So how do you increase your client base by reaching your local public?
Local people are potential clients and may well be interested in your services, but need to hear about them. In addition to making use of local media to communicate (see How to communicate with the press), there are a number of other ways that you can raise the profile of your business and of homeopathy in general.
Below are some tips that could help you to increase your client base by promoting your services to local people and educating them about homeopathy. Whilst we can’t promise that it will have an immediate effect in generating huge numbers of new clients, as PR is a slow process that builds over time, it will certainly contribute to the nationwide campaign to raise public awareness of the benefits of homeopathy:
- Free mini consultations and advice/info at your clinic: If you practise from an established clinic, why not offer and publicise free mini consultations and advice/info on homeopathy. You could time these to coincide with Homeopathy Awareness Week and distribute flyers locally. Don’t forget to send a press release to your local media informing them in advance of your planned activities, so they can help you publicise them (See How to communicate with the press section for more information on how to do this.)
- In-store homeopathy events – link with your local retailer: Why not do what many homeopaths around the country are already doing for Homeopathy Awareness Week and link up with your local Pharmacy/healthfood store to offer a stand in-store giving advice, information and free mini consultations? Not only will you help educate consumers (and even store staff) on the benefits of homeopathy, but your in-store activity may have the secondary benefits of winning you new clients and creating extra homeopathy business for the store. The best way in is to write to your local store manager in plenty of time for Homeopathy Awareness Week to explain what you propose and how it could help him/her promote homeopathic products. You may like to team up with another local homeopath to carry out this activity – to ensure that one of you can carry out mini-consultations, whilst the other provides information. Alternatively, if you are not able to carry out consultations in the store, you may like to provide discount vouchers for a consultation with you in your clinic.
- Click for a template letter to your local retailer offering your services in-store during Homeopathy awareness Week.
- Click for a template poster that you can provide to your local retailer to display in their store window, once you have agreed with them what activities you will provide in-store during Homeopathy Awareness Week and on what dates. *Please note that this poster is intended as a very basic template only. It has been set up in Word format, so that it is easily editable. A far more professional result can be obtained by using a designer.
Don’t forget to send a press release to your local media informing them in advance of your planned activities, so they can help you publicise them (See How to communicate with the press section for more information on how to do this.)
- Create a website: With increasing numbers of people going online to find the products and services that they want, a website is vital for the homeopathic practitioner to promote their business. It is like a modern version of a brochure and should include who you are, what you do and how to contact you. One example practitioner website that you may like to look at when planning your own site is www.tessajordan.co.uk. Keeping your site up-to-date with current topics is important. You may like to use some of the material suggested for the press pack in the How to communicate with the press section as content for your website. You may also like to consider having a media/press section on your website, as this will make it easier for journalists to find out about you and write articles that promote your services. Don’t forget to send a press release to your local media informing them about the launch of a new local website for people interested in homeopathy, so they can help you publicise it