By Ann Marschel
I want you to think about this for a little bit. Do you think of teaching the Billings Ovulation Method® (BOM) as a ministry or a business? I think most of us think of it as a ministry. Ministry, by definition from Webster, is the spiritual work or service of any Christian. Teaching BOM is a ministry, but it also can be a business. It can be a business that allows you to help others while also making a profit and not burning out because you have lots of other jobs you are doing. For the April webinar, BOMA-USA hosted Anna Saucier, who spoke on the promotion of the Billings Ovulation Method®. She was a dynamite speaker and gave some helpful tips on how to make teaching BOM a business and not to underplay what we, as teachers, have to offer our clients. Client-Facing Professionalism As I was listening to Anna speak, her words hit home for me. I can recall many times when I have spoken with clients and gone through the process of how they will learn the method with me. Then, at the end, the question comes: “How much will this cost?” First off, I am not a salesperson. I don’t really care for that line of work at all. In fact, I steer away from it. Instead, I am someone who thinks that ALL people should learn BOM, and I believe in the message of NFP. After this question is asked, I find myself stumbling over my words. I want to help all people learn the method, yet will they put as much effort into learning the method if they don’t have some money invested in it? Maybe or maybe not? Overall, we want clients to feel like they are of value, and we don’t want to make it seem like a huge amount of money is needed to learn the Billings Ovulation Method®. Yet, do we charge them a huge amount of money? No. Most teachers charge $150 to $250. Plus, when they learn the method, they have it in their toolbox for the rest of their lives! Anna said, “Those who pay, pay attention. And the more they pay, the more attention they pay.” She goes onto say that you can approach your clients by stating, “These are my rates. I provide excellent service, and if you take these classes, they will change your life.” This is another truth. We all know and love what the Billings Ovulation Method® provides. We value it so much that we want everyone to learn it. That is why we teach it. We can and should charge clients a professional rate and not feel bad about it. After all, we have over 850,000 hormonal studies to back up the science of the method. Common Objections to Charging Professional Rates Even with this, there may still be hesitation to charge a professional rate. You may think people won’t pay that much. I would like to encourage you to reframe your thinking. Is learning BOM valuable? If someone says to you, “That is too expensive,” you could ask. “Compared to what?” This is a lifetime method. Maybe you think people in your city can’t and won’t be able to pay that much. Anna said this, “The people who can’t afford it may not be your purpose right now (depending if you’re trying to grow a business). Do not undervalue this professional service.” In the future, these people may benefit if you can have scholarship funds for them. By viewing the Billings Ovulation Method® as a medical tool for fertility awareness and instilling this knowledge in our clients, we will change their lives and the world.
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If you have ever wondered what you should do with your vast array of NFP-related materials when you retire, fear not! The answer is a simple as packing everything up and sending your box (or boxes, no doubt) to the National NFP Archives located at Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, FL.
Hand chosen years ago by a small committee begun by, now deceased, Larry Kane of the Human Life and Natural Family Planning Foundation, Ave Maria was picked because of the care they promised to take in preserving the historic pieces. Jennifer Nodes, director of library services for Canizaro Library at Ave Maria University, said the NFP archives are stored in a climate-controlled room and files are kept in archival boxes that are pH neutral. To date, Nodes reports that they have 178.5 linear feet of NFP materials, totaling 2,364 volumes. She added, “The archives have been used more frequently by researchers both within the institution and outside. We have had several researchers this year come to view files within the archives for publications. As the archives are made more visible and more researchers become aware of them, we will see an increase in use. It is our hope that someday much of the archives will be digitized and made available online for researchers.” Since they host the only NFP archive in the country, Nodes said it would be helpful for recording the history of the movement if they continue to update the collection, particularly regarding new developments in NFP. Retired OB/Gyn and Medical Missionary Sister Hanna Klaus, MD, said of the archives, “It’s very valuable having a place to send materials.” Over the years, Klaus sent boxes of her treasured correspondence and other documents to Ave Maria University. As the founder of TeenSTAR, she is considering the library as a place that may make the most sense to house the historical background of TeenSTAR. While shipping is at your expense, it will be well worth the time and effort to preserve a piece of history. They welcome everything from educational and promotional materials (books, brochures, CDs, etc.) to personal correspondence with leaders in the field as well as news articles and just about anything that would be of interest to researchers both now and in the future. NFP Archives Canizaro Library 5251 Donahue Street Ave Maria, FL 34142 To find aids for the collection CLICK HERE Literature review |
AuthorBOMA-USA provides education and training for The Billings Ovulation Method® which is a natural method of fertility management that teaches you to recognize the body's natural signs of fertility. Categories
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