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How to get lots of referrals from clients
Amy Roberts
2004

It's what we all want as Massage Therapists: Lots of clients.  But what we want as the next stage is to have those clients refer us more clients.  And those clients refer clients...and so on.

To tell you the truth, word of mouth, is THE best form of advertising simply because it it is the most 'real' form of advertising there is.  Why?  Because it's a first hand experience from someone else.  It's the best proof there is that a service is useful, effective, worthwhile and good value for money.  Another reason why it's so good is because it doesn't cost you anything. And, someone else is doing the advertising for you.

So just how can you increase your word of mouth success rate?

Step 1. Everyone wants to be valued and appreciated.

Suggestion:

Do a mail out to each customer, address the letter by first name, and write to them telling them how much you value them and their loyalty.  Tell them that you would love to have more clients like them in the business and that you would like to offer them a special deal for them if they refer people to you.

Tip: if you are stuck with what to offer as a special deal, think of what YOU would like to receive from a Massage Therapist who is trying to obtain your business, who doesn't know you.

I know what you are thinking.....10% off the first massage. Look, I'll be perfectly honest with you, 10% off my first treatment ain't gonna rock my world as your potential client, it still doesn't tell me if you're good or not. Why not use service, or value...think outside the square.  Think about what THEY want.

Look, before we go any further, I'm going to give you a dose of what my good friend calls "Tough Love."

If you want people to come to you, then you have to give them what THEY want.  You can't project what you think they should have, onto them.  It never works.  Trust me I've spent hundreds of dollars, even thousands, learning this mistake, and I don't want you to do this.

So listen up.

When a potential client gets your brochure/letter/offer through someone else, you want them to be impressed and start thinking about your service.  In fact you want them to want your massage on the spot.  You want them to sit there and think with longing; "Oh god, I really need that.  And I need it now.  Where's that credit card again?"

They imagine what it would be like to have a massage and how good it'll be to get that problem alleviated.  Imagine if that was the thougts they had when they specifically heard about you.  So the question here is not "what offer should I give them", it should be "what's going to really impress them so that they cannot possibly refuse?"

Now I want you to really think about this, because this type of thinking will make your business work.  It will bring clients to you in drives if you do this right.  And the way to 'do this right' is to understand what I am saying and why I am saying it.

Perhaps a free massage if they refer a certain amount of people to you.  Or perhaps half an hour free treatment if they refer X amount of people.  Tell them that it is just a special offer for them only as they are regarded by you as a "gold customer."  This means that they are eligible for this reward system.  Whatever it is, it's up to you.

Step 2. Send out special offers on their birthday

There is nothing worse than people forgetting your birthday.  How good would it be if you went to a therapist regular and a few days before your birthday came around you received a card and a gift voucher with a special offer for your birthday?  Imagine how much more that would give you credibility in the eyes of your client?  I am sure they would refer you people simply because they would be so impressed.  (I did this simple strategy and it worked amazingly.)

Step 3. Remember Mothers day

All Mums work pretty hard.  Why not send out a special offer or a card for Mothers Day? You can use it as the same as their birthday.  Why not ring the client up personally and wish them happy mothers day and tell them you are sending a special gift in the mail.  I bet you it will increase your clientele ten fold.  I tell you what, it certainly did for me.

You see you don't have to spend money on expensive newspaper ads.  In fact if you do it right, you will not have to.  Most of your clients can come from other people.

Often it starts with one person, then if they like you and your massage enough, your client list will get bigger over a short amount of time.  So remember all it takes is a little creativity!

Amy Roberts is a qualified Massage Therapist who coaches Therapists all over the world to have the same success as she did.  She has a regular column with the AMTA and has written two ebooks. Amy can be contacted through her website at: www.massagetherapysuccess.com. She has recently published her second ebook called "Marketing Secrets for Massage Therapists'. Read more about her book here.
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