Every year, home centers and decorating stores continue to grow and expand. People are as interested as they ever were in their homes. Now more than any time, people understand how important our environments are – from our homes to home offices and our work spaces.
Today we are more attuned to the way our spaces affect our effectiveness and ability to work, play and live more happily and efficiently – and prosperously. There is a demand for feng shui and the people who practice it judging by all the calls and email I receive inquiring about consultants and how to locate a qualified consultant. There is an opportunity to capitalize on this awareness, too.
If you’ve thought about working as a feng shui consultant, what’s holding you back? The main difference between consultants who make money and those who don’t is usually two things: certification and application.
Those consultants who are certified and gone through training will do much better because they are more skilled, and usually, better at relaying feng shui concepts to their customers. The consultants who apply themselves are also the ones most likely to be successful at this business – or any business for that matter. They’ll join business clubs, network with complimentary services such as architects, pool companies, interior designers and they’ll put up a website. And, they’ll come up with a way to differentiate themselves.
Here’s the 10 truths about working as a feng shui consultant.
1. It’s not important that you speak Chinese or know Chinese culture.
What’s important is that you know feng shui. Having a few feng shui terms in your working lexicon is a help, but not necessary. In fact, the less you speak in feng shui jargon, the more your clients will appreciate you. If you like, though, it’s easy to learn about Chinese culture by visiting museums and Chinese cultural exhibits. Even a local Chinatown or Buddhist temple can be a way to learn more about Asian cultures.
2. Practical, down-to-earth people are the most sought-after consultants.
Feng shui has been very popular for the past twenty years. One of the top complaints about consultants, though, is that they can appear too “airy fairy.” The more practical and down-to-earth you are, the more clients you’ll have and the more repeat business you’ll get. People appreciate it when you speak plainly and simply, without a lot of feng shui terms and New Age mysticism. If that’s how you prefer to practice feng shui, though, you’ll probably find those kinds of clients who appreciate that kind of style will be drawn to you.
3. Feng shui consultants are in demand right now.
It’s true. Consultants are in demand across the country. I live in South Texas and I have had calls from all over the state of Texas with offers of consultant jobs. Of course, some areas, like California, the East Coast, and Hawaii probably have the highest demand, but consultants are also sought after in Las Vegas, large metropolitan areas such as Miami, Houston, and Denver. Even in the very remote area where I live, I am often amazed at the people who find me and want a feng shui consultation. My largest and longest client resulted in a phone call from a hospital and school construction firm based in Corpus Christi, Texas!
4. Caring, helpful people make the best consultants.
I’ve found that most good feng shui consultants are those who are sensitive, caring people. It’s important that you want to help others because as a consultant you’ll often be called to come to someone’s house when they have a problem. You’ll receive calls because someone is ill, they are losing money, or their marriage is in trouble. Not always, though. Sometimes you get called because the homeowner wants things in his or her home to be right and for life to be even better. Most of the time, though, you’re called because there’s a problem. That’s why it’s important that you are a caring person. The fact that you are drawn to feng shui is a good indicator of your sensitivity. Confidentiality is another critical factor. You’ll hear personal details that makes your confidence a must.
5. You can make good money as a feng shui consultant.
If you’re a certified feng shui consultant, you can easily ask for $250 an hour for an in-person consultation or about $500 for a two-hour consultation. If you just have two clients per week that adds up to $4000 per month.
Plus, you get the tax advantages of being in business, allowing you to write off mileage and any costs incurred getting to and from your appointments. You can also charge by the square foot of the space if you are involved in a large commercial project, for example. A fee of fifty cents per square foot would net you $2,000 on a 4,000 square foot office building assessment.
Want to earn an extra $500 a month? All it takes is one appointment for a two hour consultation. Want an extra $1000? Then add in one more consultation. It doesn’t take much business for the money to add up.
6. You have many opportunities in feng shui besides consulting work.
It’s true. You can work however you like – whether that’s online, as a consultant, or in a retail business. Maybe you want to become a published author – the need is there! If you have a Realtor’s license, you can pair your feng shui skill nicely with real estate! If you like to work online and be at home with your kids, you can take your business online and work as an online consultant doing telephone consultations. If you like organization, consider working as a professional organizer. Having a feng shui background means you can add on feng shui services with your organizational abilities. There’s as many opportunities as you can imagine!
7. Trained feng shui consultants make a lot more money than uncertified consultants.
Training gives you the credentials and the confidence. You can approach clients, confident in your skills and abilities. Furthermore, you can join organizations such as International Feng Shui Guild so your clients will have extra confidence in your abilities. When you don’t have training and certification, it’s hard to work up to the kind of money that helps you establish yourself as a serious professional.
8. People are looking for feng shui consultants all the time.
There is a demand for feng shui consultants and consultations. Every day people search for consultants and practitioners who can help them, who offer information on their websites, or even write online newsletters or e-zines, such as my Red Lotus Letter. Every single day I have new readers who sign up for my newsletter and who call my office inquiring about consultations. The business is out there and people are looking for consultants!
9. The work is always interesting and different.
There is a variety of work to be done in feng shui – from helping someone design a house with good feng shui to helping them place a pool or a fountain. You may have someone who has a sick child and they want you to help them “diagnose” their home or the child’s bedroom. Realtors may call you to ask you why a house hasn’t sold…there’s literally no end to what you will be asked about. And it’s always interesting. You’ll be working a detective, trying to uncover the feng shui mysteries of a space. This makes the job a never-ending supply of homes and situations that will challenge and interest you.
10. You get to help people as a feng shui consultant and set your own schedule.
Working as a feng consultant gives you certain freedoms – like when or where you want to work. This means you have flexibility and options that a standard 9 to 5 job doesn’t offer. You can set the hours you want to work so you can be at home with your children or using your career to supplement your retirement income. Consulting offers more flexibility than other standard jobs so you can pick and choose how and when you want to work
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