I asked 30 successful therapists, who have been in the business half of fourteen years each, the secrets of their success. Their responses are fascinating and surprising. He also asked that the biggest challenges that have played in creating and maintaining a successful business of therapy and this is what they said:

1. Building a sustainable customer base. This was by far the most common problem raised. As a well-known acupuncturist told me: "It was only after they have been struggling in the business for a couple of years I realized that I was in business to do acupuncture, my business is the marketing and sale of me same. " The key learning is that you must then establish a marketing strategy that must include more than putting an ad in the local newspaper or kiosk. Before you start saying "I can not afford to do lots of different types of marketing", the solution is to test a small sample in the market and measure results. By measuring the different strategies that you can see which ones work best and take over. This way you will not spend a fortune on marketing that does not generate leads.

2. Advertising costs out of hand. This is related to the previous answer. It's so easy to do what only your competitors do and advertise in the same magazines or newspapers. Do you really know the effectiveness of the ads are? Once again the use of different strategies and be creative with their marketing and always test the results. In other words, you need to ask every customer who comes through the door the way they heard about you. You can then see how many leads were generated by advertising and will have a much better idea of what works and what does not. Change the marketing that is not working (for example, a headline in an ad) and evidence that against the previous best. Always try to improve the tracks and conversions (ie sales) you receive.

3. The lack of treatments for clients and the public perception of the therapy is so professional. A couple of therapists, said how useful it was to go to fairs and exhibitions in alternative health for the general public, giving free short demonstrations. I confess that I found this less useful as it only came when he made them - but maybe life coaching is not as "alternative" more, so that the public had a better idea of what they were getting. They met when we were running the business of therapy that writing articles was a good way to explain about the different therapies offered. When you have a few clients are more receptive to "new" things worth asking to try to say how you think it will help. Again, if you sell the benefits of therapy can do (without claiming a "cure" of course it is unethical and in many countries, illegal) to their customers are more likely to want to try something new.

4. How to start the business of therapy and determine the administration. It is recommended reading books and attending courses.

5. To take care of yourself and the client. The nature of a business is that therapy can be emotionally and physically draining (or both) and if not protected you can find negative energy absorption of all its customers. To avoid this make sure you can clean with vigor. If you are a massage worker be aware of their position in their sessions.Also be sure to have a good supervisor, especially for the "talking" therapies and therapists that perhaps others can discuss particular issues - especially if faced with a new condition that has not seen before.

6. Asking for money / charge an appropriate fee, especially the first time you create a complementary therapy business. Do lots of market research before determining the price and demand for the service (which will cover this in a later article). Do not be tempted to base the fee solely on price. Remember that the amount people are willing to pay is proportional to:

a. The service will impact on your life (if in great pain that they attach more value to be able to relieve that pain)
b. The scarcity of the service … the most individual and unique service, more people will be willing to pay for it (yes, even with therapy !)… some people are incredibly loyal to her therapist.
c. The popularity of the service is with people.

In summary, a new company that needs therapy to be able to educate the public, the business market and take care of the company's business to succeed. The second article on this aspect in some of the other issues raised by therapists of success and how they came around.