Do you feel like others see your business as a hobby? If you are really honest with yourself, do you see natural therapy as "not a proper job"?
Don't worry, you're not alone in feeling that way. Seeing their natural health business as a mere hobby is a common problem for many natural therapists. But, if you want to have a successful business, it is essential to get out of the hobbyist mindset.
All natural therapists want to help people, that's why we do what we do, but it is vital to recognise that you can still help people while making money from your work.
When my clients talk to me about this problem, I always tell them to “project to receive”. What I mean by that is that if you stop thinking of your business as a hobby, if you treat it as a “proper” job with all the gravitas that it deserves, then you will find that others will do the same.
A few simple changes can really alter how you and others feel about your business. Try these seven steps to bring about amazing results.
1. Set a Fixed Work Schedule and Stick to It
There is a time and place for everything—especially work. Following fixed working hours is a habit every health practitioner must develop. By doing so, your mind and body develop a professional attitude towards your practice, and you naturally emanate this attitude for others to see.
2. Make Sure You Have a Dedicated Workspace and Keep It For Work!
Inspiration hits you instantly when you're in the right place. If you want to try a new recipe, you put out your cooking equipment and spices in your kitchen. To unleash the power of your healing hands, mind or words, go to a room that houses stuff which is only relevant to your practice. You may also want to get your qualifications onto your office wall; it's a subtle way of letting clients know that you're certified.
3. Keep on Top of Your Business
A business owner records every single transaction they make with a customer, whether digitally or on paper. To be able to follow the progress of your natural health business with ease, make it a habit to file documents, keep track of your accounts, issue receipts, and hang a massive calendar behind your office door. Google Calendar may be handier, but a visible calendar in your office makes setting follow-up appointments with a client easier, as both of you can see the days and months.
4. Stick To A Time Limit With Your Sessions
This is a follow-up to Step #1. Once you have determined your working hours for each day, see to it that you spend only a specific amount of time with each client. If you decide on 60 minutes, itemise what needs to be done in this span of time. You can spend the first 15 minutes asking about their case or family history, and then the rest of the hour in the actual therapy session.
5. Charge What You Are Worth
Do not make the mistake of charging less just to keep a client from jumping to the competition. If you do this, you will end up devaluing if not undermining yourself and your profession. Keep in mind that you are a trained professional in your field who took up formal classes and obtained certification to get to where you are. Know the cost as well as the value of your service.
6. Set up a Professional Website Where People Can Read About You and What You Do
Having a website is an effective way of introducing your natural health business in this day and age. It allows you to get your products and services out there without uttering a word. What's more, you don't need to pick up the phone to call and encourage potential clients to book an appointment with you as they can do this with a click of a button.
7. List Your Natural Health Business On the Natural Therapy Pages
If having a website is the equivalent of a knock on a client's door, listing your business on Australia's #1 health and wellness website for over 10,000 natural health practitioners is synonymous to a handshake or deal closer. The site receives more than 150,000 visitors a month looking for experts like you to help them with their issues. That means you don't have to bother marketing yourself and your health business because your target audience will contact you straight away.
So, that wraps up the seven essential steps that will take your natural health business on the road to success. Check out other articles on this site for more helpful tips.
Originally published on Feb 05, 2021
