“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
– Gandhi

Do you know of parents who operate on a “Do as I say, not as I do” mode with their kids. It doesn’t work, does it? If you want to get the kids to behave or act in a certain way, then you know that you have to be a model for them.

Great leaders know the importance of this principle as well. Great leaders don’t preach to those around them. Rather they inspire people with their own actions. They live their ideals.

Similarly, if you want to motivate your clients to take care of themselves proactively and have respect for your recommendations, then you must be a model for them. You have to live your life in a way that embodies your belief in the powerful benefits of regular massage.

If you are asking your clients to take care of themselves by using massage regularly, then you must do so yourself. Otherwise you completely lose credibility and respect in your customers’ eyes.

The light bulb really came on for this participant of the Fill Your Practice 101 e-course. Listen to her experience…

The last few lessons of the Fill Your Practice program have been invaluable! The one phrase that really got my attention in one of the rebooking lessons was “Shall we book your next appointment now?” Interesting…

I used to ask my clients to rebook and for whatever reason I stopped doing it as often.

The past few days I have been doing so and…

…so far I am 100%.

As a preamble I have told each client that I have been guilty as well of not receiving regular treatment. (Which is true. Guilty as charged!) I also told them that I had made an agreement with a colleague that I must book a massage once a month and rebook before leaving the office.

And if I have to “change” the appointment date for whatever reason, that is okay, but I am not allowed to cancel and not rebook.

So I have posed the same challenge to my clients and they have full permission to check up on me as well to keep me honest.

DarleeAnn

This massage business tip originally appeared in the 260 Tips to Build Your Massage Business e-course at BodyworkBiz.

Have you ever had a first time client tell you that they will call later to book an appointment and never end up calling back? Here’s a simple solution sent in by Nancy Olson of Aurora, Colorado…

“To get them to make an appointment right away, I tell them I will give them a special discount if they make the appointment before they leave. I tell my fence sitter that I am running a special this week. If they make an appointment before they leave, the charge for the next appointment will be only $45. It works every time. I find that it is important to call to confirm their appointment, as they tend to forget it.”

This massage business tip originally appeared in the 260 Tips to Build Your Massage Business e-course at BodyworkBiz.