Many self-employed therapists struggle to create a successful business. In order to bring new clients into your therapy practice you must promote yourself.
You have the done the training, completed hours of case studies, survived the exams and now you are in the exciting position of setting up your own business. Whether you offer Massage, Reflexology, Reiki, Beauty or a completely different form of treatment there is no question being a self-employed therapist is tough work.
Most courses will touch on the business side of things but nothing can really prepare you for the challenges of setting up and successfully running your own practice. A common refrain amongst therapists is: “But I’m no good at business. I just want to focus on my treatments and helping people.”
Working with people to bring about a better sense of physical and emotional well-being is certainly at the heart of what you do. However it’s important not to lose sight of the fact that offering treatments is a business—your business—and the power is in your hands to make it a thriving success.
Yes, it can be difficult getting into the business mindset but this doesn’t have to detract from the treatments you offer. In fact being more business minded will only enhance your therapy practice.
- Be innovative
- Be resourceful
- Let people know who you are
- Show people how your treatments can specifically help them
- Have fun
Here are five effective ways to promote your therapy business and bring a steady stream of new clients your way.
Leaflets
This is the most common form of self-promotion for therapists. It is important to have a minimum of one leaflet that explains:
- Who you are
- Details about the treatments you offer
- How clients will benefit from your treatments
- Price list and length of treatments
- Where and When you practice
- How to contact you (note: never give out your home address or private telephone number. If you work from home please make sure to thoroughly vet all first time clients)
If you offer more than one type of therapy (i.e. Aromatherapy and Reflexology) then it’s definitely worth having a general leaflet as well as creating separate leaflets for each individual therapy you offer. This way you target clients who may only be interested in a specific form of therapy.
Create a Website
Many people today use the Internet to find therapists in their local area. If you don’t have a website then your name and details won’t be available to them. This is a wasted opportunity to extend your reach to lots of potential new clients.
Don’t let technology frighten you. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy or overly complicated and it certainly shouldn’t be ridiculously expensive. Basically all your website needs to be is an online version of your leaflet. Get a simple page set up and if you wish to make it more detailed in the future you can.
Taster Days
One thing stopping many people from trying a therapy is the fear of committing financially to something they may not like or think will help them. A great way to get around this is to offer taster days. This should be something you offer regularly. The more people see something the more it sticks in their minds and the more likely they are to give it a try.
Most people will not value anything that is free. This is why you must consider charging a small fee for each taster session. A good standard is 15 minutes for $10.00 / £5.00. This is not a huge financial commitment for people. It also weeds out those who don’t have a genuine interest in holistic or alternative therapies.
Write
For those with the inclination to write, this is a fun and rewarding way to promote your therapy practice. There are several ways to do this including starting a blog or writing a monthly newsletter.
These are great ways to connect with people and keep them updated on new developments within your practice and therapy field. You can also share tips on healthy living and ways to reduce stress. Eventually they can be linked with your website generating more traffic for you.
Local newspapers and magazines are sometimes on the look out for free editorial content. If you go down this route be prepared to work to a fixed deadline and adhere to their rules of publication. It can be tough but it’s a great opportunity to make important contacts in local media.
Talk to Specific Groups
Find a niche market in your local area. Targeting specific groups will open up whole new client streams for you. This could be anything from a mother and toddler group, caregivers or senior citizens. Organise talks and free demonstrations to show them how your treatments will be of specific benefit to them. Whether it’s reducing stress, easing muscle aches or providing healing touch it is essential they understand how your treatments can help them.
When it comes to promoting your therapy practice don’t hide in the shadows. In order to be successful and keep new clients booking in, you must be present, active and excited about what you do.
The success of your business is in your hands!
