Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/108504
Do: Get clear about who you want to work with and what you want to do Do: Check out all of the ABMP BizFit tools and materials on www.abmp.com. Don't: Think you have to do it all on your own! ABMP is here to support you and your practice. Don't: Try to be everything to everyone Embrace the concept of target markets. Focusing your marketing efforts on specific groups of potential clients gives you much more bang for your buck. Start by thinking about and choosing the groups of people you actually want to bring into your practice (athletes? moms? desk jockeys?). Then find out where they go and what they do. Find ways to market to them in those places (give a talk, place an article or ad in a newsletter, do hands-on massage after a race) and tailor your marketing materials to describe the benefits of your work for that specific population. Do: Embrace social media Don't: Pretend you can't find your computer's "on" button Facebook isn't just for checking up on your high school crush or bragging about your vacation. It can be a great means to encourage word-of-mouth recommendations—just online instead of face to face. And it's not as scary as it seems—really! The same goes for Twitter. Like anything else, learning how to post and tweet like a pro just takes learning the ropes step-by-step, and then practicing. Your clients are out there in cyberspace; go connect with them. Finances: Be Savvy Not Sorry Earning money is good. Ignoring your finances and hoping for the best—not good. Here's how to create a healthier relationship with your bank account. Do: Look at your finances Don't: Ignore them Quick quiz: what's the balance in your business account right now? Pretending that your finances are fine won't make them fine. As scary as it might be, knowing exactly how much money is flowing in and out of your practice will help you make smart choices about your spending. It's always better to know where you stand (even if it's horrifying) than to not know and make choices that will get you into trouble. Bottom line not where you want it? Create a budget and stick to it. 28 massage & bodywork march/april 2013 DO: WORK DURING WORK HOURS Don't: Wait for clients to knock on your door Manage your expenses carefully and look at how much you make per hour—adding in all the time you devote to your practice. If you're not happy with the result, compare the amount of time you earn money (practicing and getting paid) to the amount of time you are available to see clients. Your plan should be to maximize the time you are earning during your available time. Do: Prepare for tax time Don't: Pretend April 15 doesn't exist Want to stop panicking every April? Keep on top of your income and expenses throughout the year and enter them weekly into whatever system you use. Need motivation to devote time to it weekly? Remember how it feels to look at that shoebox of unorganized receipts with a deadline looming. Fifteen minutes a week is a sweet tradeoff for a stress-free spring. A Happy Client = A Happy Practice We're going to go out on a limb and assume you want your clients to come back to see you again; it's a pretty smart business philosophy. Here's how to make that happen. Do: Remember what it's like to be a client Don't: Forget how much your clients look forward to their session It's easy to look at a session as just one of five you have that day and come into it with half your mind on what you're going to make for dinner and the other half on last night's Modern Family episode (understandable—that is a funny show). Try to remember that your client has probably been looking forward to this all week— maybe all month. Remember how exciting it feels when you've got an appointment to receive bodywork? Ground and reenergize