2016 has just about come to an end, folks. Looking back, are you pleased with the number of people you have been able to connect with and help with reflexology?
For those who are less than satisfied with the size of their clientele base, I’d like to suggest an easy way to spread your name in the community by reaching out to targeted populations. With a little pre-planning and implementation your response to the question above can be quite different at the end of 2017.
In the United States – and likely also in Canada – every month in the calendar year is marked to bring awareness to some group or organization. Many of these lend themselves well to a connection with reflexology.
I’ve compiled a monthly list for you and how you might reach out to these people with your message. Create a campaign for the whole year, or just pick the ones that speak to you. Your offers should reach people the last two weeks of the month prior to the event month. You can offer an extra 15 minutes to the session, or a one-time fee reduction (always time-limited to the month), or whatever other bonus that fits. I’ve made some suggestions below.
Use your blog, social media pages and/or newsletters to let people know what you’re up to. Incorporate testimonials.
January – Thyroid Disease Awareness. Write a blog or publish a post on your social media page about thyroid disease and how supportive reflexology is to the health of the entire endocrine system. Of course, focus your session on the endocrine system.
February – No surprise that this month is Heart Disease Awareness Month. Again a short piece on the effects of stress on the heart and how reflexology is a fabulous way to relax and reduce stress. If you want to get even more specific, February 5 is National Wear Red Day recognizing women’s heart disease. (Remember to wear red on that day!)
March – Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Month and Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month. Check your local listings to see if there is a support group for these health conditions in your community. Offer to come give a short talk and teach folks how to give themselves a little reflexology. Do your research about these health situations so that you can speak confidently about them and how reflexology might help support someone living with one of these conditions. If you have a client with one of these conditions, ask if s/he would accompany you and speak about his/her experience with reflexology. Offer a reduced introductory price for sessions. For CFS, give an overall general session; for MS, focus on the central nervous system reflexes. I’d make contact now, if this one interests you; these groups often plan their speakers well in advance.
April – Lots this month to choose from: Parkinson’s Disease, Autism, STRESS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and National Library Week (11th -17th). A few ideas: Give a talk at a Parkinson’s or Irritable Bowel Syndrome support group; offer reduced sessions to caregivers of children with Autism; offer a special to your local library staff. And stress, well that’s a no-brainer with reflexology. Write it up; let people know how well reflexology is able to reduce stress. Invite them in – guarantee they’ll feel more relaxed – no risk to them.
May – National High Blood Pressure Education Month, Better Sleep Month, Breath Easy Month and National Digestive Diseases Awareness Month. These are all naturals when it comes to reflexology.
Partner with a meditation teacher to give a short class to people with HBP; talk about reflexology’s ability to relax and teach them how to thumb-walk on their own feet and hands.
Share reflexology’s history of helping to relax the digestive system to ensue smoother operation of that critical system. Teach them how to work on themselves. Offer discounted sessions; focus on digestive, solar plexus, diaphragm and Vagus nerve reflexes.
For the millions of people who have trouble sleeping, offer sessions focused on the nervous and endocrine reflexes. Research some information for them on ways to change their sleep habits and give a pretty handout.
Breathe Easy: focus on respiratory, solar plexus and brain reflexes.
June – National Headache Awareness Week (1-7), National Men’s Health Week (14-20), National Cancer Survivors Day (6th). Chronic headaches debilitate thousands of people on this continent. If you’ve taken my Say Goodbye to Headaches class you’ll know how to help people determine the cause of their headaches; offer sessions focused on the cause, not just the symptoms.
This might be a good time to reach out to the men in your community. Did you know that men are much more loyal than women when it comes to service providers? When they find the service and provider they like, they stick with it. Men are becoming more aware of the importance of self-care too, so this is a good time to invite them in.
Stage a day for cancer survivors. Invite other practitioners in your community to participate. A group that sells and makes smoothies; massage therapist to give chair neck and shoulder massage; aromatherapy talk and samples; and of course reflexology. Celebrate with these brave folks!
That’s a good start. In the New Year, I’ll post the July to December events, so you can plan those out. I hope you find this useful.
Leave a Reply