So You have the Qualifications
Most new Therapists/Practitioners who want to start a business doing something they love, forget the fact that maybe not everyone feels the same love as they do. Whether that's as a Holistic Nutritionist, Yoga instructor, Massage therapist, Counsellor or even a Wellness coach, even though you may love the products and services you provide, potential customers need to be sold and just because you have your qualifications in your desired business of choice, customers will not suddenly flood through the door.
Sure, at the start you may get some family and friends and even friends of friends, but your business is still a business and needs to be treated as such to gather and maintain success.
Create a Crystal Clear Message
Why do you want to do this as a business? You need to be clear on the why - is it because of personal experiences, something you believe can help people or a passion? These are essential building blocks to your business and you should always come back to this answer. Most importantly it should be blatantly clear to any reader when they land on your website, blogs or on social media. Being crystal clear on your 'why' will help you convey your message with passion and authenticity.
Be transparent on what you are offering
I can not stress this enough. I have read so many Holistic therapist web pages and social media pages where it is ridiculously unclear as to what services they are providing. This should be crystal clear! From the homepage to sub pages, people want to know the facts and what is involved and don't want constant reminders of 'What' it can do for you. Start with short, specific, relevant information and elaborate using engaging story based media.
You're not just selling a product you're selling you!
As a therapist, your business is you. You need to tell the story of you. But be careful! People don't want to hear your life story through pages and pages of material. In this social media age, people scan through material at such a fast pace, the key is to get them to slow down and take the time to read the story of you. The story you tell forges a bond so that they keep choosing you over your competitors and telling others about you and your business, further increasing brand awareness and building loyalty.
Remember, stories can be told in the simplest of fashions, and pictures can say a thousand words. Genuine, engaging pictures and videos of yourself within your brand such as on your website or social media create an emotional connection and promote your story. Your brand is the first thing your audience will see, and the story behind it is what’s going to connect with them. A good, genuine, emotive story is what piques interest.
Invest in your business
You don't need to spend a lot of money to get your name out there, you should aim at creating a professional portfolio that accurately portrays your business. I highly recommend designing your own website via some online website design platforms such as Wix.com or Godaddy.com, as they are easy to use and offer reasonable pricing without ads. Try to make sure you keep your website clean and professional and offer visual interest through high quality, relevant imagery.
Spend some time on logo creation. An effective logo is often one of the first things people notice and connect with, even if your business is simply a name, the font should represent the type of business and message. This will, in effect be showcased on all your media platforms such as website, social media, posters, flyers, business cards etc so make sure it clearly represents what you do, as does the message you want to portray.
In addition, don't cheap out on business cards, flyers, posters, banners etc the quality of card and quality of designs are important. Getting a designer to help with this may be beneficial. Remember, advertising is important and some things may work, some may not, you need to see what works for you. Some magazines may want hundreds of pounds for small ads which may not benefit you depending on your location and clientele, so you may just be wasting money down the drain.
Work 'ON' your Business as much as 'IN' your business
What I mean by "ON" your business is the marketing and promoting of your business. Many therapists can spend most of their day providing the services that they offer, or working "IN" their business but working "ON" your business is just as important. This can be difficult when you are on your own so you need to find a balance.
This may mean making time on a daily basis to promote your business whether that be sharing content on social media or going to a networking event. Simply put, promoting your business is an ongoing effort and even when you feel like your business is successful, you still need to do both.
I regularly Blog but not getting any new customers
Think of Blogging as a bonus. People will not read your blog on your website if the rest of your site is incoherent. Remember, you want people on your site to arrive at "contact us", "buy now" or "book now", that is the main goal of your site. Think of your site as a tree - the roots of your tree is like your homepage - should be simple and clear enough for anyone to understand what it is you do and what services you offer. The sub pages should branch off to more detailed information about these services, with more story based content to show your passion and why it can help clients. The leaves of your tree are like your blog - colourful interesting content to create that deep interest into what you do and create an emotional connection with you.
But don't forget that if customers get to your main goal page before they get to your blog, you've reached your aim, and may well return to visit your blogs later down the line. Don't forget to reach out to these customers post-service, get evaluations and see if you can sign them up to your newsletter. This is a great way to keep in touch with previous customers, reminding them of your valuable service, keeping that connection and directing them to read your blog pages.
This all applies to most businesses too and not just Holistic practices, always remember you are running a business and needs to be treated as such.
Look out for more upcoming information that can help your Holistic Practice, with more detailed information on how to automate marketing and accounts to save you valuable time.