I opened Sarah Robarge Massage Therapy in Ithaca, NY in 2009. I worked out of an attic treatment room in my house and saw on average three or four clients a month. Every few months or so, I would gain a new client via word of mouth. My practice was a part-time gig that I would dream about making full-time, but, I didn't know how. I inadvertently made a few small changes to my business and in a period of a few weeks, my appointment calendar filled up completely. These are business choices I am sure most massage therapists are familiar with. What surprised me about these business practices was their immediate impact on my massage business. My practice is now my full-time and only job. It is a rare week I do not fill my appointment calendar. I thought I might share these small changes I wish I had made ages ago. I am willing to bet they will work for your massage practice too.
I Rented Office Space
I made this decision for myself out of necessity. My husband and I were working on a number of home improvement projects and I was just too embarrassed to drag my clients through piles of wood and sawdust to my office. I tried doing just out calls for a little while, but with a massive wood massage table I had to find another way.
I found a massage office building just six blocks from my house. I rent, by the hour, in a facility that has four treatment rooms and a very nice waiting room.
There is something legitimatizing about having an office instead of space in my home that clients reacted very positively to. Very often when I am at social events, people will ask if I have a massage office or work out of my home. When I say I have an office, the reaction always seems, "Oh, you mean you do this for real."
I Built A Website
This was a project I had always intended on doing but somehow never got around to. I am very far from being tech savvy and the letters HTML strike fear into my heart. In January of 2012, my massage association announced a competition for massage websites. I am a competitive person and I just had to build one and enter.
My website has a complete description of all the services I offer, the benefits of these services, and an option to schedule and pay online. Now almost thirty percent of by business comes from people searching the internet.The easy online scheduling software spares me the back and forth phone and email tag it takes to get an appointment scheduled.
I Maintain Professional Boundaries
I like to read reviews online about other massage therapists so I know what clients really appreciate and what they do not appreciate. Many clients complain of their therapist talking too much about themselves. Another common complaint is a messy office space. I did notice that most of the complaints had nothing to do with the massage itself but the professional container the therapist failed to maintain. By educating myself on common client complaints I make sure that I: begin and end my appointment at scheduled times; the treatment room is warm, clean and free of clutter; I do not talk about my personal life to my clients even when I am sorely tempted to; and I make sure I have a reliable CD or MP3 player.
I feel that I am rewarded greatly for my professionalism. More than 95% of my clients return for one or more appointments.
I Switched to High Quality Products
One thing I remember about being just a massage client was how expensive massage seemed to me. It was an investment. I keep this in the forefront of my mind with every client. In the beginning I used cheap, often mismatched linens. I was always silently hoping my clients wouldn't notice the poor quality of my products.
One of my first big purchases for my business was top of the line massage table linens and high quality massage oil. Right away I received great feedback from my clients on how good the linens felt and how good my organic oils made their skin feel. My clients seemed to relax much more easily when I used these products. My clients sense that my quality products are an investment in them and in return it is easier for them to invest their trust and business in me.
I Began Asking One Simple Question
"Would you like to schedule you next appointment?"
This question doubled my number of bookings immediately. I can be very shy at times and during the first few year of my practice I truly felt less than other massage therapists. I never asked clients after sessions if they would like to schedule their next appointment. Once I started, I realized most people expected that I would ask for a return appointment. When I didn't ask a client if they would like to come back, some assumed that they had done something wrong as a client.
Most of my clients reschedule when I ask. If a client is unsure, I often suggest they schedule so they may have their preferred time and can cancel if they change their mind. I have noticed when one of my clients has scheduled an appointment on the books, they rarely cancel or reschedule.
I have discovered immense satisfaction of being my own boss and working full-time in the profession I am passionate about. There are many ways that therapists can grow their practices. It was these five changes that made a tremendous difference for mine.
By, Sarah Robarge, LMT
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