Setting up as a Reflexologist

[Ghana Banana]

I was wondering what people think about starting up as a Reflexologist/Complementary Therapist. When I look in the Yellow Pages or walk around my Town there are SO MANY adverts for Reflexologists etc, it seems that everyone does Reflexology, or Massage etc. You can go to any local health club or hairdressers or health food store or yellow pages to get a Reflexology session or massage. My worry is as a newly qualified Reflexologist that there are so many other people that surely to set up could take years. I have made a few enquiries by calling salons and sending CVs but they already have people. I wondered what the opinion was for other people. Is it best to rent premises - If I set up from home in my garage (no room at home) it could cost thousands to convert and then take YEARS and YEARSto recoup the money. To be honest the thought of trying to set up a business is enough to put me off before I've even started. Would it be better to set up a mobile practice? I would love to hear other peoples' opinions.

 

[Nicole W]

Hi I am in the same situation as you. I am trying to start up as a mobile therapist, but I am having little success. I put out flyers and other advertising but as yet no come back. I have had a possibility of a client, but that was word of mouth.
I think the answer is put your self out there by any means you can, word of mouth is the best advertisement but you have to start somewhere, with someone who's passing you details on and giving you positive word of mouth.
So do everything you can think of put up posters, send flyers, give free beeies so you've got positive word of mouth working for you. Find somewhere to rent, in short try everything to get your client base.

Best of luck Rachel

 

[dog-lover]

Try your local Complimentary health centres. I have just managed to get in with one locally and while u r building a client base, they let you work in reception and my room rental is quite cheap per hour. It might be worth a try for you.
It's quite daunting isn't it? I'm just starting up too.

 

[Salenko]

Thanks for your answers and good luck to you both! I know I sound so negative - but I did try a few times and sent several letters and I heard nothing (most did not even bother to reply). I just felt like there is a mountain to climb - with SO MANY others in the market already. I love Reflexology I think it's a very clever therapy and went I first started training in Complementary Therapies 7 years ago the market did not seem as popular as it is now. I guess if you don't even try to get on the ladder then you've no hope of even getting a client base!

 

[Judas Jones II]

I am kind of in the same situation, though I havent started my training yet. What I have decided to do is to try and add other therapy strings to my bow, this making me more likely to be able to pick up clients and find a room to rent in the future. Therefore as well as my AoR Reflexology, I am going to take other courses, as well as specialised reflexology courses.

Good luck to all you

Lilac

 

[arcticpuppet.]

Hi, same here....but i have just started my first few clients by offering a reduced rate to a specific group of people and have priced it low enough so i am covering my time but not making much money, but its a start. I have an ad going out at the moment for reduced rate to anyone in my direct locality, so i will let you know how that goes... i know its not the aim to lower prices but i suppose its a business really and thats the name of the game to be competitive, each time i make enough to cover my ad, i will then place another one and so on, eventually word or mouth will take over.........well maybe, i dont know but unless i give it my best shot, how will i know.....once i have my reputation built up then I can gradually charge more. Another thing is at the moment, i will be trying my best to fit in with people when they can come, but eventually i have been told you find that people can fit in with you, again once you have a reputation. Now i have qualified, i now feel i am beginning my working apprenticeship........so must just keep at it...., i started my course as the tortoise........came top of the class, (one particular hare didnt do very well at all and was always quick to show off what she had learnt!) so thats my motto, slow and steady wins the race........ Jess xx

 

[Mr. Artless]

Hi

I don't know about other courses, but with the theraputic reflexology course that I am doing,we have to have done 200 hours of practical treatments on case studies (they get the treatment for free) by the end of the course. I have found that a lot of my case studies have told me that they would definately advise their friends and family to go for treatments. I have had a lot people that want to recieve treatment, but that may be because they know it is for free (for now). But I believe that because of these case studies I will already have agood clientele just by "word of mouth" by the time I finish my course. We'll just have to wait and see if I am correct. Keep in mind I am in South Africa, where reflexology is a REASONABLY new thing.

 

[ZooWuj]

Hi, i know what you mean, i have set up my own mobil reflexology biussness, i am also quilified in indian head massage but am concertrating more on the reflexology, i have been advertising since december, i have posted loads of leaflets, and everyone around me said it was a great ider, but they have not had treatments but i finally had 3 booking a week for the last 3 weeks and now nothing again. but i am not going to be put off i am going to do more leaflets, andthere does seem to be loads of relexologist out there, but i am not giving up yet. so good luck i wish you well.

 

[swingswingx3]

this is such a difficult business to get into .............. there are so many of us!!

when I was training and offering friends free treatments I had more 'clients' than I could manage........... but once I set up my business it was a different tale. when people have to pay they are not so keen to come along.

mobile or static? it is a difficult decision............. I decided not to be mobile at first but to find a salon room to rent. this way there are hundreds of potential clients coming into the salon. it is just a case of grabbing their attention and getting them to try your treatments............. so I offered free taster treatments for a couple of weeks. some of those 'taster clients' booked for a full session....... or a series of sessions.

but you can never sit back on your laurels.................... there are times when business is quiet......... and you must work hard to attract new clients before that 'famine' arrives.

leaflet drops have never worked for me.............. advertising in a local directory brings in very few new clients................ websites attract a few more.................. word of mouth recommendation is a good way of gaining more clients............ but having my own leaflets in the salon where I rent attracts the most clients. producing your own leaflets describing your therapies does take a fair amount of time....... but I have found them worth it

a therapist friend of mine took over someone elses mobile business (and therefore the client list) ................. she kept a lot of the clients......... but still needed to work hard to gain more clients.............. she finds that leaflet drops work well for her and she is very busy.

so different methods work for different people and areas.

good luck with everything ........ I hope this has helped

blessings, Marcie

 

[Top Model]

Hi I am soon to be qualified in reflexology (March) and holistic facials. I am qualified in IHM. Doing a baby massage instructors course in Oct. I have some tips.

Recently i have had long conversations with a guy from Thomsonlocal to advertise my business, but a little more money than i want to pay out so early on. But even though i did not go with them he gave me some useful advice. Set up a website - of which I already did for only £60 per year. But get it notices....nicesoft colours or pastel shades to suit the therapy you are advertising, calming and tranquil. Put the area(s) you are actually prepared to travel to, some people don't put this down and it puts people off. Don't give too much information as this puts people off calling you.......feed them information - but just enough for them to want more ! Put prices on your site - and FAQ's but not too many.

They are associated with google, msn, tiscali, etc etc the list is endless and you can pay certain amounts to get onto search engines. Lots of therapists get enough business to pay their bills just by having a website as they are attached to many search engines. Put your qualifications down too. Put testimonials on your website. Put links on your website to other companies or health professionals.

The leaflet drop has not worked for me. I have put out about 500 and got 2 enquiries - one of which became a client and now a friend who enjoyed IHM so much she is now doing the course herself she is 60 and a lovely lady!

I have a book called Marketing Tips for Complementary Therapists by Steven A Harold. (Amazon) £9.99 101 tried and tested ways to attract clients and retain clients. This book in great. Some are obvious ones but there are some you would not even think of.

Write to your local schools - offer a pamper day on a sat to raise funds for school. Get other therapists who offer different therapies to you to come along too and you can give out leaflets and give out 10 min taster sessions of your treatment.....offer free samples of creams etc if you can afford this....take your certificates along for your table so they can see your professional quals and wear your uniform and any badges you have VTCT/ITEC/FHT or AOR etc this makes you look professional and not all other therapists will bother wearing theirs this will make you stand out from them.

Offer 10% or 20% discount on your 1st 5 bookings from the pamper day at school.

Mention Gift vouchers for Mothers Day/Birthdays etc. On my website I offer a free gift with every initial treatment..................a free cream (small), a foot scrub, or a foot fizz, or similar...........

Go to local emergency services, ask to speak to desk manager, police station, fire service, etc and offer to do IHM or similar to people just coming off shifts or arrange to pop back at convenient time to mutually suit. Leave leaflets there too.

Go to local hospital and put up posters (Most will let you free of charge).......don't forget to mention the benefits of your treatment. Don't forget there are loads of people in waiting rooms just 'waiting' and looking at the notice boards. Stick some business cards in or little leaflets in the transparent sheet that you hold your poster in - this is easy then for your potential clients to pick up the 'slip' of paper without worrying about trying to find a pen to write down your number!

Speak to local supermarkets and speak to store manager re: sticking leaflets on cars in their carparks......get permission first - you don't want to be caught on camera and escorted off premises!!

Put a notice in your car - a large A4 advert.....be careful on your number - no home phone numbers unless you want this.

If you want some free directories here are some here: [link=http://www.touchlocal.co.uk]www.touchlocal.co.uk[/link] [link=http://www.synergy-health.co.uk]www.synergy-health.co.uk[/l

 

[smiles]

Thats great Tracey, you are so full of ideas!! I am sure you will do very well and you have certainly given me lots to think about.

I have had 4 clients come to me from a discussion board that i chat on for mums and people that are ttc. I offered reduced rates and have had quiet a few replies. I am based in Ireland, and there are loads of us in my area, so i knew i needed something different. If you put a post up on a chat board, it may get removed as you are not allowed to promote a business but if you are careful how you word it, it may get to stay on the board. I am not sure if anyone goes on fertilityfriend discussion board but mine is similar to that one but irish based. Because ttc is such a costly business, i think the girls that have come to me are pleased to be offered something at a reduced rate for a change.

My newspaper ad, only produced one phone call, a man rang me and said he had tried all sorts of massage and woudl liek to try reflexology...........i was a little unsure if he was genuine, but he said he will ring back in a couple of weeks and make an appt, so we shall see.... It has made me think about safety issues, i knwo this has been discussed a few times on here, but i have made a decision, only to treat men when my husbnad is here. Also it has thrown up questions about going mobile.....is it safe to go to a strangers house???

I have set up a room at home, but it is hard to keep house tidy when clients come, the room has dual use at the moment, but we are moving soon, so i plan to have a treatment room set up properly then and will be keeping door locked when not in use, so that the stray toys and what nots do not find there way into the room in between treatments!!

Jess xx

 

[Abbath Doom Occulta]

Hi Jess

Have a look at the safety for Practitioners on the boards - the moderators put a safety page on their for us all to read.........a couple of us mentioned it and I found it on the FHT website......it tells you all about the safety aspects of being a therapist. You put your safety first. I do mobile and go to peoples houses but never a man - I always go to a females house or ask the man to come to the house when my hubby is home !

Good luck

 

[mann54]

I was also beginning to get a little bit worried about working full time as a holistic therapist, given the amount of therapists already in my area. But then I read the Steven Harold book that TJG mentioned - it's very good with some excellent tips that I would never have thought of.

I think the key thing for us new therapists to remember is that we must not be complacent. It's not just a matter of distributing 500 leaflets and hoping people contact us. We have to get out there and be the ones making contact - if the possible clients won't come to us then we must go to the possible clients.

sx