Tips for the Working Aromatherapist: National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy

"Starting a business that involves aromatherapy as part of your business model is exciting as well as overwhelming," says Rose Chard in her article "Tips for the Working Aromatherapist" on the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) blog. "Exciting because a growing number of people are looking to take more control of their well-being. Overwhelming because it is often difficult to know how to start an aromatherapy business--there is no set model to follow. However, this is a growing industry so it is an excellent time to add aromatherapy to your current business or to begin one based on aromatherapy. Here a few tips to help you along the way."

Do not assume that your clients will know the basics of aromatherapy, Chard suggests. Rather, rely on your expert education and the industry's ethical standards to meet your customer's needs. "A great number of people still do not understand the difference between an essential oil and fragrance oil," chard says, or "how to distinguish a true aromatherapy product by reading a label or that essential oils have uses other than aromatic pleasure. These people need you. And as an aromatherapist, you should recognize your role in proper education of the principles of aromatherapy for those that want and need that education."

Chard also suggests that working aromatherapists:

• Be specific about what they offer
• Start small and build
• Offer quality
• Decide on the business's demographics
• Be proud to promote the benefits of aromatherapy
• Charge to reflect the value of services and products offered

To read the full-length NAHA blog, click here.

For expert advice about the business of aromatherapy, check out "The Business of Aromatherapy: American College of Healthcare Sciences," an interview with ACHS President Dorene Petersen on the Essential U blog.

Click here to read "The Business of Aromatherapy."

NAHA Now Offers Mini Marketing Tips for Aromatherapy Professionals

The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy e-news now features a mini-marketing tips section written by Kayla Fioravanti, RA (who also is responsible for the blog Essential U). If you don't yet follow NAHA, now's the time. This is a very practical article for aromatherapy students and professionals, as well as holistic health professionals who adjunct aromatherapy with the primary practice.

In this first edition of NAHA Mini-Marketing Tips Kayla suggests "Determine Your Best Sellers-Cut the Dead Ends." She recommends focusing "on the top 20% of your products and services that bring in 80% of your sales. Phase out the rest unless they are support products for your top sales items. On a spreadsheet list every single product and service and put the total dollars sold next to each item. Sort them from highest to lowest and then determine which products make up the top 80% of total sales. You will find that they will be your top 20% of products or services. That means in almost every business, that 80% of your inventory is only doing 20% of your sales. But you are spending most of our money keeping those 80% of products or services available for that customer that uses them once a year."

>> To read more from the NAHA blog, click here: http://worldofaromatherapy.blogspot.com/