Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/918051
62 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k j a n u a r y / f e b r u a r y 2 0 1 8 Let me feel like I'm getting a deal I don't mind spending money, but I can't deny that being rewarded for loyalty thrills me. I buy packages from all my esthetic professionals, so each session ends up being a slightly lower cost. I still tip according to the original price, but feel grateful for the price break. I'd love to, but who has the time? I know it seems silly, but an hour is a long time when you need to get home and meal prep, run errands, wrestle through a quarter- life crisis, or grab happy hour with a friend. Offer 30-minute options, please! Please tell me more I need to know how this massage will help me. Why should I get a massage if I can hit the yoga studio and sauna, then save the extra cash? Tell me about its benefits. Post on your website how craniosacral therapy will help with my migraines or how Swedish massage can help me sleep. Post a photo of Thai massage and how it works on your business's Facebook page. I once heard it referred to as "the lazy man's yoga" and loved that. Give me a stronger reason to justify it in my budget than the fact that it's soothing. Recognize my awkward discomfort This one is on me, I know. I just cannot get comfortable in a face cradle, but I feel awkward about saying it because I'm not sure how adjusting it works. Don't be afraid to ask your client a few times if they're comfortable and whether the pressure is right. As I'm sure you know, we may be shy about speaking up the first time. Give me a cookie, not a cookie- cutter massage I once went to a random building in Denver for a massage and was struck with its banality. I walked in, filled out the intake form, got the massage, and left. The therapist barely spoke to me. That was an isolated incident, but a reflection on how things should not be. Personalize your space and your services. Offer a cookie before the appointment, a warm towel add-on, let me choose whether you use rose- or lavender- scented oil, or incentivize me to bring a friend. And on that note ... Make my time with you relaxing and fun, the way a mani/pedi is. Why shouldn't a massage be social if your younger clients might take to the idea? Maybe offer something different than a couples massage by teaming up with another therapist to offer a Galentine's Day special for a pair of besties. (FYI, Galentine's Day is February 13, a time when gal pals celebrate one another.) Break the Barriers That Keep Me from Being a Regular Massage Client