I had some interesting dialogs in the last day or two. Interesting but a bit dismaying. I received inquiries from several potential clients. One in particular was from a person who had significant issues and needed some deep healing work. During her call, I learned quite a bit about her issue, listening extensively as she bent my ear. We got to the point where she clearly knew I could help her. We agreed to that and started the process.
As we talked, I brought up my scheduling program to book the initial session. She finally asked what my rates were, which I told her. There was a sudden silence, followed by "why so much?"
I explained that I charged the standard rate for NGH (National Guild of Hypnotists) hypnotherapists in the metro area (actually I currently charge a little less, since I haven't raised my rates in a while. I plan to do that in January).
There was a grudging "OK" and I could almost hear the sticker shock reverberating in her mind. We set a session appointment time and I asked her for her credit card number to confirm the booking.
There was a "What?" followed by stony silence on the other end of the line.
I repeated my request, adding that I asked people to pay for the initial session at the time they booked.
Most hypnotherapists ask for payment for the first session up front. Some in the guild actually ask for the cost of five sessions at initial booking.
"You mean we have to pay you in advance?" the woman's voice demanded, indignant
"Yes," I replied, "I ask for payment for the first session to confirm the reservation."
"Er - let me get back to you. I need to check with my husband."
I sometimes get this response when someone changes her mind and decides not to book a session. This 'missing man' argument is a graceful way to chicken out. Usually, this happens on learning that hypnotherapy costs money.
As our dialog concluded, we hung up and left it at that. I sincerely doubt I will hear from her again.
In retrospect, I wondered if she had expected me to offer her some kind of inexpensive healing trick that would solve all her problems. Was she expecting her problem to be fixed by my waving a "hypnosis wand"? At bargain rates?
On the flip side - I have learned a fair amount in the business world in the last six or so months. And one of the biggest lessons has been on the need to make it easy for the customer to do business with you. In retrospect I can see how the sticker shock would have affected her. I suspect that many hypnotherapists have encountered the same issue, where clients back out on encountering this financial barrier. Clearly, some change was needed to make it easier for people like her to get into my studio in the first place.
I have lately been migrating to a new business model advanced by one of the leading instructors in the NGH, Scott McFall. Scott advocates conducting an initial consult session. In this new business model, I don't ask for a lot of $ in advance for the initial consult session. If the client and the hypnotist agree that it will work to move forward then (in my variation) the initial consult becomes part of the first session, incorporated into the full hypnotherapy healing package. If the client decides not to proceed, there is only the charge for the consult session.
Healing work, especially the type this particular client needed
to do, is difficult. My bet is that
she had backed away from work with several other potential hypnotherapists as well. This inability to commit is part of what I call the challenge
of the healer's doorway. Often, it can be one of the biggest pieces of
the problem. And when that occurs, when the client won't even enter the studio, there is little the healer can do.
So in
order for the process to work, the client first has to come in through the doorway. The person needs to understand and feel comfortable with the healing process, and then with the idea that it will cost money. The commitment occurs only when we begin, when the client understands and is comfortable with the process. At that point, we the person needs to commit to the work.
They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. For this particular person, the first big hurdle was simply to begin the work - and to accept that she actually had to pay for it. In short, she needed to overcome the challenge of the healer's doorway.
Once in the door, hypnotherapy can offer an amazing toolbox to help the client resolve issues deep within the subconscious. Yes, the client can and should learn about the process, become comfortable with it before beginning the work. But in the end, healing work is a commitment.
No, it's not free.
