One of the marketing challenges with holistic modalities

An important part of our job as holistic health practitioners is creating a demand for our services. We do this through marketing. Marketing includes nurturing relationships with existing and potential clients and educating people about the benefits of the services we offer.

One of the challenges we face in educating our communities about modalities like reflexology, Reiki and doula support is expanding the perspectives people have about these services. Most people think of these things as indulgences. They will treat themselves to a service our of curiosity or for self-care and often realize the extent of the benefits after they have received it.

How many clients have come for reflexology or Reiki and then responded with surprise and happiness that their pain is gone? How many people have hired us to be their doula and then seem extra surprised after their birth because it was so much more than they expected?

While these reactions are wonderful, it means we are missing potential clients who may not be in a position to "treat themselves" but would very much benefit from our services.

The reality is, reflexology isn't an indulgence, Reiki isn't an indulgence and doula support isn't an indulgence. These services can be life altering. Our clients can avoid medical interventions, surgeries, prescription medications, and live fuller and more satisfying lives because of what we can offer them. Investing in the healing support of holistic practitioners can make our clients more productive in their lives, it can mean less missed time from work, healthier relationships, improvements in mental health and more.

How do we market so that people understand that what we offer isn't an indulgence? Benefits, benefits, benefits. Speak to your potential clients through your marketing efforts about your experiences with clients who had physical, mental or emotional pain. Speak about experiences where clients chose to stop taking prescription medications because they no longer needed them. Tell people that clients were able to avoid surgeries or found in followup tests their conditions were improved or healed. If you don't have enough experience to harvest these experiences from yet, talk about the benefits in a more general way. Remind people that their bodies have an innate ability to heal when given the support it needs and what you offer is that support. A shift of our own mind can create a great shift in our marketing which can make a huge difference in the success of your practice. Perhaps even you fall into the wrong thinking that our modalities are an indulgence. I hope this helps you to remember that it is so much more.