Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/365665
Les Sweeney is ABMP's president and resident blogger. Contact him at les@abmp.com and read his blog on www.abmp.com. Kristin Coverly, kristin@abmp.com, is the manager of professional development at ABMP and teaches workshops for therapists and instructors across the country. Both are massage therapists with business degrees who care about you and your practice. Want more? Check out their ABMP BizFit video tips on www.abmptv.com. 3. Stop, Look, and Listen One thing I learned as a hotel front desk clerk is even if you're under pressure and frantically trying to fi x a problem—a nonsmoking room smells smoky, a room's too close to the elevator, we're out of rooms and people with reservations are still walking in the door—pause, make eye contact, and really listen to what the person in front of you is saying (or yelling). Looking down to type or grab a piece of paper while they're talking, even to start fi xing the problem, will often only make things worse. People want to feel acknowledged, heard, and seen. Before and after each session, focus on your clients and the things they're communicating, both verbally and physically. Stop adjusting the sheets, setting up your iPod, or fi dgeting with the table warmer and look your clients in the eye as you ask them how they're feeling and what they'd like to focus on in the session. They'll know you care, and they will feel heard. 4. Create Your Own Holidays The founding fathers didn't create Grandparents' Day (September 7) or Administrative Professionals' Day (April 23). Who did? Organizations and companies that want you to buy more gifts. Companies come up with all sorts of new holidays to celebrate groups of people and keep giving us reasons to buy products. And you know what? It works! Steal this idea and create your own holidays for your practice. Celebrate "Back to School" with your clients who are parents, or create a "Finish Line" promotion for clients who are running a 10K. Introduce a new service or highlight an existing one with "Stone Massage September" or "Thai Massage Tuesdays." Have fun with it! And don't forget to plan ahead for Fun at Work Day ( January 28). 5. Rules are Rules What happens when you pay your phone bill late or (in my case) return a Redbox movie late? You pay a fee. It's not a surprise; you know in advance there's a penalty for missing the deadline. The company charges a fee, each and every time. They don't say "Well, I'll give you a break this time, but I'll charge you next time, for sure." It's the consistent and expected enforcement of the rule that gets us to do things on time (unless I need to watch the end of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty; then I'll pay the fee). Take a page out of their book and set up your practice's policies on cancellations, late arrivals, returned payment, etc., in advance. Communicate these policies in writing to all of your clients and then feel 100 percent comfortable enforcing those policies each and every time. Just like other businesses do. BUSINESS SIDE Les Sweeney is ABMP's president and resident blogger. Contact him at les@abmp.com and read his blog on The founding fathers didn't create Grandparents' Steal this idea and create your own holidays highlight an existing one with "Stone Massage MASSAGES BACK TO SCHOOL FOR TIRED PARENTS I t p a y s t o b e A B M P C e r t i f i e d : w w w. a b m p . c o m / g o / c e r t i f i e d c e n t r a l 27