Choose retail or the Internet to launch your aromatherapy business
Yoga. Holistic medicine. Massage therapy. Some call them "new age." Others call these mind and body therapies miracle workers. Add to the mix aromatherapy, the art and science of blending natural ingredients to formulate herbal, floral and spice-based inhalants and topical applications. Fans swear by this emerging therapy to enhance health, soothe moods and achieve states of relaxation and rejuvenation. If you're knowledgeable about the relationships between nature's bounty and human physiology, you couldn't find a better way to make a living than by starting your own aromatherapy business.
Instructions
1. Search homeopathic and holistic medicine schools for aromatherapy programs in your area. Seek out the one that best fits your goals: a long-term, science-based curricula that culminates in a degree or continuing education classes designed to add to the body of knowledge you already possess. Having a solid background in botany will make your educational journey a breeze as you explore the chemistry of essential oils and the restorative powers of flowers, rhizomes, seeds, roots, leaves, resins and berries.
2. Launch your aromatherapy business by picking a memorable name that isn't currently being used by another practitioner. Write a business plan to cover your start-up and estimate the amount of cash you'll need to pursue your objective. Open a checking account in the name of your enterprise and, if you wish to make certain liability for your aromatherapy business isn't tied to your purse strings, hire a lawyer to draft articles of incorporation or do the job yourself via one of the many legal Internet sites available.
3. Pursue your dream of opening a retail aromatherapy boutique by renting a storefront, obtaining furnishings, ordering utility connections, advertising materials and hiring staff. Set shop hours and policies for employees. Contract with herbalists to prepare custom-made product for your shop or find wholesalers or distributors to supply your business. Set up accounts and order stock. Ask about obtaining free brochures and other informational materials produced by the companies for consumers.
4. Choose to go the Internet route and you can skip the first half of Step #3 but follow suggestions for finding vendors to supply you with aromatherapy products. Hire a web designer to tackle wire frames and the overall design of your website. Keep it simple: a home page and no more than five landing pages. Commission an experienced copywriter who understands the importance of keywords and optimization to write content.
5. Put into place a system for order taking. Contract with a shipping firm to handle orders. Check with state and local authorities to apply for licenses and permits. Ask about state sales tax guidelines and determine the amount of money you will charge customers for packing and mailing product via the shipper you've selected.
6. Expand revenues by adding auxiliary products to your product line to boost sales. Market electric pumps, glass nebulizers, ring diffusers and other delivery systems designed to dispense aromatic compounds into the air so your customers not only get the healing products they need but the tools to dispense them.
7. Build your credentials and business by staying in touch with the institution that trained you to be an aromatherapist. Subscribe to industry publications to stay abreast of new products and delivery systems. Look into certification programs that add credence and weight to your credentials so your business is seen as both professional and therapeutic.
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