It usually requires hard work and persistence to attract new clients to your practice. New clients may come through online marketing, the Yellow Pages, referrals from colleagues, or an event where you were a speaker. By far the best source of new clients, however, is referrals from your existing clientele. There is no cost to you, and no effort other than letting your clients know that you appreciate their referrals and will welcome any new clients that they refer.

Why do hypnotherapists find that they get more referrals from their own clients than most other psychotherapists? People are much more likely to talk with their friends and family about their therapy, and to encourage them to follow suit, when they are experiencing dramatic results. Your client may not tell his friend, “Yeah, I talked about how unhappy I am in my marriage again. My therapist gave me some ideas that he thinks would help.” But he may very well tell a friend, “Wow, you wouldn’t believe what came up for me this week. I had totally forgotten about the time in second grade that I had such a crush on Becky that I was showing off and fell down the stairs at school. I felt so foolish, and all the kids in the hallway were laughing at me. I think it’s taken ever since then for me to feel confident in approaching women.” Every hypnotherapy session is an adventure, and they always end on a positive note.

Seven Ways to Attract Hypnotherapy Client Referrals

There are several action steps for you to take in order to maximize your referrals from existing clients who have found personal success in their sessions with you: 

1. Let your existing clients know that you are accepting new clients, and that you will give their referral priority in scheduling an appointment.
2. Reassure your clients that you hold their privacy as a sacred trust by stating explicitly your confidentiality policy.
3. Offer a no-risk initial telephone consultation (setting a definite maximum time length for the call) to anyone that your client refers.
4. Have a brochure, pamphlet, or flyer about your services available for your clients to take with them to give to their friend or relative when they speak about you.
5. Offer classes or public talks regularly on interesting topics that your clients could invite an interested acquaintance to attend with them. The events can be free, or you may want to have a small charge to attend which you can waive for your clients and anyone they bring with them.
6. Hold an open house at your office occasionally, inviting existing clients to come by for refreshments, and suggesting that they are welcome to invite other interested friends or family to come along.
7. Ask your existing clients if they would be willing to write a testimonial about your services that you could post on your office bulletin board or include in a “scrapbook” on display in your waiting room.