How to Start a Holistic Health Business

In today’s society, people are becoming more and more health conscious and trying to follow a more holistic lifestyle. This makes it the ideal time to enter the holistic health industry.

You may already be employed in the field or practise the lifestyle yourself and are considering how you can follow your passion and start your own holistic health business. Well, today is your lucky day! Read on for some tips.

How to Choose a Niche

The main aim of holistic health is to treat the whole person - mind, body, and spirit. Holistic therapy does not focus on any one illness or disease. Instead, it focuses on the person and how they are affected by their environment.

That being said, this wide-ranging definition opens up the possibilities for so many holistic health business ideas. These range from product sales (health foods, supplements, herbs and more) to the provision of services (coach, personal trainer, masseuse, nutritionist).

So, what do you want to do? Do you want to go into retail or are you offering a service? Now that you know what you want to do, narrow it down!

You don’t have to cater to everyone. In fact, you shouldn’t! You do not have to be a "general practitioner" or have a "general store". Rather, you should work out the type of people you can best serve and cater to them. Do some research and find out the wants and needs of your potential clients.

Who Are You Trying to Target?

• Infertile couples?
• Those who have gained excess weight and are struggling to lose it?
• Children with ADHD?
• Teenagers suffering from depression?

There are so many niches that you can choose to help with your holistic health business. Think about who you can best serve is your first step.

What to Offer

As previously mentioned, your holistic health business can be product or service based. It all really depends on your preference, experience and where your passions lie. Factors that may affect your choice may include whether you want to work from home, online or have a shopfront, whether you want to work in groups or on a one-to-one basis, and, most importantly, what your clients need from you.

Here are some ideas.

Product-Based Holistic Health Businesses

• Weight Loss Products – Weight loss products are always in demand. This is usually one of the main reasons why people generally get interested in a holistic lifestyle.
• Health Food – Teas, seed breakfast bars, and organic fruits are all options if you’re thinking of opening a health food store.
• Essential Oils – Essential oils are very popular in supporting healthy lifestyles. They can also be combined with other holistic health offerings such as aromatherapy.
• All-Natural Products – Some people are not only interested in what goes into their bodies but what products they use in their environment. Try selling all-natural products such as disinfectants, laundry detergent, wipes, nappies, etc.

Service-Based Holistic Health Businesses

• Health and Wellness Counsellor – Help your clients make not only healthy but sustainable lifestyle choices. Counselling is also very flexible. You can maintain your own schedule and offer online, in-person or group packages. You can also do this on a corporate level. Many companies are becoming increasingly concerned with the wellbeing of their staff. You can offer workshops, coaching, and more.
• Host Wellness Retreats – You can invite groups to retreats, the retreats may include workshops, healthy meals, treatments, tours, and group activities.
• Masseuse – Simply put, who doesn’t enjoy a good massage? Massage therapy can also be combined with aromatherapy.
• Personal Chef – You can teach your clients how to cook their own healthy meals or make those delicious meals for them.

How to Gain Those First Few Clients

Now you know who you want to serve and what you want to offer, it’s time to get out there and find your clients! It can be nerve-racking when you first begin but when you decide to put yourself out there, things can really take off. After all, the more visible you are the better your chances of attracting customers. Being a new holistic health business, people are not going to flock to you, because they don’t know about you yet! Make it your mission to spread the word. Take advantage of free advertising opportunities. Try to get showcased on your local news or in the local newspaper, if you can. Be sure to take advantage of social media!

If you’re not quite sure about your product or service and think it needs some tweaks, why not offer new customers trials of your products or services? This is a great way to get feedback on your offerings. How else does this benefit you? Well, you get to show customers how great your services/products are and hopefully convert them to not only paying but loyal customers. It’s a win-win situation.

Discounts, deals and giveaways can also be exciting ways to start your business with a bang!

More Top Tips

Starting a holistic health business can be a complex venture, but it doesn’t have to be too stressful, once you know what you’re doing. One great way to keep yourself on track is to find yourself a business mentor. Ideally, this is someone in the same business who is more experienced and willing to show you the ropes. Ensure that you operate in different geographical areas so that you’re not in direct competition! Your mentor should be able to offer you helpful tips on how to improve your holistic health business.

If you have some money to invest and are low on confidence about starting out alone, why not become part of a franchise? The name is already well-established and you have access to resources that can really help you build your business. You become part of a ‘community’ instead of going it alone. Some people prefer to strike out independently and chart their own path, but others like structure and a ‘proven’ model to follow. Which one works for you?

At the end of it all, whether you choose to offer products or services, join a franchise or strike out on your own, there’s one secret to a successful business, and that’s passion. Do what you love, inject your enthusiasm into it, and you’ll be well on the road to having a successful holistic health business.