How Client Importing With Bodywork Buddy Will Ease Your Stress

How's your 2013 shaping up so far? We're discovering that a lot of therapists find January to be the perfect time to get started using Bodywork Buddy. (Although, any time is a great time to get more organized, right?)

If you've been thinking of making the switch, but are dreading inputting all of your clients into the system - you're in luck. Bodywork Buddy has always had the ability to import contacts via v-card, but now we have the added ability to do contact imports for you.  No need to convert the files to v-card.


Simply contact us, send your file and let us know what scheduler you're coming from, and we will do the import for you. Simple as that. Bodywork Buddy is excited to offer this free service to our members.



Tweetable: Any time is a great time to get more organized, right?

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


Export pic: freedigitalphotos.net

The Best Thing I Ever Did For My Massage Business

One of the best ideas I ever implemented for my massage business was a referral program.

I offered a "refer 3 friends, get a free massage" program. I put a sign up in my massage room, as well as placed around my studio. Signs like "want a free massage? Ask me how!"

I was amazed at the response. I got a lot of new clients from this program. But actually ended up giving away only a handful of massages. Very few times did 3 new people come from 1 client.

FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I definitely recommend having an organized way of tracking your referrals. It can be as simple as index cards in a recipe box. Have a card for each client who has referred to you, and list the clients they have referred. After 3 (or however many you decide to make it) - offer them their free massage and mark it on their card when they received that massage.

*Shameless Plug: if you use Bodywork Buddy, there's a referral tracking feature built in. When a new client comes in, you can record who referred them. Then look up a client file at any time to see how many people they have referred.

Do you have a referral program? How has it helped your 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.  www.BodyworkBuddy.com

Sheet Folding Trick

Great video from Massage Nerd and Massage Warehouse on how to fold a sheet set perfect for mobile therapists to take on the go!  Thanks to LizMarie for demonstrating for us.

I seem to be fitted-sheet-folding impaired... so I found this video extremely helpful and wanted to share.
Have you tried this, or do you have your own secrets for folding fitted sheets?  Or are you like me, and tend to avoid fitted sheets like the plague so you don't have to fold them? ;-)

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

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