Let’s Talk about Packages!

So 2018 is coming up and your business goal is to get your current clients to return. One of the common practices for solo massage therapist is to sell packages. This is absolutely a great way to get your clients to return… but it is also a great way to lose a lot of money, cause a bookkeeping nightmare, or make yourself feel burned out on giving out ‘free - but not free’ services. 

The down side of packages for the solo MT is the bookkeeping part of the situation. You are paid a lump sum at the beginning, and then people use the sessions over time. Sounds awesome to get a $500 payment all at once… until it’s a year later and your seeing that client with no income for that session. However, there are ways to make it work!

A couple years ago I changed my package policies to make it work for me AND my clients. These new policies, along with a few simple changes made it so last June I was scheduled out 4 months and was not able to accept new clients.   

Before I tell you what I did, I understand that these may or may not work for everyone. One thing that I’ve learned in running a business for 14 years is that even though GURUs have 365 ways for you to make money… if it doesn’t fit your personality, you won’t do it or be successful at doing it. Pick one or two of these tips and see how they work for you!

Here is what I did:

1. Raised my prices - What? What does that have to do with packages? The golden rule for price setting is to figure out your bare minimum you need per session to cover rent and other overhead costs and then add a bit more to give you a cushion. Well, if your base price is set at that minimum, then your packages are going to slowly eat away at your profits. Set your package per session price to be that minimum and your regular session price higher. You’re always covered this way and your clients have more incentive for purchasing packages.
   
   
2. STOPPED giving FREE massages - The package concept is that you pre-pay for a certain amount of sessions at a discounted rate. Some where, somehow, someone said that it had to be Buy 4, Get 1 Free. WRONG. I convinced myself that it was only 20% off each session. But really I was giving away HUNDREDS of dollars of services each year! I gave away enough massages that I could have bought a new Hot Towel Cabi, or taken a day off when I was feeling sick. Instead, I reduced the cost by an amount that still meant it was only a small amount off each massage AND it still met my base price requirements. My current packages are $30 off a package of 6. $5 off is still more than $0 off.
   
   
3. I made limited availability packages - I knew that my standard package of 6 massages was sometimes out of my clients price range, so at different holiday times of the year, or anytime i felt like it, I would sell a package of 3 for only 2-4 weeks. These packages gave more of my clients opportunity to try regularly scheduled massages. I also sell a yearly package ONLY in December and January. This helps with bookkeeping, and also exclusivity.
   
   
4. I allow sharing - I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of husband and wife clients. I absolutely let them share a package. I do have rules. They have to tell me when they buy the package who is sharing it, or if they are giving a session to a friend/child, they have to tell me exactly who is using it before they come in. I’ve sold more packages to people who think they are going to share it, and then use them all themselves!
   
   
5. I developed a tracking system - I’ve had a package tracking system since before I had online scheduling, so I have my old school paper tracking method. But Bodywork Buddy has a system built in! This is great for keep track of how many are left in a package. I learned early on, that it’s up to you (NOT THE CLIENT) to keep track of this stuff!
   
   
6. BONUS - Keep a separate account To be honest, this next one I’m not so great at. I did set up a separate account for gift certificates and packages to withdraw from as the sessions are used. Most of the time I’m pretty good at using it correctly, but then things like estimated tax payments and sales tax comes due. This is definitely something that is on my goal list, but I wanted to included it because it is something that would help that feeling of giving a “free - but not really free” service go away!

This is what worked for me, and I hope that it will help you plan for your business next year. Remember, think about what your money needs to do for you in the short AND long term. Calculate the cost of your discounts to put it perspective, and then adjust as necessary. You can give your clients a gift of a discount, without hurting your practice! Happy New Year! 

Erin Howk Bennett, BCTMB

Are You a Victim of Your Own Email Practices?

You may be hurting your email marketing and not even realizing it. Email marketing services such as Mailchimp and Constant Contact rate and measure your email list by how many opens, unsubscribes, and spam reports you get. Anti-spam laws require that you have the ability to unsubscribe from your emails, and also that people on your list have opted in or asked to receive your emails.

If you're not doing those 2 things, you're actually not in compliance with the law. For an industry that seems so concerned about HIPAA laws (when in most cases MT's are not even considered a covered entity for that law, but that's a whole 'nother post...) it's kind of ironic that massage therapists don't seem to worry at all if they're complying with email laws.

Many massage therapists are unknowingly hurting the health of their email marketing list by doing this 1 thing:

Adding every contact from their address book to receive their marketing emails.

I know this is happening, because I receive several emails a week from therapists I've never met.

For lists I've never opted in for.

Often times from therapists who live states away from me.

I'm in their email contacts because they've used Bodywork Buddy in the past or currently, and they've just added all of their contacts to their email marketing list. Now, while I don't necessarily mind getting these emails, because I like to see how therapists are marketing themselves .... some other people are probably not going to be so understanding.

So first of all, why would you want to market yourself to someone who doesn't even live in your state? That person is likely never going to use your services.

Maybe you're thinking: What's the harm? It's easier to just import every contact than to build a list with an opt-in or to sort out who in your contacts are actual clients.

But if people aren't opening your emails, or are unsubscribing, or worse: reporting your emails as spam - it is going to hurt your email deliverability overall. Meaning that it could ultimately negatively affect the likelihood of your legitimate clients receiving your emails.

So - if you're wanting to have awesome email marketing that results in clients scheduling appointments - clean up your list to include only people who have opted in to hear from you. Do yourself a favor and:

• Add an email opt-in to your website. 

• Add an opt-in to your health history/intake form. 

• Ask them at their appointments to opt-in. 

Anything!

Just don't randomly add every person you've ever emailed to your list to do a blanket email for your services.

Just.
Don't.


If you read my posts, you know that I don't blog just to rant about things. I'm writing about this because I want you to be successful! <3 Ok and maybe to rant a little bit...

Cindy Iwlew is a licensed massage therapist who has had a private practice since 1999 and cofounder of Bodywork Buddy massage software.

Using Add-ons to Boost Your Income

Do you offer add-on services for an up charge? While it can be a great way to increase your income, some add-ons require more equipment, training, a wet room, etc. Which add-ons are going to be a good fit for your business?

Here's a breakdown of some add-on ideas:

~Requires little or no equipment 

or additional training~

• dry brushing
• reflexology 
• scalp massage with essential oils for hair loss, dry scalp, etc.
• sinus drainage
• aromatherapy 
• 15 minute nap time post treatment / charge per minute
• timed meditation then send cd home with client
• belly massage
• pre-treatment unwind: cup of hot tea, herbal pillow on shoulders, meditation in private room
• mother earth pillows (microwave or hot towel cabi required)
• reiki

~Requires some equipment or training~

• foot soak 
• hot towels on feet, hands, or face
• steam treatment
• cupping
• Facial cupping / sinus drainage
• hot/cold stones
• parafin dip
• foot or back scrub (check state laws, some require esthetician license)
• aromatherapy (specific technique like raindrop or aromatouch)
• warm bamboo
• Salt stones

~Requires the most equipment or 

additional training~

• shirodhara
• bellanina facelift massage
• mother earth pillows (offer entire technique)
• table thai or barefoot ROM 15 min add-on
• belly massage (go all out and learn visceral manipulation or Mayan abdominal massage)
• infrared for pain relief

Rather than just offer stand-alone add-ons, you could combine some for specific treatments such as:

• Immunity Booster - dry brushing, lymphatic massage with onguard essential oil, facial drainage
  
• Sinus Relief - facial drainage/cupping, breathe essential oil, cold stone facial massage
  
• Weekend Warrior - deep tissue massage with table thai add on and deep blue oil/rub 

Get creative! What are some awesome combos you've come up with?

It's easy to create specific services with your add-on services in your Bodywork Buddy microsite for online scheduling.

For example, under the relaxation massage service group, there can be:

• 90 min massage + steam add-on
• 90 min massage
• 60 min massage + steam add-on
• 60 min massage
• 30 min massage + steam add-on
• 30 min massage

What add-ons have been a hit in your massage practice? Share in the comments or join the discussion over in the Bodywork Buddies Facebook Group. (Must have registered for a free trial of Bodywork Buddy to join the group.)

Cindy Iwlew is a licensed massage therapist who has had a private practice since 1999 and cofounder of Bodywork Buddy massage software.

3 Things Massage School Didn't Teach You About the Business of Massage and Why {Guest Post by Hillary Arrieta, LMT}

Owning a massage business is hard. There are many moving parts and massage school didn't cover any of them. It's true that massage training did not prepare us for all of the difficulties we come across on a daily basis. 

As a massage educator, I've heard the complaints for years. "Why didn't we learn this in massage school?" Or "my school didn't prepare me for this." It can be a sobering reality to find out that once you're out of school and in "the real world" you will need ADDITIONAL information, training, and resources to make it in this profession. 

Whether you choose to become an independent small business, buy a franchise, or work for someone else, you'll probably need more training every year just to stay up to date on your education. You'll need even more education to master your craft as a business owner. 

I've compiled a short list of things massage training didn't teach you about the business of massage and why, along with helpful resources to get you pointed in the right direction. 

1. How to do taxes, file a business structure, and manage finances. 

Massage therapy training is just that. We train you to be thoughtful, skilled massage therapists; not bookkeepers, business lawyers, or accountants. These are special skills all on their own and you'll need to build a team of qualified professionals in these fields to help you. People in these professions have degrees and have gone to college for many years to know what they know. Obviously, teaching you this in massage school is impossible and totally inappropriate. All small businesses work with pros to make things run smoothly in their businesses and so will you. Get some good referrals from trusted friends and start building your team. 

Which brings me to number two:

2. How to be a small business owner. 

Massage school isn't business school (duh!). That's okay because there are many resources out there to help you learn this new set of skills. Some of my favorites are SCORE.org which is a mentoring group of retired business owners who volunteer their time and skills to help small business owners thrive. How awesome is that? 

Chances are good that you have a group near you. They also host frequent business oriented workshops. 

I also got a lot out of web marketing classes online. I always recommend Marie Forleo's programs and all her free content on YouTube. She gives solid, classy advice and has some great suggestions that have really helped me in running my practice. I also highly suggest The Right-Brained Business Plan by Jennifer Lee. She really helped me put together a beautiful plan that was both creative and practical. 

3. How to be a good manager. 

Being a good manager of time, people, and tasks are really important skills in the business of massage. We have to manage our clients, our session times, and all of the endless "to do's" while running our massage businesses. This can be overwhelming. Add in a few employees and that can be even more overwhelming. 

Massage school doesn't carve out time in the already jam packed curriculum to prepare you for this. The hard truth of the matter is that not everyone is cut out for this part of owning a practice. 

Once you've discovered that your personal constitution is hardy enough to take on this level of business ownership, it's time to dig deeply into self-awareness and self-development (Yikes!). Finding a mentor or emulating a leader that you admire can be a great way to learn.

Resources:

Now Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham, and Donald O. Clifton.

The Right-Brain Business Plan by Jennifer Lee

MarieForleo.com

Score.org

About the author:

Hillary Arrieta is a massage therapist and massage educator in the Dallas, Texas area. She owns The Heeling Hut and specializes in barefoot massage. You can find out more at The Heeling Hut.

Need help with your massage marketing content? Check out Bodywork Media.

Are Draining Clients Holding You Back?

You know those clients that seem to suck your energy and leave you feeling drained after working with or dealing with them in any way? It may be difficult to pin down why exactly they drain your energy, or what to do about it.

I’ve found a couple of interesting articles that tackle this topic. While these aren’t specific to the massage and bodywork industry, it’s easy to see how they apply.

Nailing down your ideal client

Marie Forleo suggests preventing draining clients by knowing who your ideal client is.

Make a top ten list of attributes your ideal client would have, and use this as a filter before you take on new clients.

Consider this list when you start any new massage marketing - is the advertising you’re doing going to get you more of these kinds of clients?

Here’s what I would put on my top ten list:  

1. They respect my time as much as theirs.
   Meaning: they show up on time and expect to end on time.
   
2. They schedule their appointments out in advance and don’t expect last minute appointments.
   
3. They’ve made massage therapy a consistent part of their self care regimen.
   
4. They do not consistently cancel and reschedule.
   
5. They can afford my services.
   
6. They are not deal-seekers.
   
7. They don’t expect me to “fix” them.
   
8. They schedule online or in person at their appointment.
   
9. If they cancel with less than 24 hours notice or no show, they happily pay the cancellation fee.
   
10. They do not try and direct my work or the session.

What attributes do you want most in your ideal client? Think of your favorite clients who you love working with. What qualities stand out the most to you? Now think of those draining clients… What about them gets under your skin?

At first, it seemed hard to come up with ten, but after thinking about that a little bit the ball starting rolling and I felt like I could go on!

6 types of clients who aren't worth the money

Christine Kane cuts right to the chase with some tough love: “You get what you tolerate.”

If you allow a client’s bad behavior, it’s only going to continue. Maybe until you get to your breaking point, and then it may be too late to salvage the therapeutic relationship.

I once allowed a client’s chronic lateness without putting my foot down because I liked her as a person. By the time I did something about it, I was so irritated that I didn’t want to continue to work with her even if she corrected the behavior.

Christine lists 6 types of clients who aren’t worth the money:

1. The one who needs convincing.
2. The one who collapses. “the one who constantly collapses is committed to a pattern of helplessness.  She begins to reveal that she has no interest in turning this pattern around. She is a damsel – and she wants you to be her knight in shining armor.   Fix me, I am helpless.” Wow, I know I’ve had a few of those clients!
3. The one who doesn’t want what you offer.
4. The one who argues your pricing.
5. The one who forgets you have a life. Boundary pushers, oy. “Remember:  You teach people how to treat you.  It’s not their responsibility. It’s yours.” ^ So much yes, Christine!
6. The one who doesn’t do the work.

An ounce of prevention

Coaches Getting Clients starts right out with what should now be a familiar theme here: Work with ideal clients!

But some other gems this article offers are:

2) Be clear on your boundaries
3) Improve your awareness.
4) Show up energized & healthy
5) Change Your Business Model
(are packages draining because you know you’re not getting paid at the time of service or you’re thinking about the discount they’re receiving on your awesome service? Maybe it’s time to retire those packages if they aren’t bringing you joy at every step of the way.)

Let go of clients who drain you

Thrive Academy lists these 3:

1. Overgiving. “Charging too little or giving too much of your time, almost always leads to feelings of being drained.”
2. Not speaking your truth.  “Those things that you wish you could say to your client (but it might be rude or disrespectful, and after all, they're paying you lots of money...) Those are the things you need to say!!! Just begin your bold statement with a large dose of acknowledgment, compassion and gentleness. It's nearly impossible to boldly speak your truth and get drained at the same time.” I think this especially applies to enforcing our policies and establishing boundaries with draining clients. We’re sometimes afraid to speak our truth because this client is giving us money! We tolerate their bad behavior because we don’t want to lose their business… but how much time, energy, joy, and space for good clients will we free up by speaking our truth, even if it means losing this draining client?
3. Getting attached to your clients getting results. “Your clients' results do NOT determine your goodness or worthiness. You can be amazing, even if your client didn't get results. And you can be terrible and still have clients get results.”

Wow, I can definitely see a lot of us LMT’s having a tendency to these three. (Myself included.)

Sometimes it can be hard to correct course after you’ve been tolerating these behaviors from clients, but it’ll be so worth it. (More posts to come with some suggestions on how to do just that.)

So, do you have some things in mind for your top ten ideal client qualities? Comment your list here or hop on over to the Bodywork Buddies Facebook Group and join the discussion! *Not in our group yet? You can join after you’ve registered for the free trial within Bodywork Buddy. Paying subscription not required, just as long as you’ve registered for the trial.*

Cindy Iwlew is a licensed massage therapist who has had a private practice since 1999 and cofounder of Bodywork Buddy massage software.