This week we're breaking down my last post "The 6 Simple Concepts Successful Massage Therapists Embrace" one topic at a time.

Today: Leveraging social proof

Whether it's on the internet, flyers, or compelling word of mouth marketing, successful, fully booked massage therapists know that if they are not putting their good reviews out there for potential customers, they are missing out. They understand that people are more likely to do what they see other people enthusiastically doing (social proof).

Testimonial marketing has been around since people first started buying, selling, and trading, and word-of-mouth is the most grassroots form of testimonial marketing. Now, however, there are powerful, free ways to expand your presence to a community of potential clients seeking your services.

The intake form for my practice tracks where people found out about my business, e.g. Yelp, Google Search, Healthprofs.com, sandwich board, Co-op flyer, friend, etc. Would you be surprised that 80% of my new business finds me on Yelp or another local review site, Daviswiki.org?

The prevailing marketing wisdom I've always heard from other massage therapists is that it takes 2-3 years to fill a practice, and that most clients come from word of mouth. But I filled my practice in 8 months, using the power of testimonial marketing on my website and the aforementioned review sites.

You can kick and scream about social media. You can insist that word of mouth always has worked and always will. You can say, "I don't need a website. Not really." To modify a wise gem, I say, "You can be right, or you can have a full practice."

Times have changed, and the businesses that thrive in changing times are led by people who can adapt to shifts in consumer behavior. Well-established healthcare practitioners who have relied solely on word-of-mouth marketing for the past few decades are noticing a curious decline in their practice, and I believe this has less to do with the down economy than their willingness to accept that the new generation of clients seeks out services in a vastly different way.

People search for reviews now because they can, and the therapist with the good, easily searchable reviews is better positioned for new clients to find than the therapist with no reviews.

Your assignment: If you are unfamiliar with Yelp (Yelp.com), have only used it to search for other businesses, or have a Yelp business account you only minimally engage with, go online and read about the positive and negative effects sites like Yelp can have on a business. In future posts I'll be covering how to respond to negative reviews and how to build up a cache of rave reviews that can bring waves of new clients into your practice.

The 6 Simple Concepts Successful Massage Therapists Embrace

If you know a massage therapist who is self-employed with a full practice, I guarantee they are doing the following:

1.     They leverage social proof

The criteria people use to choose massage providers has changed immensely over the past 5 years. Even if a client receives a glowing recommendation about you from an existing client, they are still likely to look for good (or bad!) reviews about you before they commit to booking.

2.     They embrace consistency.

Clients thrive on consistency and are put off by change, especially in uncertain times. If your massage service, your environment, and your availability fluctuate, you will lose clients.

3.      They create scarcity.

There is a direct relationship between how booked up you are and your perceived level of expertise. When your calendar gets to a tipping point of scarcity, clients will prioritize scheduling their appointments ahead of time.

4.       They know boundaries and structure are their friend.

Saying “no” to a client, especially a new client, is so hard. But without boundaries around your time, physical capacity, and service price, you will eventually burn out and resent your clients.

5.       They constantly reexamine their relationship to the following words: "business”, “money”, “sales”, “marketing”.

Most healers, including myself, struggle with their discomfort around the business end of running a successful practice. The truth is if you can’t get healthy around all these concepts, you are better off working for someone who is.

6.       They take care of themselves first!

How many times a day do you gently convey this message to your clients? It’s obvious to us as healers that until our clients heal themselves, they can’t show up fully as nurturers in their own lives. Massage therapy has one of the highest burnout rates of any profession, so investing in self care is in investing in your practice.

This is a lot to take in, but these concepts are fundamental to a thriving, sustainable healing practice. Next week I will break down these concepts one by one and give you some short assignments that will help you audit where you may be unintentionally sabotaging your massage practice.

Stop doing this!

I'm going to say it. It might shock you, but it's too important to ignore. Every business coach, every trade publication, every well-meaning giver of advice will tell you to do this but I want you to stop it right now.


STOP ADDING VALUE!


That's right. No more 15 bonus minutes added to your massage sessions. No free chocolate bars or coconut waters. No extended hours. No foot treatments. No complimentary aromatherapy. Take all those value add-ons that are supposed to bring clients flooding in and chuck 'em.


Don't sign up for any more massage classes. No fresh flowers on your reception desk. Don't repaint your treatment room walls. Don't buy a more professional wardrobe. And please, please, please don't invest in more expensive equipment and bolsters and hypoallergenic, antioxidant, fair trade, organic anything.


I know, blasphemy, right?


After all, times are tough and the only way to get ahead is to stuff your practice to bursting with goodies and perks and free stuff and pray that clients will be blown away by your over-the-top offerings, right?


Wrong. 


In fact, this approach can endanger your practice and put you out of business. (More on that later.)


Now take a deep breath. I'm going to tell you the truth. Chances are what I'm about to say is going to be a relief.


There are better, easier, less expensive, more fulfilling, more personalized and sustainable ways to fill your massage practice to capacity. Because your practice is already full of SO much value.


Check back tomorrow for the key things I want you to understand before you add any more value. (I'm not saying you should never incorporate add-ons into your practice or spruce up your professional appearance, but there's much more important, valuable ACTIONS I want you to take first!)


Tomorrow's post: The 6 Simple Concepts Successful Massage Therapists Embrace.