Re: Re: Launching and marketing a practice difficulties

[Guest guest]

Hi Jacqui

Thank you for your response,

It is sad to hear that you have left the NIMH because of this aspect. I

have just joined the NIMH and certainly hope that there is a positive

forward to promote all herbalists, particularly as I am one of many

graduates inheriting large debts on graduation.

Elena Renier

Re: Launching and marketing a practice difficulties

Hi Elena

My views and some of my colleagues in the herb world believe that

there are several reasons for this, but one of them is out governing

bodies, who have outdated opinions regarding promotion and

advertising. Before I and my friends left NIMH we criticised heavily

the fact that there was no decent marketing budget or campaign. In

fact we put forward so many ideas that no one ever took us up on that

we began to think there was another agenda at work here.

Other professional bodies for other therapies do so much more to

publicize their profession and its members

Most of the public still do not know about herbal medicine,

particularly western herbalists. They think we are Chinese or homeopaths.

There has been for many years a lot of division amongst herbalists and

this is very sad. We are not one body who can make a difference. We

have been divided and are fighting those who may wish to conquer us.

What we have always needed is a professional body that supports,

arduously promotes and markets us as a brand if you like to compete in

the market place against the high street.. 24/7 in your face 21st

century marketing!!!

Sadly, it is left up to the individual herbalist to just get on with

it and this is what most of us try and do.

If modern marketing techniques were employed by NIMH say 10 years ago,

I think we would all be in a better place now.

I really hope with all my heart that things will change for all of us.

There certainly needs to be more honesty and transparency about the

reality of being a herbalist especially for the hundreds of students

getting in debt at University to gain their degrees in herbal medicine.

If we cannot all support ourselves now, why keep churning out more??

Ask NIMH if you are still a member in what way are they being

pro-active marketing?

Best wishes all

Jacqui

> >

> > I'd have to agree with . Although still keeping up my

interest in

> > herbal medicine after all the study and expense of time and money to

> > qualify, I have effectively given up herbal practice in favour of my

> > Reiki and EFT work, and even that's rather quiet. I'm just not

earning

> > anything from herbal practice and have given up NIMH membership.

Don't

> > know what will happen when regulation comes in.

> >

> > At least I no longer get telephone calls from the public saying

they've

> > just been to the health food shop and got x, y and z. Should they be

> > taking it and what doses, etc? What do I know about its effects?

So I'd

> > be telling them that I can't help them unless I consult with them -

> they

> > need to ask where they bought it. And they'd go off in a huff.

> >

> > I've been quiet like this for about 2 - 3 years now, but most

recently

> > it really has become more of a problem. Many people prefer to spend

> > their money on clothes, booze, holidays, etc. rather than their

health.

> > Their choice, of course but the effects ripple out.

> >

> > Regards,

> >

> >

> > www.EFTReiki.com

> >

> > In message <001701c861b5$f3917470$507a545b@DELLBOY>, Dore

> > <herbal@> writes

> > >

> > >I think it is a particularly worse problem at the moment with less

> > >disposable income about, recession promised etc. A chiropractor I

> > >know well who usually has a waiting list (dream on!!) of people

> > >waiting for appointments said that is slowing down (the practise

> > >has been going years). So no wonder it is getting worse for

> > >herbalists and homopathists when people think they can save

> > >money by reading the Mail and self medicating!

> > > Dore

> > >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Jacqui,

this is really sad, no wonder people do not volunteer to do things for NIMH.

Last year there was a lot of talk of marketing at the conference (a professional

marketing company was supposed to take things on), I have no idea what has

happened to it, maybe it has done a lot but it was all lost in the flood of

information we are all exposed to...

Personally, I have been very unhappy with the NIMH CPD pilot scheme - who's

got time for that?

Newton

Jacqui Fordham wrote:

Hi Elena

My views and some of my colleagues in the herb world believe that

there are several reasons for this, but one of them is out governing

bodies, who have outdated opinions regarding promotion and

advertising. Before I and my friends left NIMH we criticised heavily

the fact that there was no decent marketing budget or campaign. In

fact we put forward so many ideas that no one ever took us up on that

we began to think there was another agenda at work here.

Other professional bodies for other therapies do so much more to

publicize their profession and its members

Most of the public still do not know about herbal medicine,

particularly western herbalists. They think we are Chinese or homeopaths.

There has been for many years a lot of division amongst herbalists and

this is very sad. We are not one body who can make a difference. We

have been divided and are fighting those who may wish to conquer us.

What we have always needed is a professional body that supports,

arduously promotes and markets us as a brand if you like to compete in

the market place against the high street.. 24/7 in your face 21st

century marketing!!!

Sadly, it is left up to the individual herbalist to just get on with

it and this is what most of us try and do.

If modern marketing techniques were employed by NIMH say 10 years ago,

I think we would all be in a better place now.

I really hope with all my heart that things will change for all of us.

There certainly needs to be more honesty and transparency about the

reality of being a herbalist especially for the hundreds of students

getting in debt at University to gain their degrees in herbal medicine.

If we cannot all support ourselves now, why keep churning out more??

Ask NIMH if you are still a member in what way are they being

pro-active marketing?

Best wishes all

Jacqui

> >

> > I'd have to agree with . Although still keeping up my

interest in

> > herbal medicine after all the study and expense of time and money to

> > qualify, I have effectively given up herbal practice in favour of my

> > Reiki and EFT work, and even that's rather quiet. I'm just not

earning

> > anything from herbal practice and have given up NIMH membership.

Don't

> > know what will happen when regulation comes in.

> >

> > At least I no longer get telephone calls from the public saying

they've

> > just been to the health food shop and got x, y and z. Should they be

> > taking it and what doses, etc? What do I know about its effects?

So I'd

> > be telling them that I can't help them unless I consult with them -

> they

> > need to ask where they bought it. And they'd go off in a huff.

> >

> > I've been quiet like this for about 2 - 3 years now, but most

recently

> > it really has become more of a problem. Many people prefer to spend

> > their money on clothes, booze, holidays, etc. rather than their

health.

> > Their choice, of course but the effects ripple out.

> >

> > Regards,

> >

> >

> > www.EFTReiki.com

> >

> > In message <001701c861b5$f3917470$507a545b@DELLBOY>, Dore

> > <herbal@> writes

> > >

> > >I think it is a particularly worse problem at the moment with less

> > >disposable income about, recession promised etc. A chiropractor I

> > >know well who usually has a waiting list (dream on!!) of people

> > >waiting for appointments said that is slowing down (the practise

> > >has been going years). So no wonder it is getting worse for

> > >herbalists and homopathists when people think they can save

> > >money by reading the Mail and self medicating!

> > > Dore

> > >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear

I take part in this list to share my experience and to offer whatever help I am

able to colleagues no matter whether they are members of the same professional

association as myself or not. I do that as a personal choice. I do not log on

here to see myself, my colleagues or my professional body the subject of

ill-founded criticism based on speculation and opinion.

No-one volunteers to be thanked but certainly no-one volunteers to be subjected

to this incessant carping. All we ever hear is NIMH hasn’t done this and NIMH

hasn’t done that. How often do you say NIMH has done this for me? Or in fact

how often do you stop to think who in NIMH has done this for you and on your

behalf and on behalf of the profession as a whole? Volunteers. That’s right,

volunteers. People who give up their own personal time and time from their own

practices when they could be earning their own living. Volunteers who meet

(where does that time come from?) or hold teleconferences. Volunteers who send

emails at 6 in the morning and again at midnight because the work has to be

done. Not just council members but the members of every committee that form the

infrastructure that makes NIMh work. What do you think would happen if they all

stopped volunteering? Who would run NIMH then? Do you think that it is fine to

go on year after year with this persistent criticism and expect volunteers to

just put up with it? Volunteers who look at the enormous and ever-expanding

workloads but are not daunted or see them as insurmountable. But this persistent

fault-finding makes at least some of wonder why do we bother? We could just sit

in an armchair and watch TV instead of switching on the computer and writing

that ‘flood of information’ that serves to raise the status of every member.

And then we too could criticise those who volunteer because we haven’t

bothered to read it.

What angers me most is that no-one has any business undermining the confidence

of newly qualified herbalists in their ability to earn a living and in the

professional body they have chosen to belong to and which works so hard to

protect their interests and keep the potential for everyone to be able to earn a

living. Neither you nor I has any idea who they are or what they are likely to

succeed at, or how adept they are in business. It is unfair and just not right

to undermine them or throw cold water on their enthusiasm. We all know it is

difficult – nothing worth having ever comes easy. It is difficult for every

new business whether it’s selling fruit and veg or the services of a dog

shampooer. It is our duty to encourage and support our newly qualified

colleagues.

Instead of denigrating your professional body in public and without

justification, and apparently without bothering to make sure you have the facts,

you could have done something positive like Zoe Hawes did. Zoe produced

information of real value. Her message is what any successful businessmerson

will tell you – the secret of marketing is persistence. Zoe’s email tells

you that her persistence is paying dividends. She is doing a lot of stuff and

she is doing it over and over again. She has the mindset to succeed.

I hope people like Elena ignore your message. I hope they read Zoe’s message

instead. I hope that as a new member of NIMH, Elena went to a seminar yesterday

where she will have met three people who make their living from being

herbalists. Two of them sharing their experience in growing their businesses,

and one, a volunteer with their best interests at heart who gave up his Saturday

to make sure the day went well for them. he didn't have to bethere - he has a

successful practice but he chose to share his time.

The really sad thing is I know why we bother – the work needs to be done and

if it isn’t there will be no herbal medicine in this country. No choice for

patienst whether we chose to market to them or not. We are human and we do what

we can. I think I have shown that I am human in this email but I have had a

bellyful of this carping and complaining. I do not expect to be thanked but I

think I can expect to be treated with respect, which is how the majority of NIMH

members treats their volunteer workforce. I am a NIMH member first and foremost,

and I am proud of that, and I am grateful to all the people who have worked as

volunteers for NIMH for the last 146 years.

perhaps next time you think to make such a comment you'll to consider the effcet

before sending it

Yours, obviously very angrily

Stannard

========================================

Message Received: Feb 08 2008, 05:14 PM

To: ukherbal-list

Cc:

Subject: Re: Re: Launching and marketing a practice

difficulties

Hi Jacqui,

this is really sad, no wonder people do not volunteer to do things for NIMH.

Last year there was a lot of talk of marketing at the conference (a professional

marketing company was supposed to take things on), I have no idea what has

happened to it, maybe it has done a lot but it was all lost in the flood of

information we are all exposed to...

Personally, I have been very unhappy with the NIMH CPD pilot scheme - who's

got time for that?

Newton

Jacqui Fordham wrote:

Hi Elena

My views and some of my colleagues in the herb world believe that

there are several reasons for this, but one of them is out governing

bodies, who have outdated opinions regarding promotion and

advertising. Before I and my friends left NIMH we criticised heavily

the fact that there was no decent marketing budget or campaign. In

fact we put forward so many ideas that no one ever took us up on that

we began to think there was another agenda at work here.

Other professional bodies for other therapies do so much more to

publicize their profession and its members

Most of the public still do not know about herbal medicine,

particularly western herbalists. They think we are Chinese or homeopaths.

There has been for many years a lot of division amongst herbalists and

this is very sad. We are not one body who can make a difference. We

have been divided and are fighting those who may wish to conquer us.

What we have always needed is a professional body that supports,

arduously promotes and markets us as a brand if you like to compete in

the market place against the high street.. 24/7 in your face 21st

century marketing!!!

Sadly, it is left up to the individual herbalist to just get on with

it and this is what most of us try and do.

If modern marketing techniques were employed by NIMH say 10 years ago,

I think we would all be in a better place now.

I really hope with all my heart that things will change for all of us.

There certainly needs to be more honesty and transparency about the

reality of being a herbalist especially for the hundreds of students

getting in debt at University to gain their degrees in herbal medicine.

If we cannot all support ourselves now, why keep churning out more??

Ask NIMH if you are still a member in what way are they being

pro-active marketing?

Best wishes all

Jacqui

> >

> > I'd have to agree with . Although still keeping up my

interest in

> > herbal medicine after all the study and expense of time and money to

> > qualify, I have effectively given up herbal practice in favour of my

> > Reiki and EFT work, and even that's rather quiet. I'm just not

earning

> > anything from herbal practice and have given up NIMH membership.

Don't

> > know what will happen when regulation comes in.

> >

> > At least I no longer get telephone calls from the public saying

they've

> > just been to the health food shop and got x, y and z. Should they be

> > taking it and what doses, etc? What do I know about its effects?

So I'd

> > be telling them that I can't help them unless I consult with them -

> they

> > need to ask where they bought it. And they'd go off in a huff.

> >

> > I've been quiet like this for about 2 - 3 years now, but most

recently

> > it really has become more of a problem. Many people prefer to spend

> > their money on clothes, booze, holidays, etc. rather than their

health.

> > Their choice, of course but the effects ripple out.

> >

> > Regards,

> >

> >

> > www.EFTReiki.com

> >

> > In message <001701c861b5$f3917470$507a545b@DELLBOY>, Dore

> > <herbal@> writes

> > >

> > >I think it is a particularly worse problem at the moment with less

> > >disposable income about, recession promised etc. A chiropractor I

> > >know well who usually has a waiting list (dream on!!) of people

> > >waiting for appointments said that is slowing down (the practise

> > >has been going years). So no wonder it is getting worse for

> > >herbalists and homopathists when people think they can save

> > >money by reading the Mail and self medicating!

> > > Dore

> > >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Well said, .

I would echo all of what you've written as one of the volunteers for the URHP -

I'm their Registrar.

We give up our time, sometimes at the expense of our practices, to serve our

members and to further the cause of herbalists everywhere and from whatever

training background.

You will have seen in an earlier posting from me how I push to grow my practice

- I'm seeing patients 4 days a week but I have still volunteered for a 3 year

stint on the URHP committee. I've always been hugely appreciative of the

enormous amounts of time our committee members put in on their members' behalf

and volunteering myself is a way of putting in my 5 cents' worth.

I've always thought that if you don't like something, encourage change from

within by joining in at every given opportunity rather than carp on to others -

or leave! Still, that's my personal opinion....

Keep up the good work, . I appreciate the efforts that you make to keep the

members of the URHP and the AMH in the loop with seminars etc.

Best wishes

Boys

URHP

Re: Re: Launching and marketing a practice

difficulties

Hi Jacqui,

this is really sad, no wonder people do not volunteer to do things for NIMH.

Last year there was a lot of talk of marketing at the conference (a professional

marketing company was supposed to take things on), I have no idea what has

happened to it, maybe it has done a lot but it was all lost in the flood of

information we are all exposed to...

Personally, I have been very unhappy with the NIMH CPD pilot scheme - who's

got time for that?

Newton

Jacqui Fordham wrote:

Hi Elena

My views and some of my colleagues in the herb world believe that

there are several reasons for this, but one of them is out governing

bodies, who have outdated opinions regarding promotion and

advertising. Before I and my friends left NIMH we criticised heavily

the fact that there was no decent marketing budget or campaign. In

fact we put forward so many ideas that no one ever took us up on that

we began to think there was another agenda at work here.

Other professional bodies for other therapies do so much more to

publicize their profession and its members

Most of the public still do not know about herbal medicine,

particularly western herbalists. They think we are Chinese or homeopaths.

There has been for many years a lot of division amongst herbalists and

this is very sad. We are not one body who can make a difference. We

have been divided and are fighting those who may wish to conquer us.

What we have always needed is a professional body that supports,

arduously promotes and markets us as a brand if you like to compete in

the market place against the high street.. 24/7 in your face 21st

century marketing!!!

Sadly, it is left up to the individual herbalist to just get on with

it and this is what most of us try and do.

If modern marketing techniques were employed by NIMH say 10 years ago,

I think we would all be in a better place now.

I really hope with all my heart that things will change for all of us.

There certainly needs to be more honesty and transparency about the

reality of being a herbalist especially for the hundreds of students

getting in debt at University to gain their degrees in herbal medicine.

If we cannot all support ourselves now, why keep churning out more??

Ask NIMH if you are still a member in what way are they being

pro-active marketing?

Best wishes all

Jacqui

> >

> > I'd have to agree with . Although still keeping up my

interest in

> > herbal medicine after all the study and expense of time and money to

> > qualify, I have effectively given up herbal practice in favour of my

> > Reiki and EFT work, and even that's rather quiet. I'm just not

earning

> > anything from herbal practice and have given up NIMH membership.

Don't

> > know what will happen when regulation comes in.

> >

> > At least I no longer get telephone calls from the public saying

they've

> > just been to the health food shop and got x, y and z. Should they be

> > taking it and what doses, etc? What do I know about its effects?

So I'd

> > be telling them that I can't help them unless I consult with them -

> they

> > need to ask where they bought it. And they'd go off in a huff.

> >

> > I've been quiet like this for about 2 - 3 years now, but most

recently

> > it really has become more of a problem. Many people prefer to spend

> > their money on clothes, booze, holidays, etc. rather than their

health.

> > Their choice, of course but the effects ripple out.

> >

> > Regards,

> >

> >

> > www.EFTReiki.com

> >

> > In message <001701c861b5$f3917470$507a545b@DELLBOY>, Dore

> > <herbal@> writes

> > >

> > >I think it is a particularly worse problem at the moment with less

> > >disposable income about, recession promised etc. A chiropractor I

> > >know well who usually has a waiting list (dream on!!) of people

> > >waiting for appointments said that is slowing down (the practise

> > >has been going years). So no wonder it is getting worse for

> > >herbalists and homopathists when people think they can save

> > >money by reading the Mail and self medicating!

> > > Dore

> > >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

I think you have misunderstood my letter and read much more into it that I

meant. I do appreciate the volunteers work for NIMH enormously and, in fact, I

think all people working directly for NIMH should be paid for their time. But

that does not mean that my perception of what NIMH has done for me as a member

is always positive - and, again, it only applies to some aspects of its

activity, for instance I am very happy with the pursuing of SSR and all the

related work NIMH representatives have done (I am sure you know that other

people are unhappy precisely about the same thing). What I was trying to say is

that some work of NIMH is not always visible (i.e. marketing) and that I

sympathise with members who tried to contribute to NIMH but for one reason or

another their ideas were not taken up (that was Jacqui, for instance). I am

sorry if you have taken it personally, because I know that you do a lot of great

work for NIMH. Finally, I really cannot see how what I said

undermines the enthusiasm of new herbalists for their practice. By " the flood

of information " I meant all the info we are all exposed to: tv, radio,

newspapers and not the information coming from NIMH! I can see that it was

ambiguous, apologies for that.

Please don't be angry

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

>

> Personally, I have been very unhappy with the NIMH CPD pilot scheme -

> who's got time for that?

>

Just to let you know that the CPD pilot scheme as it now stands will be

changed.

There will be information regarding this in the next mailing. Members

have kindly sent

in comments regarding the scheme's effectiveness and the CPD committee

will be

focussing their energies towards making the new CPD scheme more

stream-lined and

user-friendly. This is a ongoing process and one we hope will go smoothly.

Thank you for your concerns.

Regards,

Kerry

(Assessment officer, CPD committee)

--

Kerry Hackett, MNIMH, RH

Medical Herbalist

[Guest guest]

Dear

I spoke up because of how I read your message and I could not stand back and

watch anther NIMH bashing session evolve.

I know many others read it in the same way as I did. Not just NIMH members

either. I am frequently the person the who says " this is not a NIM forum and it

is wholly inappropriate etc " . However what I read was giving a bad impression of

my PA in the eye of both its members who take part in this list and in the eyes

of non-members, who will not actually know what NIMH does in fact do for its

members but only see what is written here.

I have to ask you, as I would ask any person who belonged to any organisation or

worked in any environment, have you raised any of your concerns with the person

or persons directly responsible for that area?

I did a brief stint of 5 months as NIMH PR officer, on top of PTB work, from

April - August 2006. the first thing I did was to ask members to give the PR

department case studies to use to publicise what we do - case studies are a

good way because people read stories and can relate to them directly. Consider

the difference in contacting a journalist who needs a story and telling him/her

- write about herbalists, we're great and contacting same journalist and saying

here is a patient whose life was turned around by.... That went to 700 members.

I got one reply. So when asked to help with publicity and marketing the members

don't supply the PR dept with the means of doing it. You say you sympathise ....

but during those five months I did not receive a single suggestion or idea. A

letter appeared in Herbal Thymes in September but none of the signatories (and

Jacqui was one) had contacted any member of council. Certainly not me during

those 5 months, although granted I was away during August. That was largely a

new council but the 3 members from the previous council also had not been

contacted in the previous 2 years. not a single letter, email, phone call, or

anything sent to the NIMH office which would have been forwarded as a matter of

course. Maybe now you and others will see things a bit differently.

If you, or any other NIMH member, wishes to discuss any of these things further

(or even want to know why I changed roles),then please either continue this

discussion on the NIMH members forum, contact me directly (most people will tell

you I am very approachable and don't bite even when I'm angry), contact another

member of NIMH council either directly or through the NIMH ofice or do anything

but discuss anything else to do with NIMH on this forum. Please. Including what

NIMH is actually doing in terms of PR and marketing. Unless you read Saga

magazine in which case you would know already and wouldn't need to ask.

best wishes

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Kerry, I am very happy to hear that. I have sent some suggestions

myself, a streamlined version sounds good.

Best regards

khackett wrote:

Hello ,

>

> Personally, I have been very unhappy with the NIMH CPD pilot scheme -

> who's got time for that?

>

Just to let you know that the CPD pilot scheme as it now stands will be

changed.

There will be information regarding this in the next mailing. Members

have kindly sent

in comments regarding the scheme's effectiveness and the CPD committee

will be

focussing their energies towards making the new CPD scheme more

stream-lined and

user-friendly. This is a ongoing process and one we hope will go smoothly.

Thank you for your concerns.

Regards,

Kerry

(Assessment officer, CPD committee)

--

Kerry Hackett, MNIMH, RH

Medical Herbalist

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

Can I Just say that I made time to do the CPD perfectly well and didn't find

it too onerous.

It needs some refinement perhaps, but it was a pilot after all.

Don't think either that I necessarily have nothing else to do. I run a

practice, a family anAcre of garden and am a trustee of the Herb Society.

If you're passionate about something you make the time for it.

I know how hard it is to run NIMH. I had the privalage of being on council for

eight year, and I thank everyone who spend their time navigating through the

mountain of work that the job entails.

Best wishes -