Enhancing Your Reflexology Services

Whether you're providing a session or a demonstration, this strategy works well to show the client that something good happened thanks to your work. After you've worked on one foot, get your client up and walking for a few steps. This way he or she can see how good the "worked on" foot feels in comparison to the non-worked foot. (Thanks to reflexologist Gwen Dara for this excellent tip.)

Call the day after

Give away's for your clients or a demonstration audience

Enhance your service by giving your clients the gift of reflexology information or a self-help tool. Clients react with great pleasure to the gift of a foot and/or hand reflexology chart (see above), a golf ball as a self-help tool or even a reflexology book.

When you teach your clients self-help techniques (see below), demonstrate its use for your client and then give him or her one to take home and use. Clients act very favorably. Acquiring golf balls can be cheap and easy. A friend or family member may have golf balls you can pick up for free. Garage sales, flea markets and golf ranges are other sources of inexpensive golf balls. Check the golf balls for wear. Golf balls with nicks are not comfortable to use. Golf balls with faded paint are not attractive.

The cost of a reflexology book given to a client or potential client for free can be a good investment on your part. (See below for information on buying books at a discount.) Consider your possible return income for the $10 investment. It can be worth it specially if: your services are on the upper end, you make house calls for which you charge more (see below) or the client has bought a series of sessions (see below).

Offer a series of sessions at a discount

Offering a series of sessions at a discounted price serves multiple purposes. It gives the client a break financially as well as increasing your income potential. It can help encourage long-time clients to stay with you. One reflexologist we know gives long time clients a free session for every two paid sessions. A discounted series of sessions also encourages the client to come back for a sufficient number of sessions to get results from your reflexology work. One reflexologist we heard of actually made this a requirement of some clients for this very reason

Offer gift certificates

Offer gift certificates for your services. For the gift-giver, the gift of reflexology offers an opportunity to give gift that's a health benefit. For the expectant mother, the post-partum woman, or someone recovering from surgery, for example, benefits of reflexology are demonstrated by research. In addition, relaxation is a well-researched and documented benefit of reflexology. A reflexology session is a thoughtful gift for the stressed worker, for example.

Personalize and print the gift certificate for your services. This way the gift giver has a tangible present to give. Make the gift even more special by visiting the office supply store and picking up specialty stationery. "Happy birthday," "Merry Christmas" and other stationery is available with envelopes to make the gift certificate more special.

Make house calls

Many up-scale clientele prefer that services come to them. A friend who had lived in up-scale Santa Fe gave us this tip. Consider your travel time and driving expenses and adjust your rates accordingly.

Another alternative is to offer reflexology services to several individuals at one stop at a discounted price per individual. Also, if you are providing services within a small community such as a retirement village or apartment house, you can offset your travel time and costs.

Become a specialist reflexologist

Consider your possible markets that reflect your reflexology experience or area of interest. (See above.) Find possible groups that would serve as clients.

For example, one senior we knew provided reflexology sessions within his retirement community in Florida and was kept busy. He marketed to seniors seeking a little company and the touch of a reflexology session.

Offer the mother and baby. Provide reflexology services to both. Teach the new mother how to work on the little one and how to use self-help techniques to deal with her own stress. Take a look at research for post natal mothers and babies to enhance your knowledge.

Offer employee services. Danish reflexologists have documented the benefits of reflexology in the work place. For some employers who are holding the line on pay raises, the benefit of at-work reflexology services can boost employee morale and lessen sick time taken by employees.