Clients still willing to take care of themselves
It seems like all we hear lately is bad news about our economy, but have you noticed that wherever you go there are still so many people out and about, shopping and spending? I went to Costco the other day, and it was packed as usual. When I mentioned this to the sales person, they told me that Costco was booming and they were opening 200 new stores. I was shocked and amazed. So apparently not everyone is in dire straits. There are clients willing to spend their dollars on taking care of their bodies with massage and other spa and body services.
With that in mind, I want to share an article we recently wrote with some great ideas for powering up your practice in these challenging times.
Let us know what you think and what you have experienced with your clients. We want to hear from you.
Be Brilliant!
Kick it Up a Notch in 2009
Fear is often the overriding factor in a challenging economy. When people are afraid, they often become more conservative with their luxury dollar (aka disposable income). Historically massage and spa services are one of the first cuts people make to their budget, so there is no better time to make sure you develop your ability to match your technical expertise as a therapist with the skills it takes to grow a thriving, sustainable business.
It’s all in your perception of an opportunity, whether you are an employee, employer or entrepreneur, it’s still your business. For every bit of energy you give to the negative media spin you reinforce it for everyone, including yourself. If you can present the calmer side of things to your clients, they will be all the more relieved and less stressed when they leave your presence. They will want to come back for more because you are actively giving them a reason to do so.
Your most important offense is your attitude and your willingness to kick it up a notch in times like these. Imagine the momentum this will deliver when things begin to turn around. You will have built an incredibly strong business and you won’t regret it for a minute. So, we encourage you to really evaluate what you have to offer, and give people more than a good massage as a reason to come back. If this sounds like a challenge you are up to, here are our Five Top Tips for building in down economy.
Top Five Tips
1) Define your niche.
With the wide range of definitions of massage it’s important that people clearly know what you offer. If you can develop a specialty that sets you apart you’ll be able to speak specifically to your target market, and let them know what the problem is you can solve for them. You win and your clients win. You are speaking to the people most likely to do business with you and your clients feel like you understand their needs right from the start.
a) Determine the modality that best suits the reason why you wanted to be a massage practitioner in the first place. Whatever suits your nature and your training.
b) Define who the most likely people are to use your services. You can’t be all things to all people. Be specific. The more you can articulate this the easier your decisions will be.
c) Have a good “elevator speech”. That short sweet reply you give someone in between floors when they ask, “What do you do?”
2) Become comfortable with self-promotion. We have found massage therapists to be one of the shyest groups we have worked with. Imagine the possibilities if you could learn how to comfortably develop rapport with people you don’t even know.
a) Take a class in communication and get out and practice what you learn. You’ll be amazed how much easier it is than you think to experience people and your interactions differently. This translates beautifully to your bodywork as well.
b) Develop joint ventures, partnerships or alliances with practitioners or other businesses that work in supporting fields. They all are looking for more clients too and mutual exchange works well.
c) Be prepared. Have business cards, simple flyers, and brochures or rate cards handy.
d) Offer gift certificates, referral incentives or build a loyalty program.
e) Have fun with events or adopt a cause that is near and dear to you to get your name out in the public. Don’t underestimate the value of a party and a good story.
3) Make yourself accessible.
a) Consider being open regular hours so that booking isn’t like playing a game of cat and mouse. Consistency is everything.
b) If you have the talent take advantage of technology. Get a website, start blogging, look at on-line schedulers, or consider a social media campaign. We have several clients that have honed Craig’s list announcements and book full days from those responses.
c) Send email reminders the day or evening ahead of time. This is something you can schedule in Outlook to automatically send right when you make the appointment.
d) Answer your phone more often. When people are looking for an appointment they will most often book on the spot if they can speak with you. You may even consider an answering service that monitors your schedule. You can hire them for as little as $60 per month for 24/7 answering.
e) Use your voicemail more actively as a booking tool by changing the message frequently, to let clients know your availability.
4) Think before, during and after. The experience never starts on the table. It starts with booking the appointment and really never ends. Whatever you create, is what they’ll want every time or they won’t come back. Consistency is key. Let’s just take a quick look at a traditional relaxation experience and see how you can customize the concepts to fit your practice.
a) Before – Would your customers tell their best friend about your massage before they even had it because you were so friendly, helpful and easy to do business with that they couldn’t wait until they got there?
b) During – Is your room clean, warm enough, lit just right and do the sheets match? Do you offer that little unexpected something. A bit of mint to keep the nose clear, a warm pad under the abdomen, an option of oil or lotion, and a good music choice?
c) After – A spot of tea, a little snack, a place to sit and ease back into daily life with a blanket. Something unique to take home like a bottle of your own labeled water or a special candle. Make yourself memorable and they will be calling people on the way out the door. Make sure and give them your cards and a reason to pass them out.
5) Follow-up is everything. From sending a note to someone new that you meet, to generating a reminder call, to checking in with your client the next day, you will increase your retention rate and reduce your no-shows by at least 15% to 20%. Need we say more!
Along with tips like these there are unique new methods available for breaking through the patterns that limit people from achieving their dreams. Imagine the possibilities if you could pick up the phone easier, greet people in a networking event more comfortably, ask for a referral without feeling pushy or just communicate more clearly with staff, co-workers and clients. Would building your business be more fun and profitable? We’ve helped many entrepreneurs become the person they want to be and achieve their goals. It is our most rewarding endeavor.
Our philosophy is that behind every successful business is someone willing to put in the effort because they have the passion and vision to be extraordinary. They are willing to stretch their boundaries and rise above their fears by taking stock of what can be done. They don’t sit around and wait for what could happen. They are continual learners and are proactive participants in their business because they seek to be joyful in their lives as they pursue their meaningful journey.
