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.
