Practice Management Tips
March 25, 2024
Every customer has the potential to be worth thousands of dollars in business over time - and this is why it’s critical to have a plan to keep them coming back. But many health and wellness practitioners feel uncomfortable with the ask, or haven't had success. If this is you - keep reading. You’ll learn to make a fool-proof plan to get massage clients to rebook every month (or more).
Rebooking means the client makes another appointment with you, after their initial visit. Someone can rebook at the time of service, or they can wait a while before scheduling the next one. Rebooking massage clients is the key to client retention.
The more massage clients who rebook, the fewer clients you need to meet your sales goals. If your goal is to see 20 clients a week, that’s 80 massage appointments a month. Retaining clients means you don’t start at zero each month.
Now, consider if some of those clients came every week or bi-weekly. That’s even fewer clients needed to meet your goals. You may still need new clients coming in each month, but much fewer as time goes by.
Not only are you making more weekly, but the more massage clients who rebook, the easier it becomes to run your massage therapy business.
You will build stronger relationships, get referrals from clients you resonate with, reduce your time spent on marketing and admin, and (best of all) manage your time more efficiently by scheduling clients far in advance.
In this article, we cover 7 ways you can get clients to rebook, including: marketing tips, building rapport, developing a treatment plan, education and more; but in the end - the best way to get repeat clients is to ask your massage clients to rebook simply! Read on.
1. Educating them
2. Being personable.
3. Create a treatment plan.
4. Creating a loyalty program.
5. Offering a discount.
6. Selling packages.
7. Being Diligent About Follow-ups.
A great way to keep clients coming back is to ensure they understand the benefits of why they are receiving treatment. You can do this by asserting yourself as the expert in the field.
Spend an extra few minutes with first-time clients to explain the benefits of massage therapy. Make sure they understand massage isn’t a treat once or twice a year. It’s essential to regular self-care. Discuss the client’s personal goals, and tie your recommendations to that.
Over time, your clients’ needs and circumstances will change. Continuing having the discussion about how massage fits into a treatment or wellness plan for them. Have these one-on-one conversations in person. Then use email marketing campaigns and social media to share massage news and science with your following.
People who aren't familiar with making sales may feel like they are being pushy or burdening their clients. But the secret is to reframe your thought process. Think of it like this - getting a clients to rebook isn't about clients isn’t about selling. It’s about making helpful recommendations.
Find out what brought the client to you in the first place. Let them explain their troubles and goals. Understand they’re looking to you for advice. Give it to them.
After that first encounter, remember who they are. Your initial recommendation will likely get them to rebook. After that, your relationship with them will keep them coming back. Don’t rely on memory alone. Take SOAP Notes to record treatment and goals. Also, jot down any personal details they share with you: a club they’re in, a child’s name, what they do for a living. Review those notes before their next session.
When you make a point to get to know your clients, it shows you care. It’ll also earn trust and loyalty from your clients. When they have a positive connection with you, they won’t go anywhere else.
Creating a treatment plan is the best way to get clients to rebook. First, let them talk. Listen to their problems and goals. Do an assessment. Use that assessment to guide what you do in the massage. Reassess afterwards, and make a plan for subsequent sessions.
Share your findings, plan, and reasoning with the client. They want to know! Then, tell them when they should come back. Pick a date, and ask if that day works for them. Schedule the next appointment right then.
Creating a loyalty program is a brilliant way to set yourself up for recurring business. So how do you do it? Get them hooked with the first treatment, then, explain the benefits of getting massages or treatments on a regular basis. After that, present the opportunity for a discount or reward for committing to monthly visits. Clients who are serious about their treatment will sign up and come back every month.
Creating loyalty programs or memberships is a common way to get massage clients to rebook. It’s common because it works. The reward for signing up can be a discount, free upgrades, or priority scheduling on your busy calendar.
A discount is an enticing way to get massage clients to rebook. An appropriate discount is big enough the client doesn’t want to miss out on a great deal, but not so big that you sell yourself short. Getting a massage is its own reward. 5-20% off is reasonable.
If you offer a large discount for the first rebooking, make it clear it’s a one time offer. Alternatively, you can offer a very small discount every time someone rebooks before leaving your clinic.
Another way to get massage clients to rebook is to sell massage packages. Sell a bundle of 5 or 10 messages for slightly less than it costs to buy sessions individually. When the massage is already paid for, people schedule it.
This strategy alone can increase the frequency in massage appointments for a single client. Prepaying often leads to booking more appointments. It feels free when you don’t have to swipe your card at the end.
Staying top of mind and ensuring your clients had a good experience is critical for the re-booking experience. Reach out to your clients 2-3 days after their massage and ask how they’re feeling. A quick note in an email or text message is a non-intrusive way of doing this. If you’re actually concerned about them, give them a call.
This shows that you actually care, and gives the client an opportunity to ask questions and give feedback. Many massage therapists and health and wellness practitioners skip this step, but it’s possibly the most important step in the process
If their back still hurts, you can make a recommendation, change your treatment strategy, or give them a referral (instead of never hearing from them again). If they feel wonderful, it’s nice to get that affirmation. It’s also a good time to ask them to refer their friends or write a review.
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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