Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/72343
6 STEPS TO BUILD A BETTER PRACTICE STRATEGY #1: GET INSTANT APPOINTMENTS To get instant appointments, send an email to your clients letting them know about openings in your schedule for the week ahead. Here's how to do it: • If you already send an email newsletter to your clients, you are halfway there. If you don't have a client email list already, compile one from previous email correspondence and intake forms. Put these contacts in a group in whatever email program you use. • On Monday mornings, send your clients an email listing the appointment times you have available. Your email could read like this: Feeling stressed? Need a massage? I have three one-hour slots open in my schedule this week that need to be filled: • Tuesday, November 8, at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. • Friday, November 11, at 6:00 p.m. Reply to this email with the time you want, or give me a call at 555-123- 4567 right away. For helping me fill my schedule this week, I'll give you $10 off when booking one of these open spots. I'm waiting for you. Make the call. Jane Doe, Your Massage Therapist If you send out communications using your email program, be sure to put everyone's name in the "Bcc" field. You don't want to be sharing your clients' email addresses with the world. It would be better to use a commercial email service. Some therapists worry they are spamming their clients, but this isn't the case. You have existing relationships with your clients and are allowed to communicate with them. Most of them will truly appreciate the notification. Don't think you need to offer discounts to get people to respond. Here's a note I got from a therapist who uses the strategy without offering any financial incentive whatsoever: "I send out an email every Monday with my open appointments listed for the next two to three weeks. I always get at least two appointments, maybe as many as five or six through this method. My clients love it and they were the ones who encouraged me to send it on a regular basis. It reminds them once a week that I am out here." The power in this approach simply lies in staying in front of customers and providing a friendly reminder that you are there to help them. STRATEGY #2: ASK EACH CLIENT TO REBOOK I remember the first massage I ever did after becoming licensed. I was so excited to have a client. I did a great massage and felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. My client, Daniel, got dressed and came out to the reception desk to pay for his treatment. I processed the credit card, gave him a receipt, and sat there beaming proudly. Then there was an awkward silence. Daniel started to look uncomfortable. He cleared his throat a little and asked sheepishly, "Can I come back for another massage?" 36 massage & bodywork november/december 2011