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The Foundations of Ethical Marketing Part 2

ethics marketing Sep 29, 2026

Ethical Marketing for Therapists, Part 2: Build an Offer, Find Your People, and Share Your Work

You can spend a lot of money learning how to get more eyes on your work. But what happens when those people arrive and still cannot tell whether you can help them?

That is where this part of my conversation with Tad Hargrave got practical for me. In Part 1 of our conversation, we talked about ethics, making space, and finding your niche. I also wrote about those first three foundations in this Part 1 blog post.

In Part 2, we pick up with point of view. Then Tad walks through your business model, the people who can help you reach your audience, and how to share your work without pushing someone to buy.

First, tell people how you see the problem

Imagine a therapist giving a talk to parents whose teens are struggling. The therapist could spend the whole time listing credentials and asking parents to book a session. Or they could explain what they have noticed, what parents often misunderstand, and what kinds of support may help.

That second talk gives parents something useful, whether they ever book an appointment or not. It also lets them hear how that therapist thinks.

That is what Tad means by a point of view. You make the case for your approach to a problem. People can decide, That makes sense to me, or That is not what I am looking for. Both answers help.

I have felt the temptation to skip that part and go straight to the offer. But Tad made the order clear: people need to understand your approach before they can know whether they want your help.

Try this: Write one sentence that begins, “When people struggle with ___, I have found that ___.” Can you explain what you mean with a simple example? That is a starting point for sharing your point of view.

Build the offer after you know who it is for

Tad places the business model higher up his marketing pyramid. By business model, he means the structure of your business, including the offers you make. For a therapist, that could mean individual sessions, a group, a workshop, a retreat, or something else.

It can be tempting to start with the format. You hear that memberships are working for someone else, so you decide to start one. But who would it serve? What problem would it help them work through? How does it fit the way you believe that problem should be handled?

If you cannot answer those questions, the format will not answer them for you.

The right offer grows out of your niche and your point of view. If you know who you help and can explain your approach, you have a much better chance of building something those people actually want.

This matters if you want to create a workshop or course. Do not start by asking, “Should I make a six-week course?” Start with:

Who is this for?
What problem are they trying to work through?
What do I believe would help?
What kind of support can I honestly offer?

Then choose a format that serves those answers. A two-hour workshop may be useful. A course may be useful. The point is to let the work guide the offer.

Find the people your people already trust

Next, Tad talks about hubs. A hub is a person, place, or event where the people you want to serve already gather.

Think about a therapist who helps parents of anxious teens. Those parents might already spend time with a school parent group, a local youth organization, or a community group for families. Those are places to get curious and build relationships.

This landed with me because I would rather talk with someone who serves therapists than send cold messages to a hundred therapists who do not know me. A trusted person can help make an introduction. But that trust has to be earned.

Tad says a partnership should be good for three groups:

You: Does it help you do meaningful work with people you can serve?
The hub: Does it help them care for the people who trust them?
Their people: Will they get something genuinely useful?

You do not have to show up asking someone to promote you. You might offer a useful talk or article that addresses a question their group already asks. Then make it easy for the host to share: provide a clear title, a short description, and any materials they need.

Try this: Name one group your ideal clients already trust. What question could you help that group answer? Start a conversation there.

Choose how you will share your work

At the top of Tad's pyramid is sharing. This is the part many of us start with. We ask whether we should post more, write a newsletter, go to networking events, or buy ads.

Those are ways to share. Tad's point is that a tactic needs something clear underneath it. If you do not know who you are trying to reach, even a well-made post may reach the wrong people. If your offer is vague, paying to show it to more people will not make it clearer.

You also need a way of sharing you can keep doing. If you enjoy writing, a newsletter or helpful articles may suit you. If you like talking with people, events or presentations may feel more natural. Pick one way you can practice regularly, then give it time.

I also appreciated how Tad described the invitation itself. You can tell people who you help, how you work, what you offer, and what it costs. You can answer their questions. Then you can let them decide.

Yes is good. No is okay too.

For helpers, that can be hard. We see someone hurting and want to make sure they get help. But caring about someone does not give us the right to push them into working with us. We can make our approach clear and leave room for their choice.

Start with one honest sentence

If your marketing feels scattered, look beneath the latest tactic. Can someone tell who you help, what you believe about their problem, and what you offer? Could a trusted person explain that to somebody else?

Those questions give you a place to start. This week, write down one honest sentence about your approach and share it with someone who knows your work. Ask them what is clear and what still needs explaining.

You can hear the whole conversation in Part 1 of my interview with Tad, then continue with Part 2 when the episode is available. You can also learn more about Tad at Marketing for Hippies.

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