Those first few clients

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Juan Acosta on November 29, 2011 at 5:45pm

Jonathan,

 

You said

"It all worked and they were very happy but they cant just refer people who dont need me,  What perks would you suggest  ?"

In my opinion, if the people you're seeing for free can't/won't refer anyone to you, there are 2 things at play:

- Either they were not as happy as you thought with your services (no offense meant, of course) 

OR (the most likely one),

- You're offering freebies to the wrong crowd. Hypnosis is amazing but it's also a "luxury item" for many people. So if your target customers are... golfers, for example, you can't expect a referral if you gave a broke cubicle worker who doesn't know anyone that can afford a session a free sample. (just to illustrate the point)

You also said
"I am starting to worry that I will forget everything if i dont get clients soon !!"

Maybe you're not talking to enough people. Pay attention to conversations during your daily activities and find an application for your services that you can offer. If you don't have activities... pick up a hobby. Talk to the people at the supermarket, Go to networking meetings, Talk to the people at work.

I found that I had a hard time talking to people about my services until I felt I was qualified to own the title of "hypnotist". Once I decided I had enough skills to get started, my perspective about "constantly networking" changed dramatically. If this is similar to what you've been feeling, just break through that self-imposed limit when you are ready.

You can't forget anything if you're always putting forth the effort to let people know what you you. Be confident in what you've learned. And if you haven't learned enough to own the title, then... there's your answer.

Hope that helps!

 

Juan 

Permalink Reply by Janet Boursier on November 29, 2011 at 8:59pm

Respectfully, AJ, my first paying client came from networking. And most of my clients today (only 1 year later) come from networking. 

 

Networking with friends is free.  How many conversations do you have with your friends that they're telling you about another friend's problems. If your response is, "Wow, hypnotherapy would be really helpful for them; give them my number." then you are networking. 

 

I have a professional friend that would never in a million years consider using hypnotherapy. That same friend just suggested me to a professional Realtor association as a keynote speaker. That was networking and didn't cost me a dime. 

 

For me, networking is not something you do AFTER you have clients, it's what you do period. People will never know you are a resource unless they hear about you, and hearing about you from a trusted colleague, professional or friend is more effective than an advertisement. It's a lot less expensive in terms of money, though it does cost you your time and effort. 

 

And AJ, I can read just fine and I'm actually pretty good at reading comprehension. I understand perfectly well that Jonathan is asking how to get that first client. Your condescension of my advice and opinion is rather shallow relative to Jonathan gaining a wealth of various ideas from which he can choose the ones that will work best for him. It's less about being "right" and more about offering ideas and choices that he can pick and choose from. Marketing is rarely black/white, one-size-fits-all. Advertising works great for you. That's good to know. My experience, especially when I was trying to get that first client, was that advertising did not pay me back as immediately as networking. In fact, a year later, it STILL hasn't paid me back! Networking has. 

 

Janet Boursier, RN, CHt

AJ said:

I agree, that once your game is on, you can raise rates, network and so forth. This post, though, is about getting the first paying client!

Yikes. Perhaps no one likes to read what is "really" posted or requested here.

BTW regarding advertising, I have done fine, however one must understand that the benefits are medium to long term not immediate. ;-)

 

Permalink Reply by Maria Hancock on November 29, 2011 at 11:55pm

I have found the internet essential to my growth. Get a good website and make sure it's seen. I get a huge majority of clients through Google searches and its cost new nothing (free website with Google). I spent a lot of time optimizing it. Also maximize referrals: give clients a discount voucher for friends, leave leaflets where clients can see them listing common problems treated. Some people I know have grown from doing group weight loss sessions. Leave leaflets in gyms / leisure centres.
Never give up, it will happen in time.
All the best.

Permalink Reply by Angie Hernandez on November 30, 2011 at 5:36am

   I can tell you what I did. I also own a flower shop and I constantly tell all my customers about my business. While I was studying, I treated volunteers for free as an internship.

 

   When I felt I was ready for paying clients, I still wasn't getting anywhere. I am on a listserv where we all have a common health concern. One day a month, we are allowed to advertise businesses that relate. I put an email ad on the page and offered the group members a screaming deal price. It's not what I want to charge per hour but still more per hour than I ever earned on a job. I have a client now from that group. Then I did a free group session at my local library followed by a different class the following week. I offered that same discounted price to them. Now my part-time  practice is full. They are all at the discounted price but I think that is OK. Word is getting out there and my clients are happy.

Permalink Reply by April Braswell on December 1, 2011 at 2:02pm

Hi Jonathan,

 

I agree with just about everyone here (didn't read every line, so take no offense if I don't cite your name specifically), LOVED Juan's point about who is our audience (people with money) who will purchase and who will refer.

 

I know it's like beating a dead horse in the field of hypnotism, but really, Quitting Smoking is a massive market.  Pretty much smokers are already paying a fortune in cigarettes.  Many of them have had a health scare and want to stop.  Focus on them for awhile. 

 

Locate a free/cheap venue to do a monthly workshop and do this.  Get word of mouth out.  Flyers/leaftlets. Smokers at University and smokers at hospitals.  Charge something like $30.  Something.  And make sure they have an amazing time.  Provide follow up and DO follow up with them all.  How was it?  What did you experience?  Make sure they all have 5 of your business cards.  And ask them, "Who else do you know who wants to quit smoking easily?"

 

I would generally recommend you focus on Quit Smoking for your initial efforts while you grow your Hyp business.  Then let them ask you as they love working with you, "What else is Hypnosis good for?" And build from there. 

 

I mean no ill offense to the lady who recommend BNI.  I however found the Networking Leads groups which were too clubby and required dues near where I lived wanted your money and 98% of the members were selling a MLM (fine but not SBOs, earned all under $1000 a month) product and were not good Power Partners for me.  I brought good stuff for them but their policy was you could not belong to other networking groups and you could not receive anything from their members until you were already a member.  I found they pulled energy from me without receiving any benefit for me (other than good lesson learned for what to avoid in the future).  The point is, really vet the group and its sponsoring organization before you commit your money and your time.  Really know what the requirements are.  I am sure some areas they are great. 

 

Wherever you received your training, look to see what Alumni Groups/ Practice Groups / Business Groups they sponsor and JOIN them even if you must schlepp it a ways for 6 months or so while you establish yourself.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Happy Hypno Holidays,

 

April Braswell, MH

Quit Smoking Hypnotism City of Orange

Permalink Reply by Carlos Martinez on December 17, 2011 at 8:40am

Jonathan, I'm in the same boat. We just need to get out there and not be afraid. Great information. :-)

Permalink Reply by Katherine Zimmerman on December 21, 2011 at 12:25pm

Jonathan,

I built my practice, in 1989, by teaching workshops. I taught a basic self hypnosis class for my first workshop. Many of my students asked if I also saw private clients and said that they wouldn't have booked a session with me if they hadn't taken my workshop first. I also sold books and self hypnosis tapes (CDs now). So I let people get to know me in class, made a profit on the class and on the back of the room sales.

I also learned that people will tell you what they are looking for. For example, initially I taught the class in my home and advertised in the local paper. However, because people kept asking me who I "taught through" I contacted a group that sponsored classes in my small town and they sponsored the class. I made the same amount of money as before with less work.

I got in the habit of telling anyone and everyone who would listen that I had just taught a class. The response was  almost always the same: "What do you teach?" Why, thank you for asking. LOL They gave me an opening to talk about how they could benefit. I would then hand them a flyer (they were always handy) and encourage them to sign up for the next one. My former students sent their friends and family to my class and about 40% or so also became private clients.

It has been such a great way to attract business that I am still teaching self hypnosis 22 years later. With a full class I can make more money per hour than seeing private clients. Essentially you are being paid to advertise your practice. I highly recommend it.

Katherine

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