Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/365665
A B M P C e r t i f i e d C e n t r a l , i t 's w h e r e y o u w a n t t o b e : 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 25 visit abmp.com "Can I help you with anything?" "No." You get that answer, you're pretty much done. But, "What color sweater are you looking for?" opens up a conversation. Bam! Don't ask, "Would you like to reschedule?" That gives your client the option to say "No," or "Let me get back to you," which means "No." Instead, try "Let's check schedules for two weeks out. I have the same time available then, or would you prefer Wednesday?" Get in the habit of asking your clients questions that will help them make their wellness a priority. 4. Set Your Price, But Give an Incentive to Buy More Every retailer's goal is to make you buy stuff from them. And the more stuff you buy, the better. That iced tea I like? $2.99 a bottle. But today? Two for $4. Sure, I'll buy another! Costco sells really good pretzels. They come in barrels bigger than my head (and I have a big head). That way, they sell more pretzels. Your job is to sell more treatments. So make buying irresistible for your clients. When they check out, tell them their fee, but offer them a three-pack as an alternative. Sales don't have to be engraved in stone; they can occur whenever you want them to. "Today is $65, or you can buy a three-pack for $170 and save $25." 5. Clients are in Charge, But Guide Them The chef may know what he or she likes, or what is most popular, or even what is best, but the diner is the one who's eating. At Starbucks, you can make the drink the way you want it, but you can't order a Coke. Chipotle lets you customize your burrito, but you can't get a hamburger. Be sure to serve your clients' interests, but do not expect every client (or even many clients) to exercise much control or preference over their session. I go to a wonderful massage therapist who is super-attuned to the needs of her clients. She will ask about my preferences or needs, but sometimes I have to tell her, "I don't care; I just want to lay down." A massage is my opportunity to stop the merry-go-round; I don't want to decide anything. A B M P C e r t i f i e d C e n t r a l , i t 's w h e r e y o u w a n t t o b e : 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 25 another! Costco sells really good pretzels. They come in barrels bigger than my head (and I have a big head). That way, they sell more pretzels. Your job is to sell more treatments. So make buying irresistible for your clients. When they check out, tell them their fee, but offer them a three-pack as an alternative. Sales don't have to be engraved in stone; they can occur whenever you want them to. "Today is $65, or KRISTIN'S TOP 5 1. Keep It Simple It's time to replace my 18-year-old road bike, so I've started shopping around. I know a little about bikes, but not a ton, so I need help from the sales guys. I recently had someone tell me a bike had "Shimano 105" components without any further explanation, even though I'd started our conversation by confessing that I'd need some education from him on my options. Do I know that Shimano has different types of components? Sure. Have I memorized the component chart? Nope. When I asked for a little more information about the 105 components, he seemed exasperated and gave a quick "They're good" reply. It would have taken him about 30 seconds to explain in layman's terms the component group's benefi ts and where it falls on the Shimano hierarchy—and I would have felt a lot better about the experience if he had. It reminded me how important it is to meet your clients where they are and to make them feel comfortable with their current level of knowledge about the body and your work. They probably have a vague notion there are muscles that fl ex the hip, but we can't expect them to know a lot about the psoas. It's our job to use terms they'll understand and take a little time to educate those who are interested. 2. Ask, Please! I receive massage from different therapists in all sorts of settings just to see what's happening out there in the massage and bodywork fi eld. Putting yourself in the client role is a great reminder that a client's overall impression of a session is the sum of a lot of parts, not just the hands-on work. I once had a therapist play music by alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs throughout our session. I like their music, but it's defi nitely not what I would choose for relaxation. I didn't say anything because I was curious to see if she would ever ask me what kind of music I wanted. She didn't. Ask your clients about all of the extras that make up the session environment: aromatherapy, lighting, music, temperature, etc. They may not have a strong opinion or want to make any decisions that day (see Les's #5), but giving them the option to have a few little things exactly how they want can make a big difference.