Attending a massage conference (or other type of educational conference) is a big commitment of time, energy and money and yet it can be extremely rewarding. голова болит секс
Massage conferences can be a fantastic place to get fresh ideas for your massage business, meet therapists from other areas, and get renewed and re-energized.
Here are some things that you can do before, during and after a conference to maximize your investment and make sure you get the most out of it.
Before the Conference: голова болит секс
1. Make a list of the things you want to accomplish in the next year. For example, you could decide to increase your massage income by 25% by getting and keeping more clients. Then go through the list of available workshops, with your specific goals for the upcoming year in mind, and choose the ones that best fit your needs.
2. Create a list of questions or specific things you want to learn from each speaker.
3. Find a buddy to attend the conference with. In addition to keeping you accountable (more on that later), they may also help you save on travel costs.
4. Decide ahead of time what your budget will be so you can take advantage of the vendors’ conference specials without breaking the bank.
5. Make sure you have a good supply of business cards that clearly state the type of massage you do and your target market if you have one.
Next post I’ll give you some ideas on things to do at the conference.
Posted in Getting Massage Clients, Keeping Massage Clients, Staying Motivated | 6 Comments
If you are thinking about buying an electric massage table, do remember that some tables are flat, just like a traditional massage table, where the whole table lifts up in one piece.
But others have the additional flexibility of moving in sections, so that you can position the client even more precisely.
Our last electric table had three sections that moved independently, which was really nice.
But the massage table that we really liked this time around (as it matched all of our other criteria) only came with two options. We could get it flat, or with a tilt option.
We didn’t know if we would use the tilt feature that much, but as the difference in price was minimal (all things considered) we chose the tilt option as it allowed us to position the client anywhere from slightly elevated to a full seated position.
As it turns out, I’m so glad we made that choice because we use the tilt feature quite a lot. It’s especially great for when a client is congested, or is uncomfortable for any reason lying flat.
I’d highly recommend that you consider a similar option if you are going to invest in an electric table too.
Posted in For Clinic and Day Spa Owners, Keeping Massage Clients, Self Care, Tools of the Trade | Leave a Comment
I’m melting, I’m melting…….. I just got a wonderful massage from therapist extraordinaire, Elizabeth (Beth) Brown (no relation). Thanks Beth!
Isn’t it odd that in a small sized place like Bellingham, Washington there could be two therapists with the exact same name. So to avoid confusion she goes by Beth Brown and I by Elizabeth Fletcher Brown. But there is still confusion. Good job we are friends and are happy to communicate when someone calls the “wrong” Elizabeth Brown LMP.
But what it has made me notice is how many clients use the yellow pages to find me when they need to change, cancel or schedule an appointment and they don’t have a biz card on hand.
You see, Beth has a listing in the “banana pages” and I do not as I have scaled down my practice to devote time to building
The Massage Business Center, and am accepting massage clients by referral only. So I didn’t think it a neccessary investment.
But sooooo many of my clients simply pick up the yellow pages, see “Elizabeth Brown LMP” and call Beth thinking they are calling me. Of course, the accent always gives it away (if you haven’t heard me speak I have a bit of a Scottish Brogue).
Anyway, I still wouldn’t choose the yellow pages as my only source of “getting the word out” about my massage practice. I think that is where a lot of therapists get stuck. But if you have an established practice, an ad in the banana pages might be a good thing to consider adding to your “massage marketing mix”. In addition to general visibility, it will make it easier for existing clients to find you.
Posted in Getting Massage Clients, Keeping Massage Clients | Leave a Comment
Did you know that most massage therapists (in fact most professionals) slack off building their business during the holiday season? They recon it is a bad time to focus on business growth and decide to kick back and wait until after the holidays are over to do any marketing.
But I was recently on a phone call with Michael Port (who wrote the fabulous book, Book Yourself Solid) and he pointed out the truth about December… people are in a buying mode.
And they are looking for things to buy. So don’t be shy about letting your clients, colleagues, friends and family know about your massage products and gift certificates. And if you don’t have any massage gift certificates handy, download some for free here.
So don’t give up on December. It’s not too late to make it your best month yet of 2006!
Posted in Getting Massage Clients, Keeping Massage Clients, Success Mindset | Leave a Comment
In response to a previous post about getting massage clients during day-time hours, Tamara Felix, PhD, LMT of The Right Touch had this to say…
Massage therapists are MEDICAL providers. If you are trying to establish a 9 to 5 practice (as I have successfully done for the last 12 years), the next time you have a client ask if you for an appointment in the evening after work or on weekends, ask the client how they handled their last medical appointment. Most employers provide 2-3 hours during a work day for medical appointments, which is what you are offering. The only difference is yours feels a whole lot better, and provides more health benefit than they realize!!!
Then ask the client if their employer offers a FLEX plan (caffeteria plan, etc.). FLEX plans cover medical services not covered by their health insurance. Massage therapy is not typically covered by health insurance without a prescription, and is a serious business requiring tons of documentation; but with a FLEX plan, they don’t need a prescription, and you don’t have to deal with their insurance. All the client has to do is simply supply a copy of your receipt to their human resources manager and they get REIMBURSED from their employer for your services!
So, then, not only will their employer provide the time for them to get a massage from you during your normall 9-5 day, but will also PAY FOR IT!
Happy massaging!
Thank you so much Tamara. We appreciate you sharing your expertise.
Posted in Getting Massage Clients, Insurance Reimbursement, Keeping Massage Clients, Massage and Money | 2 Comments
Don’t you just love it when a company goes beyond the “everyday” and does something that WOWs you? I do!
Well that happened today. I recently switched my phone service to Comcast, but what they didn’t tell me was that it would totally disrupt my computer network (I also use them for internet access) and I’d have to reinstall some software and reconfigure some hardware that my treasured computer “gal” had, up until then, running like a dream. Now nothing worked.
So I called the company that made my router (D-Link) and the technician gal had me go through a whole series of actions to troubleshoot the problem and then fix it. And she stayed with me until I was satisfied that the problem was resolved. That’s nice, and what I expect from good customer service.
However a short while later I got an email from them outlining step-by-step what she had instructed me to do, down to the very last detail. Now THAT was unexpected! I saved the email in a word document and filed it away so that if I ever run into that problem again I’ll know just what to do.
Now to me, that was going beyond the ordinary and and it totally WOWed me.
The thing is, often going beyond the ordinary is so simple, and yet so overlooked. But it can make the difference between mediocre service and being memorable and outstanding.
So what can you do in your massage practice to go beyond the ordinary, the unexpected, the mediocre, and totally WOW your clients?
I’d love to hear your ideas….
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