Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/694071
cost of living (and you're certainly not going to be able to make any financial strides like contributing to a retirement account, investing, or building up a savings account). In some cases, you may decide you want to offer a special client a price break or freeze the rate he or she pays, perhaps as a gesture of gratitude for the client's long-term loyalty, or because he or she is on a fixed income and would have to discontinue therapy as a result of a price increase. This is your prerogative, and each of us makes concessions to various clients for a variety of reasons. As a unique exception, this is fine. However, extending this kind of courtesy to all your clients will quickly put you in the poor house and preclude any progress for your own livelihood. This being said, giving clients adequate notice when you do raise your rates is important. When I raise my rates, I make sure my clientele knows what is coming well in advance and offer them the opportunity to stock up on massage sessions by pre-paying for some sessions at the current rate. This technique can provide a welcome windfall that can help cushion the blow of any temporary downturn your practice may suffer as a result of the rate increase. Prolong Your Career Longevity Like a Boss Another strategy many MTs employ in order to increase their income and ensure their careers' endurance involves hiring employees or independent contractors to work within their practice. This can be a great way to expand one's business, but care must be taken to ensure that we're working within our legal parameters. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has strict rules regarding the difference between employees and independent contractors, and misclassifying the people who work with you can have catastrophic (and expensive) ramifications. Consulting with an accountant, tax preparer, and/or labor lawyer can be helpful in making sure you're not putting your practice in jeopardy by attempting to increase your revenue in this manner. The folks at the IRS are also happy to help you understand the rules surrounding classifying employees and independent contractors correctly; www.irs.gov is a great place to start. hiatus for an exotic (and expensive!) vacation. Maybe it's just a mental health day, when you step away from your practice, sleep in, get a pedicure, enjoy a massage, take a hike, go to the beach, or spend the day relaxing at the movies. Cleansing your mind by crafting personal time and having fun can do wonders to get you recharged and ready to go again. Beth Scupham, a bodywork practitioner and exercise instructor in practice for 25 years in Atlanta, credits reflection and contemplation for the impressive span of her professional path. "I think an abiding passion for hands-on healing, as well as a continuing curiosity about the meeting place of body, mind, and spirit, has kept me in the game. My own spiritual and physical practices—yoga, qigong, meditation, prayer, worship, and teaching therapeutic exercise—have kept me healthy enough to endure the physical rigors of a bodywork practice of 30–40 hours a week." In Praise of a Raise One surefire way to sabotage your own career longevity is to fail to ensure that your rates are keeping up with inflation. Many of the MTs I know whose practices have failed after having been in business for many years neglected to take this simple measure. Those of us who are our own bosses simply must give ourselves regular raises. It may seem to make sense to continue to charge longtime clients the same rate they've always paid. After we develop a special rapport and endearing relationship with a client, it can seem awkward to break the news that we must increase our rates. However, if you find yourself continuing to charge all of your clients the same rate they paid on their very first visit (especially if it was 15 years ago), your income is not going to be able to keep up with the One surefire way to sabotage your own career longevity is to fail to ensure that your rates are keeping up with inflation.