Business advice for Reiki practitioners

I've been giving a lot of business advice out recently to those just starting out on their journey, so in light of that and a upcoming Okuden training - the level at which you can get insurance to practice professionally - here are my top tips for establishing a Reiki business:

1. Be Reiki, so that every single dealing with you people gives them an idea of what a treatment would be like. Reiki isn't something you do, it is something you are and there's nothing more reassuring and calming than being in the presence of spiritual energy. Your biggest advertisement is your self, and how people feel when they are around you.

   
   

2. Keep learning with a teacher and swap treatments with others at a similar level to you. This will keep you in the right mindset of what your clients will go through when they come to you and will keep you humble. Working with clients is an additional stressor in your life that you will need to address. You don't just see a client and stop caring about them, they'll likely pop into your head from time to time. It's good to be pushed to keep growing, keep your energy healthy and have a peer to talk to, to share your experiences.

   
   

3. Share what you help people with, with friends and family. Those closest to you are most likely to be your first customers because they know you, like you and trust you. Get testimonials from them and use those sessions to build up your practitioner experience so everything becomes second nature and your service is a well oiled machine.

   
   

4. Take payment in advance, this puts a lot of people off but it will almost eliminate the no shows. Have a 24 hour cancellation policy, use your jurisdiction when you use it. It's also much nicer not having to talk money when people visit.

   
   

5. Have a price list for all your services. Having this ready formulated is essential to be responsive to enquiries. Go networking and give your pricelist out. You may get some immediate customers but most will be a slow burn that come when they are ready and the stars align.

   
   

6. Listen to your community and find out what they are struggling most with. There's so many areas you can specialise in - animals, elderly, learning difficulties, pain, sports. Use your background experience to attract your tribe and let the world know what your business goal is and what you are passionate about.

   
   

7. If you plan to teach, write your own manuals. Doing this is a learning exercise in itself and will give you plenty of content to tease your potential customers with via social media.

   
   

8. Remember people go on social media to be entertained, learn and get news. Tailor your posts to meet these requirements and people will enjoy reading your content whilst getting to know you along the way, increasing the chances of them reaching out or referring you to others.

   
   

9. Treat everyone you meet with respect. You never know when something may lead to a booking. Most of my clients have come from unexpected places, so always be ready to concisely share what you do and what benefits they can expect.

   
   

10. You won't be for everybody and that's a good thing. Nor are you in competition with anyone else. Refer to other practitioners if the person is out of your scope of competency and treat your peers the way you would like to be treated.

    
    

11. Get some good headshots. People need to check you are real, friendly looking, trustworthy and someone they will feel safe with.

    
    

12. Remember at all times why you wanted to do this, it'll keep you going through the quiet times and will show in how you present yourself.

    

13. Expect your business to take time to grow. With the right foundations it becomes self-sufficient eventually. Don't be afraid to have a part-time job whilst it is getting itself established if you need immediate income. There's nothing worse than trying to force something that isn't ready, it must grow at it's own pace. Reiki teachers us that.

    
    

14. Give good service. It's much easier to get a repeat customer than a new one. Check your couch, room, parking, booking procedure, after care is pleasant for people. Ask friends to give you honest feedback and where you can improve. Ask customers for feedback too.

    
    

15. Only listen to the advice above if it resonates...

I trust this helps! And if you'd like to take your Reiki training to the next level, reach out!