Tips for Therapists:

If you do more than just occasional treatments buy yourself a spare uniform.

Why ? : Your focus should be on your treatments and your clients, not on your clothes. By having a spare uniform you can eliminate crises and last minute anxiety if you didn't have time to prepare by washing or ironing and in case of last minute accidents.

Offer a voucher scheme

That is, make it known that you sell vouchers for treatments that may be given as gifts. Some therapists find that treatment vouchers are popular for birthdays and other special occasions and may be of interest to people who do not live near you but would like to buy a treatment for a friend or relative who does.

Why ? : If people don't know that you offer this option, they'll keep looking for someone who does !

Concerning music or other sound during your treatments ...
If you visit clients at their homes do you mention in advance that they might wish to have their sound system or speakers ready near the treatment area and perhaps select some appropriate music ?

Why ? : Preparation and anticipation of all aspects of your time with the client helps to enable everyone to be more relaxed, facilitating effective treatment.

Always have some of your smart, professional, business cards with you.

Why ? : Business cards can provide much useful information. If you have a box or stand of business cards available for clients to take one, you must be serious about your business and expect people to want your contact details.

Do you use Consultation Sheets for pre-treatment consultations ?
If so, and if you have a website, make your consultation sheets available for download by clients and people who are considering booking arranging a treatment.

Why ? : Perhaps some people would like to have a treatment but are concerned about the questions you might ask them first. It is reassuring for such clients to be able to see your questions in advance. It might also help by resulting in more people bringing the information you require with them. However, if you would like clients to complete your form in advance then do remember to say so.

Investigate any FREE help that might be available to you as a small business.

The value and nature of help available for small businesses varies from time to time and from place to place. Sometimes there are government funded initiatives to help small businesses. If there is free advice available it might prove useful, especially when you are setting-up your business and in the first few years.

Have you considered being listed on any of the many 'Therapist Listings' on the internet? If so, bear in mind that providing holistic therapies is a local business. An online directory of therapists would need to have an audience of many potential clients of your particular trreaments, in your local area, in order for it to be of much use to you. Even then, people who only see your name phone number and list of therapies might not have sufficient information to decide to call you.

If possible, ensure that you have at least a whole page on the internet that is just about you and your services. Better still, have a stand-alone website at your own unique domain name. If you do consider being listed on other websites such as directories, first ask yourself if the costs are reasonable and check that such listings about you and your business would include a link to your own website.

Why ? : Having your own website means that you have control over the way you present and promote your business online.

Many therapy consumables such as carrier oils, wipes, talc, and so on are sold with clearly stated 'use by' dates printed on the packaging. However, this is not always the case - some products state similar advice in a slightly different way, such as use within a stated time period after opening. In that case it can be useful to keep plain white stickers or labels with your therapy kit and label each new pack or bottle with the date on which it was opened.

Why ? : To be 100% confident of the freshness of all items used.

If you have decided to advertise your services (instead of accepting clients via personal recommendation only), make sure you have an effective internet presence. That means that the main search engines return your website or webpage for searches that specify your main treatment/s and location/s, and also for searches on your name.

Why ? : Many people work at a computer all day and the first place they look for services is no-longer print directories, but search engines.

If you would like to talk with your clients about products or other services that you sell but which are not central to your treatments (e.g. health-related MLM products and business opportunities), consider displaying information about these on your walls and/or in your literature area and by so doing, invite the clients to express interest to you.

Why ? : If you leave to your clients the option of raising the subject or not, you won't seem pushy or cause those who are not interested in your supplementary activies to feel awkward about expressing no interest.