Excerpt from Business Solutions: Build Your Successful Holistic Practice
Copyright 2012 Katherine Zimmerman
All Rights Reserved
CDs/books/ music/essential oils
Clients appreciate having hypnotherapy products and other tools to support the work that they are doing with you. Especially when you explain the benefits of the products that you offer. As a massage therapist, no matter how relaxed your client is at the end of the session, they can tighten up again in no time… perhaps on the drive home. You both benefit if they can retain that relaxation. Consider selling them your favorite relaxation music or a self hypnosis CD to extend the benefits of your time together. If you haven’t already done so, connect with a hypnotherapist in your area who records CDs and inquire about purchasing a few at wholesale prices to resell to your clients. S/he might also be willing to place a few on consignment. The commission you earn is lower but there isn’t any cost up front.
What about recommending and selling books and essential oils to clients? Perhaps you’ve written a book that would enhance your clients’ life. Is there a book that you consistently recommend? You can purchase them wholesale and resell them.
My chiropractor sells my self hypnosis CDs which she has purchased from me at wholesale prices, along with special neck pillows and a line of high quality nutritional supplements. I trust her judgment so I appreciate the recommendation and the convenience.
I tell my clients that listening to a self hypnosis CD will decrease the number of private sessions that they will need to be successful. I am looking out for them financially and they appreciate it. I also sell my favorite relaxation music to students and clients. If you use music in your practice and have something that is a particular favorite, ask about wholesale prices. I currently stock one instrumental CD that is the best trance music I’ve found and two CDs with Sanskrit mantras. Once they have heard the music and liked it, it is convenient if they can purchase the CD as part of our work together. We now have a win-win.
You may still wish to read the next section even if you are not a hypnotherapist. The public is geared to listening to information on an iPod, CDs, the radio, etc. Why not create a short marketing CD explaining the benefits of your work? Include testimonials from former patients/clients, your expertise and how they can benefit from your work. Print your contact information on the front of the CD and it becomes a living brochure!
CDs to Sell
I highly recommend that hypnotherapists make their own self hypnosis CDs or Mp3s. It will help your clients in making changes and it will give you another source of income. Although I now produce and market only CDs, in 1991 I began marketing a line of self hypnosis tapes. Their impact comes across best in the words of my clients:
“. . . I’m still enjoying and getting a lot out of the self-esteem tape. . . It makes a huge difference in my sleeping and in my mood the next day.”
“I’ve realized that everything that once was a possibility can now be reality.”
“. . . the CDs are really great, and have made a significant positive influence on my life.”
My customers’ comments illustrate repeatedly the positive results from using self hypnosis CDs.
Tips for making CDs
First, you need to ask yourself the following questions:
1. What is my budget for this endeavor? (this determines how “hands on” your project will be)
2. Is this a “one-off” project?
3. What is my purpose for producing a CD, e.g. recording a personal script for a client, mass production for a general audience, etc.
4. What equipment do you already have, i.e. type & age of computer, microphone, printer, etc.
5. What is your “computer technical savvy” quotient?
With the addition and knowledge of some software, most people that are “online” have the basic equipment to produce CD’s and MP3’s. We have found that the best sound recording is produced digitally on a separate sound recorder & then transferred to the computer. A good quality mic is also essential.
I recommend that you write out a script to use when you record. Your delivery will be smooth and you won’t be wasting valuable time (yours or paying for expensive studio time!) re-doing sections. If you don’t have scripts written I offer three books of hypnotherapy scripts. All have a license to record option so that you may record them “as is.” You may also use them as a base and rewrite them as you like. Information about the scripts is at the back of this book as well as on my website.
In the early years of my practice, most of my private clients received one of my general-topic CDs after their first session. While not a directly recorded session tape, the cassette does offer relevant information even if it does not precisely address an issue. I now have an expanded line of CDs and sell them to clients after their sessions.
Ordering CD supplies in bulk saves a considerable amount of money. I order 100 blank inkjet CDs and soft poly cases from an online company.
Recording CDs
If you own a fairly new laptop computer it may already have a program that allows you to record directly onto a CD. You can download a free program: Audacity or purchase GarageBand. Both are popular with my colleagues. You will need blank CD-Rs and a mic that plugs into your computer. I purchased a tie clip mic from Radio Shack for around $25. Once you have a master CD you can easily duplicate it. The downside of recording into your computer is that you may also be recording the background hum of the computer.
If you already have tape masters you can have them burned onto master CDs through a service (prices vary) or it might be cheaper, as in my case, to purchase a machine and transfer the recordings myself. I purchased a Marantz CD recorder, Model CDR-300, for $700. It is expensive but I used it to transfer my master tapes to CD as well as to record CDs in the office. To date I have recorded 40 tapes so by running the numbers I could see that it was a wise investment. You may also wish to add a mixer so that you can adjust the level of the music. Roland also makes a high quality stand alone CD burner.
You can also purchase a small digital recorder such as the Sony IC for under $100. Record your mp3, upload the file to iTunes and burn a CD for your client. or for clients who do not have a CD player, send them the link to the mp3 which they can download to their phone or computer. DropBox is free and very easy to use for sending links to large files.
What about labeling your CDs? Option 1. Avery offers easy to use, affordable software ($30) to print CD labels. The labels looked nice but it takes a really steady hand to stick the label to the CD. And if they are not on straight it will affect how well the CD plays.
Option 2. Buy an Epson Photo Stylus Printer (under $200). It prints photos, CDs and it is a color printer. Everyone thinks that I’ve printed onto labels but I am printing directly onto special inkjet CDs. Each CD has a color photo from my collection of vacation photos and they look very professional. The printer comes with template software to easily create your CD covers.
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