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Bodywork Buddy Blog

Bodywork Buddy: business management software for the solo therapist that keeps you organized and makes tax time a breeze.

Showing posts with label business management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label business management. Show all posts

Monday, May 14, 2012

Set Yourself Apart From the Competition

jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you're in an area that is saturated with massage therapists, it's important to set yourself apart from your competition.  There's a few simple ways you can do this.


  • Offer a unique technique.  
    Rather than market it as the modality, present it as a solution to your client's problem.
    There are so many different techniques out there - find something that intrigues you that no one else is doing in your area.
  • Position yourself as an expert.  
    A great way to do this is to write articles on massage / holistic health / etc for your local paper.  Create a blog to educate clients on the benefits of massage.
    Send out newsletters or e-newsletters to clients.  (Writing not your forte? ABMP has a great newsletter generator for you to send to clients.)
    Speak at events, conventions, etc. that are related to health and introduce the benefits of massage therapy.
  • Take customer service to the next level.
    Offer your clients more value with exceptional service.
    Promote extras or add-ons like paraffin dip, hot towels, aromatherapy, etc.
    (More ideas in this post on 10 Simple Ways to Wow Your Clients.)
  • Offer unique business hours.Is your competition offering evening or Sunday appointments?  Set yourself apart by offering convenient times that others don't.
  • Make it easy for clients to schedule with you.
    Offer online scheduling, phone, email, text as ways to contact you.
  • Have a web presence.
    A website is a necessity, in my opinion.  Stand out from the crowd by making yours awesome. (Beautiful design, interesting content, search engine optimization, online scheduling, blog.)
    Make sure you're not making any of these common mistakes.
  • Provide a unique specialty.
    Fill a need by offering same-day emergency appointments, or longer-than-usual sessions, or short, effective sessions.
  • Create a "Signature Treatment".
    Combine your two most popular services into one beautiful treatment that no one else offers.
  • Create a niche market.
    Focus on a certain clientele.  Prenatal for pregnant women, Stress-relieving treatments for agonized executives, recovery massage for athletes, etc.

What ways have you set yourself apart from the competition?  How has it helped your business?


Cindy Iwlew is co-founder of Bodywork Buddy Massage Software, a complete online management solution for independent massage therapists that includes online scheduling

She continues to operate her own private massage practice of 13 years, and has been an associate instructor for Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy since 2007.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com







Monday, April 30, 2012

Benefits of Online Scheduling


online scheduling
Visit Bodywork Buddy for a free trial of online scheduling.




As a follow up to this article I wrote for massagemag.com about online scheduling, I'd like to hear about your experiences with this technology.


  • How has it helped your massage business?
  • What other benefits have you noticed with offering this convenience to your clients?
  • What creative ways have you used your online scheduling to generate referrals or gain new clients?
  • What would you tell other therapists who are hesitant to offer their clients online scheduling?
If you don't yet offer online scheduling, I'd love to hear why not and we can discuss those concerns in another post.





Cindy Iwlew is co-founder of Bodywork Buddy Massage Software, a complete online management solution for independent massage therapists that includes online scheduling
She continues to operate her own private massage practice of 13 years, and has been an associate instructor for Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy since 2007.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com

Monday, April 23, 2012

How to Lose Clients and Alienate People

online scheduling
Massage software with online scheduling

Don't you just hate it when your schedule is full of clients and you're in demand?

Here's a quick tutorial on how to thin out your schedule so those pesky clients will leave you alone.


  1. When a client asks for deep tissue. give them reiki.  Or, when they ask for a relaxing Swedish massage, try for "death by effleurage".
  2. Keep your massage room at a refreshing 64 degrees.  (this will feel especially great on bare skin with some cold massage cream.)
  3. Talk non-stop through their massage.  Especially if your client seems to keep their answers short and doesn't engage in conversation - take this as a que to talk more about your life.  Throw in as much drama as you can for entertainment's sake.
  4. Talk about hot-button topics like religion and politics.  (First, feel out the situation and make sure your client has strongly opposing views to your own.)
  5. Notice the non-verbal clues that you are using too much pressure.  Do not adjust your technique.
  6. Gossip about your other clients.
  7. Call up clients and tell them in detail that it's an emergency they make an appointment, because you need some quick cash to bail your boyfriend out of jail.
  8. Constantly reschedule their appointments on a whim.
  9. Take about 3 days to return phone calls and emails.
  10. Enjoy an aromatic lunch right before your client shows up for their massage.  (Think tuna fish, popcorn, fried chicken, etc.)

Hard to believe?  I've actually had all of these things happen to me as a client.  Some were experiences with other personal businesses, not massage - but they did all happen, nonetheless.  

OK, so... *disclaimer alert : I don't actually want you to do these things.  

Oh, and?  Dump that boyfriend.  You deserve better.  Trust me on this one.



Cindy Iwlew is co-founder of Bodywork Buddy Massage Software, a complete online management solution for independent massage therapists that includes online scheduling

She continues to operate her own private massage practice of 13 years, and has been an associate instructor for Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy since 2007.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com

Friday, April 20, 2012

Accepting Credit Cards to Increase Your Massage Business



Are you accepting credit cards in your massage practice yet?  If not, you should be.

There are many benefits to accepting credit cards.  It’s a known fact that people will spend more when they can use credit cards.  There are also several other advantages for your massage business.

I’ve heard many therapists express concern over the fees associated with processing credit cards.  The pros far outweigh the cons, in my opinion.  The processing fees are simply a cost of doing business.  You’re offering your clients a convenience.  Don’t look at the fees as money you’re losing, because you’ll likely reap many other benefits of accepting credit cards - including making more money. 

Consider the gains:

      Improved professional appearance. Accepting credit cards legitimizes you as a professional and helps to build trust.

      Convenience to your clients. It’s important to make it as easy as possible for clients to pay you. They will love the flexibility of being able to pay with credit cards.

      Lower risk (checks can take days to clear - or NOT clear - and the risk is on you.   Credit cards get accepted or declined immediately).

      Higher sales.  Not only will clients get massages more often and likely tip more, but also buy gift certificates, packages, and products.  Credit cards increase impulse purchases.

Also keep in mind that many clients use debit cards for everything.  Just because someone is using a card doesn’t mean they are using credit or spending money they don’t actually have.  (In case this is a concern for some therapists.)

According to Visa, over the past 10 years, people's use of electronic payments like credit cards and debit cards has increased by 400%.

A lot of credit card programs offer cash-back or other incentives for every dollar that a consumer charges to their card.  People who are enrolled in rewards programs will go out of their way to pay by credit card in order to accumulate rewards.

It’s easier than ever to accept credit cards.  With companies like Square and Intuit, you can get setup for free and be ready to swipe cards within a couple of days with nothing more than a smartphone or tablet.

Do you have a concern about accepting credit cards that I didn’t address here?  Leave a comment and we can discuss your concerns in another blog post.

Do you already accept credit cards?  What are other benefits that you’ve noticed in your own massage business?



Cindy Iwlew is co-founder of Bodywork Buddy Massage Software, a complete online management solution for independent massage therapists that includes online scheduling.
She continues to operate her own private massage practice of 13 years, and has been an associate instructor for Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy since 2007. 
www.BodyworkBuddy.com








Friday, April 13, 2012

How to be a Stressed Out Mess at Tax Time


As a follow up to my post yesterday on "Getting Organized for Tax Time", here's a few tips for those of you that prefer to be more "free spirited".


ddpavumba / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
  • Don't use any type of bookkeeping system for your massage business.
  • Randomly scatter any business related receipts throughout your office, home, purse, and car.  Then host an annual "receipt hunt" and invite friends & family to join in.
  • Make business purchases with several different credit cards, debit cards, sometimes with cash, other times checks - including personal checks.  And don't keep track of any of it.
  • Wait until the end of the year to tally up income from massage sessions. Or better yet, wait until April 14th.  Or even better?  Just guestimate your income.
  • Don't keep copies of tax returns from previous years.
  • Don't consult with a professional.  Decide to do this all yourself - even though you're a massage therapist, NOT an accountant.
  • Prioritize.  Facebooking always trumps bookkeeping.  always.
  • Don't make quarterly payments. It's much more exciting to find out that you owe thousands all at once. And if you don't pay? The IRS will threaten to seize your assets.  THIS is how you bring more adventure into your life!


Cindy Iwlew is co-founder of Bodywork Buddy Massage Software, a complete online management solution for independent massage therapists that includes online scheduling. She continues to operate her own private massage practice of 13 years, and has been an associate instructor for Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy since 2007.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com