WP183 | The Marketing Secret Most Practice Owners Miss with Kris Jones
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Y’all… if your website feels confusing, overwhelming, or just not bringing in the right clients… this one might hit a little too close to home.
Because the truth is, most practice owners don’t have a marketing problem. They have a messaging problem.
In this episode, I’m sitting down with Kris Jones to talk about something that can completely change how your practice grows without adding more to your plate.
We’re talking about story. Not fluff. Not branding buzzwords. A clear, simple way to communicate what you do so the right clients actually say, “This is exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
If you’ve ever wondered why people land on your website and don’t reach out… or why your marketing feels like a full-time job… this conversation is going to give you a totally different way to think about it.
And honestly, it might just simplify everything.
Why Doing “All the Marketing” Still Isn’t Working
Y’all, I hear this all the time.
“I’m posting on social media. I updated my website. I’m networking. I’m doing everything… so why isn’t this working?”
And I get it. Because you are doing a lot.
But what I’m seeing over and over again with practice owners is this: you don’t have a marketing effort problem. You have a messaging problem.
You’re doing all the right things, but they’re not working together. They’re not clear. And they’re not actually connecting with the people you’re trying to reach.
The Real Missing Piece: Your Story
This conversation reminded me that marketing doesn’t have to be complicated.
It’s not about doing more. It’s about saying the right thing.
As therapists, we already understand story. We sit with our clients every day and help them make sense of their experiences. We use analogies, examples, even movies or books to help things click.
So why wouldn’t we use that same approach in our marketing?
When your message is built around a clear story, your ideal client feels it. They feel seen. They feel understood. And they start to believe that you might actually be the person who can help them.
You Are Not the Hero
This one right here will shift everything.
So many practice owners build their websites and messaging around themselves. Their credentials. Their experience. Their approach.
But the client is not looking for your story. They are looking for their story.
They are the hero.
They’re the one struggling. They’re the one searching. They’re the one trying to figure out how to get out of whatever they’re dealing with.
Your role is not to be the hero. Your role is to be the guide.
When you show up as the guide, everything changes. You become the steady, clear voice that says, “I see you, and I can help you take the next step.”
Why Simplicity Wins Every Time
We overcomplicate marketing so fast.
We think we need more strategies, more platforms, more content.
But what your client actually needs is clarity.
They don’t want to work hard to understand what you do. They don’t want to scroll and click and figure it out.
They’re already overwhelmed when they land on your website.
So if your message adds to that overwhelm, they’re gone.
When your message is simple and clear, it lowers their anxiety. It helps them feel safe. And that’s what gets them to reach out.
The Power of One Clear Problem
This is where a lot of us get stuck.
You do a lot. You help with anxiety, trauma, relationships, life transitions, parenting, all the things.
But when you try to say all of that at once, it actually weakens your message.
Clients don’t come to your website thinking, “I need someone who does everything.”
They come thinking, “I need help with this one thing.”
When you focus your message around one clear problem, it creates an entry point.
Once they’re in your practice, yes, you can help with so much more.
But your marketing needs to meet them at the front door, not overwhelm them with everything inside.
The 5-Second Test Your Website Has to Pass
This part really stuck with me.
When someone lands on your website, you have about five seconds.
In those five seconds, they need to know three things.
What do you do.
How will it make their life better.
What should they do next.
If that’s not clear, their brain literally starts signaling danger.
Not because anything is actually wrong, but because it feels confusing. And when something feels confusing, people leave.
That’s it. They click off and move on to the next therapist.
Why More Options Don’t Help
I know the temptation here.
You want to give people options. You want to be helpful. You don’t want to feel pushy.
But too many options actually make it harder for people to choose.
When your website has multiple calls to action, multiple paths, multiple directions, it creates friction.
People don’t want to figure it out.
They want you to guide them.
And honestly, this is something we already do so well in the therapy room. We make recommendations. We give direction. We help people take the next step.
We just forget to do that in our marketing.
Let Your Marketing Feel Like Your Therapy Room
This is where everything comes together.
The way someone feels on your website should match the way they feel when they sit down with you.
Clear. Calm. Supported. Not overwhelmed.
When your messaging aligns with your actual presence as a therapist, that’s when things start to click.
You’re not chasing clients anymore. You’re attracting the right ones.
And it feels a whole lot more aligned with the work you’re already called to do.
Sponsor Wise Practice Summit 2026
If you’re in a season of big decisions, feeling stuck, or carrying the weight of leadership, the Wise Practice Summit was created for you. It’s a space for faith-based practice owners to step away from the day-to-day, gain clarity, and realign their practice with their life and calling.
Right now, you can grab $100 off your ticket with our Early Bird pricing through May 1.
You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Meet Kris Jones
In a world where most business owners are drowning in marketing tactics, Kris Jones discovered something shocking: a single, well-crafted story can replace all your marketing and double your sales. As the founder of Red Door Stories and a hand-selected mentee of StoryBrand's Donald Miller, Kris has perfected the art of turning expertise into irresistible messaging that sells.
Kris Jones’ Resources
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[00:00:00] Whitney Owens: One of the things I hear most from practice owners is loneliness. Not just from running a practice but trying to lead and grow it in a Christian way. You're making business decisions, thinking about stewardship, caring for your team, and wanting to honor your faith, and it can get lonely. That's one of the big reasons that we created the Wise Practice Summit.
[00:00:19] Each year, faith-based practice owners from all over the country gather together and people consistently say that the summit brings them rest, connection and clarity in their business. Rest from carrying leadership alone, connection with others, with shared value and clarity on next steps in their business.
[00:00:37] So this year. We're gonna be in Nashville, Tennessee, October 8th Through the 10th, you will have practical business sessions, great food, and an intentional time together, plus a happy hour on the top floor overlooking the entire city. We like to have fun and we like to make big moves in our business. So right now you can save a hundred dollars with early bird pricing.
[00:00:58] It ends May 1st. So [00:01:00] make sure to head to the show notes or go to the website wise practice consulting. Look forward to seeing you in Nashville.
[00:01:08] Jingle: Hi, I'm Whitney Owens. I'm a group practice owner and faith-based practice consultant,
[00:01:13] Whitney Owens: and I'm here to tell you that you can have it all. Wanna grow your practice, wanna grow your faith, wanna enjoy your life outside of work, you've come to the right place.
[00:01:22] Each week on the Wise Practice Podcast, I will give you the action steps to have a successful faith-based practice while also having a good time. Now let's get started.
[00:01:34] Jingle: Where she grows your practice and she don't play. She does business with a twist of faith. It's Whitney Owen and Wise Practice Podcast, Whitney Owen and Wise Practice Podcast.
[00:01:53] Whitney Owens: Welcome back to the podcast. Thank you so much for joining me. I am Whitney Owens, host of the Wise Practice [00:02:00] Podcast, and I have got to say. This interview today. I loved it. Right after the interview was done, I was like texting people, you are gonna love this interview with Chris Jones. And I found it so helpful to me in the way that I think about marketing.
[00:02:14] And so a lot of us, just like the title of this episode, we're doing all the marketing, but what are we missing? Like why isn't this working? And Chris kind of takes us back to why that is. So, so many of us are trying to like do all the things. I have practice centers right now reaching out to me consistently about marketing.
[00:02:30] Struggling with ref like referrals and filling caseloads, and so it's like, what do I need to do? Right? We need a more holistic marketing plan where all the things are working together. So we're finding that even though posting on social media, tweaking your website, networking, these are all good and important things.
[00:02:49] Don't get me wrong yet. Something isn't quite clicking right. So time and time again, I'm seeing more and more people frustrated about their marketing. So this really is [00:03:00] an episode about that, about coming back to the foundations of what we need to be considering with marketing. So we talk about the strategy that people are missing, and it is the story, really just the story.
[00:03:15] Y'all are therapists. We relate to story all the time with our clients. I'm constantly using analogies in my work with clients or talking about a movie or talking about a book because in that clients are drawn in, we're drawn in, right? It's taps into our emotions, and so we go into that in the episode.
[00:03:33] The importance of having a marketing strategy that includes a story, so as faith-based practice owners. This really resonated with me as I was listening to her. 'cause I'm thinking, gosh, the Bible is full of stories. God uses story to speak about who he is to us, and that brings us in. It teaches us something.
[00:03:51] It helps us know God. And so, in a similar way with our practice, we're gonna tell a story. We're gonna tell the story to our ideal [00:04:00] client. That ideal client's gonna hear it. They're gonna feel seen, understood, heard. They're gonna wanna work with you and then you're gonna be able to do more God's good work with others.
[00:04:11] So this conversational truly is foundational. It is actually really simple. We overcomplicate marketing constantly. We are always in our head as therapists. Let's just break it down. And Chris has just this natural, beautiful way. Of doing that for us. So I'm really excited that you get to hear from her and she has an amazing business.
[00:04:29] So make sure you stick to the end, um, and learn more about that and all the offers that she has for listeners. But before we get into it, I have got to remind you one more time that the Wise Practice Summit is October, this October in Nashville, Tennessee. I do not want you to miss out. Make sure you head to the website, get the early bird pricing before it ends on May 1st.
[00:04:54] You will get a hundred dollars off. If you're a Wise Practice community member, you will [00:05:00] get $200 off your ticket. So do not miss that opportunity. I look forward to connecting with you. It's where we gain clarity. It's where we make long-term relationships. It's where we make big moves in our practice.
[00:05:13] People consistently come back every single year because they find the value, and I want you to be there too. So if you've been thinking about it, you've been unsure, take a leap of faith, buy your ticket. I'll be thrilled when I see you purchase it, 'cause that means I'm gonna be with you in Nashville.
[00:05:29] Alright, we're gonna jump into this episode with Christ Jones. On the marketing secret that most practice owners are missing.
[00:05:45] Well, hello friends and welcome back to The Wise Practice Podcast. I am looking forward to introducing you to Chris Jones, who is, um, a, I met through a friend Uriah Guilford. Most of you know him through productive [00:06:00] therapist. I was excited to get this connection. So let me tell you a little bit about Chris and then we're gonna.
[00:06:04] Jump into talking more about your brand, your website, and storytelling. So in a world where most business owners are drowning in marketing tactics. Chris discovered something shocking. It's a single well-crafted story to replace all your marketing and double your sales. As the founder of Red Door Stories and a hand-selected mentee of StoryBrand, Donald Miller, Chris has perfected the art of turning expertise into irresistible messages that sell.
[00:06:32] Thanks for coming on the show today.
[00:06:33] Kris Jones: Oh, Whitney, thank you so much for having me. I'm delighted to be here.
[00:06:38] Whitney Owens: Yeah, so. Let's kind of jump into maybe sharing a little bit about what Red Door Stories is, and then we can kind of talk about this. Story, and I'm sure we have tons of questions for you.
[00:06:49] Kris Jones: Yeah. So Red Door Stories, were based in Portland, Oregon.
[00:06:54] I've been doing this work. I'm essentially a solopreneur. I have a, a very tiny team [00:07:00] that I adore. Been doing this work over two decades now, really helping business owners, practice owners, anyone who's self-employed. And serving clients tell a compelling and powerful story about their brand, their business, and one that really resonates with ideal clients.
[00:07:23] Yeah. So that is, that is really the work I do. The clients that come to me love their work. They're passionate about what they do, they adore and genuinely wanna help their clients. But they're so close to their own business and their own brilliance that they really struggle to talk about it in a clear and compelling way.
[00:07:47] So I, I like to say, you know, every business owner is really so close to themselves that, that they're stuck inside of a bottle. When you try and write for yourself, it's like you're stuck inside [00:08:00] this bottle trying to read the label. That can only be read from outside. Mm-hmm. So I come in. I read your label, I find the golden thread.
[00:08:09] That is your story, and we tell it together, and then we integrate that story into everywhere, every area of your business, across every client touchpoint. First, we, we, we begin with your website because I believe your website should be your most powerful selling tool. And then we take that same story. And we integrate it everywhere, literally.
[00:08:32] Um, social media, on your emails, we figure out what you're gonna say in person. But the gift of all of this is that you don't have to keep reinventing the wheel. Really, we come up with one core brand story, and that's the one story that you tell everywhere and it takes so much off your plate when you don't have to keep figuring out new words to talk about what you do and your your [00:09:00] story.
[00:09:00] When it's done well, when it's really compelling. It works a lot like an accordion, so it contracts and it expands. We've got more real estate on your website, so we can go deeper into your story there. But if you're in a social media profile, we still need to tell a story. We just have to do it in 150 characters.
[00:09:22] And then I write my clients a video script because video. Script video helps get you get clients. It's a really powerful tool. So the video script length would be kind of like in the middle of that accordion. So if you're, if you're listening, you know, I'm contracting my hands and expanding them just like an accordion.
[00:09:42] And you're story thankfully, works the same way, so you can keep using it over and over. And the more you repeat it. The more you grow, the more traction you gain in your business and ultimately become you make more money, get more clients, and become [00:10:00] much more profitable.
[00:10:01] Whitney Owens: There's so many directions we could go here.
[00:10:03] My heart is like loving it. Okay, so. I think I wanna take it back a good bit because I'm thinking about audience members and when we talk about StoryBrand, 'cause you, you use the concepts of StoryBrand, right? In your work. Can you give them a little snippet of what is StoryBrand and how that works?
[00:10:22] Kris Jones: So pretty much everyone's heard about the hero's journey.
[00:10:26] It's been around from the beginning of time that the hero's journey is the formula for every story. So every movie you've ever read, every, I mean, every movie you've ever watched, every book you've ever read, any story you've ever heard, always begins with a hero, a character, or a hero I like to call them who has a problem they don't know how to solve.
[00:10:51] And this is what pulls our brains into the story as humans. When a story begins with a hero that [00:11:00] has a problem, we can't help but engage and we stay engaged until we know that problem has been solved. So everybody is sat down to watch a show on Netflix and then. Six hours later, you're like, oh my gosh.
[00:11:15] One more episode. Yeah. It has, it has the power to pull us in, in a way, well, not only to pull us in, but to grab our attention and pull us in and keep us engaged and reach the deepest part of our hearts and our emotions is humans. Were really wired for story. We've been. Gathering around the fireside from the beginning of time.
[00:11:39] If story is so effective in a movie theater, in a book on your tv, why wouldn't we use that hero's journey in our own messaging, in our own business? It is truly timeless there. Just go on Instagram for five minutes and there are 18 different rabbit hole marketing rabbit holes. You could go [00:12:00] down, and I've been doing this work long enough to know.
[00:12:04] What, which are the fundamental timeless things that you should actually be investing in and which are, are the fly by the night, come and go. Trends in marketing and the reason. I've built my life and my business around storytelling is because it's timeless. Number one, it works to help you get clients and grow your business, and it actually.
[00:12:34] Takes, takes the work and the heavy lifting of marketing off your plate. Nobody goes into practice, work or therapy work because they love marketing. Nobody does that. But what happens is you follow your heart, you do the work that you love, and then all of a sudden you're like, okay. Not only am I managing clients now, I'm managing [00:13:00] therapists, and I'm also responsible for filling their calendars and getting the word out there about my practice.
[00:13:07] And that's a whole nother part-time, if you're lucky or another full-time job on your plate. So what I love about the work that I do is that it reduces your load. So. StoryBrand, you've probably heard about it before. It's a book called How to Build a StoryBrand by Donald Miller, who's written over 15 books.
[00:13:30] He's a brilliant writer. He began, um, his career writing memoir and then kind of figured out the fundamentals of story and he had this entrepreneurial side to him and he ended up, once he became an a business owner, essentially an entrepreneur, he decided to take those same core. Story hero's journey components and apply them to his own business.
[00:13:59] And [00:14:00] that's how the StoryBrand framework was born. And when I met Donald it, this is back before the book was even written, but he was talking about the framework and I, I knew immediately it was like the thing that I, the tool I needed to add to my toolbox to really mm-hmm. Kind of pour the gas on the fire of helping my clients reach their goals.
[00:14:24] Whitney Owens: Yeah, I love it.
[00:14:26] Kris Jones: So let me walk you through the framework.
[00:14:29] Jingle: Mm-hmm.
[00:14:30] Kris Jones: So just high level, I'll give you like the 20 to 32nd overview so you kind of understand what story is made of. There are multiple components and each component has to be. Incorporate it into your messaging in, in order to tell a clear and compelling story.
[00:14:50] Mm-hmm. So every story, and this includes your brand story, begins with a hero that has a problem that, that they don't know how to solve. So [00:15:00] they're out and about looking for somebody who can help them solve their problem. They're looking for a guide, they're looking for. Yoda, they're looking for Mr.
[00:15:09] Miyagi. They're looking for someone who knows how to solve this problem. That hero is in a hole. They don't know how to get outta that hole. So in order to get out of the hole, they've got to find a guide who can help them do that. Your what? What I want you to write down if you're listening or just really lock it into memory, is that you.
[00:15:34] Okay, as the therapist or the practice owner are not the hero of your own story, the hero is actually the weakest character in this story. So you don't want to be the hero, you wanna be the strongest character in this story. You wanna be the guide. So the hero is really the central character in our story.
[00:15:55] And ironically, even though it's your business, you are not the hero, you are [00:16:00] the guide. So your job is the guide. Is to give the hero a clear and simple plan that calls them to action. Heroes and humans don't ever want to jump blindly off a off of a cliff. Uh, if you, if you tell them you want them to do something.
[00:16:18] They need to know like what to expect. And so the plan really reassures their nervous system that this is not gonna be as so hard. We're gonna give them a, a clear and simple three step plan. And when they read the plan, they're gonna realize. This isn't that overwhelming or hard or what I thought it was gonna be in three steps.
[00:16:42] I can make it to my happy end result. And so we just really calm their nervous system and get them inspired to take action. We don't wanna manipulate or force people to take action with our marketing [00:17:00] or click on the buttons on our website. We want them to be inspired to do that. And we use story to cultivate resonance, connection, trust, all the three things that need to be present in order for somebody to come to your website and think, oh, I finally found the right person, or I finally found the right practice.
[00:17:24] And so the plan calls them to action. They click on your call to action If we're talking about your website. And then we really pull them through the story and keep them engaged every step of the way through stakes. Stakes just mean there's success to be had failure's possible too, but we're gonna help them avoid failure.
[00:17:47] If there are no stakes, your story falls flat. It's not compelling. It's not interesting when a movie doesn't have. Stakes. That's the movie where you get up after 10 minutes and you [00:18:00] actually leave the theater because it's pointless. So all of these components, I'm talking about, the hero, the problem, the guide, the plan, the call to action, the success, the failure, those are all like ingredients.
[00:18:16] If you're gonna make a big pot of chili, each one of those is ingredients in that pot of chili. And so you can't pour. A bottle of broth or, or a can of broth into your pot and go, here's the chili. It's not chili, it's broth. You have to have all these components present on your page and working together in your marketing to really.
[00:18:43] Allow your words to help you get clients and grow your practice.
[00:18:48] Whitney Owens: This is great. So I'm just gonna pick your brain for a second about my own practice. Hopefully this will help other practice owners as they're listening. But I have a group practice and we have, I dunno, 15 to 18 [00:19:00] therapists, and we all do different things.
[00:19:01] And so we kind of have honed in a little on our ideal person, but as far as like the journey and what we give to them, it's a little different. And so how do you create that on a practice website for a group?
[00:19:13] Kris Jones: Yeah, so there are plenty ways to do it. One of the things that I do with my clients, I call it mining for gold.
[00:19:20] So your story is inside your head and your heart. It's already in there. It's just you've got a lot of ideas and to-dos, and so it's cluttered with all that. So first what we do is mine. For gold. We identify the gold that is your story and we clear away the clutter. So for you, we'd wanna dig deeper underneath.
[00:19:41] All those different categories that you serve, and typically there is a common theme that whether it's just I'm not, I'm, I'm not feeling at ease in my own skin or there, there's always something that we can dig [00:20:00] that's underneath all of that. The other thing that you can do as a practice owner. It is just add a section on your web website that says these are the types of things that we do.
[00:20:14] Mm-hmm. Um, I would really encourage you to have. A section either on your homepage or on a our therapist page, Uhhuh, um, and have each therapist lean into the thing that they really want to help their clients with. They're, they're, I'm actually, I'm working with a massage therapist right now, so different industry, but same kind of issue in that he helps with prenatal massage, lymphatic drainage, and all these different types of.
[00:20:47] Massages, but underneath all that is the people that he works with are in chronic pain. So we, we went underneath all of that and found the common theme, and then we make [00:21:00] sure to communicate the depth and the breadth of what. What he offers. Same thing for you. You wouldn't ignore that. Your store, your core story components would really touch on what is that underneath everything, what is the kind of common theme?
[00:21:18] And this is the most important work that we do together. It takes some time at the beginning of our project, but I have yet to work with a business that we haven't been able to do that
[00:21:31] Whitney Owens: it, it certainly reminds me of branding. Kind of going back and branding your business and coming up with those words and that ideal person and the reason that you're doing it.
[00:21:41] Yeah. Of what you said. Mining for gold. 'cause it is like that practice owners are so overwhelmed with caring for those clients. It's like they've forgotten the essence of it until they sit down and do that exercise. So I think that's so,
[00:21:55] Kris Jones: yeah. Yeah, and a lot of the therapists and coaches that I [00:22:00] work with.
[00:22:01] This can be the hardest part because you're like, you know, I said, what problem do you solve? And we, we begin there and they solve a lot of different problems and I, you know, we. We solve a lot of problems. We wear a lot of hats. We're very capable people, which is so true, but you often need to, in order to be known, if you wanna be known as the go-to for something, you really do need to pick one.
[00:22:32] I, I really encourage my clients to pick one thing to lean into, and it might be 80% of the people that you work with. This is really their struggle, and I, it's a good way to think of it as like if you're on the freeway and you take an off-ramp or you take an on-ramp, for example. Um. You need to on ramp your clients with one problem.
[00:22:58] Once they get in with you, [00:23:00] yes, you can solve many more problems. For example, my on-ramp is all about websites. Everybody I work with almost has website challenges, but once, once I on ramp them through that messaging. They realize I do so much more than website work. I can help you with your branding. I can help you with your social media, I can help you with your videos, but I don't overload people with all that information up front because our brains can't carry that much information.
[00:23:31] A good example of this is the Fitbit technology. You know, the ring that, or not the Fitbit, but the aura ring, the ring that you wear on your finger. To analyze your sleep. So it's really known for really providing your sleep score and giving you all kinds of information about your REM sleep and light sleep and, and, um, the truth is, the Aura Ring [00:24:00] is a Fitbit for your finger.
[00:24:01] It does all the things that a Fitbit does and a Fitbit does. Everything tracks your, your steps and your heart rate and all this stuff, but the Aura Ring branding or marketing knew that if they wanted to differentiate and they wanted to grow and be as successful as they are, they really had to lean into the problem of sleep.
[00:24:29] And that's. All their messaging is about, of course when you get a ring, you're like, oh my gosh, this does everything. I don't even need a Fitbit. It's, you know, it's everything. But they had to on ramp all their people with one problem by becoming known for solving one problem, which was sleep quality.
[00:24:49] Whitney Owens: Mm-hmm. Such a great example. And not that I asked Uriah what he thought, but I'm thinking about his work with you and all the things he shared and how that was something he really talked about [00:25:00] was he took everything and made it one thing and how much success he's having now after changing that messaging.
[00:25:07] So I do think that's important, and I think entrepreneurs have so many things, their websites are so confusing. Oftentimes I'm like, I don't even know what you sell or which ones for me, because you have so many things. Yeah, so then customers are confused and they end up leaving your site.
[00:25:22] Kris Jones: Well, yeah, and your clients are like, if they're coming to you for therapeutic support, often they're already overwhelmed.
[00:25:32] So if your website adds to their overwhelmed, do you think that they're gonna think, oh, I finally found the right person to work with? You're, the way you make them feel on your website should be totally congruent with the way that you make them feel when they're in, when they're in your office. And that kind of alignment is what really multiplies growth.
[00:25:55] But it also just that, that congruence is what's gonna [00:26:00] attract the right people to you. And then once they come in and meet you, it's just all gonna feel really, uh, ethical
[00:26:10] Jingle: aligned.
[00:26:11] Kris Jones: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:26:12] Whitney Owens: I love that. And, and you know, we're getting the right people in the door, right? Those are the ideal people that we wanna work with, and they're gonna have the most success.
[00:26:20] Um, so I'm thinking about practice owners that I'm talking to now. I mean, a lot of them are struggling with marketing, ai, SEO, all the things. And then I love how you're like, no, let's simplify it. It's just about the story. But I can also see a practice owner saying. Like really? Like if I just get my story right, that's gonna do it.
[00:26:41] I don't think so, but I do think so. But I, I would love to hear from you, like what would you say to a practice owner who's like, why would I spend all that money getting my story correct? I should spend it on a website, or I should spend it on other marketing.
[00:26:56] Kris Jones: Well, the, I think the website is the most important [00:27:00] part of your marketing, but it's the words on the website that actually motivate people to take that next step and wanna work with you.
[00:27:08] For example, like who hasn't in the last 48 hours hopped on Amazon and considered buying a product? You didn't look at the product. Buy it. You read the reviews and based on the words, based on the words that you read in those reviews, you clicked that buy button.
[00:27:27] Whitney Owens: Mm-hmm.
[00:27:28] Kris Jones: Or you didn't. And so the power of words, whether it's on your website or in person or in your emails, is the thing that emotionally gets people to move forward and wanna work with you if they're in alignment with you.
[00:27:46] Whitney Owens: I agree. Yeah, because they could get on chat GPT. Okay. I am gonna go look at this therapist 'cause that's the one it's recommending. I, most of 'em aren't just gonna call, they're gonna actually go to the website, even if AI is recommending it. But if you go to the website and it's confusing [00:28:00] or it doesn't speak to you.
[00:28:02] You're gonna the next one that's right.
[00:28:03] Kris Jones: You, you have five seconds. When somebody gets to your website, you have five seconds to communicate. Three things. What do you do? How's it gonna make their life better? And what do you want them to do next? If you, uh, when someone lands on your website, if you're nuanced or wordy, or poetic, or unclear.
[00:28:25] They are going to leave your website within about five seconds because their brain is actually signaling danger. This person is, is not clear. This website is gonna cause my brain to burn calories to figure this out. And our brains. Our brains are constantly trying to conserve calories, and so that is why people don't stay on your page.
[00:28:49] I mean, you're very lucky to get somebody to your website, so you've got a captive audience as a visitor, and then you literally kick them out of your website [00:29:00] because they can't see themselves in your story. Or you're just overloading, your websites become a dumping ground for ideas and words that it's just, it puts a, a big burden on the visitor rather than guiding them to a solution, you're burdening them by making them make all the decisions, overwhelming them with crowded upper navigation menus and, and small fonts and long paragraphs that people just won't read.
[00:29:29] Whitney Owens: Yeah, I think you just spoke directly to those therapists. You're burdening people with your website. They're all gonna be like, oh no, you know, I felt it. I was like, oh, I don't wanna burden them. Um, nobody does. I actually really wanna write down what you just said. They're on your website for five seconds and three things you have to do.
[00:29:44] What were those three things?
[00:29:45] Kris Jones: The three things within five seconds you have to communicate. What do you do? How's it gonna make their life better? That's what they care about is this. Practice or therapist [00:30:00] going to solve my problem. So what do you do? How's it gonna make their life better? And what do you want me to do next?
[00:30:06] Heroes are done figuring it out themselves. They've tried, they can't solve their own problem. Want you to tell them what to do. And as a guide, your job is to tell them what to do next. If they want to solve this problem, they have to take action. If they don't take action a year from now, that problem that they're struggling with is either gonna be right where it is or worse.
[00:30:36] So it's in their best interest to take action, but it's your job as the business owner to craft a call to action that's compelling, motivating, inspiring, not learn more or meet the team or these really neutral blah calls to action [00:31:00] that that don't motivate people to move.
[00:31:03] Whitney Owens: Yes. What do you think about the websites that have multiple calls to action on the same page?
[00:31:10] Kris Jones: I'm gonna go back to heroes are in a hole. They're try, they've tried to get outta that hole by themselves. They've tried lots of different things. When somebody lands on your website and it tells, and you have multiple calls to actions, it's like. Me coming up to you and going, Hey, where is the nearest McDonald's?
[00:31:34] And you say, it's left. Well you, or you could go right and it's also straight, or it's also behind me. I'd be like, I'm gonna go find somebody else. Yes. And that is exactly what you're doing when you're, again, you're burdening the visitor to figure out what they need to do to solve their problem. And so you're, you're showing up as a very weak [00:32:00] guide who doesn't know how to guide your hero to success.
[00:32:05] Whitney Owens: I greatly appreciate that. That's actually something I'm working on personally. It's like. When you give too many options, when you listen to too many things, it's just like you're making it hard for people. And someone gave me that advice really recently and was like, yeah, but you didn't make it clear.
[00:32:19] And it actually made me more upset than all the options you gave me. I just wanted you to tell me the one option. And I was like, oh, I thought I was being like too much or you know, imposing. But people want that. And especially in therapy, like you said, they're already depressed, they're overwhelmed when they come to your website, when they come in our offices.
[00:32:36] I tell my therapist all the time. You are the professional in the room. Don't ask them when they want to come back. You tell them when they're coming back. You tell them the treatment recommendations people want just here. This is it. Exactly what you're saying. And so this therapist, we already are ingrained to do that.
[00:32:55] Why are we doing it in our offices and not on our marketing? A
[00:32:59] Kris Jones: hundred [00:33:00] percent. Great point.
[00:33:01] Whitney Owens: Yeah. You have a toolkit for our listeners, is that correct?
[00:33:05] Kris Jones: I do, yeah. At my website, red Door Stories, that's where you can find out everything about me. You can book a call with me. We can look at your story. The story that you're telling on your website on the call, and I can give you some tips, identify what parts of the story you need to incorporate what you're doing well already.
[00:33:28] So go ahead and go to my website and book a call with me on the website. There is also a free guide, which is. At 10 minute Training, I teach you the five StoryBrand soundbites that you need to grow your practice and get more clients. And it's a quick 10 minute training. It'll go deeper into some of the story brand work that we talked about today, and it will forever change the way you talk about your business.
[00:33:57] Whitney Owens: That's
[00:33:57] Jingle: great.
[00:33:58] Whitney Owens: Yeah. Well, this has been [00:34:00] such a pleasure. I'm looking forward to now, uh, going to my website and thinking about some things. Um, so really appreciate you taking the time to be on our show today and, um, providing so much value to our listeners.
[00:34:11] Kris Jones: Uh, Whitney, it was a joy. Thank you for having me.
[00:34:17] Jingle: So click on follow and leave a review and keep on loving this work we do with Whitney Owens and The Wise Practice Podcast, Whitney Owens and Wise Practice Podcast.
[00:34:35] Whitney Owens: Special thanks to Marty Altman for the music in this podcast. The Wise Practice Podcast is part of the Site Craft Podcast Network. A collaboration of independent podcasters focused on helping people live more meaningful and productive lives.
[00:34:49] To learn more about the other amazing podcasts in the network, head on over to site craft network.com. The Wise Practice podcast represents the opinions of Whitney Owens and her guests. [00:35:00] This podcast is for educational purposes only, and the content should not be taken as legal advice. If you have legal questions, please consult an attorney.
