Top Tips for Preparing to Reopen Your Treatment Room

As we now have a ‘guideline’ date of 12 April 2021 in England to reopen our businesses, and dates in the other nations to be confirmed, it is the ideal time to begin to make plans to welcome your clients back. (At present the reopening date in England will be confirmed one week before the guideline date).

To help you plan for your reopening day, please see below my tips to support you:

(1) Create a Waiting List – If you have not created a waiting list already, now is the ideal time to do this.

You can promote your waiting list on your social media pages, and via your business newsletter. Let your clients and followers know that you are creating a list, and you will contact them as soon as you are ready to book your appointments.

(2) Spring Clean Your Treatment Room – Now is the perfect time to give your treatment room a spring clean ready to welcome your clients back.

Spend some time in your treatment room and view it through the eyes of a client.

Sit in the treatment chair or rest on the couch and view it from a client’s perspective – what can you see? Is the view appealing? Do you notice any areas which need painting or dusting! Could you hang a new picture or poster on the wall to make it more relaxing?

Viewing your room through your clients’ eyes will help you to see areas you may normally miss, when you are busy with clients and will help you to get everything looking great for their return.

It is also a great idea to spend some time in your treatment room if you are feeling nervous about reopening. You could sit in your chair or relax on your couch, thinking about and acknowledging why you feel nervous, and then visualise yourself welcoming your clients back and carrying out the treatments you love. You could then write an affirmation for your return to work to support you.

I personally always feel peaceful once I am in my treatment room, so just spending some quiet time acknowledging your thoughts may help you too.

(3) Order Your Therapy Supplies – If you need to order your foot balms, facial oils, face masks, couch covers, aprons, candles and other therapy supplies, it is a good idea to order them now to ensure you receive them in plenty of time.

The Love Reflexology Directory lists a number of beautiful companies who sell supplies for your treatment room, along with the Love Reflexology shop which offers relaxing royalty-free music.

Are you reading to get organised?

(4) Time to Be Seen on Social – Many members of the reflexology community have been quieter online during this lockdown, and that is completely fine – it has been a very tough time.

However, if you are hoping to reopen in April, (if the government confirms the date) it will help your visibility online if you begin posting now.

It takes time for the algorithms to detect your activity and for you to become visible to your followers again. So, remind them you are here, and what amazing treatments you have to offer.

Your first post could be a photograph of you, thanking new followers for joining you, sharing what treatments you offer and your hopes for reopening.

(5) Support Your Wellbeing – If you are feeling worried and anxious about returning to work, this is a natural response to a very challenging time. There have been so many unknowns to work through. Be kind to yourself, and take some time to address the areas which may be creating a block.

Helen Robinson, founder of Gentle Release Therapy, has written this supportive article for you to help process any fears you may be experiencing.

Helen is also hosting a live event in the Facebook group on Tuesday 23 March, at 6.30pm to support you. During the event Helen will talk through the common areas she finds fear is stored in the body, how they might be connected and how we release them using Gentle Release Therapy.

Helen will then do a Guided Gentle Release talking you through some of the techniques to release some fears and anxieties about going back to work.

To join the free event head to the group on the date/time above.

If you are feeling stuck in your business, it is also helpful to reach out to a business mentor. A mentor can help you to work through any challenges you are facing and support you as you put in place steps to aim for your personal goals.

It is empowering to reach out for some support, and can make a positive difference to how you feel and what you achieve.

As 12 April approaches in England (or the date given for your country), you may feel you are raring to go and ready to reopen, whilst some of you may feel you need to take your time.

Remember, we have been in some form of restrictions for a year now, our lives have changed, we have changed.

So, if you don’t reopen straight away that is fine, do it when you are ready, with no pressure and with kindness to yourself.

Let it happen on your terms.

Whenever you do reopen GOOD LUCK, enjoy the process preparing to reopen your doors, celebrate being able to support your clients and making a positive difference in your community once more.

Kelly x

Photograph by Fa Barboza.

Dates detailed in the article were correct at the time of publication.