As I write this article it really isn’t business as usual, as depending where you are in the world your treatment room may or may not be open.
2020 has been an extraordinary year and our profession has had to overcome many challenges; but you have been creative and resilient as you adapted – you moved services online and continued to support your clients in a number of ways.
As Christmas approaches, you may not be able to offer the usual festive touches that you normally do in your treatment room due to the current Covid-19 Pandemic, but there are still lots of opportunities for you to market your therapy business and importantly show thanks to your clients who have supported you all year.
Enjoy my top tips for marketing your business in the build-up to Christmas:
(1) Say Thank You
After a challenging year for us all, the build-up to Christmas is the ideal time to say ‘thank you’ to your clients for their continued support. Within our businesses it isn’t always about attracting new clients; it is also about giving thanks and staying connected with those you already have – those who have supported you and remained loyal to your business.
Due to Covid-19, you may not be handing out physical Christmas cards or gifts, so to show your thanks you could send a special Christmas e-card with a thoughtful message. You may even wish to offer them a discount voucher to redeem in January as a thank you, but this is not always necessary – sometimes to say ‘thank you’ is enough.
You could also send a special newsletter, again with a thoughtful message and some supportive tips for the holiday season.
Showing thanks at the end of a tough year will help to keep your business in their minds as they move into the new year.
(2) Gift Vouchers
Most people are shopping online this Christmas, as they stay at home more, so offering your gift vouchers for sale via your website provides an opportunity to boost your income, introduce new clients to your treatment room, and for existing clients to receive their favourite treatment voucher from a loved one.
You may decide to have a physical voucher which you send in the post or an e-voucher. E-vouchers are particularly good for those last minute gifts!
Make sure you promote your vouchers via your social media accounts, your newsletter, and when talking to people. People are looking for thoughtful gifts and also to support local businesses this year, so this really is the ideal time to promote your offering.
If you are struggling for some social media images to promote your gift vouchers, there are a number of free social media graphics available in the Love Reflexology group to download and use.
(3) Additional Income Streams
If your treatment room is not able to re-open due to a period of lockdown or different restrictions, it is helpful to have an additional income stream for your therapy business, so you have a steady source of income.
Ways to add additional income to your business may include selling products via your website, becoming a consultant for an organisation such as Neal’s Yard Remedies that allows you to sell products that tie-in with your company’s ethos and values, or creating paid-for services online to support your clients, such as online facial reflexology sessions.
There could be periods where your treatment room re-opens and closes due to various restrictions, so having other sources of income will keep your business moving forward into 2021.
(4) Stay Connected
As you head towards Christmas it is important to stay connected with your clients, so your business stays in their minds.
You can stay connected via your social media platforms, text, call, newsletter, blogging and email. Whatever works for your business and clients, stay connected to each other… you never know when they may need a voucher, or want to book a treatment.
Being visible online will also help you to find new clients locally, as more people are now looking for ways to take care of their well-being.
(5) Keep Your Social Pages Active
If your treatment room is currently temporarily closed, it can feel like a challenging task to know what to post on your social media pages. However, it is important to keep them active to stay connected to your audience, and to keep the algorithm on the platforms happy. If you do not post for weeks, your account will be ranked much lower, and it will be harder for you to be visible when you do post.
Ideas for social posts in the build-up to Christmas may include: well-being tips to support your clients; helpful books and podcast recommendations that your clients may enjoy, and pictures of you sharing something you are doing whilst you cannot be in the treatment room. You can also use the ‘Stories’ feature to have fun and really connect with people.
I particularly love Instagram Stories for having fun with my followers – showing a bit more of my personality and getting them to engage with me.
These ‘Stories’ don’t always need to be about reflexology, especially in the build-up to Christmas. You could run a poll such as ‘Have you had your first mince pie?’ or get people to share their favourite Christmas song with you.
All of these ways will help to keep your pages active and keep your business in their mind.
These are just a selection of ideas to help market your business before Christmas and to remain visible and helpful to your clients.
I know you will also have lots of ideas too, so please feel free to add them below to support the community further.
Good luck, enjoy being creative and staying connected.
Kelly Hainsworth is the founder of Love Reflexology, a mentor – and a successful reflexologist – with a passion not only to support her clients, but all reflexologists within their businesses. She provides business mentoring and social media workshops to help therapists and tutors create the business they desire. To work with Kelly head to her website.
