This is part of a series of posts to help you navigate the COVID-19 Quarantine. New posts and resources will be released over the next few days and maybe weeks as we see where and how things are going. If you haven’t already joined the Reflexology Marketing Facebook group, I’ve got a pack of free graphics for all the members to use right now. There will also be updates and announcements of new resources announced via email, so sign up now if you haven’t already.
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Ways to bring in new income
Not sure how to implement these ideas? Check out the follow-up article, “Make Your Reflexology Practice Go Digital (During the Quarantine).”
Disclaimer: You should adapt these as needed and do what you know. I’m not encouraging you to misrepresent your skills or background, but I also know many of you have multiple modalities and backgrounds that can help you get creative. This is a brainstorming list.
“See” clients via phone or video calls or recordings
- What other services do you offer? Can any be adapted right now to do online consultations, trainings, classes for clients, etc. using online video software (there are free options!)
- Energy work such as reiki is something I’ve seen offered virtually. If you offer energy work that can be done when you’re not in the same room, you can offer distance energy work to clients.
- Offer classes showing people how to do reflexology on themselves.
- If you’ve studied structural reflexology or movement work, do online classes of stretches for prevention or relief of plantar fasciitis, etc.
- Offer video calls to guide people through meditating, self-care exercises, etc. A lot of people need help in this area and might be willing to try it while they are stuck at home (you can do group classes or one-to-one.)
- Do virtual sessions where you guide your clients through working on their own feet.
- Do card readings for people (Angel cards, tarot cards, even crystal card decks – if you have cards and use them personally, maybe it’s something your audience would be interested in.
- Create a virtual membership where you can support people virtually with wellness accountability. You can use a Facebook group, email them, share videos via Facebook or YouTube, do one-to-one or group calls via Zoom, Skype, etc., use Google Docs to share information, etc. using all free tools to keep your costs down and help you communicate with your members.
Digital items you can sell
- Create an ebook, checklist, manual, or guide to xyz based on your knowledge and your client’s interests.
- There are sites that sell PLR content (private label rights) that allow you to buy their content and sell it as an ebook with you as the author (I can talk more about this if it sounds interesting.)
- UPDATED: Click here to join the ebook project! Write a collective ebook where you collaborate with others to produce the content making it quicker to produce. (If interested, I’m working to organize something in the Reflexology Marketing Facebook group. Let me know if you’re interested.)
Other ideas for income
- Sell gift certificates, while this isn’t exactly new income, it enables better distribution of your income to get you through cash flow issues.
- If you sell or make products you can offer wellness bags, feet care bags, self-care bags, etc. where people pre-pay online and you can deliver to their doorstep or mail them.
- If you don’t sell any products, this might be a time to consider adding it to your offerings.
- Think about the power of scent or sound – do you use certain products during the session, like oils on their feet, or have other scents in the building (diffusing, candles, etc.)? Do you play certain music? Think about creating a package that clients can buy to recreate the calm energy they get during a session with you.
- What other parts of your reflexology room can you package and offer clients as a way to make a mini escape at home that reminds them of their sessions with you? Do you use crystals? Have prints or artwork? Maybe you can get affiliate or referral income for directing sales to the seller if these aren’t things you can easily sell yourself.
- Sell custom products – many of you have artistic talents and creative ideas that would make great wall art, mugs, and t-shirts your clients would love to wear. Learn more about your options with custom products.
- Affiliate income is another option. Amazon is the one most people think of and it’s an option, but I’ll warn you they are also a pain and have a lot of rules and if they think you have friends and family buying from your link, you’ll get kicked out of the program. So it might not be the best for your marketing to your local audience. If you want to try though I can still offer some advice. Instead, think about the things you buy and your clients might like. For example, search and see if the company you buy your vitamins through has an affiliate program. (For example, I get my supplements from Seeking Health which is often pushing the refer a friend incentive where they give me a link that gives my friends $5 off a purchase and gives me reward points that act as a coupon on the things I buy. They also have an affiliate program that I could apply for.) Several other supplement companies use Commission Junction (a company that manages the affiliate programs) where you can earn 5% with Lucky Vitamin, up to 9% with the Vitamin Shoppe, and an undisclosed amount with Vitacost. I did notice that you have to earn at least $100 with Commission Junction before they pay you though… in that case you might be better off with the refer-a-friend options unless you have a large enough network or enough products you can promote to meet the minimum. I know lots of people who earn a decent amount of money from affiliate income, but they also have a large following or promote items that offer a better commission than the supplement companies or Amazon. Still, some help is better than none.
Mindset, Intention, and Vibrational Energy
This is an optional section. If this resonates with you, great. If not, feel free to skip this section. Reflexologists encompass a wide variety of beliefs and other modalities.
- Be open to change and flexibility and being adaptable. While we hope things go back to business as usual in a few weeks/months, this time could also lead to a shift in society.
- Choose to be a leader, get creative, and be proactive in this time of change and uncertainty.
- Law of attraction says you’ll attract what you focus on. Focus on the positive instead of fear and worry. Focus on the things you want and need right now.
- Practice visualizations and affirmations that bring the income you need and that you’re open for business in new ways.
- Work on raising your vibrational energy especially in a way that brings positive income flows.
- Ask God, the universe, your angels, or whoever you speak to for help. “Ask and you shall receive” is a belief held by a number of different religious and spiritual people and practices.
- When it comes to finding new or temporary income sources, you need to put aside your concerns about how you’re coming across to clients and instead focus on how you can help them right now. Providing help and value is something you’re great at doing as a reflexologist. You’re not selling your services, you’re helping people and they want to know about how you can help them.
- While talking self-care for your audience, don’t forget to make sure you’re doing what you need for your mental well-being right now too.
- Practice gratitude.
Resources to help your business with government or other assistance
- There are some grants being made available in different communities that are worth looking for.
- Good News! The latest updates indicate that all 3 countries are providing their own measures of relief for residents and making special accommodations for self-employed businesses if they weren’t already included in unemployment benefits.
- Your business insurance might have a clause that offers help.
United States Resources
- UPDATED! Work through your state for unemployment benefits. Some are making some adaptions to their standard unemployment, but even if they haven’t the federal government CARES ACT in progress expands the coverage to include self-employed people too.
- In the US, the Small Business Association is offering low-interest loans, Indiana has a nice PDF showing how to apply.
- Find your state’s unemployment benefits related to COVID-19 using Careeronestop.org’s state finder. (link from RAA’s member email)
Canada Resources
- Canada does have unemployment assistance for self-employed one of our group members said to listen to the Prime Minister or go to the CRA website for details and said that student loans are covered too.
United Kingdom Resources
- The UK is working on a package to help the self-employed last I heard.
- In the UK, the National Federation of Self Employed & Small Businesses a page listing lots of resources for small businesses.
- Claim a grant through the coronavirus (COVID-19) Self-employment Income Support Scheme.
Ways to reduce or postpone expenses
- Rent reduction request – if you rent a space outside your home, you can ask your landlord to reduce your rent during this time. If you have an Act of God cancellation clause that would allow you to break your lease, that might give you more leverage. I’m not a lawyer so best to consult yours on this matter, but it’s something I’ve seen people in other industries like spas and gyms talk about. (May apply to homes/apartments too.)
- Insurance fees – If you’re not seeing clients you ask your insurance company for a temporary reduction in your rates.
- Contact your credit card company if you carry a balance and ask to skip payments without late fees or interest. They might reduce your interest rate too.
- Forbes has a post being updated in the US with the latest relief for homeowners with mortgages.
- Watch for more assistance programs with protection and deferments for small businesses and individuals.
- Call utility companies and see if you can qualify for assistance plans.
- One tip I’ve heard is that you may need to mention something like “due to the Coronavirus, I don’t have any income coming in” and once they hear that, they can help you with specific policies such as deferring payments, halting late fees, or pausing billing, etc.
