Game Change Your Biz

Today’s topic is Protecting Your Business and Your Future. This topic will extend over several weeks as we break it apart and address all sides of the issue. You know that the safety of you and your business affects your family and your livelihood. You never know what will come up, so it’s vitally important to prepare and plan ahead. Let’s talk about it!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Are you prepared for a fire, storm, or theft?
• Do you have the right insurance coverage? Here are some things to think about:
• • Have a business policy in place
  • Make sure you have proper coverage for equipment, supplies, and furniture
  • Check your declaration page for deductible information
  • Have the right policy depending on whether you own or rent your office space
  • Inventory your insurable assets—Document everything with pictures, serial and model numbers, and receipts
• If you don’t have receipts for purchases, use bank statements for proof
• Update your inventory each year
• Store your inventory information at your business and at home. Consider a safety deposit box also
• In an emergency evacuation scenario, take methodical pictures of each wall and area of your business
• If you suffer a loss:
• • Take photos of the business premises and the damage
  • Report your claim to the insurance carrier
  • In case of theft, file a police report

Remember to be patient through the processes and have your documents in order beforehand. The goal is to get your business up and running again ASAP!

Today’s topic is How to Delight your Client. This should be the ultimate goal for massage therapists, and we must remember that it is just as important to please our existing clients as it is to acquire new clients. View each massage as an area of opportunity to give the client a wonderful experience. This will make the client much more likely to leave a Google or Yelp review for your business and become a regular client. Yes, some of my tips are “common sense,” but it never hurts to review the basics. Remember, it is usually the small things done on a consistent basis that make the biggest difference for your clients!

Basic Tips for Delighting your Client:

• Look at your practice through your first-time client’s eyes
• Ask the basic questions to engage the client immediately upon meeting them. Ask about their needs for water, restroom, their medical issues, their pressure preferences, their room temperature comfort, and what brought them in for a massage.
• Keep the conversation centered around the client’s needs
• Be responsive to the client’s requests
• Let them know what to expect during the massage and after the massage
• Set up a treatment plan for getting their body back on track
• Explain to them where to place personal belongings and remind them to turn off their cell phone!
• Ask about prior massages
• Get client feedback, follow up with a survey, and direct them toward leaving a review

Remember that you are trying to create a wonderful experience for your client so they will feel comfortable returning to you for future massages. Don’t be afraid to ask for that next appointment! Of course, these small practices can be another BIG step in game-changing your business!

Welcome to today’s show with Theresa Sonneville and The Compression Closet. Theresa is in the Chicago area, but offers her expertise in compression garments to therapists and their patients worldwide via her website. The compression garments are specifically for lymphedema patients and they solve the problem of finding good quality compression garments. Theresa is certified by the garment manufacturers in fitting both over-the-counter and custom garments. Her website is geared toward therapists who want to help their patients find the right garment and the right fit.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why there needs to be much more education about lymphedema in the medical profession
• How Theresa “fell into” the field, working with the misdiagnosed and misunderstood
• The Compression Closet and what their simplified process offers:
• • Sizing tips
  • 5-digit SKU numbers
  • Convenient drop-shipping
  • 30-day return policy
• Theresa’s entrepreneurial journey and how fear held her back
• “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
• The “Aha” moment: “When I realized I didn’t have to be an extrovert to be a successful entrepreneur”
• Advice about becoming a garment fitter:
• • Take advantage of manufacturer classes
  • Ask for help from the sales reps
• How Theresa promotes her business by meeting other therapists and fitters at manufacturer classes, shows, and events
• How social media, especially LinkedIn and Facebook, have helped Theresa’s business
• The best advice Theresa ever received? “Learn how to prioritize time and stick to a schedule
• The “Eat My Frog” mantra
• A favorite book? The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins
• How web designer Seth Barthen from Dandy Cat helped Theresa’s business

Resources:

www.thecompressioncloset.com 

Call or email Theresa: 815-342-0370 and theresa@thecompressioncloset.com

Eat My Frog by Brian Tracy

The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins

http://dcdesigns.io

Today’s show is a visit with Cynthia Vance at Rejuvenation Body Spa in Virginia Beach, VA. She has been in business since 2015, offering a wide range of spa treatments at budget-friendly rates. Services include therapeutic and relaxing massage, including reflexology, along with beauty services like waxing, body scrubs, and weight loss. Her goal is to make you relaxed and gorgeous! Let’s chat with Cynthia!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Cynthia’s inspiration to be a massage therapist and aesthetician: to help people
• Why she wanted to open her own spa
• Why Cynthia had to build up her courage to overcome fear and open the spa
• What it takes to run successful spa: patience, time, and dedication
• Cynthia’s “Aha” moment: when the business was set up, fully scheduled, and flourishing
• Her advice to others: “You have to have your whole heart into it.”
• How Cynthia promotes her business with social media, local events, and teaming up with a local chiropractor
• The best advice she ever received? “If you fail, pick yourself up and try again. Don’t stop.”
• Upcoming for Cynthia: Kids Bash on August 26
• Other services offered at Rejuvenation: hot stones, aromatherapy, body wraps, and infrared sauna bed treatments
• Contact Cynthia to learn more: www.rejuvenationbodyspa.com or call 757-560-4999

Today we’re talking about Fueling your Mind and Body through Eating Healthy. Keeping up with the demands of a busy practice will put you “on the run” each day. It’s important to not neglect your personal health and self-care. We often preach self-care to our clients, but aren’t always as diligent for ourselves. Therapists need self-care, too! Let’s chat about how simple strategic planning can help you fuel your mind AND body.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Tips for taking care of YOU:
• • Stay hydrated with water
  • Limit coffee, tea, and other drinks
  • Eat a good breakfast—it really is the MOST important meal of the day!
  • Take time for healthy morning and afternoon snacks, like veggies and hummus, fresh fruit, nuts, yogurt, etc.
  • Work in a lunch break to relax and refuel—Combine a basic protein with carbs, fresh fruits or veggies, nuts, and seeds)
• The bottom line is that you must take good care of yourself in order to take good care of your clients!

Today’s topic is about Learning to Stand Out from the Crowd. How you do this depends somewhat on your location, as to whether you are the only massage therapist in your community or whether you compete with hundreds of others for your clients. Remember that your future is in YOUR hands, and you can build a financially and emotionally rewarding practice, so don’t undervalue your abilities. Take charge!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Answer these questions:
• • What is your passion around your practice?
  • What roadblocks are hindering your dreams?
  • What steps are you taking to empower yourself?
• Key points to make your practice STAND OUT:
• • Have specific long-term goals
  • Keep everything in balance between your practice and your dream
  • Have online scheduling available
  • Post office hours and services offered on your website
  • Take stock of your strengths and weaknesses
  • Take the time to expand your skills
  • Build open communication skills with your clients
  • Have intake forms available online and in the office
  • Be excellent at your work and master your craft
  • Don’t limit yourself!

Keep an open and positive mindset and seize ALL opportunities. Take these tips into consideration to truly make your practice STAND OUT from the crowd and game change your business!

Today’s show features a conversation with Maureen Moore at Thrive Proactive Health, as we discuss How to have a Thriving Business. Maureen is a passionate holistic health advocate in Virginia Beach, VA, specializing in massage and various manual therapies. She has logged over 15 years’ experience in the health and wellness field. Join me for more with Maureen!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• The inspiration to start Thrive: wanting to empower people to be proactive about their health instead of reactive
• How Maureen was inspired to become an entrepreneur by a family-owned coffee shop
• Why Maureen wants to leave a mark on the world through her work
• The biggest challenges in entrepreneurship: becoming business-savvy and explaining their unique niche to people
• The biggest support, from her husband, family, friends, and her business partner, Julie
• The “AHA” moment when she knew Thrive would be successful
• For massage therapists and physical therapists who want to own their own businesses, Julie says, “Know your WHY, your mission, and your purpose.”
• Julie’s time management tips and a typical business day at Thrive—which begins before 5 am!
• How Maureen uses social media to promote her business
• The best advice she ever received? “To be disciplined and consistent.”
• Books that Maureen recommends: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and The Morning Miracle by Hal Elrod
• Upcoming events for Thrive on August 5 and 12

Resources:

www.thrivevb.com

Find ThriveVB on Facebook to keep up with news and events!

Today we are discussing why you should attend conferences as a massage therapist. No one likes to have to close their business for a few days, plan travel, and incur extra costs. The flip side is that the benefits to these conferences go far deeper than their monetary value. Let’s talk about why you should make plans now to attend an upcoming conference.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Three main reasons to attend professional conferences:
• • To grow and develop as a massage professional
  • To build your network by meeting new colleagues in your industry
  • To fulfill continuing education hours required for recertification
• Other benefits to consider about attending professional conferences:
• • It’s an opportunity to build your professional community
  • Participating in online training is no substitute for attending a conference
  • You will get fresh ideas on ways to improve your practice
  • You will learn about current research, techniques, and regulations
  • Attending a conference can help prevent burnout
  • Your clients like to know you are up-to-date with expert knowledge and current trends in the industry
  • You will build a community of therapists who can help and support you

Taking the time to attend conferences shows that you take your profession seriously and want to grow, learn, and improve. What you learn at a conference gives a reality check about where our industry is heading in the future and ensures that you will NOT be left behind. You know it’s just another piece to game-changing your business!

Today we are discussing Earning Passive Income, something that can be very helpful to entrepreneurs in any field. If you don’t have passive income, then you are in the trap of always trading your hours for dollars. There IS a better way! Let’s jump right in!

• What is passive income? 
• • Also known as “residual income”—do the work once and keep getting paid
  • Receive income even when you aren’t working
• Three ways to successfully create passive income:
• • Product sales
  • • Very common but often overlooked
    • Instead of “selling,” make a suggestion about a product that you sell 
  • Affiliate marketing
  • • Easy for entrepreneurs to do (mostly online)
    • Can work with other health and wellness entrepreneurs
  • Sessions with other therapists
  • • Allow independent contractors to use your office space to work with your clients
    • Make sure the fee split is pre-arranged in order to cover your overhead and bring a small profit

These suggestions are ways for you to practice and improve your negotiating skills AND grow your business. The most important thing to remember is to keep an open mind to all opportunities and possibilities. It’s another piece to game-changing YOUR business!

We’re talking today about How to Become the Social Media Mogul. Social media can be a great tool for building and growing your business, but some entrepreneurs may find it overwhelming. Join me now and let’s talk about utilizing this tool to take your business to the next level.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Steps in Becoming the Social Media Mogul:
• • Determine your social media goal
  • Become the wellness guru (or the guru in your specialty)
  • Become THE authority on the subject matter
  • Become visual—Get in front of the camera!
  • Take photos at events and post them to social media
• Tips to Grow your Business through Digital Marketing:
• • Do a promotion and offer a discounted specific service—but have a clear end date
  • Do a holiday promotion with specific discounts for THAT day
  • Do a referral promo to your clients via text message and social media
  • Offer periodic informational value via social media
  • Offer transactional promos about upcoming appointments
  • Send a text blast about availabilities during weekly slow times
  • Build your list of clients through offline options

I hope these tips are helpful to you in expanding your business and your social media presence. There you have it—another piece to game changing your business!

Today’s show is about participating in hospital massages. There is a growing interest in the US in massage and energy work in hospitals, and we all know the benefits of massage to the health and wellness of patients. Let’s talk about this aspect of massage therapy.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Massage therapy: great for pain relief, joint soreness and stiffness, and injury recovery
• Hospital massages: typically done on hospital premises or at a clinic or outreach facility
• What to consider if you pursue this aspect of massage therapy
• • Determine who will receive massages
  • Determine when and where massages will be given
  • Determine how long massages will last
• Tips for carrying out hospital massage therapy:
• • Always carry business cards with you to events
  • Check with local hospitals to see if they have a wellness center
  • Spread the word that therapeutic massage can alleviate pain and help speed the healing process

We all need to take care of ourselves, whether we are a hospital patient or not.  Hospital massage is a new and exciting field that can open up new contacts and opportunities for your business. As a massage therapist, you should take advantage of the numerous opportunities at hospitals and health/wellness events. You know it’s another piece to game-changing your business!

Today’s topic is How to Get Physician Referrals. Do you know how to get these referrals? We’ll cover tips for making the contacts and securing these clients. Even though most referral clients will be short-term until they get pain relief, some of them may become regular clients, IF you can provide stress relief and improve their overall well-being. Let’s talk about this topic!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Getting these physician referrals allows you to educate about the benefits of massage therapy
• The financial breakdown is that just ONE referral client who visits twice monthly can yield an increase of $1680 per year
• How do you get these referrals?
• • Do research on the physicians in your area
  • Contact them via letter (I contact five at a time)
• Whether you contact the physician (or office manager) through a letter or in person, here are a few things to remember:
• • Offer them an alternative solution to pain management
  • Be mindful of their time if you see them in person
  • Let them know if you are accepting new patients
  • Offer a complimentary massage to the physician or physician assistant
  • Share successful case histories
  • Become familiar with the jargon in their area of specialty
  • Include a brochure and follow up with them within a week
  • Present a professional image
  • Send thank you letters for ANY referral client

How about you? Do you have other tips or ideas about getting referrals or success stories about what has worked for you? I’d love to hear them, so be sure to share them on my website. There it is, another piece to game changing your business.

Today’s topic is How to Turn Your Knowledge into Power. Following my tips will help you run a more productive business and help your clients with their treatment plans. Sounds like a big win-win on both counts, doesn’t it? 

Keep these tips in mind to always keep a fresh perspective on your business and turn your knowledge into power:

• Remember that everything is negotiable
• Give back to your community
• Keep your perspective in check
• Take time to recharge
• Try to make someone else feel better
• Have a social life
• Exercise!
• Have positive intentions and be supportive
• Encourage someone else to contribute to your vision and give insight
• Keep email etiquette in mind

Be genuine, honest, and sincere with all your actions, and you’ll see your business grow beyond your wildest dreams. There you have it---another piece to game changing your business.

Today’s show is about Creating an Inviting Environment with Jennifer Tampasis. Jennifer is an interior decorator with her company, Jennifer Lynn Interiors. She helps women create homes that are clean, calm, and relaxing, so they feel content, proud, and inspired by their space. She has just logged her first full year as an entrepreneur—and as a busy mom of three. Jennifer works with local clients in the tri-state area and also has an online business. Join me for more from Jennifer!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Jennifer’s work with local clients and online through her virtual designs
• Why she loves the collaborative process and the flexibility to be at home
• “Design, Style and Martinis”
• From teacher to entrepreneur: changing the mindset
• Jennifer’s “Aha” moment in her business: creating your business to fit your life
• Suggestions for making a massage room more inviting, relaxed, and comfortable:
• • Maximize the work space and reduce the clutter
  • Soften and dim the light
  • Consider the colors in the room
  • Add fun décor
• Jennifer’s time management tips—including her favorite time-saving apps!
• The best advice she ever received? “Do what you love, and the rest will come.”
• Jennifer’s favorite books!
• Jennifer’s upcoming events and endeavors!

Resources:

www.jenniferlynninteriors.com

Find Jennifer on Facebook: Jennifer Lynn Interiors and her private group--Design, Style, Martinis

Find Jennifer on Twitter, Linked In, and Instagram: @jenniferlynninteriors

Jennifer’s favorite apps: Trello, Google Calendar, Zapier, Calendly, Later, and Buffer

Jennifer’s favorite books: Dot Com Secrets and Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson

Ask by Ryan Levesque, Profit First by Mike Michalowicz, The Theory of Colors by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Launch by Jeff Walker

Today we’re talking about a topic that can be quite challenging: Email marketing. As a business owner, you know you need to use this tool, but how do you know what to do? Perhaps most importantly, how do you do it correctly? I’ll admit that I have some pet peeves around this topic, like when my email junk box fills up, when I receive emails with typos, and when I receive too many emails in the same day from the same company. Let’s jump into this topic!

• The BIG question when it comes to your email list: How do I get people to take ACTION on my emails?
• Some basic rules to follow in the field of email marketing:
• • DON’T bombard customer with email
  • Be honest in the subject line
  • Keep an updated contact list
• “All it takes is ONE too many emails to get people to unsubscribe from your email list.”

Remember, be sincere with good intentions. People will know when you’re phony. Thanks for joining me for another piece to game-changing your business!

Today’s show is about Designing Innovations for your business. The idea is that we purposely decide what we want in our lives, and we have to create the design that’s perfect for our businesses and our clients. Let’s talk about it!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• One of the biggest challenges is keeping our ideas and innovations alive and taking them further than just being a fleeting thought. Why is this a common struggle?
• • We’re not ready for the new idea to become reality
  • We let ourselves be talked out of our dreams
  • We haven’t grown like we should have
  • We don’t know how to utilize the new idea
• How to counteract that tendency and foster new ideas and innovations:
• • Carry a notebook, audio recorder, or use your cell phone to capture new ideas
  • Ask the right questions and ask for opinions
  • Consider ideas carefully, and even contemplate a variation of the idea
  • Keep an open mind
  • Revisit new ideas on a regular basis

Remember that small changes CAN yield significant results, but growth always requires innovation. Be a forward thinker in your business, because no one else will do it for you! There you have it---another piece to game-changing your business. Thanks for joining me!

Today we’re talking about being innovative with your intentions. Intention will help your life be more fulfilling, but you have to be creative and establish a plan. Learning how to implement better thinking and better tools in your business will spill over into other areas of your life as well. Don’t we all desire a more fulfilling and intentional life? Let’s talk about it!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Live life deliberately
• • Have clarity about your mindset
  • Decide which friends to spend time with
  • Manage stress levels
  • Know your limits
  • Develop a team
  • Be focused and strategic about your schedule
• Know how to act fast to maximize your energy and resources
• • Accomplish your goals
  • Create a rich life
  • Plan and organize details

There you have it. Thoughts about living with intention that will be another piece to game-changing your business. Thanks for joining me!

Today’s episode is all about Building your Chair Massage Practice; this is an element you can incorporate into your services, in addition to what you offer at your brick and mortar practice. The benefits to a chair massage are that it can happen almost anywhere, no oils are required, and no clothing removal is necessary. Offering chair massages is a way for you to do more marketing and gain new clients. Let’s discuss some of the basics!

• Where can I go to do chair massages?
• • Sporting events
  • Expos, conventions, shows, and health fairs
  • Business offices, especially during employee appreciation events
  • Graduation nights, birthday parties, and girls’ nights out
  • Volunteer at events for non-profit organizations
• Tips to remember about doing chair massage at these venues:
• • Get clients’ contact info, especially names and email addresses
  • Have a drawing for a free gift certificate in exchange for their contact info
  • Choose a great location that’s not too noisy, but visible to passersby
  • Have your documents with you, like ID, license, and proof of liability insurance
  • Have a written agreement with the venue organizer for your payment/time

The hope is that you can put these tips into action to build your chair massage practice, which will hopefully secure more long-term clients for your practice. It’s another piece to game-changing your business!

Today we’re talking about Focusing Your Efforts without committing more time. After all, wouldn’t that make our lives easier? The keys are learning to be more effective while refining our focus and keeping our efforts simple. Think about the successful people you know; how do they do it? Most likely, they have full, yet productive, days. Let’s jump into this topic together!

• Three Steps to Focusing Your Efforts:
• • Overcome the fear of public speaking in order to grow your business
  • • Consider Toastmasters to take baby steps toward confident speaking
  • Have a specific mission
  • • Remember what your initial purpose was in starting your business
  • Deep dive into your areas of specialties
  • • You can’t do EVERYTHING! Pull from your toolbox what’s necessary
• Other actions to take:
• • Make yourself the expert in your field and NEVER stop learning
  • Implement your program to solve problems
  • Eliminate time-wasters
  • Set boundaries

I hope you can take these tips that are another piece to game-changing your business. Remember, it takes work to be effective, but you need simplicity and a framework for baby steps forward. 

Do you want to be successful? Hopefully, it’s not even a question you have to consider! Most everyone seeks success in business and other areas of life. The problem is that we know the road to success is a long and winding one with many twists, turns, and obstacles. In short, the path to success requires hard work and sacrifices, many of them behind the scenes. Today’s show is about transforming yourself into a BETTER YOU.

Five Key Elements for Success:

1. Composure—Remain calm in high-stress situations
2. Etiquette—Practice good manners and be polite
3. Being Productive and Punctual—These will separate successful people from the rest of the crowd
4. Acknowledging Mistakes—No one’s perfect! Have a firm grasp of reality
   • Your physical fitness
   • Your mental condition
   • Your confidence
   • Your social skills
   • Your good habits
5. Always work hard at improving yourself—Consider the areas for improvement:

I hope these key elements will help you achieve greater success in EVERY area of life! They are just another piece to game-changing your business.