How to create and sell a product with Dr. Ebony Butler
My interview guest this week is Dr. Ebony Butler. Dr. Ebony is a Licensed Psychologist who has made it her mission to help women of color heal and thrive in the areas of trauma and diet recovery.
She is also the creator of My Therapy Cards, the first self-exploration and self-insight card deck created for Black women.
I spoke to Dr. Ebony about why she created My Therapy Cards and what she’s learned along the way. Enjoy!
Why did you create My Therapy Cards?
After starting a private practice in 2019, I noticed that there was more demand for therapy from Black women than what I could provide in a part-time practice. I was really becoming disheartened with how many people I was having to turn away.
It was also frustrating to hear how difficult it was for Black women to find therapists who looked like them and had open availability. I know how hard it can be to keep searching once you feel like you're not getting anywhere, so I wanted to find a solution. I wanted to be able to provide quality care to Black women and other women of color who were having issues accessing care, tools, and resources.
I also wanted to help those women who couldn't work with me in my practice, whether it was due to costs of services, availability, or geographical limitations.
This is where the idea for My Therapy Cards®️ was born. I felt like with the cards, we would be able to address barriers such as cost, access, and stigma. Additionally, using some of the same questions I ask my clients in sessions, I felt like consumers would now have a tangible resource and tool that would allow them to do quality self-insight work either alone or with their therapist/clients in session.
How did you produce them?
I hired a marketing coach who helped me take the cards from idea to physical product. During our work together, I created the questions/prompts and tasks based on work I already do in session with clients, which is based on my specific framework for addressing challenges.
From there, I chose the layout and designs I wanted and hired a designer to bring it all together. I produced the cards using a vendor I had access to from working with my coach. The rest is history!
Since the launch of the initial deck in May 2020, we now have a full resource line that includes My Therapy Cards®️ for women, teen girls, and men! We also have complementary journals for the Women and Teen decks.
How did you promote them?
I used the power of social media to promote the cards. I created ads and leveraged the platforms I already had on social media. I also did podcasts, interviews, and consultations with various groups for women.
I also developed partnerships with platforms like SimplePractice who advertised the cards with their audience of therapists, coaches, and clinicians.
How have sales been?
Sales have been amazing! We started with a goal of selling 100 decks per quarter. Since the launch in May 2020, we have sold over 7,000 units of the decks, not to include the journals! We average about 200 sales per month.
What's the long-term vision?
I see My Therapy Cards®️ being a game changer for the way we think about therapy resources and tools. My long term vision is for My Therapy Cards®️ to become its own business and entity. We are in the process of creating more editions, with two being released in 2022. We will continue expanding and creating ways for Black people and other people of color to access quality mental health resources and programs.
What advice do you have for therapists considering creating a product?
I would advise therapists who are considering creating a product to really get solid on the problem(s) they are addressing with their product(s). I would tell them not to try to do it alone. Please invest in the help and guidance because it makes a difference. Hire someone who can help you with marketing and learning about shipping and running an online store.
Also, build your audience! Get out there. Put yourself out there so that people know who you are and what you have to offer. When that product is complete, you want to have a captive audience who you can sell to. People are waiting for you. Only you can do what you do and there's room for all of us!