Attracting & Retaining Clients
March 25, 2024
Being in the business we’re in, we get a chance to talk to a lot of healthcare providers. The topic of conversation is usually what they are doing to optimize their practice. We talk about things like what marketing techniques they are using, whether offline or online, and how they are utilizing their website to better their business. The topic I’d like to discuss today is client retention, and the surprising fact that only a small percentage of practitioners are putting effort into this.
To be fair, the people we talk to are busy people. They want to maximize their time in appointments since that’s the way they make money. But client retention is super important for the long run. You want to build your practice to the point where a return visit is a no-brainer for your client because they have made it part of their regular routine.
Obviously, the number one factor in client retention is providing a great service. This means both a great customer service with a friendly greeting and comfortable environment, and a great treatment that leaves them feeling much better than when then walked in your door. Focus your energy on this first, and once you have it down, here are a couple tips to encourage repeat appointments.
Every time you book an appointment, schedule an extra 5 minutes to walk your client out of the office. On your way, stop by your appointment book and ask them to book their next appointment right now. If you’ve provided an excellent service as discussed above, this is the best time to ask – when they are feeling great about you and about their treatment.
For some practitioners, like massage therapists, the next appointment may only be a week or two in advance, but for other practitioners, this can be up to a year in advance. If you are booking appointments this far in advance it’s important that you have an appointment reminder system in place, such as email appointment reminders.
This is a great retention strategy that seems to be underutilized. Recalls is the simple process of sending patients postcards in the mail to remind them that they are due to book their next appointment. While it’s a bit of an investment (cost of postcards and cost of postage), you only need to generate one or two appointments for every hundred cards that you send to get a positive return.
A little bit of self-promotion here: rather than make the investment in postcards and postage, ClinicSense will automatically send recalls via email. What’s great about this is that emails are free to send and you can include a link to get that client to book online if you are using online appointment scheduling.
Lastly, it is important to ask for feedback. The only way to really know what you are doing well and what could use improvement is to ask your clients directly. Satisfaction surveys are great at capturing this data, but you will also want to talk directly with your clients (and especially with those that left).
While lost clients are inevitable, with a clinic-wide focus on a great customer experience and integrating smart business practices, your clinic can be truly successful.
Looking for ways to get your massage clients to rebook? We have you covered as well!
One key strategy is to provide exceptional service during the initial appointment. This includes being attentive to the client's needs, communicating clearly, and creating a welcoming environment. By making the client feel comfortable and cared for, they are more likely to want to book another appointment.
Following up with the client after the appointment is also important. This can be done through a phone call, email, or text message to check in on how they are feeling and thank them for their business. This personal touch helps to build a relationship with the client and makes them feel valued.
Another effective strategy for encouraging clients to rebook is to offer incentives. This can be in the form of discounts, loyalty programs, or small gifts. By showing the client that you appreciate their business and value their loyalty, they are more likely to want to book another appointment.
Clear communication is also essential when it comes to rebooking. During the initial appointment, you should let the client know when you have availability for their next appointment and suggest a few different times that work for them. This shows that you are proactive and interested in working with their schedule.
In addition, utilizing technology such as online booking can make it easier for clients to schedule their next appointment. This can be particularly helpful for clients who have busy schedules or prefer to book appointments outside of regular business hours.
Finally, building a relationship with clients through ongoing communication and personalized service is crucial for long-term retention. This means taking the time to get to know each client's individual needs and preferences, and tailoring your service to meet those needs.
In summary, the article provides several strategies for encouraging clients to rebook, including providing exceptional service, following up after the appointment, offering incentives, clear communication, utilizing technology, and building relationships through ongoing communication and personalized service. By implementing these strategies, you can improve client retention and create a loyal client base for your business.
Are you read to take the leap and streamline your business operations? You should try ClinicSense. ClinicSense is a massage therapy software solution that also has marketing features - built to help you not only run, but GROW your business.
ClinicSense can help you with client rebooking through tools that automates the rebooking process by sending win-back campaigns to clients who haven’t scheduled recently. Win-back campaigns are just friendly reminders to schedule an appointment, with a link to online booking. You can set it and forget it. ClinicSense has also recently launched features to help you grow your online reviews, and referrals - and that’s just one of many features ClinicSense offers to grow your business.
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