10 Ways to Market Your Holistic Wellness Business on a Budget

You’ve just spent a ton of time and money on courses acquiring all of the necessary business tools to get rolling.  You’re ready for the big leagues now but your budget isn't. 
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Posting advertisements or hiring a marketing specialist can be costly.  So how do you do to get your name out there while you are building your clientele and trying to create a solid revenue? It’s not as hard as it seems. 
 
The following strategies are excellent ways to build credibility and attract clients without breaking the bank:
 
Get to Know the Health Practitioners in Your Surrounding Area
Whether you are an experienced practitioner or new to the industry, a sure-fire way to get solid client referrals is through the doctors, naturopathic doctors, chiropractors, physio therapists etc. in your area.  
 
Patients who are referred to you in this manner have a high probability of following through and becoming long term, paying clients.  Visit the member area for resources on how to approach and gain the trust of the Health Practitioners you wish to work with.
 
Word of Mouth 
Good old word of mouth is one of the best forms of flattery for a business. This method of marketing is one that potential clients trust the most, but few businesses have mastered it.  Don’t be ashamed to ask for referrals or testimonials from your existing clients, colleagues, friends and family. Social media (details below) is also an excellent way get people talking about you.  Providing meaningful content and engaging with your followers can spread like wildfire and attract the right opportunities for your business.  
 
Social Media
Not all of you love the idea of it, but you should definitely consider creating an online presence.  This is free marketing at its finest. You build your brand by offering content unique to you. This will connect you with suitable customers and build relationships.  With some well thought out posts, you can build your email lists and get your website regular visits by linking back to your videos, blogs and articles.
 
Note that it’s important to post regularly in order build a good following so for those of you who find this task daunting, you can use services that will post your content for you at scheduled intervals.  
 
Make Yourself as “Findable” as Possible
If they can’t find you, they won’t hire you.  Creating an online presence is generally free and although it takes effort, the rewards are fruitful. Potential clients will likely do some research before they put their trust in you. If they can’t look you up to research your credentials and experience, they may move on to another. 
At the very least, set up yourself up with a good website and a proper SEO (See below for details) that is optimized for mobile phones.  People should be able to find you around the clock. 
 
There are many drop and drag website builders these days that not only look professional but are completely affordable.  It is best to build this as soon as possible so your site will begin gaining traction in the searches.  This takes some time so don’t hold back until you are fully ready to launch your business. 
 
You can set up business profiles on Linked in, GooglePlus, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for starters.  
 
If you have a physical location you can also register with Googlemybusiness, White Pages, Bing Places for Business and Yahoo Local Works.
 
Website SEO:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a very important part of your website that you should spend some time working on.  Although this isn’t direct marketing, with the right key words, you can propel your website to the top of the search list and attract more traffic and paying customers to your site.
 
**Make sure you add relevant SEO key words on every page of your site and new content to build your search parameters.
 
Speaking Events:
Offer to do seminars at your local vitamin shop, grocery store or other venue of your choice. This not only positions you as an expert in the eyes of your audience, it also opens the door to conversations with potential clients and more lucrative business opportunities.
 
Have a Contest
Who doesn’t love to win stuff?  Whether you do an online contest or offer a draw at an event, having a contest is an excellent way to collect the names of potential clients and grow your email list.  You can offer a special prize or free services to the lucky winner and hopefully you just got yourself some great leads in the process. It’s a win-win.
 
Share Your Events and Publicity Publicly  
Make your speaking events, publications, and charitable activities public.
Create a “Press” Page on your website and share your experiences there. 
Share your experiences in your newsletters. Share them on Social Media.
The more you do, the more recognition as an expert you will get. 
 
You can order and print brochures for relatively cheap these days. 
 
Ask to leave your brochures in places such as vitamins stores, doctors, naturopathic doctors, chiropractor offices etc. Even Starbucks and supermarkets have a wall to post services on that you can take advantage of for free. People love brochures and they serve as a physical reminder to get in contact with you.
 
Friends and Family:
Let your friends and family know as much as you can about what you offer and how you can help.  The people in your circle should be your best supporters and biggest advocates.  Not only will they hopefully use your services themselves, they will spread the word to their network for you.
 
It’s all over our website and we stand by the statement, “We rise by Lifting Others.” Find local charities and events around your community that fall in line with what you are trying to do.  Not only will you reap the benefits of helping others, you will likely create a network of wonderful people who support you.   
 
Get out there and Network. Network. Network.
Make a lasting impression face to face.  Attend events in related fields, go to charity galas, chat people up at the gym,  stick around after your speaking engagements and schmooze. Make sure to never leave home without a stack of business cards in your arsenal. Your next business opportunity could be staring you in the face and you should always be prepared!
 
No need to start Googling; we’ve done all the work for you. Members can log in to find useful tools and services that can help get you started on the right track with your affordable marketing strategies.