retaining clients

[celtish]

Just make sure you write down what you just told them you would do next time. Sometimes I forget to write down the next session "plan." Boy, is that embarrassing.
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[stienbabe]

Just make sure you write down what you just told them you would do next time. Sometimes I forget to write down the next session "plan." Boy, is that embarrassing.
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LOL I was thinking that - hmmm, better not wait til the end of the day to finish the SOAPs!

 

[adamantia3190]

I see I'm in the minority here! That's cool. To each their own. I guess the reason I'm against the "assuming stance" is three-fold:

1. I've had new clients say they left prior MT's because they were too pushy about rescheduling. This has been particularly true if an MT told someone they needed massage more frequently than the client felt was necessary.

2. As a client myself, I've personally been offended by the hard-line approach. I had one MT actually tell me he wouldn't let me leave the office without rebooking because my back was one of the worst he'd ever seen, and I needed a number of appointments for him to "fix" me. (One of the few times I've ever felt like slapping someone upside the head. )

3. As a massage therapist, I've had good success in my business with the "soft-sell." Since I started my practice, I've been lucky in that I've always had regular clients. Giving clients the option of rescheduling was always enough encouragement for them to rebook. For the ones that rebooked regularly, I quickly gave them the option of a "regular time" (same time & day weekly, biweekly, monthly as appropriate.) Soon, my schedule was full of regular clients, all by their own choice.

Because of my own bad experiences with hard-selling, I can get my hackles up when I see it recommended. However, both KneadedMassage & Breathe have shown how it can be done respectfully. (Intuitively knowing who to approach with this method; keeping your tone of voice and body language relaxed; being graceful when someone declines to reschedule.) It's still not my style, but that doesn't make it wrong.

Breathe, a quick question: When you were struggling with 8-10 clients per week, were you giving clients the option of rescheduling (without mentioning a treatment plan) and most were refusing? Or at that point, did you not bring up rescheduling at all?

 

[shygirl]

I see I'm in the minority here!

Well, I'm in the soft sell boat, Blisss.

I always let the client decide first if they'd like to come back and if so I help them determine how often is necessary depending on what their goal is for receiving massage. I always ask them how they feel, if they'd like to come back (of course they say yes) and then I ask them if they'd like to set up their next appointment now (I have my book with me) or if they'd just like to call me.

And even then it depends on what kind of vibe I get from the client, like KneadedMassage said about gift certificate redeems who have never had a massage or other people who only get massages on vacation. And sometimes I don't ask for the rebook because I don't necessarily want them to come back so soon.

But my book definitely started to fill when I started asking people if they'd like to come back.

That and just being very very good at what I do.

 

[Elizabeth H]

Breathe, a quick question: When you were struggling with 8-10 clients per week, were you giving clients the option of rescheduling (without mentioning a treatment plan) and most were refusing? Or at that point, did you not bring up rescheduling at all?

I wasn't doing anything to promote rebooking. I'd let them walk out the door without even suggesting it. Nobody was refusing, simply because I wasn't offering. I HATE any kind of pressure on a sale, so I was projecting that to mean not even offering.

Now, I ask (almost) everyone if they would like to book another session or contact me later? I'm totally fine with someone saying "I'll call," so there's still not much pressure.

As far as the "treatment plan" sell, I do that with people who are already there to address a problem, so I know they're looking for it. Or I do the "next time" thing with people who "discover" a problem in session and want to know what they can do about it. I don't offer a plan to people who are just in for relaxation, or who came in on a "birthday gift."