Self-booking launch · marketing plan · Positive Reset + Serenium

Self-Booking — the marketing play

Updated to the 10 Jul intake-flow call (Suciu · Codrut · Vlad T). What marketing ships, for both brands, and how we prove it. Engineering & HubSpot detail is a separate companion doc (engineering-appendix.html).

Launch: Mon 13 Jul · PRE-first soft launch Brands: Positive Reset + Serenium · one platform Channels: Meta + Google Search Flow: book first, verify in back office

The one-paragraph version

Self-booking flips our funnel. Today we capture a lead then chase them to book. Now the patient books themselves first — the site leads with "pick a therapist and book," and coverage is confirmed in the back office. So marketing's job becomes two things: get every booking to actually show up, and harvest the two openings self-booking hands us almost for free.

Those two openings: (1) waking up a large dormant database — ~97% of past PRE contacts never became a patient — with a "book yourself in minutes" nudge (note: anyone inactive >6 months re-enters as a new-patient intake); and (2) we can finally sell — and instantly deliver — the end result: book a real therapist this week, straight from the ad ("Book a session now"), with coverage as a trust line, not the pitch. Direct comms (SMS + email) is the engine, now across both Positive Reset and Serenium on one shared platform.

Peter's north star, now locked by the call: don't make our flow stricter than ZocDoc — capture the booking first, verify & share cost on the backend. A few engineering pieces still gate launch (attribution, the duplicate-contact fix, old-cycle suppression) — in the companion doc.

What the 10 Jul call decided this drives the plan

The intake-flow debate (Suciu · Codrut · Vlad T) resolved six things that reshape marketing. Blue = shapes our messaging; green = a marketing task.

1 · Book first, sell the end result

Suciu: secure the appointment first, don't lead with insurance. CTA = "Book a session now," coverage confirmed in the back office. Shortest path to a booking.

2 · Browse your therapist

Patients pick from available therapists (no symptom quiz / self-diagnosis). Every therapist can also do intake — no bottleneck.

3 · Show cost upfront

After booking, we tell the patient their copay / coinsurance / deductible — a real trust + conversion lever.

4 · A/B the funnel

Booking-first vs intake-first, dropout tracked for 2 weeks. Marketing supplies both creative hooks to feed it.

5 · The 6-month rule

"Returning" = seen within 6 months. Older than that re-enters as a new-patient intake — changes reactivation copy.

6 · One platform, two brands

PR vs Serenium branding switches by domain; same engine underneath. Everything here runs for both.

The finalized flow from the call · both brands

Booking comes first; insurance and verification move to the back office. Marketing's job: attach the right message to each step, automatically.

Start

Pick insurer + zip + virtual/in-person. Returning ≤6mo skips intake.

Book

Browse therapists, pick a slot. This is the CTA — the shortest path.

Details + intake

Name / phone / email, then intake (insurance at the top).

Verify

Back office. Medicaid → instant; commercial → team confirms + shares your cost.

Attend

Reminders → first session → follow-up.

The marketing play direct comms is the engine

Direct comms — the SMS + email lifecycle — is our primary channel for both brands. It drives reactivation, keeping bookings, and repeat visits. Ads bring people in; comms turn them into patients who show up and come back. The two biggest near-free wins — reactivating the dormant base and seeding lookalikes from real patients — are both things self-booking uniquely unlocks.

Stage	Priority	What we do first	Why it matters
Acquisition	primary	Outcome-led ads ("Talk to someone this week" · "Start therapy this week") with a "Book a session now" CTA on Meta, plus PRE + SW Google Search pointed at the new booking flow. Coverage = trust line, never the CTA.	Meta is the volume workhorse; Search already catches high-intent Medicaid-coverage queries (Google Ads section).
Reactivation · direct comms	primary	SMS + email to the dormant base — old leads, no-shows, exhausted-attempt, Nurture. "Book yourself in minutes." Copy handles the 6-month → new-intake rule. Consent-gated.	The biggest near-free win. ~97% of past PRE contacts never became a patient — self-booking finally gives them a one-tap way in.
Show-up / no-show · direct comms	primary	Reminder + pre-session prep + no-show rebook. Pre-empt the intake card-upload drop-off ("have your insurance card ready").	A no-show = full ad cost, zero return. Cheapest patient we'll ever get is the one who already booked.
Retention · direct comms	primary	After the first session → book-the-second-session SMS/email.	Where the real lifetime value is, especially for private-pay patients.
Referral + reviews	secondary	Post-visit review + referral ask.	Feeds Google rank + ad trust — slower, compounding.
Organic / Google + ZocDoc	secondary	Keep listings current (accepted insurers, self-book link, hours) + a coverage-check page for SEO.	Parity with Peter's ZocDoc/GBP benchmark; supports paid, doesn't lead it.

Peter's brief, mapped

1 · Patient-facing messaging & 2 · Follow-up sequences → the comms journey below — every message, every state.
4 · After booking · 5 · Intake · 6 · Medicare/EAP · 7 · Pending / review → each is a labeled stage in that journey, with draft copy.
3 · HubSpot lifecycle → the engineering companion doc (the plumbing, not marketing's build).

The comms journey who we message, when, and with what

The funnel-flip made concrete: every SMS + email a patient gets, at each step — in the new book-first order. This is the state-by-state copy for Monday.

Reading it: arrows = the patient's path. Draft copy shown in PRE voice (warm) — Serenium gets a calmer, HIPAA-safe variant (no "confirmed/covered" guarantees). SMS kept short, internal links only. [date], [carrier], [$copay] fill from the record. Blue tags map each step to Peter's brief.

▶

The click → browse → book

The patient taps a Meta or Google ad, picks insurer + zip + visit type, browses therapists and books a slot. Booking is the very first thing — coverage & cost come after, in the back office.

↓

They book — instant confirmation

The first touch. Confirm the appointment immediately (ZocDoc parity); tee up what's next. No coverage claim yet — that's the back office.

Peter · 4

SMSYou're booked ✓ [therapist] on [date] at [time] with [clinic]. Next: a couple of quick details + a short intake so we can confirm your coverage and your exact cost. Start here: [link].

Email · subjectYou're booked — [date] at [time]. One quick next step.

↓

Details + intake — with insurance at the top

Name / phone / email, then the intake. Insurance goes first so the back office can start verifying and price the visit. This is where booked → attended actually leaks.

Peter · 5

SMS · promptAlmost there — add your details + insurance (2 min) so we can confirm your coverage and tell you your cost before your visit: [link].

Started, not finished — gentle nudge (1 SMS + 1 email, spaced)

SMSYou're almost set for [date] — just finish your intake so we can confirm your coverage: [link]. Under 2 minutes.

Complete — thanks

SMSGot it, thank you ✓ We're confirming your coverage now and will send your cost + what to expect shortly.

↓

Coverage + cost comes back (back office)

Medicaid clears instantly; commercial / Medicare / EAP are confirmed by the team. Either way we tell them their cost — and it's never a dead end.

Peter · 6 · 7

Medicaid — confirmed, $0

SMSGood news — your Medicaid coverage is confirmed and there's no copay. You're all set for [date] at [time]. Here's what to bring: [link].

Commercial — covered, here's your cost

SMSYou're covered by [carrier] ✓ Your cost is about [$copay] per visit. You're set for [date] at [time]. Questions on cost? Just reply.

Still verifying? "We're finalizing your [carrier] benefits and will confirm your exact cost before your visit — your [date] spot is held."

Can't confirm — options

SMSWe couldn't confirm coverage with [carrier]. You still have options — [self-pay / waitlist / a referral]. Reply and we'll help you find the best path.

Off-ramp copy pending the Peter / ops policy call.

↓

Show-up — reminder + no-show rescue

A no-show = full ad cost, zero return. Keyed on the appointment time.

Reminder (day before / day of)

SMSReminder: your session with [therapist] is [tomorrow] at [time]. Reply C to confirm or R to reschedule.

No-show → rebook

SMSWe missed you today — life happens. Rebook in one tap whenever you're ready: [link]. We're here when you are.

↓

Retention — book the second session

Where the real lifetime value is.

SMSNice work showing up for yourself. Ready for the next one? Book your follow-up here: [link].

+ a separate entry, running in parallel

↻

Reactivation — the dormant base

Old leads, no-shows, exhausted-attempt, Nurture. Self-booking finally gives them a one-tap way in. Copy handles the 6-month rule: seen >6mo ago = a fresh new-patient start. Consent-gated.

the near-free win

SMS · seen >6 months agoYou reached out to [clinic] a while back. You can now book yourself in minutes — we'll set you up as a fresh start and confirm your coverage after: [link].

The creative — sell the end result

One CTA: "Book a session now" lead with the outcome

Per the call (Suciu): lead with the end result the patient actually wants — getting seen, talking to someone this week — not the coverage-check process. One CTA everywhere: "Book a session now." Coverage stays a small trust line ("Medicaid & most NJ plans"), never the hook. No "Check your coverage" CTA on ads.

PRE hero · refreshed
"Talk to someone this week."
Outcome headline · coverage as trust subline · Book a session now.

SW hero · refreshed
"Start therapy this week."
Serenium's calm register · same rule · Book a session now.

The rule

Headline = the end result — "see a therapist this week," "talk to someone," "real support, now." Not the process.
CTA = "Book a session now" — only. No "Check your coverage" on ads.
Coverage / cost = a trust subline ("Medicaid & most NJ plans · same-week"), never the pitch.
The coverage check still exists — on the site + in the back office — it's just not the ad hook.

PRE headline directions · warm

"Talk to someone this week." · "You don't have to carry it alone." · "Real support, starting now." · "Get the help you've been putting off." · "Therapy that fits your life — booked in minutes."

SW headline directions · calm, no guarantees

"Start therapy this week." · "Care that fits your life." · "See a NJ therapist who gets it." · "Space to talk, this week." · "Your first session, this week."

Kept drafts — coverage & process concepts not deleted · repurposed

Built for the earlier coverage-first angle — kept, not thrown away. Repurposed: the "how it works" explainers fit the on-site page + retargeting (warm clickers who didn't book); the social / comparison formats get outcome copy + the book CTA. Old coverage versions of the heroes preserved in /drafts. These verify-step cards live in the flow, not as the lead ad.

More kept drafts social · comparison · editorial · process

PRE N1 · social proof
Text-thread
A friend recommending the booking. Native, scroll-stopping.

PRE N3 · comparison
Usual runaround vs us
Split-screen the waitlist away.

PRE C5 · process
3-step filmstrip
Pick therapist → book → done.

draft · preserved
Old PRE hero: "Therapy in NJ, covered."
The coverage-first "before," kept in /drafts.

SW N2 · editorial
"You're probably covered."
Type-forward statement card.

SW C6 · process
Numbered steps
Enter details → book → we confirm.

Google Ads — coverage-intent search (PRE + Serenium)

What we run on Google today live · last 30 days

Both brands run Medicaid-coverage Search — the exact "do you take my insurance?" intent the new flow answers. Serenium's account is ~10× PRE's and better-built (it already tests commercial carriers). Both are the natural home for the new booking flow, and both leak on brand terms.

~$2.9k

PRE · 1 campaign / mo

1 kw

PRE · broad "counseling that accepts medicaid"

~$31k

SW · 2 campaigns / mo

~596

SW · conversions / mo

Positive Reset

One live campaign ("Therapy Covered by Medicaid"), ~$2.9k/mo, ~$8.40/click, essentially one broad keyword pulling a rich Medicaid-coverage stream. Roughly 1 in 5 dollars leaks — ~$550/mo to brand searches ("positive reset…") + off-topic terms ("anger management classes," "how to get medicaid").

Serenium

Two live campaigns ("Therapy Covered by Medicaid" $21.4k + "Q2 General Medicaid Mental Health" $9.7k), ~$31k/mo, ~$10/click, ~596 conversions. Better structured (real ad groups + match types). Top performer: "nj familycare therapy" (~150 conv). Already bids on commercial carriers — Horizon BCBS, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, AmeriHealth — so it's ahead of PRE on payer diversification. Same leaks: ~$2.5k+/mo on brand ("serenium wellness…") inside prospecting, plus weak spend ("stress therapy," 5 conv for $640) and 0-conv junk ("free anger management classes").

What we should do both accounts · no new budget for 1–4

1 point both at the booking flow

Biggest win, and it's free

Send these clicks to the new book-a-therapist flow (with the coverage/cost check inline). The searcher's #1 question — "do you take my insurance?" — is answered in the flow. Just a destination swap on both accounts.

2 carve out brand

Stop paying prospecting prices for our own name

PRE ~$550/mo and SW ~$2.5k+/mo of brand searches belong in separate, cheap brand campaigns — so we don't overpay to defend our name and prospecting numbers stop being flattered.

3 lift SW's structure into PRE

SW is the template

SW already has real ad groups (Medicaid core, carrier-specific, family/couples) + match-type discipline. PRE's single broad keyword should be rebuilt the same way, from its own converting queries.

4 prune + add negatives

Block the money-wasters both accounts show

"how to get medicaid," "dmahs nj familycare," "anger management classes" (court-ordered), "free …" → negatives. Rein in SW's weak "stress therapy" broad.

5 lean into cost + commercial (esp. SW)

"Know your copay" ad copy

SW already wins Horizon/UHC/Aetna clicks — the new cost-transparency message ("see your copay before you book") is tailor-made for that commercial traffic. Extend the carrier keywords; test the same on PRE later.

6 call + coverage extensions

Meet high-intent "near me" mobile searchers

Many queries are mobile "near me," ready to act. Call extensions + the booking destination catch both the "let me call" and "let me book online" instinct.

Keyword themes from both accounts' converting searches

Real terms both accounts already get and convert on — not a guess. The map for the ad-group work. (For market-wide search volumes, CPC benchmarks, and competitor gaps, link SEMrush and I'll layer them on.)

Theme	Real queries we already win	Move
Medicaid coverage (core, both)	"therapist that accept medicaid" · "therapy that takes medicaid near me" · "counseling that accepts medicaid"	Book flow → coverage check. The bread and butter.
NJ FamilyCare / carrier (SW's top)	"nj familycare therapy" · "horizon bcbs mental health" · "therapist that take amerihealth"	Own ad group per carrier — SW's biggest converter; extend to PRE.
Commercial payers (SW ahead)	"united healthcare mental health" · "therapy covered by aetna" · "therapist that takes horizon"	Pair with "know your copay" copy — diversifies beyond Medicaid.
Condition + coverage	"couples therapy medicaid" · "family counselling near me" · "medication management near me"	Tailored ad copy per service line.
Competitor coverage	"does betterhelp accept medicaid"	We win — BetterHelp doesn't take Medicaid, we do.
Brand (both leak)	"positive reset…" · "serenium wellness…"	Separate, cheap brand campaigns (move #2).
Exclude (negatives)	"how to get medicaid" · "free anger management classes" · "stress therapy" (weak)	Negatives / pause.

To take the keyword work further

Link SEMrush (API or MCP) and I'll add real search volumes, CPC benchmarks, and the competitor gap — what BetterHelp / Talkspace / local NJ clinics rank + bid on that we don't, per brand.
Or I can pull the same from Google's own Keyword Planner — free.

How we'll know it worked so we can prove it

North-star: cost per patient who actually shows up (an attended appointment), split Medicaid vs commercial, per brand. On top of that, marketing reads the team's booking-first vs intake-first A/B (an on-site funnel test) and separately A/B-tests our outcome ad angles — all judged on cost-per-attended, not clicks. One dependency: the ad tag has to survive the new booking page (companion doc, Lock 1) — without it, both reads go dark.

Worth putting on the table easy to miss

A cost transparency is a lever

"Know your copay" can lift conversion

The call decided to show copay/coinsurance/deductible after booking. Surfacing "no surprises on cost" in ads + comms is a real trust differentiator — especially for commercial traffic.

B browse ≠ match

"Pick your own therapist" is a hook

No symptom quiz — patients choose. That's a differentiator vs BetterHelp's assign-you-someone model, and worth its own creative angle.

C the 6-month rule needs its own copy

Reactivation isn't one message

Seen ≤6mo = returning (skip intake); >6mo = fresh new-patient intake. The reactivation SMS has to set that expectation so it doesn't feel like starting over unexpectedly.

D Spanish-language

The untapped Medicaid lever

Large NJ Hispanic Medicaid population. Spanish creative + booking flow + SMS could grow the segment we already win most — across both brands.

E intake card-upload friction

Where booked → attended actually leaks

DL + insurance-card upload on a phone is the drop-off. Pre-empt in comms (journey step 2) and measure start vs finish.

F is it net-new?

Self-book vs cannibalized

Some self-bookers would've booked anyway. The read must isolate extra attended patients, not just re-label existing ones.

Prioritized roadmap

This weekend — gate Monday

Finalize the comms-journey copy (book → intake → coverage+cost → reminders) + Serenium variant, for the Sat 11am working session.
Ship the outcome-led ad set (book-now CTA) for PRE — refreshed C1/C3 heroes + variants.
Hand engineering the 3 must-locks (companion doc): attribution passthrough · dedup + brand at book-time · old-cycle suppression.
Confirm PRE-first soft launch; keep lead-form ads as fallback.

Week 1 — prove it works

Cost-per-attended dashboard (Medicaid vs commercial) + the booking-first vs intake-first A/B read.
Reactivation pilot to one dormant segment (consent-gated, 6-month copy).
Reminder + no-show rebook sequences on the appointment time.
Google Ads: point PRE + SW at the booking flow; carve out brand on both.
Seed booked/attended audiences for Meta lookalikes.

Weeks 2–4 — scale & widen

Full Serenium creative + comms rollout (once PRE is proven).
Google Ads: rebuild PRE ad groups on SW's template + "know your copay" commercial push.
"Browse your therapist" + cost-transparency + Spanish-language sets.
Retention (2nd-session) + coverage-check SEO page.
Google Business Profile + review-request loop (secondary).

Marketing plan · Self-Booking launch (PRE + Serenium). Adapted to the 10 Jul intake-flow call. Google Ads figures pulled live from the PRE + SW accounts (last 30 days). Engineering & HubSpot dependencies: companion doc engineering-appendix.html. Sources: outputs/self-booking-launch/.