Jack* emails: Dear Luke,
I have been reading about your struggles to build your practice. First, it is a very rare experience when success happens overnight. The normal course is to do what you can to “sow seeds,” advertise, email, appear personally at meetings of groups that you think might have members who would be interested in Alexander technique, etc. All of these take time. There were times that I spoke before groups, handed out my business card and would receive calls from a friend or acquaintance or client of someone I handed out a business card to, two or three years later. So hang in there.
Regarding the competition from Asian massage, I think it provides a natural source of referrals. I think you should meet the employees of these establishments, and suggest that in exchange for a massage for you, you will teach them some Alexander Technique. It must be very wearying to be on your feet and bending over and applying pressure to the body of the person being massaged. You could show how assuming the “Monkey” posture would make it easier for them.
Another suggestion is to ask the proprietors if you can leave your business card there. I would suggest that you rename your skill the “Alexandra Technique” and when you are teaching it you could cross dress as “Lucy Ford.”
