Establishing Your Business in Reflexology

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Like any endeavor, building a business takes time.  Moreover, it can be a bumpy road.  However, in a growing field such as reflexology, you definitely have time on your side.  Reflexology has certainly found its place in the world of complimentary medicine.  Like no other time in history, people are diligently seeking alternative medical treatments.  So, how do you get a piece of this pie?  Check out the tips outlined below.

1. Time=Value.  In other words, it takes time to build your clientele and to get a name for yourself.  The more feet you work on the more success stories you will receive from satisfied, paying customers.  In a business like reflexology, this is key to success.  The truth of the matter is, one person could be responsible for making or breaking your reputation, but more commonly, it takes many satisfied customers to get a foothold in your community.  Word of mouth is one of the best tools you will have to build your business, so the more people that leave satisfied, the more you will be talked about.
2. If you already have an established business, but don’t have the stable clientele that you need to thrive, try the compare feet technique, as I like to call it.  When you are finished with one foot, kindly ask your client to stand up and compare how their feet feel.  Not only does this put quality into your service right away, but also it sticks the “wow” factor into the equation.  Soon your clients will be longing for the feeling they get after one of your sessions.
3. Make sure you are communicating effectively with your clients.  In other words, you MUST know if you are being too hard on their feet or too soft.  If you are too hard on their feet, and they leave in utter pain, you cannot expect them to return. In the same respect, if they leave feeling no different than they came, you did not do your job effectively enough to warrant a return visit.  Make sure you tell them up front that you can change your degree of pressure to suit their needs.  That is the only way they will know that you can accommodate them and are not just unknowledgeable and inexperienced.
4. Take an active approach in respect to customer service.   Call your client the day after therapy and ask how they are doing.  Furthermore, it is the perfect opportunity to get feedback and invite them back for a subsequent visit.  You will build trust and better yet you will know how well the treatment went and if you will need to adjust your treatment the next time.
5. Make sure your prices match your skill level, experience and reputation.  I wont go into great detail here because prices vary according to many factors, just do your homework before you set your prices and if they are too high, change them.
6. Create your environment carefully.  The setting in which you do your therapy will add value to your service or it will break your service.  If you choose to work out of your home, as many do in the beginning, price your services accordingly.  Also, because reflexology is such a relaxing therapy, create your setting to compliment it.  Avoid areas with clutter and set it up as comfortable as possible.  Soft music and very soft essential oil scents are good compliments to your setup.
7. Finally, you must determine what hours and what services you will offer to your clients.  This will partially be determined by how serious you are about your career.  It is pretty safe to say that the more flexible you are, the more clientele you will attract.  For example, if you will work nights to accommodate schedules, or make house calls, you are setting yourself up for a favorable amount of business.  Furthermore, by offering services such as “self help seminars” where you teach your clients how to do some of the basic techniques, complimented with say aromatherapy or herbal treatments; you add instant value and credibility to your practice.