Do you find yourself struggling and complaining that your practice is slow and not making enough to pay the bills?
The most common and age-old and beaten into the ground question myself and every other massage mentor and group/forum online is definitely the most vague question in the world:
“How do I get more clients?”
Whew!!! This is going to take a lot of work and a lot of goal planning and a lot of thinking and a lot of hard work..
ARE YOU READY?!
Before I dive in, let me beat it into your head that marketing is an ebb and flow form of art; there is no QuickFix and one-size fits all marketing strategy.
There’s no such thing as snapping our fingers and getting a plethora of new clients in a day.
It’s like going to the gym: you simply are not going to get a six pack in one day, and even when you do, it would have required a ton of CONSISTENCY, dedication, and not making excuses or giving up.
So why are you comparing your BEHIND THE SCENES to everyone else’s highlight reels?
(Quick note: You can always type in keywords into google & massage forums for literally years of info in this if you need a vague answer RIGHT NOW. It’s literally the #1 most talked about topic and I can guarantee there’s 25384937 threads already throwing ideas around.)
But those ideas won’t work unless you have a solid plan, goals, accountability partner, and CLARITY.
And those ideas won’t work unless you truly understand this truth bomb:
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There are literally tens of thousands of tactics and strategies to get clients in the door.
Question is, are they the RIGHT clients? When we try to market to everyone, we are actually marketing to no one.
Let me repeat this: WHEN WE MARKET TO EVERYONE WE MARKET TO NO ONE.
Getting a new client in the door costs 3x more than getting a current one to return. You can’t follow up a client just one time and expect them to respond right away or immediately come back. You have got to nourish and nurture them via education, content, rebooking, and follow up contact.
You are not “bothering” clients – you’re helping them along their self care journey and helping them reach their goals.
Stop projecting your own insecurities onto what you THINK your clients may be thinking about you. We all have super busy and hectic lives. Keep following up….. that’s where the fortune truly lies!
We need to be reminded. Worse case scenario: they unsubscribe. And if they do… SO WHAT? They know how to get in touch with you – don’t take it personally… some people are just TOO overwhelmed with constant emails and texts. etc.
The answers to this “How Do I Get More Clients” question has a LOT of potential if given the right information.
Do you REALLY want new clients?
No, but really…… seriously….. Are you really willing to give more details and put in the work? Are you ready to try new things, and stop making excuses for yourself? Are you ready to do the work and step way out of your comfort zone?
Because it’s going to be tough. It’s going to be frustrating. It’s going to make you want to pull your hair out.
Oh, but it’s going to be totally worth it!
First, I would challenge and encourage you to shut any and all deal sites off immediately (or don’t consider them to start with. Let’s operate from the point of view that the sites have never ever existed… how would you market your business then?)
Yes, I know some of you have made running vouchers work for you, but daily deal sites do a few things:
1) Deal sites trains clients to be high maintenance while only wanting deals and to hop around and not ever value full price… they are loyal to Groupon, not to our business.
2) contributes to a poor money mindset and prevents the abundance mentality while encouraging the poor healer martyr complex.
3) It just devalues the entire industry as a whole…. if my neighbor runs a daily deal / Groupon, it brings the perceived value of my full price business down….. In another words: you’re screwing the entire industry and all of your local colleagues.
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In other words: DON’T BE AN ASKHOLE. Don’t ask a question if you’re not ready for the answer.
Don’t ask a question of you have no intention of accepting and implementing the feedback and advice selflessly given to you.
And for the love of god, please don’t be VAGUE. We need details!
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Throwing around advice, templates, etc is useless if we HAVE ZERO DETAILS ABOUT YOUR BIZ AND GOALS WHATSOEVER.
Want to know how to get more clients?
We need to know these things first:
• Are you in a rural / metropolitan/ suburban area?
• Are you a seasoned Bodyworker or brand new, or right in between?
• What are your income goals? If you don’t have any and just going with the flow, then make goals
• Do you have any niches / CEU specialties?
• Who is your ideal client / target market?
• What employment setting are you in? (Chiro/PT, spa, single room clinic, yoga studio, gym; do you have coworkers / suite mates or purely self employed?)
• Where do you see yourself in 5 year?
• Do you have a website? (And what platform, bc they all aren’t made equal, and I can guarantee you clients judge you based on your website)
• Do you have an online booking system? (It’s absolutely necessary for your biz to THRIVE and for client convenience)
• Do you have review sites (google, FB, yelp, trip advisor, etc) and are they all claimed/updated/have SEO keywords and updated content on them?
• How much do you NEED to make to cover your bills vs how much you WANT to make per month?
• Do you invest in your CEUs, education, go to conferences, have coaching/mentoring, read biz books, listen to biz podcasts, etc? (Or are you binge watching Netflix instead of investing in your education and growth?)
• Do you invest in your own self care?
• Do you have a referral system in place?
• What have you tried so far? (And don’t say “everything” bc that’s total bullshit and self-limiting and sabotaging mentality…. and I mean actually REALLY tried very ***CONTINUOUSLY*** not some half-ass attempt to bring one person in that’s not your idea client)
• What marketing strategies have worked best for you so far?
• What’s your marketing budget? (Don’t have one? Start a savings account and stop the Starbucks habit and SAVE SAVE SAVE and make a PLA for the future. Oh what’s that, another excuse? Stop that right now!)
• Are you utilizing the worlds most potent form of free advertisement called Facebook live / Facebook videos that’s literally a FREE INFORMERCIAL THAT COST $0 to make? Oh no? Why? Bc you’re “nervous” and shy or make a mistakes? Well guess what: no one cares about mistakes. You’re human. Get on camera and hit record. (There’s a million things you can talk about but I’m going to get into that later.)
• Have you read / actually implemented Get Rich Lucky Bitch and my *free* Heal Your Money Story resource “Heal Your Money Story” to help overcome your money blocks? If not, I would start off with those because money mindset is ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING. And if you don’t think it needs to be improved…. you’re absolutely wrong.
• What are the EXCUSES you are giving /making yourself?
…….. this is all just basics, for starters.
There are sooooooo many factors and no one can really help unless they know the details to these questions.
Otherwise it’s “womp womp” vague answers that may or may not work, and lead to frustrating and disappointment. You want to work SMARTER not harder.
So GET CLEAR!
Stop trying to take the easy way out.
DO SOME INTERNAL REFLECTION & RESEARCH.
Grab a notebook, write down your answers, and step out from behind the computer screen hoping to look for a cure all, quick fix, and start doing the work I just handed to you on a silver platter.
And then ask me that question again.
Becoming successful and fully booked doesn’t come overnight, and it doesn’t come easy.
You got this!
Other Resources:
- My Massage World: The #1 Thing You’re Missing About Your Ideal Client
- My Massage World: If You Ask :Why Am I Not Getting Any Clients” You Might Not Like the Answer
- Beauty Biz Show: The Biggest Secret to Getting Great Clients
- Massage Magazine: What the Highest Earning Therapists Have in Common
- Scott Lindquist: How to Heal Yourself From Starving Healer Syndrome
