Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1439667
L i s te n to T h e A B M P Po d c a s t a t a b m p.co m /p o d c a s t s o r w h e reve r yo u a cce s s yo u r favo r i te p o d c a s t s 71 TOO TIMID? Many therapists don't want to appear pushy, so they feel conflicted when it comes to rebooking clients. They strive to create a warm, supportive experience—so selling or convincing is the last thing they want to do. This fear of coming across as sales-y causes many therapists to avoid discussing with clients their need to return for another session or to follow a suggested therapy plan or program. Instead of directly stating their recommended plan of care, many therapists secretly hope the client will eagerly ask for advice on when to return. Leaving the choice up to clients to determine the frequency of treatments requires the client to make clinical decisions they may not be qualified to make. A practice owner who is afraid to rebook or "ask for the sale," as it's referred to in business, does a disservice to everyone. DON'T LET CLIENTS DOWN When clients are in pain, under stress, or in need of additional therapy, do not let them leave your clinic without having future appointments scheduled, or at least a clear suggested game plan to reach their clinical goals. If there is no discussion of next steps and what might be best for the client, they may go looking for another provider who is willing to step up and provide a more comprehensive solution. In the worst-case scenario, the client may feel their situation is hopeless and they must "live with it." Consider the poor client who could benefit greatly from the therapist's expertise, but because the therapist is too nervous or embarrassed to suggest rebooking, the client continues to search for a solution, or remains unhappy. TOO AGGRESSIVE? An alternative "too aggressive" approach is when a therapist takes the view that every client is a potential paycheck. They eagerly ask the client to schedule future appointments without any clinical justification as to if or why a client should return. Unethically, this suggestion to rebook is only intended to fill openings in their appointment calendar, or to generate income to reach a financial goal. When the client doesn't see the therapeutic value of why they should receive additional sessions, they usually fumble around, muttering, "I'll check my calendar and call you," leaving both parties disappointed. When the client feels the therapist is asking for a rebooking just for the money, they may never return at all, even if they need continued care. WHAT TO DO? How can we ethically serve clients while filling our calendar and bank account without being pushy or pouncing on every client? The answer is to treat everyone as if they were our beloved grandmother. How would we want our loved one to feel and be treated if they were seeing a new therapist? Of course, we would want grandma to receive the very best therapeutic care, in a warm, welcoming environment, from the most skilled, knowledgeable, attentive service provider we could find. We must believe the provider and trust they're not just carelessly rescheduling grandma for the money. QUESTIONS Prior to scheduling a client's first session, it's important to discover why the client wants an appointment, and determine whether you can effectively serve them by asking these questions: • How long have you had the problem or goal? • What else have you tried? • Are there any other issues we need to address? • How does your problem or goal impact your life or work? With this information, you can create an effective therapy plan to support the client's clinical outcome. (Note: The purpose of scheduling a series of visits is not to save the client money, as most clinics believe—it is because multiple clinical sessions are suggested to reach the client's goals. Take the focus off the money and replace it with providing solid clinical results.) Help the client understand the benefit they will get from future sessions. For example, "Sam, I suggest you return for two more sessions within the next 5–7 days to reduce the tightness in your right shoulder." WHY CLIENTS SAY NO Aside from truly not having the financial ability to afford a service or product, the harsh truth for why people say no comes down to trust. For clients to confidently rebook, they need to feel everything is congruent and trustworthy. They have to trust your knowledge, skills, and ability, and trust that your therapeutic approach will be effective. With that in place, there is never a need for hard-pressure sales or convincing. The responsible, ethical therapist or clinic owner will ensure they only book and rebook clients who are a good fit. When your practice chooses to only work with clients who have clinical goals you are confident you can support (therefore providing your best work), those clients are happy to pay you because they trust you to make ethical, clinical decisions regarding their care and trust that you can deliver on it. When you ethically rebook clients, you are taking excellent care of not only them but also your business. Irene Diamond consults globally on client recruitment, retention, and reactivation. She developed Active Modulation Therapy—The Diamond Method, and is a Massage Therapy Hall of Fame inductee. Diamond provides continuing education and is the author of Design Your Dream Practice.