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

Friday, October 12, 2012

Cool Tool: Replace Your Phone Number With Your Name



freedigitalphotos.net
Sprint just launched a cool service to allow you to replace your phone number with your name.  How great would it be to just tell clients to call **YourMassageBusiness?  Pretty neat!

Have you done this or are you considering doing this?  What do you think?







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.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com  

Monday, October 8, 2012

Series: How To Set Your Massage Referral Program on Fire / Part 10


Last week's referral tip was about troubleshooting.  Now we're to our last post in the series!

Referral Fire Starter Tip #10: What NOT to Do.
We’ve spent some time talking about how to fix some of the things that can go wrong with your referral program; now, let’s discuss some things you’ll want to avoid at all costs. Any one of these pitfalls can sabotage your referral success:
  1. Not following up. We talked earlier about the need to actually do something with the names and numbers you collect. If you don’t use them, it’s the same as sticking quarters in the ground and waiting for them to grow into dollar bills. You need to follow up and connect in some way with these referrals!
  2. Not automating your process. Your referral process should run as smoothly – and as automated – as possible. If you’re collecting referrals electronically, there should be an automatic process for them to get forwarded on to you. Don’t let your referrals get bogged down at any point; a kink in the hose means a kink in your business.
  3. Not keeping it simple. The more complex your process is, the more time and energy it will take to administer it. If you have to choose between keeping it simple or making it really cool, go with simple. Your referral program should be a money maker for you, not a resource swallower.
  4. Not telling people about it. No one is going to go out of their way to take part in a program they don’t know about. Take every opportunity to let people know how they and their friends can benefit from your referral program.
  5. Not paying attention to changes around you. If your client profile is changing, or your market is changing, or the products and services your clients are demanding are changing, you need to be aware of that. Your referral program won’t rescue you from being behind the times in other areas of your business.
  6. Not valuing referrals and treating them like gold. The highest compliment a client can pay you is to refer a friend or family member to you. If they do and that friend has a bad experience, it reflects poorly on them. When someone sends an acquaintance your way, you need to go above and beyond to make sure that referral has a great experience. Not only will that make you look good, it’ll make the original client look good, too.

Conclusion
As you can see, creating a strong referral program isn’t rocket science. In fact, the more simple your program is, the easier it is for you to administer and for your clients to understand.
But don’t be deceived by the simplicity; referrals are the lifeblood of any serious businessperson. Having clients who constantly feed quality leads your way is like having a sales force of hundreds of additional people – without having to pay them a salary or benefits!
Keep the tips and suggestions in this series on-hand to make sure your referral program is as successful as possible. And when in doubt, go for the most simple solution you can design. That approach is sure to keep your program operating smoothly and easily.

Series wrap up:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7

Part 8

Part 9





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.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Series: How to Set Your Massage Referral Program on Fire / Part 9



Last weeks referral tip was about Moving it Forward.  This week, we look at any problems or hiccups in the process and focus on smoothing the system out if needed.

Referral Fire Starter Tip #9: Troubleshooting.
Even the best referral program can run into some issues along the way. Here are some common problems and how to address them:


  1. No one is using the program. If you’re not getting any referrals, you either haven’t created a strong enough rewards program, or people don’t know about it. If you think the issue is with promotions, start mentioning your referral program at every opportunity. Add it to your regular mailing, mention it to all your clients, and consider doing a separate mailing to promote your program.
  2. The referrals you receive aren’t interested. If you’re getting plenty of referrals but they’re not becoming clients, that means you need to increase the quality of the referrals you’re receiving. Make sure you let your clients know you’re rewarding based on qualified leads. You can also ask a qualifying question on the referral form to make sure your clients are thinking in the right direction. A simple question will make your client think twice about writing down anyone and everyone, without regard to whether they fit your ideal customer.
  3. You’re getting too many referrals. This shouldn’t be a problem unless the referrals you’re receiving aren’t qualified. Otherwise, most people wish they could be in your shoes – so overrun with business that you’re wondering how to turn off the flow.
  4. Your program is too expensive. If it seems like you’re spending more money/time on referral rewards than they’re worth, there’s either a problem with your perception, or you’ve stacked the rewards too high. Most business people know how much a new client is worth to them in terms of business over the next year or years. Compare that amount to the amount you’re paying to your referrer. If each new client is worth about $50 in new business over the next year, you don’t want to offer more than that as a referral bonus. If you are offering $100 credit for each new client referred, no wonder it seems expensive – it is! Adjust accordingly.  (If you charge $65/hour, and a new client becomes a regular of once a month - that's $780/year!  So from this valuation, offering a free massage for every 3 clients referred is still a great deal for you!)
  5.  Your program is taking too long to administer. If you’re spending hours each week administering your program, you need to simplify and automate. Create systems to help you track and reward your clients, and streamline your process so it can operate quickly and easily. Cut out extra steps, get rid of things like punch cards and by-hand tracking, and make it all digital if possible. If that is too complex for you, a single index card with names and numbers of referred clients can work, too. Pick something that fits your style and remember that simple is best.

Series wrap-up:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7

Part 8





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.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com

                                                                                          puzzle photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Emergency Fund [Infographic]



A cool little infographic to followup our post a while back: What If You Couldn't Work Tomorrow.
Some great tips on creating an emergency fund!

Have an Emergency Fund



Monday, September 24, 2012

Series: How to Set Your Massage Referral Program on Fire / Part 8


Last week's post was about making it easy for your referrers.

Referral Fire Starter Tip #8: Moving It Forward
You’ve got a stack of names and contact information... now what?  How do you connect with those leads and turn them into clients?  In tip #2, you mapped out your referral program that included a planned process of reaching out to those referrals.
  1. If you're getting addresses for your referrals from clients, mail out a postcard offering a discount or special for them to try out your services.  Be sure to include that their friend thought they'd be interested.
    Don't email.  If you don't already have an established relationship with them and don't have permission to email them - then don't.
  2. If you're not collecting mailing addresses, have referral cards to hand out to your current clients.
  3. Report Back. Your client will likely want to know how it went when you contacted their referral. Drop them a line by email or in the mail that says, “Thanks for referring Joe! We met last week. I truly appreciate your trust in me.” Then you can inform them how they can claim their referral reward. Short and to the point does the trick.

Effective communication at every stage of the process will smooth the way – communication with your new prospect, communication with your staff (if you have staff), and communication with your original client. Letting everyone know what’s going on and why may seem like overkill, but it really makes everyone feel like part of the process.

Series wrap up:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7



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. www.BodyworkBuddy.com

Monday, September 17, 2012

Series: How to Set Your Massage Referral Program on Fire / Part 7


Following up last week's tip of marketing creatively is how to make it easy for clients to refer people to you.

Referral Fire Starter Tip #7: Make It Easy for Referrers

You can have the best referral program with fantastic rewards, but if it’s difficult for clients to use or understand, they won’t use it. Everyone is overwhelmed enough as it is; the last thing they want to do is to have to wade through piles of information or red tape just to send a client or two your way. Here are some tips for keeping your program simple and user-friendly:

  1. Keep the rewards simple. Don’t get too complicated with different levels of rewards or different rewards for different people. Keeping it simple and streamlined will make it easy for your clients to understand, and easy for you to implement.
  2. Don’t give too many choices. More choice is not always a good thing. In fact, surveys show that when people are given more choice, it actually increases their confusion and reduces their satisfaction with their final selection. If you must give choices for redeeming referral rewards, keep it simple. Ask them to choose between two types of the same thing ($20 off a future service or a free upgraded service, for example.)
  3. Confirm when you receive a referral. Let your client know when you receive a referral from them. A quick email reply, “Thank you for trusting us!” is perfect. You can also make a note in the computer if you have a customer management system so the next time you talk to that client you can let them know you appreciate the referral.
  4. Reward promptly. The only thing worse than never receiving the reward you were promised is having to wait months for the reward you were promised. Reward your clients promptly when they’ve earned something from your referral program. Positive reinforcement will increase the likelihood of a repeat performance.
What ways have you made it easy for clients to refer their friends to you?

Series wrap up:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6




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.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com
                                                                 easy/hard photo: freedigitalphotos.net

Friday, September 14, 2012

Cleaning Your Hot Stones


Do you offer hot stone massage?

A blog post a while back from Massage Table Outlet about the most likely places for germs to lurk got me thinking about the importance of keeping massage stones clean and sanitary.  (I was also horrified at the lemon wedges!!)  A quick look on YouTube resulted in tons of great videos on the topic.

Here's a short video with some suggestions.
What have you found to be the best way to clean your stones?








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.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com

Monday, September 10, 2012

Series: How to Set Your Massage Referral Program on Fire / Part 6


Last week's tip in this 10 part series was to gather client testimonials.  Did you get any client testimonials last week?

Referral Fire Starter Tip #6: Market Your Program Creatively


Once you’ve got the outline for a strong referral program in place, you need to start talking it up. If no one knows about it, no one is going to get excited about it. Here are some creative ways to promote your referral program:

  1. Create a section of your website. Even though you are a brick-and-mortar business, websites are great places to send people for more information. Have a section of your website that you can direct clients to, and list all the referral details. Make sure there’s a form right there that they can use to refer friends and family.

  2. Use the back of your business card. The back of your business card is prime real estate. Instead of letting it go to waste, use it to advertise your referral program. You could give details or just include a link to your referral program.
  3. Create “refer-a-friend” cards. In addition to handing out business cards, give your clients refer-a-friend cards. They could say, “Someone really likes you, and thinks you’d like us! Use this card for 20% off your next purchase.” Then have a space for the referring party to include their name so they receive credit for the referral.
  4. Use compelling language. Many cash-based businesses (real estate agents, mortgage brokers, etc.) will include, “I PAY FOR REFERRALS” on their marketing literature. If you don’t want to be that blunt, you could write something like, “Did you enjoy today’s service? Tell a friend and be rewarded. Check out our referral program at www.YOURSITEHERE.com.”
  5. Create a direct mail piece just for referrals. Particularly if you are revamping or launching your referral program, you may want to think about creating a direct mail postcard specifically to promote the program to your existing clients. Highlight how easy it is to participate and the benefit to them – and their friends – if they participate.
  6. Mention the referral program in person. When your clients are scheduling their next massage, remember to mention the program and ask for referrals.
  7. Add it on all marketing materials. This mention can be as simple as a line that says, “Find out how you can earn free massage! Go to www.YOURSITEHERE.com.”
  8. Create schwag. Inexpensive giveaways like pens, mousepads, and notepads are great places to mention your referral program’s URL. These items stay in front of them, and will keep your program top-of-mind. One note: Don’t give away junk! “Inexpensive” does not mean cheap. You’re better off investing a few more dollars in a giveaway people are going to want to use, then handing out junk that ends up in the trash.
Check out the creative ways Nevada School of Massage Therapy/Las Vegas Campus promotes their referral program.  Randi Sepulveda is the artist that draws these awesome gems!


























What creative ways have you marketed your referral program?  What worked well, what didn't?

Series wrap up:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5


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.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com

                                                                                 creative photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Friday, September 7, 2012

4 Ways to Keep Control of Your Website


There's a few important things you need to do when you are creating a website for your massage business.  

Here's some great tips from a freelance web designer.  I've personally seen the "website hostage" situation many times...
Make sure this doesn't happen to you!




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







Online Business: 4 Ways to Keep Control of Your Website

By Nicolette Tallmadge



I get an email from a prospective client as least every month where something went wrong with a past designer and client ended up losing control of their website. Either designer locks the client out from the website, or they threaten to erase the entire website, or they actually follow through and delete the website.
How could something like this happen? Most web designers are trustworthy and ethical, but there are some bad ones out there. If you have someone that's helping you to design or maintain your website, you have to be careful not to give them absolute control over your web presence. Here are some tips on how to keep control of your website:
1. Always purchase your own domain names- Never, ever allow anyone except yourself to purchase the domain name(s) for your website. Some designers will offer to buy the domain for you as a "convenience". Don't let them! It's a simple matter for them to name themselves as the owner of the domain name which will make it impossible for you to do anything with it without going through your designer. That means that if you get into a dispute, then the designer can keep your domain name or refuse to allow you to transfer it over to another web host. You web designer can easily hold your entire website "hostage" this way.
Buying a domain name is not difficult. You can get one in five minutes as long as you have a credit card and can click on some buttons Don't delegate something this important to someone else.
2. Keep track of all your important account information- In most cases, your web designer will need to have access to your web hosting account information that you might need to allow them access to do their jobs. Just like your domain name account, you need to be the primary contact for all of your online accounts. That means if anything goes wrong, the first person these companies will contact will be you...not your designer.
You also need to keep track of passwords, usernames, account numbers and you need to log on to these accounts on a regular basis to make sure that you still have access to them. This will keep your web designer from locking you out of your important accounts in the case of a dispute.
3. Always keep a copy of your website in your possession- Even if you've hired a professional to maintain your website for you, you should always have an up-to-date copy of your website in a place were you can grab it in an emergency like your computer hard drive, a CD, or a thumb drive. This is a good idea in general, but it's also a good way to keep an unscrupulous web designer from blackmailing you by threatening to shut down your website.
Also, if your website also uses a database of any kind...say you're running a Wordpress blog, make sure that you also have recent backups of those as well...especially if these databases contains customer or financial information of any kind.
Ask your hosting tech support to show you how to backup your website and/or databases you might be running on your website and start downloading weekly backups.
4. Don't allow your lack of knowledge get in the way- As a rule, I never register domain names or open hosting accounts for my clients, even if they ask me to. Some of the less technically savvy ones try to get me to do stuff like this for them because they don't want to have to deal with the "technical stuff". But I always warn them that their lack of technical knowledge is the thing that makes them vulnerable to getting ripped-off by someone less than honest.
The bottom line is that if you're going to have a website, there's going to be a certain amount of "technical stuff" that you're going to have to deal with. It comes with the territory. The more knowledgeable you are, the less likely you're going to be taken by an unscrupulous web designer. Every small business owner who owns a website should know how to buy their own domain names, open up a web hosting account, open up accounts at YouTube, Facebook, etc, and how to make regular backups of their website. If you know how to do these things...you won't find yourself in the position of the poor souls I talked to every month.

Need more information on websites, web design, and how to avoid the pitfalls in building and managing your own website? Download a FREE report, "10 Website Mistakes to Avoid" to learn what you need to know to build and run a successful website. Visit Nikolena Designs to get more information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicolette_Tallmadge


http://EzineArticles.com/?Online-Business:-4-Ways-to-Keep-Control-of-Your-Website&id=5199205



Photo: freedigitalphotos.net




Monday, September 3, 2012

Series: How To Set Your Massage Referral Program On Fire / Part 5



Last week's tip to set your referral program on fire was to give great service.  That brings us to #5 in this 10 part series.

Referral Fire Starter Tip #5: Gather Client Testimonials
One of the most powerful tools you can have at your disposal when working to gather referrals is client testimonials.  Last week I wrote about easy ways to get testimonials from clients, but this post is more about why you should be using testimonials.  Testimonials from satisfied clients work in a few different ways to strengthen your referral program:

  1. They make the existing client more committed to you. If their name and/or face has appeared on your website, in a direct mailing piece, or in a newsletter, they are going to be much more invested in your success. They’ll want you to succeed and be willing to help make sure that happens by referring friends, family members, and acquaintances to you.
  2. They hold more weight with referrals. When a potential client sees a whole page full of quotes and testimonials from existing clients, it further cements the idea that you’re someone they want to do business with.
  3. They help with “cold” leads, too. The next best thing to a direct referral is a “cold” lead who sees page after page of satisfied, smiling clients. Why do you think so many plastic surgeons and weight-loss experts use before-and-after photos? THEY WORK!

Gathering client testimonials can be a little bit daunting, unless you know exactly what you’re looking for, and in what format. Here are some tips:
  • For websites, video testimonials are great, but not necessary. A text quote is fine, and as many people are hesitant about appearing on-camera, they’re often much easier to get from your clients.
  • If you use online scheduling, many of these services include collecting reviews or testimonials from your clients.  It doesn't get any simpler than this!
  • If you don't use online scheduling, make it easy for clients to give you a testimonial by having a questionnaire for them to fill out. The better sense they have of what you need, the better they’ll deliver.  Create a simple questionnaire with questions like: "how do you feel when you need a massage?"; "how do you feel after a massage?"; "what do you like most about Cindy's massages?"; "would you refer a friend to Cindy? Why or why not?".  Remove the questions, string the answers together in to a paragraph - and there you have a testimonial.
  • Make it a habit to ask for testimonials. Once someone refers a few client your way, follow up. Say, “You seem to really like our services – and we love you! Would you be willing to record (or write) a short testimonial we can use in our marketing materials?”
  • Edit judiciously. Some people will go on and on. It’s great that they’re so excited, but the reader or viewer just wants the main points. Cut where necessary.
  • Reward them for helping you out. If you’re using their image and/or words to get more business, they should be rewarded for doing so. But don’t make it a straight, “Give me a testimonial and I’ll give you a free treatment;” that could be seen as bribery. Instead, send them a small thank-you well after the fact, or put them in a drawing to win a larger item.

Testimonials are a great addition to any marketing program, and will make your current referral program even stronger.

Exercise for this week: gather at least 2 testimonials from clients!

Series wrap up:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4




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.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com

Friday, August 31, 2012

Client Acquisition [Infographic]


As a follow-up to this recent business tip article on massagemag.com, here's a nice little infographic to illustrate just why an existing client is easier to reactivate than acquiring a new client.

According to this, it's 6 to 7 times more costly to acquire a new client than to retain an existing one!

What do you think?  How much focus do you put on retaining clients versus gaining new clients?










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.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com



Monday, August 27, 2012

Series: How To Set Your Massage Referral Program On Fire / Part 4



In last Monday's post, we discussed tip #3 of rewarding the referrer.  So moving right along in our series...

Referral Fire Starter Tip #4: Give Great Service
It almost goes without saying – but I’m going to say it anyway. The number-one way to ensure quality referrals is to give great service in the first place. The happier your clients are, the more likely they’ll be to refer their friends and colleagues in your direction. Here are some past posts for some ideas on making sure your current clients are as pleased as possible:

When you implement these ideas, you’ll see your client satisfaction and natural referrals increase. And when you combine great customer service with some of the other tips in this series, you’ll really experience the snowball effect that will lead only one place – to more clients and more money. 

  1. Provide an easy way for clients to schedule an appointment with you. Whether it’s a phone number or an email address, have your contact information and make it easy to find on your website. You DO have a website, right?  Offering online scheduling is an awesome convenience to your clients that will help set you apart and stand out in their minds.
  2. Set expectations. If you’re a solo therapist and only check email between 9-10 AM, you need to let your clients know that you won’t be on call 24/7. Likewise, if you only answer your phone at certain times, letting clients know beforehand will head off any concerns about non-responsiveness. You can post your “office hours” on your website, or create an outgoing message or autoresponder that lets people know when to expect a response from you (a word of warning: In today’s “microwave” world, anything more than 24 hours is considered long).
  3. Underpromise and overdeliver.  Underpromising and overdelivering is a quick path to clients’ hearts.  
  4. Take the extra step. Do whatever it takes to make the client happy – then go one more step.  Provide exemplary service and find ways to thrill your clients. They’ll pay back your efforts in loyalty – and referrals!
What ways do you provide great service to your clients?

Series wrap up:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3




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.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com

                                                                                            freedigitalphotos.net

Friday, August 24, 2012

How Effective Are Groupon Promotions? [Infographic]


The great Groupon debate continues!  I've seen many threads on Facebook discussing the pros & cons of daily deals for massage businesses.
Here's a cool infographic on some of the facts of Groupon:


How Effective are Groupon Promotions



Have you ran a Groupon?  What was your experience with it?  Would you recommend it to other MT's?








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.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com



Monday, August 20, 2012

Series: How To Set Your Massage Referral Program On Fire / Part 3



Last week, I covered tip #2 of setting up a successful process to set your referral program on fire.  Now that you've got a process implemented, (you do have a process implemented, right?) let's move on to #3 in the series.

Referral Fire Starter Tip #3: Reward the Referrer

Many people will come up with a name or two if you ask them for friends or acquaintances who might be interested in your services. But promise them a reward of some sort, and they’ll suddenly think of long-lost aunts and former roommates who are in the market for someone just like you.
Before you sign away your hard-won profits, though, read these five tips for creating a great referral rewards program:
  1. Reward based on QUALIFIED referrals. What’s worse than having no referrals at all? Having a notebook full of unqualified leads.  One mistake I had made when I first started my referral program: I didn't put any stipulations on gift cards.  (The thought hadn't even crossed my mind). That is, until I had a client buy several gift cards for friends, and then expect a free massage for referring those people.  (Before the referrals even came in to redeem their gift cards.)  While you may be thinking, "hey! you still got paid for those gift cards, so what's the harm?".  Well, the whole point of my referral program was to get new clients.  (As we all know, not all gift cards get redeemed!).  So while I may have made a quick buck selling those gift cards, that situation didn't accomplish my goal and therefore didn't warrant rewarding the client.

  2. Reward related items. Offering a free oil change for anyone who sends five new clients to your massage therapy business? Umm, no.  (This one is probably a no-brainer.)  Make the reward fit your business model for continuity and branding; it’s just one more way to make your image stronger.

  3. Reward quickly. Waiting a few months or even weeks can delay the action-reward cycle. When people are rewarded quickly, they are more likely to repeat the behavior so they can get rewarded again.

  4. Reward intermittently, too. While it’s important to have a set reward schedule (for instance, $20 credit for each new client who schedules a session with you), it can be powerful to send “surprise” rewards as well. Once a quarter or so, send a thank-you email, coupon, or small gift as an additional thanks. These small surprises solidify your program in your clients’ minds.

  5. Reward the referred party as well as the referrer. While it’s great to reward the client who refers new people to you, it’s equally important to reward the new client. Regulars will be much more likely to tell their friends about you if there’s something in it for the referral as well. You can offer $10 off for the new client as well as for the referrer. Then it’s a win-win-win for you, your current and your future clients. 
Do you already reward your clients for referrals?  What reward has worked well for your business?

Don't forget to check in next Monday for tip #4.




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.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com

                                                                       Incentive photo:   freedigitalphotos.net