what you get first? What £1,200 covers, what it doesn't, and how it compares with a retainer →
What you receive
A written report, structured around your objective: the context, your competitive set, your current digital footprint, and prioritised recommendations with evidence for each. Everything is phased now, next and later, so you know what to do first.
What Clay clients say
“I always knew what was happening and what to expect next.”
“Working with George on my Growth Strategy Report was a really positive experience. The whole process was clear from start to finish, and I was kept informed at every stage, so I always knew what was happening and what to expect next. George was extremely knowledgeable and took the time to explain things in a way that made sense, helping me understand what was going on throughout. I came away with a much clearer picture of my practice's online presence and would happily recommend him to others.”
“We have improved the marketing of our courses with positive results.”
“Our main reason for seeking the input of Clay Consulting was to help us optimise Catalyst’s website as our core online marketing tool. Clay Consulting carried out an audit of our website promptly and effectively and provided a detailed report with areas for improvement.
As changes can take time to implement, we particularly valued the personal service with the offer of regular 1:1 meetings to help us understand aspects of the report and also the technical nature of some of the SEO content. These meetings helped us to understand what we needed to do. We were then able to translate this into action to enhance our online presence.
Companies can spend a huge amount of money on these kinds of activities, so it was important to Catalyst that Clay Consulting demonstrated sensitivity to our specialist area of work and a sympathetic understanding of our budgetary constraints as a not-for-profit social enterprise.
As a result of working with Clay Consulting, we have improved the marketing of our courses with positive results. I would definitely recommend Clay Consulting to other organisations or individuals looking to improve their online presence.”
How a Growth Strategy works
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Free 30-minute call
We talk through your practice and what you want from it. You get an honest answer on whether a Growth Strategy is the right fit, or whether something else would serve you better.
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Discovery call
A 45 to 60 minute conversation about how your practice works today. We finish by agreeing one measurable goal: the thing that will tell us the work has succeeded.
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Proposal and payment
Your goal, what the report will cover and what it won't, confirmed in writing. The fee is £1,200 and can be split into two instalments. Work starts once the first is paid.
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Research and analysis
I review your website, search performance, Google Business Profile, directory listings, reviews and how clients book with you. I'll ask for view-only access to Google Search Console and Google Analytics if you have them. Nothing about your clients is ever needed.
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Report and walkthrough
A written report with evidenced findings and recommendations phased now, next and later, each one tested against your goal. I walk you through it on a call, so you can ask questions rather than reading it alone.
Typically 10 working days from payment to walkthrough, once access to your accounts is in place.
After the report
The report is yours to act on however you like. Some clients do the work themselves, some pass it to their own designer or developer, and some ask me to do it: fixing directory listings, setting up a Google Business Profile, or rewriting key pages. Clay's hands-on support is scoped as a fixed project at a fixed price, agreed separately. If you'd rather keep going with guidance, Growth Sessions are there too. There's no obligation and no subscription.
Who it's for, who it isn't
Who it's for
Established practitioners and therapy organisations: solo practices that have plateaued, practices fully booked on word of mouth with no online presence to fall back on, practitioners losing hours to admin, and anyone niching down, adding a modality or launching group or training work.
Who it isn't for
If you're still in training, or newly qualified and not yet seeing clients, a Growth Strategy won't tell you much you couldn't work out yourself. Come back when there's a practice to look at. The resources are free in the meantime.
If you want a website that looks better without changing anything underneath it, I'm probably not the right person.
Growth Sessions are a separate way of working with me, a thinking partner rather than a piece of research. See the Growth Sessions page, or see how both options compare on the homepage →
Not sure where to start? The free Growth Check takes about five minutes and shows which area of your practice to look at first.
Common questions
How much does a Growth Strategy cost?
£1,200, as a flat fee. Solo practice or larger organisation, the price doesn't change. What varies by engagement is scope, and that's agreed and written down at the discovery call.
What's the difference between a Growth Session and a Growth Strategy?
A Growth Session is a one-hour call to work through whatever is on your mind, with a written summary afterwards, for £120. A Growth Strategy is a full review of your practice built around one agreed goal, delivered as a written report with phased recommendations and a walkthrough call, for £1,200. Sessions suit ongoing questions; a Strategy suits needing to know what's actually happening and what to do first.
Can Clay carry out the recommendations after the report?
Yes, if you want it to. After a Growth Strategy, Clay can take on any of the recommendations as a fixed project at a fixed price, scoped from the report itself. Many clients do some of the work themselves and hand over the parts they'd rather not do.
Will it tell me whether Counselling Directory or Psychology Today is worth paying for?
Yes, for your practice specifically. The usual answer is that the platform is fine and the profile isn't. A thin bio with generic copy competes badly against a practitioner who has invested in theirs. Worth checking which it is before cancelling anything.
Can you do this for a group practice or training organisation?
Yes. The scope is larger and there are usually more stakeholders, so the discovery stage includes working out who needs to agree the objective.
Send details about your practice
For when you'd rather start in writing. Tell me a bit about the practice and what's prompting this, and I'll come back to you within one working day.
Start with a free 30-minute call
Or send details about your practice, or email george@clayconsulting.co.uk if you'd rather write.
Start with a free 30-minute call