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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.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Overcoming Trolls



I have my fair share of stories to tell of dealing with trolls on social media. I think what made it difficult for me was to have it coming from people I considered to be colleagues - other massage therapists. While this blog and our social media accounts are for the massage software company I co-own with my husband, I am a massage therapist and felt that this was my tribe.


Unfortunately, I don't think there really is a "right" way to deal with trolls. But Michelle of New Yew has some great tips on how to step back, breathe, and simply put: don't feed the trolls. Thanks for the post, Michelle! I love that you shared and walked us through all the emotions you felt in dealing with this.

I did a quick google search on this topic to get some varying opinions on how to best deal with trolls. I love this excerpt from a blog post written by 99u.com quoting James Altucher. (I happen to adore James Altucher!)

An interesting thing to consider: that 30% will love it, 30% will hate it, and 30% won't care.

The 30 percent rule 
In James Altucher’s book, Choose Yourself, he shares a story about responding to critics that wondered why he always used half-naked women for his blog post photos. The woman in the picture responded to the post, sharing her story and insight. Altucher said, “I’ve seen it in action repeatedly: no matter who you are, no matter what you do, no matter who your audience is: 30 percent will love it, 30 percent will hate it, and 30 percent won’t care. Stick with the people who love you and don’t spend a single second on the rest. Life will be better that way.” File those trolls under the proper 30 percent and move on.  
Read the full article here


In internet trolls and all things in life, I think this sums it up:
Stick with the people who love you and don’t spend a single second on the rest. 

Friday, June 5, 2015

Bodywork Buddy Spotlight: Hillary Arrieta

Today's member spotlight is Hillary Arrieta. You may recognize her name as our frequent guest blogger here at Bodywork Buddy! Hillary owns Gaia Bodywork in Richardson, Texas.



Q: What inspired you to be a massage therapist?

A: Massage therapy came to me in at a time where I really needed some nurturing care myself. It was perfect timing, really. I was just out of high school, stressed, anxious, and searching for my "thing".
I got a job at the front desk of a spa and was introduced to massage. I loved the holistic approach and knew it would be a perfect fit.



Q: How long have you been doing massage? 

A: I am working in to my 11th year as a massage therapist.


Q: What is your favorite thing about being an MT?

A: My favorite thing about being a massage therapist is always learning new things to improve. Learning new techniques and also how to build my practice.
There's always more to know.




Q: What do you feel is the most challenging issue for massage therapists?

A: The most challenging issue in my opinion is getting in to private practice. 
It's a leap that I would encourage everyone to take but it's challenging because there is additional learning that needs to happen in order to be a success. 
You can be the best massage therapist technique wise, but if you don't learn to be a business person as well, things can be overwhelming.



Q: What advice would you give to other MT’s to help build their business?

A: I would advise therapists to invest in their business training just like they invested in their massage therapy training.
There are lots of good online programs as well as in person programs out there. Check out free resources for small businesses and read books on ethics. Find a mentor and be open to receiving help.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Announcing Bodywork Buddy Referral Rewards


BODYWORK BUDDY REFERRAL PROGRAM

Earn sweet discounts for referring new members to Bodywork Buddy! Here’s the scoop.
Bodywork Buddy members have consistently been the best source for finding fantastic new members for the community. We want to continue encouraging you to make more referrals, and now we’re going to reward you for it.

HOW IT WORKS

Each time you refer a new member to Bodywork Buddy, you’ll earn 10% off your Bodywork Buddy membership, for life!

Refer 1 new member and get a 10% discount. Refer 5 members and get a 50% discount. Refer 10 members and get free Bodywork Buddy for life!

Note: each referral must reach at least $35 in billings before your discount will be applied.
See full program details.


You have a referral details section within your Bodywork Buddy account. From there, you’ll find your unique referral link and reporting on your referrals and commissions.
Participation is simple. Just copy your referral link from your referral reporting page, and share it with people you think would love to simplify their massage business with Bodywork Buddy. We've made it easy with invitations you can email to your friends, and even Bodywork Buddy badges you can add to your website that connect right to your referral link for easy tracking.


BodyworkBuddy


At the bottom of your referrals page within Bodywork Buddy, you can generate a report by the month to see how many friends have signed up through your link and how many BWB rewards you're earning toward a free subscription!




Wednesday, May 13, 2015

What Makes a Successful Massage Therapist?


Guest Blog Post by Hillary Arrieta LMT

What makes a successful massage therapist? What does success mean to you in regards to your professional life? I asked myself these questions when I began building my practice. It took me a while to come up with a good formula but I think I'm getting closer to nailing it down.

For me, success meant that I was giving the best service I could give, every time I touched a client. It also meant that I was as busy as I wanted to be and that I was also making a living wage.
All of these things have come true for me over the last four years since I started out on my self employment journey!

When I looked around at other successful massage therapists and heart-centered business owners, I saw certain characteristics that they had in common. Here's my short list of a few traits that help make a massage therapist successful in my eyes.

1. They have a positive attitude.
Above all else, staying positive and centered is one of the key ways to become successful. Being in business is hard. There will be days that will test you so having a positive attitude is important. Knowing when to go with the flow and when/how to make changes for the better can help you evolve as a therapist.

2. They give five star customer service.
Your clients deserve the best customer service. This right here can make or break your practice.  I was just reading an article about how more and more Americans are feeling disenfranchised by large corporations who don't care about their customers. When you take the time to care about your clients, they really notice.

Most people need to feel heard and valued. Making a policy agreement is a really smart way to serve your clients. When you lay out a specific process on how your business is managed and you share it with your clients, it establishes clear boundaries. No one feels unsure of things because everything has been presented and agreed upon. You become more confident in following through on business matters, as well.  Also, being organized can help establish trust and allow clients to really relax into their massage, getting the full benefits for your work.

3. They add value to their services.
Just giving someone a bare bones massage is not going to cut it these days. What else can you add to your sessions that adds value? You want to make your clients feel like they are getting a one of a kind service that they can't get anywhere else.

What can you add to put a special mark on your sessions? Hot towels, a unique modality,  a cozy table - these are all suggestions but be creative. Massage is a sensory experience. Even if you're doing a clinical style, you will need to make sure your clients enjoy their time working with you. Take time to assess the environment that you work in and make some changes that are more conducive to your clients ideal experience.

4. They stay aware of the trends and changes in the profession.
The massage industry is always changing. Staying active and up to date on research and changes in the state laws as well as changes in licensing requirements helps you stay relevant. If you're still repeating the same things that you were taught 20 years ago in massage school, chances are that those things are no longer true.

5. They promote and market their practice.
Learning marketing skills is very important for any business to thrive.  Knowing who you serve, attaining new clients that fit in that demographic, and cultivating loyalty from current clients should be a top priority. In the age of information and technology, we have so much right at our fingertips!

There are online business schools and programs geared towards people who have special skills, but may not be business oriented. Pencil in time each week to look at the health of your business and make a list of things you need to do or learn in order to get your practice to where you want it to be. Then seek out that information and implement it ASAP.

6. They keep track of time, money, and set goals.
This is a big part of a successful massage practice. One of my business mentors says that if you're not getting paid, you have a hobby not a business. This is very true. Time is money for us. Don't give away your time. It sends the message that your time isn't valuable and that you also think that your clients time isn't valuable either. Going over on an appointment can make them late for other obligations, which creates more feelings of stress instead of relaxation and well-being.

Also, Knowing where the money is coming from will help you identify what works in your practice. On the flip side, seeing where money is not flowing in to your practice can help you make strategic decisions on what needs to change or be cut out. This can ultimately help you make goals that keep your practice evolving and moving forward for years to come.


What traits make a successful massage therapist in your eyes?
Share in the comments!
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Hi! I’m Hillary Arrieta and I help people improve their lives by offering holistic solutions to ease stress, eliminate pain, and inspire self care practices.

I own Gaia Bodywork in Richardson, TX. and specialize in unique and effective massage and meditation techniques such as Barefoot Bar Therapy and iRest® Yoga Nidra.


Gaia Bodywork PLLC offers the Best Massage in Richardson, Texas for pain and stress management.



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Saturday, May 9, 2015

*NEW FEATURE* Add Custom Text to Client Emails


We've just added a new feature to Bodywork Buddy this weekend. Based on some feedback from our members in a recent survey, one of the top rated feature requests was the ability to customize the email reminders. While we have more customizations planned in the future, we have now implemented the ability to add your own text to both the confirmation and reminder emails to clients. (It's already possible to add your own text in decline and cancel appointment emails.)

Now you can include any notes or special instructions to your clients in your emails.



To add custom text to your emails, from your Bodywork Buddy dashboard > account > email services > scroll to the bottom of the "email settings" section > enter text and save.









Here's how it will look in your emails to clients (colors and images will vary depending on which email template you have chosen in your settings).



Sunday, May 3, 2015

Member Spotlight: Amanda Mitchell


Today's member spotlight is Amanda Mitchell, owner of Soothing Palms Massage in Wautoma, Wisconsin.









Q: What inspired you to be a massage therapist?

A: What inspired me to be a massage therapist was my passion for helping people, and after receiving my first massage in 2007. I knew I wanted to get into a career that was not stressful, something that I could use to help people, and make them feel good!



Q: How long have you been doing massage?

A: I've been a massage therapist for over 5 years.


Q: What is your favorite thing about being an MT?

A: My favorite thing is seeing physical change in a client's muscles, oftentimes after they have exhausted every other avenue to help themselves heal; and seeing a skeptical first timer turn into a regular client! :)


Q: What do you feel is the most challenging issue for massage therapists?

A: The biggest challenge is getting people to know you exist.  It has taken me years to get my name out to just the county I live in. People are finally starting to say "Oh I've heard about you, so and so told me they had a great massage from you".


Q: What advice would you give to other MT’s to help build their business?

A: My advice to help build business is don't say no to a new opportunity and get your business online if you aren't already. My number one way to get people to come to you and know you are there to help, is to get out in front of an audience - in my case vendor expo's. Give them a chair massage and offer a special to entice them to book a full appointment with you. This has been working for me for 2 years now.



Saturday, April 25, 2015

Cool Tool: White Noise Machine


I relocated my massage studio about 5 months ago. (Yes, I still practice massage therapy and continue to work with my clients of 10+ years!) The new space had many draws, one of which is easily accessible, free parking. (My office was located downtown for 10 years prior and the parking situation was always a problem.)

After moving in, I noticed that the walls were a bit... thin. I could easily hear my neighbors in the building talking and laughing. Adding my music, fountain, and fan helped to muffle the sounds somewhat, but there was still more noise than I was comfortable with.

I did incorporate some of the tips from this blog post along one wall, but I was unable to do this on the main offending wall because of how I need my studio setup for Ashiatsu training. So I did some research on Amazon and decided to try this white noise machine after reading several positive reviews online.

This machine is amazing. It has tons of different levels and white noise sounds to choose from. When I have it on, I'm completely unaware that I have any neighbors.
Well worth the 60 bucks! It's hard to tell from the picture, but it's fairly small and easy to find a tucked away place to set it.

I'm not an Amazon affiliate or anything, I just found this machine helpful in my own massage practice and wanted to tell you about it in case you're looking for a way to muffle some sounds in your own massage studio.

Do you have some other tips & tricks to help with noise? I'd love to hear them.