Tips for IHM at School Fayre

[Jinyan]

Hi, I wonder if I could ask for some advice from those of you who have offered your services at a school fete! I am doing 15 minute taster sessions next week at my son's school. I've never done this before (recently qualified) and haven't seen anyone elses set-up either. Would you recommend trying to do it indoors even if this is away from all the other stalls outside ? (Could be wet or quite cool...........assuming the rain stops long enough for a fete by 13th July...........) Or do most people set up an outside space amongst all the other stalls? If outside, how do you set up your space? Also, how open or private do you make it?

Many thanks

 

[xfesyuxmirxiunegx]

Hi Sparkie
I did our local school fete last year and this year.
Last year I had a table with my leaflets on it and an A4 sheet stating the price and what it was for. I put out some pens and paper for bored children, but people tended to leave them with other parents so I didn't bother this year. Last year I also did a massive sign which I taped to the front of the table with a silly picture and some caption saying: "Kids, do your parents look like this? Then they are stressed! Treat them to a head massage to stop them shouting at you" or some daft words to that effect. I did have one girl pay for her mum! I only charged £1 and donated all to the school (it was a fundraiser fete).I tried to angle the chair so that people walking past could see from the side but so that the person did not feel too exposed - but you do need to be able to let passers-by see what you are doing. I also have a list of contraindications and ask them to have a quick look and tell me if there is anything I need to be aware of. I know it is only a short treatment but I had one lady with a recent head injury which I wouldn't have known about otherwise!! I was situated beside a woman selling candles.

This year I was in the open-air classroom - a lovely wooden structure - but I was also beside the 'Hook a Duck' whichwas a bit noisy. I only charged £1 again but did 10 mins instead. I think you can definitely charge more but remember it is a fete where people are paying £1 for raffle tickets and so on so I wouldn't charge, say more than £3. You should be very popular though maybe a bit quiet at first.

Don't worry about it being noisy. Be somewhere where you will be seen with something to say what you are doing so I would go outside unless there are other stalls inside. If they are playing loud music, I sometimes say to the person to imagine they are in a lovely quiet treatment room! Finally, don't feel like you stick out like a sore thumb because you are not a children-orientated stall. I got a few clients from the fetes.

Hope that helps,
Florence

 

[Ardnaid Janus]

Hi there. Our schools are all finished up now but I attended 4 fairs in June. I only set my business up last October so things are very slow to take off and I wanted to get out of the salon room I rent and into the community to target stressed out parents, grandparents, even teachers!

I wrote to all the local PTAs offering my services / gift vouchers etc and received 5 replies out of 14. One day clashed with another commitment so I sent them a gift voucher for their draw and at least got an acknowledgment whereas the other schools didn't want something for nothing!!

As I wanted to get the most exposure I offered free IHM tasters (15-20 mins) if the school didn't charge me for space - i.e. then the school could advertise free treatments as if it was their gift! One school charged me £20 for the space for 2 hours and I charged £5 a treatment and got 5 clients (and I donated the extra to the school as I was not doing it for the money (all £5 of it lol). At the others I had a tub for donations to the school and most people left something as they were getting a free session - the average I was then able to give was £25.

At each venue I just had a small table for leaflets etc and two chairs. I put posters up everywhere Icould, and advertised for vouchers (Fathers Day was round the corner - and sold a couple of back massage vouchers). At the beginning of each fair I spent 15-20 minutes handing out advertising postcards to people and explaining where I was located. Basically to make sure everyone had a postcard - most are obviously there with their kids in tow so I went for 'I'm providing free IHM tasters today at --- but I understand that with the kids it's hard to treat yourself at an event like this so here's £5 off a Reflexology or Massage treatment, I'm based in town centre etc'. Then had a booking sheet too and when quieter handed out more cards and talked to people.

The 3 inside were quite noisy, but clients understood and seemed to block the noise out. 1 was outside - it was a sorcher so I'd have been forgotten about inside! Obviously you have to forget all your ideals about quiet, calm, relaxing music, lovely aromas etc and go with what you get but everyone knows that the set up at these sort of events. For anyone thinking of contacting schools obviously too late for this summer, I wrote after Easter hols but you can sell it as something for the adults when everything else is for kids. I found it's also a good way to get contacts at the school so come September I'll be targetting staff rooms etc too!

I have a red uniform tunicIused to wear -it's good because people notice you! Between the 4 fairs I treated 22 clients (had a consultation sheet to check re contraindications and of course to capture details where allowed). I covered my own expenses and provided 'goodie bags' for all those having the free tasters. These included bottle of water, herbal teabags, aftercare sheets etc and of course a few money off vouchers and business cards for them, their family and friends!

Since the fairsI got 8 clients - both people I met and referrals - all with their money off vouchers - 2 have now booked courses of reflexology with me so I have made over £200 from giving up 4 Saturday mornings, when lets face it I had no bookings anyway!!

Good luck!

 

[Willbewill]

ooooh angelstar, I love the idea of the goody bags, thats such a fab idea.
It sounds like you went into this with a clear idea of what you wanted to achieve from this and went about it in an extremely professional manner. You are sooo fab!

Well done you.

 

[Ipod Touch Me]

Hi Sparkie, my friend and i have just done our childrens fete today we were worried about the rain but it was sunny!! we had a pitch on a dry muddy area under some trees so we hooked lilac things around to try and screen everyone else off! we did reflex and reiki and from 1-4 we had 10 clients at £3 a session of 15-20mins everyone who came loved it!!we were right near the disco so our lovely holistic music was drowned out!!! which put us off more than the clients!!!!!we put leaflets out and had crystals out and nag champa burning. we were pleased with the day on the whole and the £30 went to the school!my darling step daughter helped on the table if people were askin questions and we were busy! we only qualified in june for reflex but i do get the feeling people would be reluctant to pay more than £3 for 15mins!!!Good luck and if there is anything u want to ask feel free
Om Shanti
enfysx

 

[Young Guy]

Thanks to you all for your useful input! I'm still not sure where I will do the treatments as it will be rather weather dependent. If it is rather chilly, then I will go inside but get some willing helpers to sign people up (but limits my opportunity to generally attract interest and get passers by to take my brochures, cards etc.) If it's warm enough to be outside, then I now feel more confident that it will work even in a less than ideal setting!

Good advice and I think this was my main concern so good to hear that it can work ok in this environment!

Sorry it didn't work out well for you, Daisychain. It just shows hiw unpredictable these things can be.

All my proceeds will go to my son's school, so any takings will be better than nothing! I'll let you know how it went afterwards!

Thanks

 

[lil g]

Well, all your tips were very useful and the School Fayre went really well for me!

It was supposed to be an outdoor fayre, but as you would probably have expected, it was raining! So the organisers did some last minute reorganisation and the fayre went ahead inside. I ended up in a cloakroom area between two class rooms, so it was a bit noisy but plenty of people passing by and seeing what was on offer. In fact the people who I treated said they were surprised at how quickly and easily they tuned the noise out. I managed to make it quite a nice area and covered up the coats and hooks with some drapes.

I had no idea if there would be much interest, but I did 9 x 15 minute sessions (15 min. treatment plus mini-consultation), and hardly had time to draw breath! I (against some advice here ) charged £5 per session, and people happily paid this, so I handed over £42.20 to the school (I know the maths doesn't add up, but one teacher fancied a go, and only had £2.20 in her purse.............)

There was definitely some interest from people who may well book full treatments in the future. I'm not sure if many people picked up my leaflets and information though, so that would be one to work on for next time.

It was great for the fundraising and I felt good about raising money for my son's school, great for the PR, and great for my experience as I have only recently set up business, and the diversity of heads, hair and muscle build was fantastic for my experience and confidence!

I was on a high when I got home, although a little tense in the back and shoulders - I could have done with an IHM treatment myself afterwards!

 

[NocturnalWitch]

I've only noticed thisa thread today...

I have my first fate this Sat, where I'll be offering IHM and Reiki I was thinking of cahrging £5 for 15 mins as it's a local fate - not for the school, but I might lower the price.

I've read some wonderful tips, and I'm now feeling a bit more relaxed (only a bit mind).

I'm still not sure on how I'm going to advertsie, but I've bought A1 card.

I'll post an update of how it went.

Thanks all for an insperational thread!

xXx