Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/72093
MARKETING FOR INTROVERTS In the end, marketing is about finding the harmony between your clients' best interests and your own. away, don't give up too soon. Six months down the road, you want to be top of mind when he overdoes it on the weekend and needs a massage to ease aches and pains. In your SOAP notes, include client preferences about draping, lighting, music, temperature, and other details. Make clients feel special. Remember their birthday with a handwritten card, a coupon good on their next massage, or a free add-on treatment. It's the little things that matter. Keep in touch with your clients online through social media and email newsletters (ABMP's Client Newsletter Generator makes it easy). Let clients know about last-minute openings in your appointment book, special discounts or seasonal offers, and news about your business. GET ONLINE The less inclined you are to network and promote your business in person, the more important it is for you to promote yourself online. Your website, email contact list, and social media profiles are powerful mediums to reach new clients and keep in touch with your current client base. Just having a website that shows up in the search results for "Fort Collins massage" has led to new client leads for Tiffany Blackden, a therapist in Fort Collins, Colorado. "Our website has brought us several hundred new clients in the last five years, and it required no face-to-face effort at all," Blackden says. Her online marketing efforts extend beyond a website. "Social media marketing is great to hide behind the computer and educate the masses about health," Blackden says. Through her blog, email newsletter, and Facebook page, Blackden shares tips on living pain-free and embracing a holistic view of health. Kayse Gehret, a San Francisco-based massage therapist and founder of Soulstice Spa, is another bodyworker who has embraced social media. She recommends four platforms in particular: LinkedIn, Facebook, Yelp, and Twitter. Each platform has different benefits. "LinkedIn is a great way to reach out and network with other therapists and connect to your existing clientele," Gehret says. LinkedIn has generated new referrals for Gehret, as has Facebook, which provides a more personal way to interact with clients and other therapists. Yelp is a popular website offering reviews of service-oriented businesses. For clients who find you on the Internet, unbiased reviews are one of the major driving factors in motivating clients, to pick up the phone and book their first appointment. "Encourage your clients to write reviews on your Yelp profile," Gehret suggests. "Make it easy for them by sending a quick thank-you email and providing a direct link to your profile page." What can 140 characters do for your business? More than you might think, according to Gehret. "Twitter is ideal for letting your customers know about last-minute news and updates, such as special deals or open appointment times. For example, you might have one appointment space left at 7:00 p.m. today. With Twitter, you can let all your followers know about the availability and quickly get that time slot filled." FIND A BALANCE In the end, marketing is about finding the harmony between your clients' best interests and your own. In massage therapy, being an introvert is often a good thing, as Frances O. Thomas, a nationally certified counselor in Saint James City, Florida, affirms. "Clients often come to a massage therapist to relieve stress. Introverts tend to talk less and listen more than extroverts, so they are restful to be around. "While introverts don't usually feel comfortable in a crowd or at a social gathering, they deal well with clients in a one-on-one situation such as massage therapy," Thomas says. So even if traditional, extrovert-friendly marketing techniques aren't your thing, you can be confident in your ability to provide the environment and the restful presence that clients crave. Esther Pearson is a writer and marketing communications specialist for OneTouchMassage. com, an online store offering professional massage products and spa accessories. Contact her at epearson@ probusonetouch.com. Celebrate ABMP's 25th anniversary and you may win a refund on your membership. ABMP.com. 65