Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/465652
Learning to set expectations is a common aspect of management and leadership development. As therapists, we can use this skill to lead our clients toward regular massage. Most people will rise to the level set for them—once that level has been defined. Managing each client's expectations by properly opening and closing each session reinforces everything you say and do during the session itself. FIRST IMPRESSIONS You never get a second chance to make a great first impression. That's true everywhere, and it's especially important in the massage therapy profession. Many aspects of massage are based on trust and relationship building, not just technical abilities. How you greet and connect with clients, how you get information and history, and how you inform clients of the options available to them significantly affect the session and the clients' overall experience. Research shows that within seconds of meeting someone for the first time, judgments and assumptions will be made that lay the foundation for the success and quality of the relationship. Assumptions are made about social and economic status, about whether the person is trustworthy and reliable, and even whether or not they are likeable. Though continued interaction has the ability to influence these first impressions, they will continue to linger in the back of the mind. Welcome your clients into your office with a warm smile, carrying yourself tall and confident. Your physical appearance and body language will say a great deal about the session and what clients can expect. If you appear to be rushed or distracted, clients may wonder if the massage will be the same. Most clients are coming in to escape the daily grind, stress, and discomfort. Approaching them with a broad smile will help clients relax and feel welcomed. Always greet your clients with a handshake. Your handshake sets a subconscious impression about you, giving the recipient clues about your confidence, security, and strength. Is it the perfect balance of firm and welcoming, without being either bonecrushing or weak? Is it a one-handed or two- handed shake? Different handshakes create different impressions. Eye contact and facial expressions often say more than just speaking about the service the client will receive. If you cannot make eye contact, and are instead constantly looking around the room or toward the ground, clients will start to wonder if you are focused on giving them the type of massage they want or if they are going to get a nonspecific, cookie- cutter service. Your facial expression will exhibit the emotions behind your words and thoughts. Are you genuinely interested in clients' health and history, or are you just asking questions because you have to? These and other nonverbal communications and actions are important to creating an extraordinary service for clients. The way you walk, talk, stand, sit, look, and interact with your clients speaks more strongly, expresses more feelings, and leaves a more lasting impression than what you actually say. THE INTAKE PROCESS While the way you greet a client goes a long way toward setting the client's expectations about you as a professional, the intake process solidifies expectations about the massage itself. Many clients come in with preconceived notions about what they want and what they expect. If you do not integrate their expectations into the plan for the session, they may leave unhappy or unsatisfied with the services they received. Having to answer questions, whether written or verbal, can be overwhelming and stressful, especially for first-time clients. Make clients comfortable and relaxed during this process by carefully asking them about why they've come for bodywork. Sit comfortably and face the client. Make SE T CLIENT E XPECTATIONS F r e e m u s i c d o w n l o a d s f o r C e r t i f i e d m e m b e r s : 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 53