Archive for Getting Massage Clients

Thinking about Attending a Massage Conference? Part 1

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.

Are They Enthusiastic About Your Massage Services?

enthusiastic_women_border180by100.jpgA couple of additional qualities to look for in an ideal referral partner for your massage business are:

E stands for Enthusiastic. They are enthusiastic about massage, about your services as well as for the partnership.

R stands for Respectful. There has to be mutual respect. They have to have respect both for you as a professional as well as for the massage profession as a whole.

One more essential quality to come…

Get It In Writting!

book_pen_150by150B.jpgThe second key element to creating successful referral partnerships with other professionals and businesses in your community is to have a written agreement between you and your new referral partner.

Now this does not have to be elaborate or complex. In fact a simple paragraph or two outlining what you are both agreeing to can be sufficient.

But having it creates a high level of professionalism and really makes you stand out from other massage therapists who may be approaching the same potential partner.

It will also clarity things and help eliminate any misunderstandings.

Web 2.0 and Massage

The web is changing the way we do business. No doubt about it.

Yet yesterday I was looking through a number of massage therapy directories, including the AMTA “find a therapist” listings and was very surprised to see how many massage therapists still do not have even a basic website.

More and more folks (your potential clients) turn to the web to check out just about any product or service before they buy. So if you don’t meet their online needs, they’ll go elsewhere!

And if you do have a basic “brochure type” site, maybe it’s time to give it a face lift and bring it up to date with Web 2.0, by adding some audio (of you describing your speciality) or some video, or even a questionaire or survey that gets your prospects (and clients) interacting with you.

You could even start a massage blog or podcast specifically for your clients and prospects. That way they could get to know more about your business and even ask you questions. How cool is that?

Still not sure what Web 2.0 is or how it might affect your massage business? Then check out this great video…..

Upcoming Teleseminar on How To Get More Clients

Do you want to really explode your massage practice and have clients lining up at the door?

Time and time again I have found that the fastest, most effective way to build a practice is by partnering with other key professionals. Find out everything you need to know about creating referral partnerships that work on my upcoming teleclass.

You can find out more or register here.

Massage Promotion and the Yellow Pages

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.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Gift Certificates to Go

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My husband’s massage practice is mostly made up of busy professionals and executives. So one year, in early December we sent a letter to all of his regular clients with 3 lovely gift certificates.

He explained in the letter that he wanted to alleviate some of their holiday stress. So if there was someone on their holiday list that they did not have a gift for yet, all they had to do was call us with their credit card information (or mail a check) and give us the certificate numbers and we would instantly “activate” them. Then, the certificates were ready to be put under the Christmas tree or popped in the mail. What could be easier?

We followed up with a brief reminder call to anyone who hadn’t used them a week before Christmas, incase they just forgot about them. A few clients who had been procrastinating about gifts were really glad we called, and we sold quite a few more.

And in addition to selling a record number of certificates, his clients really appreciated that we made their lives a bit easier during the holiday season. A win-win situation for us all (not to mention the happy recipients!).

Don’t forget to download your free massage gift certificates. Enjoy.

Another Truth About December

Want to know another truth about December”? Did you know that some of the BEST connections are made at this time of the year?

How so?

Well during the holidays you will find that many professionals, for example chiropractors and MDs are in their offices taking advantage of the holiday lull to catch up on things. And very often they will answer their own phone.

So if there is someone in your area that could potentially be a great business contact or referral partner, but who you’ve had a hard time reaching, give them a try over the holidays. Less folks will be vying for their attention and you might just make a connection that could propel you into having a great 2007.

The Truth About December

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!

Free Massage Christmas Gift Certificates

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It’s that time of the year again. The snow is on the ground, the houses are decorated, Christmas songs are in abundance on the radio, the stores are crowded….. and our clients are looking for meaningful gifts for their family and friends.

And you have the answer – a beautiful, relaxing, de-stressing massage. Now who wouldn’t want that under the Christmas tree?

If you are looking for attractive, inexpensive (free!!! – other that the paper to print them out) massage Christmas gift certificates, then look no further. Here you are. My gift to you. Free Massage Christmas Gift Certificates. Enjoy.