Building A Business In The Metaphysical Field
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org,
please feel free to visit the school website)
Introduction
Building The Dream
Goal Setting
Barriers To Success
Tips For Long Term Success
Art Of Risk Taking
Business Plan
Business Cards
Client Retention
Preventing No-Shows
Confidentiality
Fee Setting
Getting Investors
Bookkeeping
Fully Deductible Expenses
Finding Your Niche
Public Speaking
Writing Articles
Referrals
Spiritual Marketing
Advertising
How To Start A Church
DBAs & Business Licenses
Your Resale Certificate & EIN
Payroll
Business Partners
My Experience With Running A Metaphysical Business
Conclusion
written by Carolyn Hoppe, MA
Introduction
True success in business is a function of applying the spiritual practice of intuitive seeking that you already know how to do. You will need to be inventive about creating your metaphysical business because you are blazing new tails in an "emerging field" that has not gone mainstream yet. You will not very likely be able to peruse a local newspaper and find a metaphysical job that your degree would qualify you for. You will need to create your job yourself by creating your own metaphysical business. The process is facilitated by making goals and developing a plan for getting people to know who you are and why they should work with you. This is accomplished by establishing the intention of succeeding, and then keeping positive thoughts of succeeding in a way that will be fulfilling to your life's purpose.
To build your own business, you will have to commit 100% of your energy, time, and money to pursuing the specific paths that will lead you in the direction of your success. First, it is vital that you know who you are, your likes and dislikes, and what talents and training you have. This will help you make decisions about what tasks you will perform yourself, and what might be better to delegate or sub-contract to a support system that is part of every successful business. In order to do this, it is important that you take every opportunity to learn, develop, and get the specific experiences that will help you make good decisions. This part of the process often involves connecting with other experts in your field so that they can share their experiences with you.
Intend that you will succeed and keep positive thoughts on your great success. Take every opportunity to learn, develop and get experience. Connect with other experts in your field and let them share their experience with you. Characteristics of a successful business owner are inventiveness, determination, persistence, self-discipline, respect, a little money, and good oral and written communication skills. If you are weak in any of these areas, work on improving them.
In the book The E-Myth (1995), Michael Gerber said, "Once you recognize that the purpose of your life is not to serve your business but that the primary purpose of your business is to serve your life, you can then go to work on your business rather than in it." Jump start your dream by writing your goals. This is best accomplished by establishing your priorities, and then determining what is your highest priority. What's most important for you to experience, explore? Until you answer this question, your life goals will be off purpose, unaligned with your inner passion. Your intentions will lack the power to attract the people and situations necessary to become a reality. A line from the movie Chariots Of Fire, says, "Examine yourself; discover where your true chance of greatness lies. Seize that chance and let no power of persuasion deter you from your task." Examine through meditation and self-reflection what your purpose in life is. Pay attention to your intuition and your dreams and what your friends and family say about your strengths.
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Building the Dream
Marcia Wieder's article, "Creating Dream Relationships" online at www.thinkholistic.com, declares, "The shortcut step for achieving any dream is share your dreams with others. We build powerful relationships with others by expressing our dream clearly so they understand what it is, and passionately, so they are excited about what we are doing. And then, take the crucial step of inviting them to join you… Become masterful at [inclusion]. [Inclusion], unlike sales, is your ability to share your ideas in such a way that the listener wants to be part of what you are doing."
Wieder speaks of a simple four-step process. First, establish rapport. This creates a connection that puts people at ease and will lend itself to developing trust. Second, build value. Do this by asking questions, being genuinely interested, and "meeting" them where they are. Third, overcome objections or obstacles. This could be as simple as a phone call to discuss the issue with other experts in the field. Finally, secure an agreement. This could be to meet, have a follow-up call, or signing on the dotted line. Inclusion is by far the most essential tool for building your team and great relationships because you can use it in every area of your life. Imagine how your life might change if you could talk to anyone, anytime about your dreams (or theirs) in a way that was transformational.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, and implementing your business plan starts with some serious mental exploration. Take the time to answer each of the following questions on a piece of paper. Keith Varnum, in his article 11 Questions To Kickstart Your Dream (2004), offers the following:
- Get clued into your true joy. What activities turned you on as a child? What are your hobbies now? When your goals are aligned with your soul purpose, synchronicity kicks in to guide you to your target. When you intuit and own your unique essence and calling, assistance will flow to you from every earthly and heavenly source.
- Is this your dream, or someone else's? Are your goals your own choice, or what others think you should strive for? Do you want to look back in your old age and wish you had followed your passion? Will you regret having "played it safe?" Is it selfish to go after your own dream? What joy can you give to others if you haven't given it to yourself first? You have a divine right to listen to your heart. You have a social obligation to follow your dream. Only then can you fulfill your destiny and make the earthly contribution you were born to make.
- Do you really, really want this dream? Do you bound out of bed every morning to pursue your vision? Or is it a lukewarm dream you chase because it sounds meaningful? Only the Real McCoy will generate enough energy to manifest itself in the world.
- Are you settling for less than? Are you resigned to accepting less than your full share of love, health and success this lifetime? Have you compromised and sacrificed your dream to death? Anything short of living your true passions will never make you happy. Do you want to arrive at the Pearly Gates with the regret of not marrying that one captivating person, starting that fun business, or seeing that exotic part of the world you always wanted to visit?
- Is your dream actually just a means to some other dream? Is your goal the ultimate end in itself, or merely a limited means to that end? Isn't it really the new car itself you want, rather than the money to buy the new car? More to the core, isn't it really a renewed sense of self-worth you desire, rather than the new car or house to impress the family and neighbors? And isn't it really happiness you want, rather than the picture-perfect mate, job, or body? Focus on the experience you want to create, not the physical form that may or may not bring you that experience.
- What will you feel like when you reach your dream? Personal passion fuels a vision. Dive into the thrill and exhilaration of the feeling of living your dream. Every moment you can, drink in the joy of having your goal. The Hawaiian Kahuna say, "Where your creative attention flows, so flows your life." Is your daily attention feeding your dream? Do you know where your creative excitement is flowing? It's high time you manifested your aspirations. Dynamic, satisfying creations are nurtured with love and care as a flower in a garden.
- How will you benefit from getting your dream? Get specific about the benefits you'll receive from achieving your vision. Write down these pros so they will sink in as motivators. What exactly would happen if you made a lot of money doing something you love? How would you approach your life differently if you allowed people to love and support you? What would you do with more vitality and health?
- What steps can you take today toward your dream? Don't defer your dream. Set up supports and systems around you to instantly translate your intentions into action. Jump on every opportunity that is in line with your purpose and vision. Keep the momentum going. No matter how hectic life gets, pledge to take at least one action a day. Even the smallest actions—jotting down a new idea, reading a single page, or making one phone call—can start to add up. Are there smaller projects that lead to your larger dream that can give you pleasure in the meantime? If the dream is to run a marathon, train for a local fun-run first. Find a way to measure your progress. Track those little wins by writing in a journal or telling a friend.
- Are you telling yourself: "I can't have my dream?" Most people don't believe they can live their dream. Either their belief system has them believing they can't make a living doing what they love, or they feel they don't deserve their dream. To avoid the pain of feeling they can't have their dream, people often keep their dream so buried they can't remember they ever had a dream. Everyone has a dream! And everyone is destined to fulfill that purpose. Why wait?
- Are you afraid of getting your dream? Statistically, more heart attacks occur when "good" things happen, than when "bad" things happen! Getting your dream is life-threatening! Of course, realizing your dream is only threatening to your old experience of yourself and your life, you know, the one that's boring, or paining you to death! Change is scary. Find a way to move the energy of fear. The only way to avoid feeling fear is to avoid living altogether! What fears might come up if your dream is manifested?
- Do you really need to accomplish your dream? Do you really need to achieve your goals to be happy? Enter the "hootless state" where you no longer give a hoot if the exact "picture" of your dream comes true. Without the interference of the ego's push, pressure and micro-managing, you have a much better chance of being in the right vibration, or space, to attract real happiness. When you relax your grip on the exact way your future "has" to unfold, you give the Universe more flexibility in how it can fulfill your wishes. And on a higher plane, what if our true task here on Earth is simply to be who we already are in our essential nature, with or without manifesting our specific goals? What if the essence of who we are is enough?
These are all general queries you must ask to yourself in order to find the spirituality inherent in a good business plan. In order to really assess how to start the process of seeking success in business, very specific questions must be asked as to how the process is to take shape. In her book Business Mastery (1997), author Cherie Sohnen-Moe offers some key questions and tips:
Career Assessment Questions:
What would you like people to say about your business?
Three attributes of your business of which you're most and least proud of?
What is working well and not well?
Changes you would like to see?
Ideal Career Description
How many hours per week do you want to work?
Do you want associates?
What type of atmosphere do you want?
How much do you want the net profit to be annually?
How much money do you want for your salary after taxes?
What type of clients do you want?
Which professions could provide referrals?
Describe your ideal office in detail, style, décor?
Do you want multiple locations?
Examples of Career intentions
My career supports myself and others in being happy and healthy.
My career is a joyous expression of who I am.
I am innovative and successful in my career.
My career is a source of joy and prosperity.
My career is fulfilling and provides me with the income that I desire.
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Goal Setting
Goals are things which you commit to and take action. Goal setting is the means of turning your dreams into reality. Set clear priorities and purposes in your business and your life. By establishing clear goals you are programming your brain to be aware and notify your conscious mind of the information and opportunities that you desire.
Goal Setting Techniques:
- Always state your goals in the positive, present tense
- Include deadline dates
- Specific
- Attainable steps
- Measurable results
- Visualize success
Failure to achieve a goal may be due to not really wanting the goal, or being unwilling to do what's required. This often manifests in mental blocks, conflicts, or inaccurate information and inappropriate deadlines. A few strategies to overcome barriers are to keep things in perspective and set clear goals. Clarify your values and do clearing work or therapy on blocks. Learn from your past mistakes and create a positive support system. Take calculated risks, work smarter not harder.
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Barriers to Success
Procrastination is the biggest barrier to success. Procrastination is a symptom. The important thing is to remember to listen to yourself. Cherie Sohnen-Moe writes in Business Mastery (1997), "Self-sabotage manifests by possessing a poor self-image, blaming others for misfortunes; expecting failure; putting yourself down, repeating errors and surrounding yourself with inappropriate people.
Find out what is behind the behavior. Evaluate the dynamics. Then you will be able to alleviate the procrastination by making the necessary changes, be they internal or external." The techniques to break through procrastination are reframing, task breakdown and delegation. Reframing is viewing the project at hand from an alternative way. Things such as music, a comfortable chair and humor can help to create a more pleasant environment. Task breakdown is about setting clear goals with dated targets. Keep things simple, one step at a time. Delegation is giving portions of tasks to others that can be easily and effectively done by someone else.
Strategies To Overcome Barriers:
- Clarify your values and operate from them.
- Do clearing work or therapy.
- Set clear goals.
- Become a calculated risk taker.
- Work smarter, not harder.
- Be informed.
- Keep balanced.
- Learn from your past mistakes.
- Create a positive support system.
- Keep things in perspective.
- Marketing ideas.
Look for niche-oriented activities such as charitable or athletic events. You can do direct mailing to specific groups and submit proposals to corporations for your services. Design health-care/well-being packages for business and special interest groups. Contact media to do interviews, give presentations, advertise on radio or TV. Offer free workshops so people can become familiar with you and purchase your other services or products later. Be willing to give people a free preview of what they can expect from you if they pay you for something later.
The most effective techniques to attract attention are, workshops, writing articles, newsletters, booths at fairs, providing services at conventions, store openings and writing articles. Two major reasons for failure is poor planning and not evaluating strengths and weakness, improper budgeting, not anticipating obstacles, lacking proper business skills, and non-exposure. If no one know you exist, how can they seek your services?
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Tips For Long-Term Success
Be professional, punctual, and prepared. Answer the phone and return calls within 24 hours. Send thank you cards for referrals. Set clear boundaries and don't let personal life interfere with business. Keep accurate records. Keep confidentiality. Be aware of client's likes and dislikes. Keep your personality and style intact, for who you are makes you good at what you do. Make integrity a priority; it is true professionalism. Sohnen-Moe states, "Integrity is the quality of a state of being complete, whole, honest and sincere. Integrity is keeping your agreements, being true to your principles, and being true to yourself. It is a state of being that is where you are really coming from. The more you can make business a natural expression of who you are, the more successful you will be in your practice."
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The Art of Risk-Taking
Taking risks is the doorway to success. The key is knowing how to take smart risks. Two elements that influence your ability to manage risk are your comfort in experiencing new situations and self-esteem. The discomfort in taking risks stems from rejection. Risk takers distinguish facts from their emotions, which helps them to handle crisis well and empowers their decision making process.
The Do's of Risk Taking:
- Do have a life plan with clear goals.
- Do make sure the risk is aligned with your life plan.
- Do evaluate the potential gains and losses.
- Do ask questions and research the situation.
- Do know your strengths and limitations.
- Do brainstorm several alternatives.
- Do list potential conflicts and solutions.
- Do set realistic timetable.
- Do be flexible.
- Do trust your intuition and instincts.
- Do follow through and give it your best.
- Do review and possibly revise your strategy.
- Do ask for support.
- Do acknowledge the people who give you support.
The Do Not's of Risk Taking:
- Don't be unrealistic.
- Don't be a perfectionist.
- Don't deny your feelings.
- Don't ignore or minimize problems.
- Don't mistake emotions for facts.
- Don't rush.
- Don't procrastinate.
- Don't blame others for your mistakes.
- Don't give up too soon.
- Don't be afraid to cut your losses and move on.
- Don't trust blindly.
- Don't risk just to prove yourself to others.
- Don't combine too many risks at once.
Time Management Tips
- Review your master goal list at least once per week.
- Group similar activities together.
- Set specific times for taking and returning phone calls.
- Throughout the day ask yourself, what is the best use of my time?
- Discourage interruptions.
- Learn to say "no."
- Track important data and activities.
- Avoid procrastination.
- Respect your body's and mind's cycles.
- Do your most challenging work during your peak performance cycles.
- Delegate whenever possible.
- Take a quick stretch break every 20 minutes.
- Keep supplies stocked and accessible.
- Set a schedule and follow it.
- At end of the day, create the next day's goals and activities list.
Time management is key to accomplishing your goals in the most effective manner. Alan Fairweather, in his article "7 Simple Steps To Get More Out of Your Day,"makes a variety of suggestions how to make the most of the time we have.
- Plan your day the night before - At the end of each day write out all the things you need to do the following day to achieve your goals. Pull together all the information you'll need, phone numbers and relevant paperwork.
- Prioritize the list - Number each item and do the nasty jobs first. There's always the temptation to do the easy jobs first. However, think how the thought of doing the nasty jobs hangs over you as you do the easy stuff. Think how good you'll feel when the nasties are out of the way and how motivated you'll feel.
- Stick to your list - Tick off each item as you go and don't let yourself be distracted. The temptation is to handle the telephone and e-mails as they come in. The phone is hard to ignore but you could always pull out the plug and let it go to voice mail and switch off the email program. Make an agreement with yourself to check for messages every two hours or so. On the other hand, a live person answering the phone is often best. It depends on what your business is.
- Remember the Three "D's" - Do it, Delegate it or Dump it. Handle each piece of paper only once. Either do something about it now, delegate it to someone else or chuck it in the trash. And remember, "Only do it if only you can do it."
- Don't procrastinate - Procrastination really is the "Thief of Time." It's so easy to put things off till another time or till "I've had time to think about it." DO IT NOW!
- Plan your leisure time - Take up activities that require you to be at a certain place at a certain time. Instead of just "going to the gym," book a fitness class or an appointment with a personal trainer.
- Be honest with yourself - Keep asking, "Is what I'm doing now getting me to where I want to get to?" If the answer is "no," change what you're doing. This is the easiest way to get more out of your day and more out of your life.
- I'm adding an 8th tip! Don't forget to set aside time to play and take care of your own needs. All work and no play makes you resent the work!
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Business Plan
When you write a business plan include a cover page, a table of contents, and an owner's statement. The owner's statement is a description of the owner and the business with information such as phone, email, address, summary and description of business, and philosophy. The next section would be executive summary, which are the highlights of the business plan. This is important if you are applying for financial backing. The goal is to convince investors that your plan will succeed. Next is to describe career plan 1-2 year goals, and 3-5 year goals. Business description is the next section. Write a history of your company and your mission statement. Describe the products or service.
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Business Cards
Use business cards to your full advantage. Take them everywhere you go—in your car, on your desk, and in your wallet. Don't forget to put them on every bulletin board in town and have some with you if you see that your cards have all been taken from a location that you frequent. Use both sides for valuable information. Be creative in distribution such as leaving one with a tip when you eat out or in a library book. Hand them to clerks who know people who could use your service. If someone gives you their business card, send them a short note or email within 48 hours of meeting them to keep your name fresh in his or her mind.
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Client Retention
It costs six times the money and takes three times the effort to get new clients as opposed to retaining the old ones. Keep your energy focused on maintaining current clients rather than taking them for granted. Offer specials or cards of appreciation for their business.
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Preventing No-Shows
Take the time before you actually see a client for a pre-interview to make him or her comfortable. This will give you the opportunity to address his or her concerns and questions. Ascertain the client's needs and discuss specifics on how you can support him or her. Send a welcome letter, business card, brochure, and intake information prior to the first appointment. Confirm appointments by telephone the day before or send a reminder postcard that includes your cancellation policy.
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Confidentiality
If your business requires confidentiality, which is vital to a therapeutic relationship, do not discuss anything that happens in a session with anyone else. This is crucial to maintaining trust and safety. Confidentiality can sometimes become a challenge when you have a dual relationship with a client. Dual Relationships are defined as a relationship between client and therapist that goes beyond the therapeutic interaction into social or business endeavors. There are two ways to deal with this and neither is right or wrong. The first is to avoid it at all costs. Secondly, handle it by keeping clear boundaries and checking in to see if the other person can manage multiple roles. It may be awkward with family and friends, as they may test your limits and policies by asking questions that may impinge on your confidentiality policy.
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Fee Setting
Two things influence your affluence: your attitude toward money, and your feelings about yourself. In order to ask for money, you need to believe in yourself. Fees typically depend on where you are located and the type of work you do. First, consider all the costs involved in running your business such as rent, utilities, phone, insurance, advertising, licenses, and your time. These expenses must be taken into account to determine the level of income needed to keep your business viable.
There are several ways to set fees. One is to set high prices to target a small percentage of the population. This works if there is no competition and your service is innovative. Another strategy is to set your prices to the going rate, or state a lower rate than the standard rate. You also could offer a sliding scale or introductory rates. The decision as to how to set fees will require a variety of considerations, and will depend on your preferences and fair market value.
Clients appreciate flexibility, and offering discounts and incentives will make a difference in how to attract clients. For instance, an incentive program such as a certificate for 50% off for a client referral can bring in valuable new clients.
Try not to ask for too much money at first. This is often the biggest mistake a new practitioner makes. Can you afford $50 for a massage? If not, what would you pay? Would you be able to still have a great business if you are making $25-30 per hour? Is that what you are making at a job you do for someone else? If you are working for $10 per hour at a job you don't like, perhaps you should be satisfied with making $25 per hour instead of $50 per hour as you get your business started and your neme better known in your community. Be realistic. Know your market. You will have more clients if you charge less per hour than if you charge more. Once you are well-known and have more clients than you can fit in, that is the time to raise your prices to the next level.
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Getting Investors
Connect with people who are looking to invest in your business. Look online for Angel Investors. They invest into a business and provide start up or expansion. Ask your local bank about SBAs (Small Business Loans). They are not that hard to get if you have good credit and a well presented business plan. Another idea is to ask friends to loan you money. If you have ten friends who will loan you $100, you will have the $1000 you need to get started. Have fundraisers for your business. Have a raffle. There are limitless and creative ways to raise money for your new business.
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Bookkeeping
Keeping accurate records can provide you with numerous tax deductions that will save you money. Keep all receipts and write down expenses, have a separate business checking account, keep bank statements and copies of tax returns. Keep mileage logs, and list incidental expenses.
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Fully-Deductible Expenses
As you earn business income any reasonable expense you incur can be a potential deduction. Things such as business rent, advertising, business licenses, insurance, business loan payments (even if they are being given to friends who loaned you money), motor vehicle expenses, office supplies, and professional books—these are all tax deductible. If you use a car for pleasure and business, keep a log book of date, destination, purpose and mileage for each business trip. Calculate the total number of mileage you put on the car in the same period. For example if you drive 4000 miles total and you drive 1,088 for business, then divide this to find the percentage for total expenses relating to the car including gas, insurance, repair and licensing. If your office is in your home, you can deduct a portion of your residential rent or mortgage.
If you have a home business you can calculate deductible by finding the square area of you treatment space compared to the whole house. If your house is 800 square feet and your treatment room occupies 120 square feet. The work space is therefore occupying 15 percent of the house, so 15% of the total home expenses can be claimed.
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Finding Your Niche
In Getting Business To Come To You (1998), authors Paul & Sarah Edwards and Laura Clampitt Douglas say, "A niche is a role, function, or position in an organism that has community, as part of its whole. A niche is a specialty that is ideally suited for you. Like your personal role in the scheme of things. It's like finding your own special corner of the world. A marketplace that's custom tailored to you. Your niche will look, sound, and feel like right where you belong."
Discovering your niche gives you an opportunity to find where you can make the greatest contribution as you uncover your interests and talents You may not feel like you are working because you will work from such a deep commitment. This will bring great excitement to what you do and you'll do it even better.
Find a service or product for a particular segment of the market that no one else is adequately serving. Decide who you want to reach and what will define your niche. Then look for where you can find them and what you'll need to do to attract those that need that product or service. By carving out your own niche, you become known for your expertise as you narrow and focus on your specialty. As you do so, you will be able to refine and perfect your skills. Some people may fear niching for they believe they will have fewer people to draw from. The smaller and more clearly defined your niche, the better. This way you do not have to do "blanket marketing," which can be costly and non-specific. It is better to have a specific market to target. For instance, metaphysics is a niche market, and there are even smaller niches within that arena. So what is your specialty in the field of metaphysics?
There are a number of questions to ask yourself as you are carving your niche. Taken from Getting business to come to you, these questions include "Where you work? Whom you work with? The industry you work in? When you work? The problem you address? The media you work in? Do you prefer one on one, seminars, books, phone, video, speeches, products, on-line, radio, television?" Your ideal niche will cross your assets with your interests, intersecting with opportunities you have to meet real-life needs.
Other questions to explore possible niches are: What aspects of your work do you find most interesting, appealing? What type of clients do you most enjoy" What problems or injustices do you see that you feel compelled to make right? What do you wish you could do more of for your clients? What kind of things do you do best? Who needs such things? How can you provide that product or service in a way that will give you a chance to draw upon your other interests? Whom do you know who needs what you offer or who knows of other people who need it? Things you can do to open your mind to find your perfect niche: Let your feelings guide you, follow your intuition, use visualization, prayer, meditation, and look for synchronicity. Listen for the answers to your prayers.
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Public Speaking
Contact professional societies, civic clubs, business groups and bookstores and offer to give free talks for getting new clients. Offer a free introductory class if you are doing a class series. Target specific support groups and health food stores. Exude enthusiasm and demonstrate uniqueness and the benefits of your services. Discover what motivates someone to receive your services. When you find your target market, identify their needs, concerns and goals and address specific benefits with each one. Contact owners of establishments in person to introduce yourself. Share material and what you can do for their customers.
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Writing Articles
Write a book or article. Submit an article on something you know better than anyone else to your industry trade publication or online websites. Alicia Forest, in her article "Top Ten: The Easiest Way To Write A Content-Rich Article For Your Niche,"found at www.ClientAbundance.com, says, "A great marketing idea is to write an article about top ten reasons for whatever you are doing. Check out www.topten.org for ideas and examples. Decide who your Top Ten is going to be written for. It should be written for your niche. You can write a general article that applies to your entire niche, or you could choose a segment of your niche to write the article for. Choose one issue that your niche seems to grapple with over and over, and write the article based on your solution(s) to that problem.
"Create a summary paragraph about your Top Ten article. Write a short paragraph that describes what your article is about. Three to five sentences should suffice. This will become your introductory paragraph. Write down your Top Ten points. Explain each of the ten points. Write 3 to 5 sentences to illustrate each of your ten points. Write your author's resource box info. Submit your article to article submission sites and directories. Submit your article to www.Article.com and www.topten.org. Use it in your e-zine and on your website as a free valuable resource for your visitors. You can group together a series of your articles with a common theme into an e-book to create a passive stream of income for you."
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Referrals
Wayne Davies gives the following advice from his article "8 Proven Ways To Get Referrals"at http://www.businesscurrents.net, "Join groups from professional organizations and community groups. Get involved in different activities for new contacts. Ask customers for referrals. Tell customers that you really appreciate them making referrals, and then surprise them with a gift when they do. Get testimonials. Trade shows are a great way to meet a lot of potential new customers." Cheryl Vallejos, in her article The Secret To Getting Referrals gives the following guidelines: "The secret to getting referrals without having to ask is to develop a system that does the asking for you. Think in reverse. Instead of asking for one, earn one. Give a referral. Think of someone you can refer to your clients. This is the giver's main philosophy. Make a list of people or businesses that sell products that are complimentary to yours. Now create a referral program that pays referral fees for people who are sent to you by your referral partners. One of the best ways to ask for a referral without being obvious is to ask indirectly. Is there someone you know who would benefit from my product or service? Above all, do exceptional work. This will be your best form of advertising because when you do something that not only satisfies a customer, but delights and surprises them, they'll remember it, and they'll become part of your 'word-of-mouth' advertising campaign." Word of mouth, of course, is your most powerful advertising medium. If you do a great job or offer exceptional service or products, you are sure to have other customers because a person tells others about something he or she experienced and is pleased with.
Alan Fairweather, in his article at http://www.howtogetmoresales.com, How To Get More Sales Without Selling, offers some specific advice on how to generate the all important person to person method of getting your business out there.
- First impressions are vital - In a face to face situation it's important to make eye contact and smile. On the telephone, it's not what you say as an initial greeting that matters, but more important how you say it.
- Warm and friendly - This is what most people want and it makes your life easier too.
- Use names appropriately - A person's name is one of the warmest sounds they hear. It says that you have recognized them as an individual.
- Respond - If a customer says something, the intention was for you to hear it. And if you hear it, it's a good idea to acknowledge it.
- Actively listen - When you think about it, most people aren't very good listeners. We'd all rather be talking. You have to work hard at listening particularly if you want to let the other person know that you care. Many people listen but don't show that they're listening. You've got to do all the nodding head stuff and look like you're interested. And remember over the phone; occasionally make some indication that you're still there.
- Close positively - At the end of an interaction it's a good idea to make a positive statement on a business level and a personal level.
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Spiritual Marketing
Marketing involves anything and everything that makes someone want to do business with you. Marketing is about educating and helping people. It is about finding the people who are seeking the benefits that you offer and showing them how to use these benefits to make their lives happier and more fulfilling. Marketing encompasses all levels of customer service, from what you say to your customers and how you treat them to how they feel when they walk out the door.
Andrea Adler, in her article Spiritual Marketing, says, "Begin to focus on your needs and desires and then translate that direction into your business. Learn to incorporate spiritual laws into the practical laws as you get in touch with your soul's calling. When you take this spiritual approach things begin to magnetize such as situations, people and opportunities Spiritual marketing is addressed with consciousness and integrity. It is nourishing and uplifting rather than depleting and degrading. When we hold this vision of the future, we begin to walk into it effortlessly and gracefully. When we understand that promoting and marketing is an art form, and that it's the same creative energy we use when we paint a mural or compose a song or create a new software program, we overcome the disconnect. When we get in touch with what our soul is calling for us to do, it overrides the other two, and connects us energetically with where we want to be, how we want to be and how we want to feel as we move out there and create our outreach. Then we move into creating the strategy and the marketing materials that will draw our potential clients to us."
Joe Vitale in Spiritual Marketing (2001) says if you are clear about your business you wouldn't even need cards. Business would just come to you. Your inner spirit would do your marketing. When you reach a clear inner state of being about your service to the world, the world will come to you. The Angels will hand out your business cards on the inner planes. Your own compelling passion for your work is more beneficial than elaborate marketing efforts. Passion is the most essential ingredient in attracting business to you. Allow it to come through in all your spoken and written communication. Think of marketing as a way to share your enthusiasm for what you do.
In the book, Getting Business To Come To You (1998), authors Paul & Sarah Edwards and Laura Clampitt Douglas say, "Imagine that you have a wonderful secret. This secret will make all the difference in the world to those who know about it. And by telling others about this secret, you'll get to do what you most want to do and earn a living from doing it. Wouldn't you feel excited to share such a secret? Wouldn't you want to find every way possible to let others know about it? Wouldn't you want to use every spare moment you have to make sure people find out about it?"
If you've chosen the right niche, this is precisely what you have the opportunity to do. When you focus on your own needs, problems and concerns, it's easy to become discouraged, frustrated, self-conscious, or even angry that things aren't going better or faster. But, when you're focused on what you can accomplish for others through your work and the positive difference you can make in their lives, you'll start feeling motivated to reach out, to communicate and demonstrate to others in the most effective ways possible. If you can speak to people at the heart of where they live, you'll get their attention, pique their interest, and spark their desire. Speak to their heart first, then to their head. "Shift your attention to the importance and value of your work rather than yourself. Marketing will have new meaning as you focus on what you accomplish through your work instead of worrying about money or being rejected."
Change your thinking from a seller's to a buyer's perspective. Talk, advertise, and promote from this place which will motivate customers to buy from you. Keep in mind the basic question prospective clients have, "What's in it for me?" They want to know what you will provide, how you will meet their needs, how it will benefit their lives and what they will get for their money.
Marketing activities should be about making contact with the people who need what you have to offer. Marketing comes down to doing four things you have done since kindergarten, walk, talk, show and tell. In the book Getting Business To Come To You (1998), the authors write, "Walk-activities you can do on foot. Talk-activities you do by talking to people in person or over the phone. Show-activities that let people see your work-Tell-activities provide people with materials that enable them to learn about what you do. Experimenting with each of these techniques will help you to find the marketing activities that allow you to be most fully yourself, what comes most natural for you, what you enjoy, and what fits into your budget."
To address perceptions of customers and their specific situations you must realize their needs. Be specific about the benefits and give the facts to support your claims. The Edwards couple and Clampitt write about developing your ideal customer profile. "Describe your ideal client or customer in detail. Who are these individuals? What do they do? What is their life like? What are their goals? What's most important to them? What are their most common problems? What bugs them the most? What do they complain about? What do they praise? What would they consider to be the ideal solutions to their problems? Use the same words to describe your customers that they use in talking about themselves, their goals, and their problems. Think about the words and phrases you hear them using as they talk about issues, and your product or services."
Find a happy balance between addressing the heart of the matter and getting the most important facts of the matter. Addressing the heart of the matter lets the heart know you understand where it lives... If you speak only to the heart, the mind becomes suspicious. If you speak only to the mind, the heart will become indifferent.
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Advertising
Joe Vitale says, "It doesn't matter what you say in your advertisement, people will pick up on the energy in the ads, not the words in the ads. Mental Science marketing is an internal listening to your intuition, aligning with your beliefs and tuning into your spirit. You can heal anything by tuning in to the underlying perfection in life. Think of what you would like your future clients to feel when they read your ad and what you are you trying to communicate? When you are clear about your offer your energy will be clear. When you proceed to create your ad, that energy will guide you. When people read the final ad, it will be your energy that they will feel first. Meditate, sit in silence and consciously send energy into the ad. Put a halo around it. Infuse it with your energy. Change it so it magnetically attracts the people who need you the most who are the perfect clients for you."
Create a creative and unique way to express how you can solve a customer's problems that set you apart from the competition. Create a one-line attention grabber to wake people up and stimulate an irresistible desire to find out more. A grabber should raise questions and leave people eager for the answers such as "Let me take the world off your shoulders." Other suggestions in coming up with an attention grabber is:
- Tickle the funny bone: use humor. "We check your shorts." Electrician.
- Pluck at the heartstrings: "We provide life after death." Insurance agent.
- Use verse. Make a rhyme: "You are not alone when you need a loan." Mortgage Broker.
- Rephrase a familiar saying: "I believe in the tooth, the whole tooth and nothing but the tooth, so help me God." Dentist.
- Use word play: "A business without a sign is a sign with no business." Sign company.
- Shock 'em: "I have a criminal mind. I break into your house…so I can show you how a real criminal can do it." Security consultant.
- Do a play on your name: "Sweat's my name, air conditioning is my game." Heating and air conditioning.
Terri Levine, in his article "Top 7 Ways To Shift To Attracting Clients," at www.comprehensivecoaching.com writes, "If you give too much to your client, they will feel overwhelmed. The goal is to exceed their expectations and to "wow" them, not just to provide value or 'stuff.' When you exceed expectations, you will get referrals." Focus on educating rather than selling. This is an honest approach rather than a seductive story. Ask questions and be interested rather than interesting. Keep the balance in your business and your life. Choose the best action and behavior and let go of those things that don't serve you. Take a look at the things that distract you from your goals. Focus on what you want and write your vision and intention. Feel the passion for what you are creating. Change the attitudes that keep you from attracting positive results. Do not put energy into the past or the future "Stay in the moment." Plan, then let it go and allow it to unfold in its own way. Enjoy the journey each step of the way rather than only see the goal. Business will find you if you demonstrate a sincere interest in the person you are speaking with instead of "pitching" to them. Use attraction to promote. Sponsor a special event for clients and potential clients, and fully listen to and respond to them. This is the nicest, cheapest and easiest way to get clients.
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How To Start A Church
One of the truly wonderful options available to you as a graduate of the University of Metaphysical Sciences is that you can start a nonprofit organization based on your ministerial license. Starting a church gives you tax breaks and exemptions that you cannot get with any other business, including being able to buy land tax free. Starting a church in your community is an excellent way to begin the networking process in your town and let people know what it is that you do as far as your services, offerings, and products. As a metaphysical counselor, being the facilitator of Church meetings on Sundays gives people a chance to meet you and see what you do, besides creating right fellowship for yourself and others in your town who are like-minded.
To start a church you must first create a corporation by that name, ie: Church of . You do this by contacting the office of the Secretary of State in your particular state. (USA only. If you are overseas, you must seek out procedures for your own country, as we are not familiar with the processes for incorporation or non-profit status in all countries around the world. Most likely, these procedures would be similar to the ones described here.) You can also go directly to the Secretary of State's office and register your corporation/church there. This is speedier than doing all this through the mail. Bureaucratic mail takes a very long time, at least two to three months. If you go directly to the office it is instantaneous.
As a corporation, you will need three people, yourself included to be your Board of Directors. You will want to be the CEO (chief executive officer) and the other two people will hold the title of CFO (chief financial officer) and Secretary-Treasurer. Make sure you pick two other people besides yourself who have the same vision that you do. This is your core Board of Directors. There is no need to increase the number of Board of Directors unless you decide to later. Keep in mind that as you increase the number on the Board of Directors that some of your ideas could be voted down. Make sure you pick people who think and believe the same way you do. Next, your corporation will need a set of bylaws. Bylaws are your policies on how you handle everything from how you run your meetings to how votes are taken and how salaries are determined. Some states require that you submit your bylaws with your corporation registration and some do not.
All states require your articles of incorporation at the time of registering your corporation. You must check with your own state to see if they have a particular format that they want your articles of incorporation in. Be sure to ask someone at the Secretary of State's office if there is a format they require, very important!
Once you have your corporate stamp number, which the Secretary of State will put on your articles of incorporation and all papers that are part of your registration, you will want to file your church with the IRS (Internal Revenue Service, (www.irs.gov/). You will want to fill out form number FTB3500 and get it approved first so that you can get a filing number before you can fill out any other forms. Then you will fill out the 1023 and the SS-4 forms. You may also be required to fill out the 872-C depending on what kind of nonprofit organization you are filing for and how you are paying your fees.
With these forms it will be important to also submit examples of your beliefs, a creedo. This can be a short or long list of beliefs, but it will show that you do have a code of ethics that you and your church members live by. Realize that you do not have to be officially registered with the IRS before you can actually have church services. You can have church services without ever having registered a church at all. However if you want to take advantage of tax breaks and these sorts of things, or start a business that is related to your church, you will need to have the official filings done. I suggest you start having your services now and be an active church before you have your filings done. This way you will have some advertisements to submit, some fliers, and other types of written material that you can give to the IRS when you actually do your filing.
I highly recommend that you contact the IRS and speak with someone personally there, even though you may be on hold for quite awhile before you reach a physical person, for there may be changes in the process on any given year. Allow for plenty of time to fill out these forms, especially the 1023, because it is an involved process. It is your presentation to the IRS of what your business ideas, plans, and goals are. Filling these forms out will assist you with solidifying your ideas about your business. Also make sure you are willing to allow up to six months to a year for this process to be finished, for the IRS wheels turn very slowly. This whole process costs about $500, plus or minus.
Do not be surprised if you receive a second request for more information even after you have submitted all these forms. It is quite common for someone from the IRS to ask for more clarification on some of your ideas and goals. Be assured that the IRS is willing to give any church a chance to start, though. In fact, in my conversations with the IRS I discovered that the United States government does not determine what is a religion and what is not a religion. As long as you're not harming anyone, freedom of religion prevails in the United States.
Realize that some religions have been challenged already, and even the Supreme Court of the United States has been involved in these debates. An organization brought the Wiccan Church to the courts, trying to get the Supreme Court to denounce Wicca as a religion. In the end, the Supreme Court itself decided that Wiccans were free to practice their religion as they saw fit. So be very grateful for your rights to freedom of religion, for these are not common rights in all countries in the world. Freedom of religion is a very precious thing (metaphysics is considered a new emerging a religion). If you state it is a religion, the IRS will give you five years to operate before checking on you again and observing your activities, and still, only your status may be changed, not whether or not what you are practicing is a religion.
Keep very good records and always maintain the integrity and all your business dealings, for you will be audited after your first five years of operation. It is mandatory. At first you will probably not be making a large sum of money, so you will not have to file the 990 every year with the IRS, but it is good to fill it out anyway so that when you are audited you have your records intact and ready to present. Besides, it is a good exercise so that when you do make more money in the future with your church and your services, you will know how to handle this form.
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DBAs and Business Licenses
A DBA (Doing Business As) is necessary to open a bank account in your business name. You will register your DBA at your local county clerk's office. This usually costs anywhere between $25-$50 and you will also be required to run an ad in your local newspaper for four weeks declaring the name of your business. This is a very simple process and is not complicated in any way. You must do this whether or not you're registering the church. This is a whole separate process for a new business. This registration usually stands for five years, and then after that you must renew it. This could be different from state to state and town to town, so check with your local county clerk's office so that you know for sure how long your DBA registration lasts.
A business license is separate from the DBA. This is not registered with your County Clerk but rather with your chamber of commerce, or your city clerk's office. You will register this in your own town, and this lets the town manager's office know about a new business in town. These are usually very inexpensive, and they will ask you how many employees you have. If it is just yourself, it will be zero. You must also let them know where your business is located. This is important for the zoning and city planners to know about, so that they know where various businesses are operating. Be aware that there are some limitations with zoning. For instance you may have difficulty getting a business license if you are an office in an industrial zone where there is manufacturing and such things as that going on. Be aware that zoning is not always your best friend when starting your business. Most likely you will start your business in your home, and this is not an issue for most cities. Churches are often expected to be in residential districts, rather than office districts or industrial areas.
You do not actually have to register for a business license, even though you will need your DBA to open your bank account. If you are not trying to start a publicly visible business with employees in such, then you may want to wait on registering for your business license. If you are operating out of your home, you are probably fine with not registering for a business license. However, don't quote me on this! Check with your local township to find out what the requirements are.
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Your Resale Certificate & EIN
Another filing you must do in order to conduct business is to obtain your seller's permit, which is called a Resale Certificate. This is a number you obtain, and a certificate that you can display on your wall, showing that you have registered with your state for collecting sales tax on any products that you sell. You must collect sales tax on anything you sell that requires sales tax. Every state has different requirements as to what they want you to collect sales tax on. Generally, services like ministerial counseling, teaching classes and things like this are not taxed and therefore you would not be collecting sales tax on those services. If you are selling products, most likely you will be required to collect sales tax on these tangible items. There are a few states that do not require sales tax on tangible items, but you can only be sure by checking with your own state agencies. A place to start would be the Secretary of State's office if you do not know who to contact about this issue. They can guide you in the right direction as to who you need to speak to.
The other thing that the resale certificate does for you is allows you to buy things tax free that you use in your practice. For instance, if you make up meditation tapes of your Sunday services, your classes, or the sessions that you have with your clients for your client's later use, then you will need to buy tapes in bulk. When you buy these tapes in bulk and you have your resale certificate, you will be able to buy them without paying sales tax. If you do not have the resale certificate you will be required to pay tax on those tapes, even though you are buying them wholesale. If you resell the tapes you will be required to collect sales tax on them yourself. If they are included with your service, you may or may not be required to charge sales tax on them depending on how your state structures its sales tax requirements.
You will need to file for an EIN (Employer Identification Number) with your state. Again, contact the Secretary of State and they will be able to guide you to the right agencies to speak with about this. Even if you are never going to have employees, technically you must have an EIN in order to legitimately operate. If you put yourself on payroll this will come into play. If you end up having employees, your EIN will be required on your quarterly reports. This process does not actually cost money in most states. You will need this number in order to file your corporation with the IRS.
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Payroll
As far as payroll, if you have the employees, it is best to hire an accountant or some other service to do this for you. Payroll can get quite complicated, for you will be withholding taxes, paying into each employee Social Security fund, workmen's compensation insurance, and state and federal charges that may be quite bewildering to deal with. I personally found that it is best to pay someone who knows what they're doing rather than risk the penalties that could ensue if I did my paperwork wrong, filed late or did things in ways that weren't proper procedures with the bureaucratic requirements. Know what your limits are and be willing to delegate. Pay for the services of others who have more education than you do in certain things. QuickBooks is an excellent computer program for keeping your business organized, and their service of processing payroll for you is very inexpensive (approximately $60-$70 per month). They are flawless in their reporting and their handling of your payroll. I understand that companies like Costco also have an excellent payroll processing service. Be willing to pay someone else for these headaches. Believe me, it will be worth it!
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Business Partners
You may even meet partners during that time who will go into business with you. Be careful with business partnerships however, for they are just as susceptible to disagreements as a marriage. I personally think that a business is best run by one person, unless it is a fairly straightforward business like a furniture store or a bookstore. If it is a business that requires a lot of creative thinking and planning, with a specific vision, two heads may not be better than one. If you feel you need input from an outside source, seek advice from your friends, or your Board of Directors, but you may want to run your business yourself so that you can always call the shots. There is nothing that undoes a business faster than a disagreement between its two owners. I have seen more than one metaphysical business become undone by an argument or disagreement between two business partners. Things may go along smoothly for a while, but there may be an important crossroad that the business reaches where the two owners disagree on the path to be chosen. It is unfortunate, but not even metaphysical businesses are immune from this reality.
So these are some of the logistics that you will need in order to start your business. You may or may not need all of these aspects, but at least you have information as to what you need to get started. I would advise that you start small, perhaps with a few business cards and operate out of your home, and only go so far as getting your DBA to begin with if you're going to have a separate name for your business instead of your own individual name as a person. As your business grows, you will then have the money to go to the next level with your business. No bureaucratic entity is that concerned with someone who does a few psychic readings here and there or teaches a few classes, so don't be overzealous in spending all your money on a business that is not in existence yet. Start humbly and small, perhaps give some sessions and a few classes, and do things in your own name to begin with. Report your extra income on your income tax forms as an individual in the beginning. When you have a real name for your business and you begin to branch out and truly make money, this is the time to make your business official. In the meantime, try on different business names and identities and see what fits for you. Your business ideas may have a metamorphosis as you go on. By the end of the year of practicing you will have a better idea of what your business will be called, what it will look like, and what your goals are with it.
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My Experience With Running A Metaphysical Business
I have been part of running both successful businesses and unsuccessful businesses. I have experience with both success and failure! I have lost money on trying to start businesses that failed but as you can see all is not lost and you can always live to try again another day. Do not be afraid to fail. Even if you lose money, the worst that will happen is that you simply have to start over again. Do not let fear of losing money paralyze you. Statistics say that most people who have a successful business had previously failed at business several times before they created one that worked for them. This does not negate the fact that some people have beginner's luck and their business takes off right away! You may be that kind of person.
One of the things I would advise is being very careful not to leap before you look. Take calculated risks and try not to act on anything through impulse. The times when I have lost money were those moments when I didn't truly take the time to think about whether this was a realistic expense, product or service that I really needed in order to launch or run my business. Ask yourself every time you are presented with an expense: do I really need this to run or start my business? Sometimes there are less expensive alternatives as well. Make sure you examine all your options before choosing. Do not go with the first thing that comes along. Make sure you shop.
Now, there are many practical things to know about running a business, but you could do all the right things and advertise in all the right places, but if you are not doing the energy work that it takes to create a metaphysical business, all your efforts will be to no avail. I wanted to have a metaphysical business long before I actually had one that created right livelihood. I discovered that what I was missing was the spiritual maturity that was necessary. If you are finding that your metaphysical business is like trying to push a river in its opposite direction, it may very well be that you have not reached the spiritual maturity yet that is necessary. That was what the issue was for me, even though I didn't know it consciously at the time. I had to do more of my own spiritual homework and personal growth before I had much to offer to anyone else. Only when I had reached the place of peace within myself did my metaphysical practice take off. In fact, not until I could maintain a still mind and stay in the present moment did I have anything truly to offer.
This is not to say that I didn't have some success with it before that, for I did have a small practice on the side that supplemented my income, but it was not the sole source of my income like I wanted it to be. I gave private readings, did vibrational healing sessions, taught classes and even facilitated small workshops. However, I still held another job that actually paid my bills. My metaphysical practice was a supplemental income only and could not be depended on to pay my rent and utilities. This is how it may start out for you, and this is okay. Let this be all right in the beginning. As with all things, we grow and learn as we go along, and later because of our experience we are better equipped when the time comes that our metaphysical practice is larger. Just keep doing your own spiritual homework, growing and becoming the best human that you can be and sooner or later your metaphysical practice will manifest in larger and larger ways. You could throw free workshops and have many attendees, but if your energy is not charismatic and attractive, that will be the last time you see those people. You must possess a certain magic, a particular divine light, that people are attracted to and want to know more about. If you do not exude this, then your metaphysical practice cannot and will not take off. There is only one way to achieve this, and that is to do your personal spiritual homework every day and never forget that you are always the student and life is your guru. Even great Masters are always in a state of learning, growing and deepening the experience of the eternal self within. This is what people want to know about, and if they see you living a lucid life, exuding through your eyes and your demeanor the wisdom of one who "knows" the answers to the questions they have, they will come to you for more. People get to meet you, decide they like you and that you have some wisdom to impart to them. This is the most important quality to have in order to create a successful metaphysical business. You yourself must be the proof of what it is you teach. If you are not a peaceful person, how could others be convinced that you are able to teach it to them?
I taught at several metaphysical centers, and without fail my classes filled every time. Other teachers whose classes were small wondered what I was doing different. I offered a class series to them that helped some of them attract more students to their classes as well. It all had to do with finding future students on the inner planes and calling to their souls if they wanted what I had to offer. By doing this, they would find me on the inner planes "somehow." You learned about how to do this in the UMS courses Attracting Clients. This is where the ads come in and their energy signature that transcends space and time. Of course, I always picked juicy subjects to teach in classes, like astral projection, lucid dreaming, chakras, aura viewing, meditation skills, pranayama meditations, etc. Make sure your subject is something people will be interested in.
This addresses the energy work that you must do within yourself to make yourself a viable channel for divine energy to come through you. Becoming still and ever present in the moment seems to be a key to setting yourself up for being an efficient lightworker on this planet. However, there is more to it than just being a spiritually mature person. It also takes energy work on the inner planes by calling to the souls who could be helped by you. Earlier in this course it was mentioned that your ads may be overlooked unless you put some light on them, or infuse them with your energy. This is so true, and I cannot say it enough how important it is to do the energy work on your advertising and your business in general. I have found from personal experience that ads that did not have the energy or light work done on them did not pull very well, whereas the ones that did brought new students and clients without fail.
I charge ads with energy all the time. I do not advertise without this exercise, for otherwise advertising could be useless. I call to the souls of the people who can be truly assisted by what I have to offer, and of course at the same time honor the freewill of those who are not interested. I never do the hard-sell type of thing, trying to talk people into things they don't really want to do. I only offer my particular brand services and those who wish to be exposed to my services come to partake of them. Have you ever been in a bookstore, without the intent to buy anything at all, but just the right book was there and you bought it anyway? Perhaps you are one of those people who picked up a magazine in a store that you were thinking about passing by in that moment, but something made you walk in and see the magazine that had the ad for UMS in it. This is how light on ads works. Your angels made you look there. Your own guidance brought you to that place where you were to receive the next step in your path. We receive countless reports from people who say they found UMS "by accident." There was no accident! This is how it works when you charge your ads with light and energy. You make your ads visible to those who should see you, those who can most benefit by your work. This makes it easier for the angels and guides to make the person who should know about you aware of you. It will remain invisible to those who are not able to be helped by you or your business.
Think about where your ad is going to appear. How many copies will be printed? 1000 copies? 5000 copies? 100,000 copies? How many copies of your ad are going to be entering the world? Follow in your mind's eye where all these ads go, what stores these magazines and newsletters end up in, and who picks them up. Now think of the person who is holding each of these magazines and newsletters in their hand, and see the page open to where your ad is. See it light up and the person's attention directed toward it. Whether or not he or she is attracted to what you do is not necessarily the point, but the fact the he or she at least sees it and becomes aware of it is what is the goal. Among the many ads in any given publication, yours can easily become lost, and readers are often immune to even the most blaringly loud ads. However, yours can stand out because the energy of it reaches out to the person's heart. Even if that person is not interested in your services or products, perhaps he or she knows someone who is and will show it to him or her.
Another thing to keep in mind is that your geographical location may have something to do with whether or not your practice can support your lifestyle. Whenever I lived in large cities and practiced, I had a lot of sessions and my classes were larger. In smaller towns, sessions were less frequent and my classes were half the size. If you live in a smaller town, be ready for the fact that your practice will be smaller. If you live in a larger city, your practice will most likely be larger.
Here is the most important thing to keep in mind: what your attitude toward your business is. I have found that by adjusting my attitude from "what I want" to that of being in service to the powers that be and "what God wants" has made a big difference in how well my business went. I have been willing to work for free, without concern about getting rich. I can't say that I am getting rich, for that is not what is happening, but at least I have found right livelihood, and that was my goal with creating a metaphysical business. I can now do my metaphysical work full time and not have to supplement it with other jobs to pay my bills. It did take 15 years before that became a reality, but I don't think it has to take that long for other people. I think I had more spiritual homework to do on myself than most people do since I had a lot of stuff to work out in this lifetime because of some rough beginnings in childhood. I had a lot of de-programming to do! It doesn't have to take that long for you if you are able to just stop the mind and always be present, never moving into the past or the future in your thoughts or feelings.
The point is: you are in service. Your metaphysical business is not for you, it is for others! Think of yourself as being in service to God, the universe, or whatever you call the higher forces that you answer to, instead of trying to "get something for yourself." Think of what it is that you have to offer to the world, regardless of whether or not you're getting paid for it. For instance, I personally worked on the University Of Metaphysical Sciences for five straight years, seven days a week, living meagerly on credit cards and loans that I would eventually have to pay back, with no pay whatsoever simply because I felt that the world needed a school like this no matter what. I felt that it was my mission and service to humanity to make this school possible on this planet, regardless of whether or not I got paid. I never did expect to get paid much for creating the school. This is the type of attitude that is necessary to launch your metaphysical business. You must be willing to be of service to humanity, and if your heart is in the right place, the universe will provide for you. I could have worked at my previous career and made far more money, maybe even gotten rich, but metaphysics and helping people was where my heart was. In that way, I am far more fulfilled than I would be with a nice house and fancy things with more money than a person needs.
I do get a paycheck every month from the school now, even though it is not a large amount, but it is enough to live on. I don't live a luxurious lifestyle, but I am not poverty-stricken either. On top of that, I feel fulfilled in having served humanity and having created right livelihood not only for myself but also for the small staff at UMS who would otherwise not have the fulfilling job that working for UMS gives them. I will never be paid for those five years of free work, but it does not matter to me because it came from deep within my heart and an attitude of service to those who can be helped by my business. The money issue was irrelevant to me. The school will be here long after I am gone from the earth, and if I accomplish nothing else in my life, I can feel pleased that this is what I have left behind. This is how you should think about your metaphysical business, that it is a vessel for the divine to flow into the world rather than a way for you to get what you want. So ask yourself this question: If you must work for free or very little, does the feeling of being in service to humanity make up for the lack of riches? What is it that you really want from your metaphysical business? Do you want to get rich, or do you want to serve the awakening process on the planet? What is your true purpose for creating a metaphysical business?
I promise you that if your heart is in the right place and you are in service to the divine, your needs will be taken care of. If you're trying to get rich in metaphysics, this may be unlikely. There are a few who have gotten very rich in the field of metaphysics, but compared to the multitudes who are working in this field they are but a small fraction of the many who serve humanity. Be sure your motives are not just about the money. Your first priority must be to serve humanity no matter what, and in whatever way the universe asks of you, even if that means you won't get super rich. Be willing to live modestly if the powers-that-be require this of you.
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Conclusion
"Service rests on the basic premise that the nature of life is sacred, that life is holy mystery which has an unknown purpose. When we serve, we know that we belong to life and to that purpose. Fundamentally, helping, fixing and service are ways of seeing life. When you help, you see life as weak, when you fix, you see life as broken. When you serve, you see life as whole. Lastly, fixing and helping are the basis of curing, but not healing. Only service heals."
—Rachel Naomi Remen
"Many of life's failures are because people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."
—Thomas Edison
The work of developing a successful business is the same as the work of developing your own self. One must cultivate the characteristics of a successful business owner by being consciously inventive, determined, persistent, and self-disciplined. These can be an extension of the respect one has for money or right livelihood. The key to using these skills to promote and develop your business are the all-important oral and written communication skills. By working on the mechanics of these skills, you are taking the steps to being a successful business person. Remember, however, that you are working with spiritual energy, rather than material energy, and this will help you in creating your metaphysical practice with less effort. Work on the inner planes first, and when it feels right, act on the physical plane. The most important thing to do first is to create your metaphysical practice at the energy level, and then it will appear in physical reality. Even if there is a delayed effect, you can know that it is coming. If it doesn't happen at first, it is because more growth on your part must take place before it will manifest. Just keep doing your homework on yourself, and your metaphysical practice will appear all around you without a lot of effort!
When you are ready, spiritually mature and have something to offer, the powers that be will create your business for you and have much use for your services on this ever-so-needful planet of seekers who need guidance. You may not even be able to keep up with what the universe requires of you because there is a lot of work for lightworkers to do.