Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1505456
include the office address along with a phone number in case clients get lost. Want to go the extra mile for prospective clients? Put a "What to Know Before Your First Massage" information page or blog post on your website and include everything first- time clients should know. Be sure your confirmation emails or texts point new clients to that information before their first appointment. IN THE OFFICE Ideally, you'll be at the entry, ready to greet the client when they walk through the door. Years back, a client said, "When I come here I always feel like you're so happy I'm here, and like you've been waiting just for me all day!" This is how I want clients to feel when they arrive for a massage. During your verbal intake, and with an updated health intake in hand, note and repeat back the client's concerns and priorities. Agree on a treatment plan before you leave the room. This doesn't need to be a long and involved process; my intakes sound like, "It seems like headaches are a priority, so we'll start with your neck and shoulders, then your arms and legs, then we'll f lip you and spend lots of time on that upper back. Does that sound good to you?" Give clear instructions on how much or little to undress and which way to get on the massage table. It's always nice to remind people to speak up if they need a change in temperature, pressure, or even music. Think about your procedures for after a massage too. Have a script for accepting payment and asking the client if they wish to book again. This includes a script for people who don't immediately schedule their next appointment. I typically ask, "Would you like me to email you in six weeks to remind you to schedule your next appointment?" If so, I make a note in my calendar to do that. ACCEPT THAT THERE WILL BE IMPERFECTIONS We will always have clients who don't fully read (or listen to) instructions and information. And some clients just forget the protocols. If people have a hard time finding your office or don't understand how they should get on the massage table—or anything else when dealing with your business—the problem isn't the people. The problem is your process. I've found that when 99 percent of your business is easy to use, the occasional glitch won't cost you a client. They will trust it's a glitch and not a pattern, and you'll keep that client for a long time. Take a close look at how a client experiences your business, from the moment they find you to the day after their appointment. If there's any step of the process you can make easier and more intuitive, make the changes now. Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. She builds websites and cultivates a community of massage therapists at deepbreathdigital.com. 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 83 Go the extra mile for prospective clients and put a "What to Know Before Your First Massage" information page or blog post on your website and include everything first-time clients should know.