By Angela Adams
We all know that one massage therapist who is always booked and always has repeat clients. Sometimes we look on in envy wondering “what makes that person better than me?” or “why can’t I get repeat clients like they can?” Well, for starters they aren’t “better” than you they just know how to sell themselves; they know the right things to say and do at the precise moment they should be said and done. Achieving repeat clients takes two basic things: customer service and communication.
The following are pointers and ideas to help you get those repeat clients and keep them.
Create a better experience for the client. (We should all be doing this anyway, but sometimes we forget.) It is very important to check with your clients about things such as bolsters, room temp, music preference, adjusting the head rest, pressure, and what they want from the massage. When they are telling you these things be sure and listen. You want to build a relationship with these clients. That doesn’t mean pry into their personal lives, but rather prove to them that you really care about their wants and needs.
Give them a reason to keep coming. The most blunt and typically effective way to get your client to rebook with you is by encouraging them to book a follow up appointment before they ever leave. If it’s possible using some sort of incentive helps too. Like giving them 10% off their next massage or giving them a card for a free add on.
Make sure to FOLLOW UP. Whether you realize it or not, you are in the sales business! The only difference is you are selling yourself and your expertise rather than a product. Thank-you emails are a great way to re-engage your clients. Sending a quick note can offer another chance to be helpful and remind clients of your massage services and their experience. Make sure to include your contact information for easy rebooking and social media links so they can stay connected.
Remember, if you don’t have confidence in yourself your client will see that. You can do this! You are a good therapist! Now go out and get those repeat clients; and make sure to let us know how it goes!
Let’s practice this sermon. Please like this article on Facebook, Tweet it, Pin It, or share it on Google+ using one of the buttons below. Do this so all your friends and client’s can see that you are not just therapist but a business man or woman who understands that YOUR profession is amazing!
I think I might have this problem, I don’t talk to people very good…
Excellent, Harmony. We could to know what we lack so we can have a place to grow.
I didn’t know at massage therapists should do follow ups. I would have thought that to be nice but I thought it wasn’t part of what they are allowed to do. I will definitely try/do follow ups with my clients.
Confidence is key! If you don’t believe in what you do then no one else will either
Man call me mr nice guy, but I believe 10off is like the lowest discount ever. If I wanted a client back, I’d give him a buy one get one free deal. Massage therapy isn’t by any means hard work for me, rather more relaxing. And I wouldn’t call it a job, more like a pass time. I have no problem discounting, working payments or offering a free massage to clients to keep their business. And honestly if you’re truly great at what you do, you shouldn’t have clientele problems. Like my dad always said ” you can’t keep a girl friend by pestering and nagging her, but if you can shower her you’re the greatest, she’ll always stay by your side”
This is great advice! I’m also going to have special offers and free gifts to keep my customers coming back :).
This is good advice thank you notes or e-mails let people know care, people can always tell if your doing this because you really care or you just care about the money. Client first then money giving ten percent off next visit would help too.
With my clients I always get them to rebook before they leave bc once they are out the door they might just not think about it anymore. I am very confident that they want to come back so I just tell them that they really should come back in a month so I can work on them and when is the best time for them like the same time of the week and day? Most people just say yeah that sounds good to me. I just assume everyone that comes in is going to re-book. I typically sell packages so that they realize they get a discount and will get this massage at least 3 different times. Clients know that you are the professional and trust that what you say they should do so it’s not really hard to get repeat clients if you truly believe you are benefiting them and they understand why this is so good for them. Educating the client about what massage is really all about helps. Alot of people just think this is done for relaxing but explain a couple of good benefits and they will respect that and book with you again!
These are great points. We are a product and we have to be able to sell ourselves. We need to do what it takes to get people to repeat with us and then recommend us to friends and family.
I do a few of these things with clients that I have already. Being well educated and professional as well as friendly usually bring people back. I use birthday incentives as well as referral incentives too.
I feel that I do pretty well when it comes to communication with strangers and new faces. But these are some good reminders and helpful hints that I will be sure to remember.
Yes building up your Clientele is very important. That’s how you build your career, I think follow up is a great idea.
These are very important things to know and do if you want to grow your business. Thank you for the tips!
I usually don’t have any problems talking to people and making great conversation, but i’m open to new ideas and this is great advice. Thanks!
It has always been hard for me to talk to people but since I have been in massage therapy it has helped with that a lot so reading this does give me good advice on how to get and keep clients
I think this is a good read for anyone who doesn’t really know how to talk to people. We all have this at some point in our life, but that doesn’t mean we have to have this as a weakness. We just have to get over it and do it.
I’m nervous at first to talk to new people but once I start I feel more comfortable and think I just need to be more confident in myself so I don’t ruin first impressions. This is a great blog to help with that! Also to keep people coming back!(:
I send out thank you cards to clients with $5 or $10 off written on it. I have many repeat clients with this technique and I see the cards first hand which is a good way to track what works for clients the best.
This is really great advice and I will definitely keep this in mind as I am building my clientele, starting my own business!
Great article. Has some great pointers on how to interact with your clients.
This is one of the most important things in this business. I think it will come easier after working in the proffession for a while as you get used to talking with people. Another way to gain confidence is by asking fellow massage therapists for advice to keeping clients. Someone who has worked in sales may be able to help as well.
This is good advice I can defiantly use this during my career to help build cliental
I am so very grateful that we can all share ideas. In the long run it will help us all!
Thanks for the article Angela. I think we need to be reminded that massage isn’t just giving a massage. It is something we need to encompass as a full circle experience for our clients like the article mentions. Treating each client with utmost courtesy and respect, giving a variety of incentives for differing clients to choose from would increase their chances of return, and not forgetting follow-up notes/e-mails should increase this full-circle return we all want.
Those are great tips. I think I need to learn to talk more, so when I get clients they come back.
Great business advice!! I’m always nervous to suggest re-booking and social networking for business purposes is such a grey area for me!
I think communication is almost always a place for improvement.
Being able to convey an idea in a manner that is understandable, confident, and palatable is the most effective way to make change occur.
This is interesting information on how to keep people coming back and how to pen your self more
This was great advice and great ideas. I’m shy when it comes to new people and if I have to talk first I have a really hard time with that. I think Thank You Cards or Birthday Cards with special discounts would be a good idea and it keeps your clients coming back.
This makes a lot of since. I believe I can make this a habit.
I love cards, they make me happy!!! So this will be a great opportunity for me to use the once that I have!!!
Being able to recall what a client says at the beginning of the session and mentioning it at the end, could help them really feel as if you care about what they said. What that happening, they might want to be a repeat client anyways, because you connected with them.