It can be easy to think that it's only the massage treatment you deliver that decides whether a client will become a regular but truly building customer loyalty for your massage therapy business begins in the consultation and hinges on the tone you set for your clients before they reach the massage table!
To be a really successful massage therapist the key is solving your client's issues with their tissues! Providing a bespoke treatment that really gets to the heart of their needs is a sure fire way to have clients coming back time and time again and your consultation really is the foundation of delivering these amazing tailored massages.
Without asking the right questions you can't get to the bottom of your clients needs and even more importantly their expectations for the treatment.
Asking the right questions will also allow you to cover yourself legally by preempting any risks and contraindications. So what three steps can you follow to make sure your client consultations are hitting the mark every single time?
For a first time client your consultation really should aim to outline the process and put them at ease. As a therapist we are so used to the routine of going for a massage but for clients there is nothing particularly normal about entering a room, taking most of your clothes off and lying on a massage table! Explaining the process and what your client needs to do will help put clients at ease and help explain or set some guidelines, for example in some parts of the world massage therapists work on their clients whilst they are naked and in others therapists prefer clients to keep various levels of clothing on. Clients who are completely new to massage might have no idea what is expected of them and will really appreciate you taking the lead and letting them know what to do! Outlining the process and ensuring clients that you will use draping and other techniques to keep them covered up will also help new clients feel less vulnerable on your massage table.
As you warm up towards asking your consultation questions, taking time to explain why you will be asking details about their health and lifestyle will also help set the tone of your treatments and will get your client excited about the benefits of your skills! You want to establish yourself as a method of maintaining health and wellbeing rather than as a one off treat, not that there is anything wrong with a good pamper session, but it's regular clients who help pay our bills and who really feel the benefits of massage therapy! Don't be shy about sharing a quick case study as an example to show what you can do when you know what is troubling your clients!
As we touched on above asking the right questions in your massage therapy consultations is vital. Especially when meeting with a client for the first time it is really important to get an idea of who they are and what has brought them to your massage table!
Make sure you ask them about;
Keep a note of any interesting details they share with you. Perhaps they mention an event they have coming up like an anniversary or birthday. Add a memo to your soap notes so you can ask them how it went when you follow up and show an extra level of care and attention! A follow up email with personable attention to details is a sure fire way to make a client always choose you over other therapists.
In order to stand the best chance of delivering value to your client you need to understand what they are expecting. Sadly massage therapy is still seen by a lot of the public as a luxurious treat rather than a means to keep fit and healthy with regular treatments. Ask your client what are their goals for the treatment? Whether they are expecting miracles or not, it's a good idea to set their expectations, a gentle "sadly if its been a problem for months I can’t fix it in one hour! But I do think I can get you feeling a bit less tight across the shoulders etc" usually gets a little chuckle but also establishes your aims for the session.
Discussing how they might feel after one, two or three sessions at the start will also make the idea of rebooking less awkward and quicker when they are relaxed at the end and looking to head out the door. Sharing some quick aftercare tips during your consultation and letting them know you will share more when you follow up after the session when you have a clearer idea what is going on is a great way to show you are listening and treating their issues specifically but also gives you a great excuse to get in touch afterwards and follow up about rebooking if you don't get a firm commitment in the room.
Finally be upfront with new clients and book in some extra time in your schedule to give a decent amount of time to the consultation. They will be impressed by your thorough and professional approach and see that your massage treatments will go the extra mile!
