Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/142672
Another option is to split the treatment fee as a percentage. Both methods work pretty well. How Real is Real? In the beginning stages, you have no genuine basis for making financial projections, so it's critically important to keep meticulous records. Be smart—create a budget and stay right on top of your income and expense and make monthly, or even weekly, adjustments. Stay out of hot water by cutting expenses or hustling up more business if things start to slow down. Most small businesses show no profits for quite a while after opening. During the first year, you are getting your feet on the ground. In time, you will be able to take a regular paycheck. Start to pay yourself a small salary, but keep your business in the black. As profits build, bump up your salary as the business can sustain it. Get your accountant's take on this area. Location Two strategies seem to work here. Be the big fish in the little pond or distinguish yourself through excellence. If you move out to Nowheresville, being the only clinic for 100 miles around cuts down on competition. Maybe you like a little rough and tumble. An area where there is a lot of competition raises the awareness of natural healing, and you can rise to the top of the heap through superb service and results. Most holistic clinics are destination businesses, but it doesn't hurt to be near some concentrated humanity—within walking distance of office buildings with a few thousand stressed out office workers inside or near a large retirement community or next door to a successful natural foods store. Of course, your services must be tailored for your audience. Office Procedures You are a great healing technician, but your business will largely succeed or fail on the way you run it, not on what happens in the treatment room. Through trial and error, you will have to set up policies and procedures for running the place. Ask around and find out what has worked for other centers. The procedures for dealing with clients should be well thought out and reevaluated regularly. Consider offering a free initial visit. That gets a lot of the administrative details out of the way and gives each of you a chance to wiggle out of the relationship without financial pressure. Then, schedule a first therapy appointment. Set a reminder to call in advance to confirm. It's amazing how many practitioners do not schedule followup appointments while the client is standing there. Don't be shy—they can say no. It saves a lot of future phone tag. Recommend the treatment interval (one week, one month, etc.) right there. They want your advice. Schedule the next appointment, give them a friendly check in follow-up call, and check in again with an appointment confirmation call. Call no-shows and cancellations. They usually still love you. They just forgot and were too embarrassed to call back. Charging a no-show fee? Some do, some don't. Just make real sure they understand, and agree to your policy before you lay the big penalty on them. Giving a break for the first time or two, if they are not chronic offenders, is usually well worth it in appreciation. And for the chronic offenders, have a serious talk and just be straight about your needs. Usually they'll cop to it, and even take the sting of the no-show fee. Sometimes they even reform. If you provide natural medicines, salves, or other at-home doodads, call for refills if your client is about to run out. People who space out on their medicine refill tend to feel their results sliding and forget why they came to you. Give your clients a lot of attention and help with their schedules so they are able to show up. Remember, you only get paid if they come to your center and receive treatment. Any help you can give them to keep them enrolled will pay off substantially in client retention and future referrals. Keep in mind that each satisfied client is actually hundreds of sessions of future referrals. Constant support equals success—balance it with your output per dollar of income. File your clients in three categories. "Has appointment" is the client with a booked schedule slot. Give them a reminder call 1–2 days prior to that time. "Needs appointment" is that client who