How To Work Virtually With Your Massage Clients
3/17/2020
NewsWith COVID-19 and the recommendations set forth by the CDC, the massage world is facing unprecedented challenges. Small businesses, like most massage practices, are suffering more than anyone. Massage therapists across the country are closing down their practices, and for many, this is their sole source of income. Our hearts go out to you, and we are here to provide you with options to help you create income using the skills and knowledge that you already have from your years of experience and schooling.
In this blog, you will find an IN-DEPTH step-by-step way to offer virtual sessions with your massage clients. From the initial email you should send to your clients, details and suggestions for virtual offerings, and a how-to on setting up your virtual platform! Here we go:
Step 1
STEP 1: You need to send your clients an email. Hopefully, you have an email list and you can easily send out a mass email. If not, please take the time to contact your clients individually, or bcc them in an email. Keeping an open line of communication with your clients is crucial, and the most important step of this process. Here is an email draft that you could send to your clients. Please modify it to meet your needs.
Dear <<CLIENT NAME>>
Thank you for your continued support during these challenging times. With a heavy heart, I am following the lead of universities, schools, and restaurants across the country that are implementing closures, and decided to suspend my in-person services starting <<DATE>>. As this situation is ever-evolving, I will review this on a continuing basis and keep you informed via email. For now, I am scheduled to return to my in-person practice on <<DATE>>, and will reach out individually to reschedule appointments if necessary.
Showing up for small businesses is more important now than ever. I encourage you to please find ways during this time to support our local community. If you would like to continue to support my practice, and continue your healing journey, I have a few options that I am offering virtually:
If you would like to reserve a spot, you can schedule an appointment <<HERE>> or call me at <<PHONE NUMBER>>.
I look forward to serving you and continuing our healing journey together. In the meantime, please find ways to stay connected and practice self-care during this time.
Feel free to contact me via phone, email, or text, with any questions or concerns.
Warmest regards,
<<YOUR NAME>>
Step 2
STEP 2: Decide what you are going to offer and put it in your email! Come up with 1-2 options that you think would work the best for your clientele, then lay them out clearly with a detailed description of what you are offering. Giving clients too many options will overwhelm them, and studies show that when presented with too many options, consumers choose nothing. Making sure you are clear about what you are offering will make clients feel confident that they can benefit from your services.
Here are some ideas of services you could offer virtually:
1. Guided stretches
We all want our massage clients to stretch. Now is the time to lead them through those stretches virtually! 60 minutes of stretching will go a long way. They will feel relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready to sign up for more sessions! What are the main issues your clients come to you with? Are most of your clients hunched over a computer? Guide them in pec stretches, twists, side-body stretches. Are your clients mostly athletes? Create a stretch sequence focused on the hips, quads, and lower back. Once you’ve decided what your stretching class is going to focus on, you can find many resources to give you additional ideas for stretches on YouTube or through Google.
2. In-Depth Postural Analysis
You can offer a virtual postural assessment with written ergonomic suggestions sent to your client following the virtual appointment. You may add suggested stretches and self-massage to your written recommendation as well. During the postural assessment you will view the client from the posterior, anterior, bilateral side views from the feet to the head. You may ask the client to take a few steps so you can view their gate, to bend down to pick something up, and to sit in a chair. You will want to include questions during your intake such as: 1) Do you have young children? 2) How often do you sit a desk? 3) What is your desk setup? 4) Do you carry a purse or have a large wallet in your back pocket? 5) How do you sleep? 6) Do you cross your legs? 7) What do you do for work? These are just some thoughts to get you going, but get creative!
3. If you are certified in Yomassage® you can offer Yomassage® Self-Care
Yomassage Self-Care is a way you can offer self-care and trigger point therapy using the Yomassage balls. You can become certified after you complete the Yomassage Therapist or Mindful Touch certification. This is an amazing option to offer virtually in 60 minute sessions. Additionally, if you are a Certified Yomassage Therapist or Certified Mindful Touch practitioner, you have access to our wholesale pricing and can sell the Yomassage balls to your clients.
4. Any type of self-massage or self-soothing touch
If you are not certified in Yomassage® or Yomassage® Self-Care, you might still be knowledgeable about certain self-massage or self-trigger point therapy you could offer virtually. During this stressful time, think about what parts of the body your client’s typically hold stress. The neck and upper shoulders are popular self-massage areas.
Step 3
STEP 3: Figure out the platform you are going to use to offer your services remotely. Here are our 2 favorite options. One is paid, and one is free. We go in detail about how to set these up and use these programs, and also link to more details.
1. Zoom
Zoom is a great platform that we use and love! You can get a free account (with some limitations), but we recommend the PRO account that is $14.99/mo. We like this option because you do not have limits on the length of your meetings, AND the best part: you get something called a “Custom Personal Meeting ID.” This is a link that you can send to your clients, and all they have to do is click on the link, and they can join your meeting. This link never changes, so you just send it to your client and tell them what time their appointment is. You can even include the link in your appointment confirmation email.
For more information about Zoom pricing plans go here. And for detailed Zoom tutorials check out these videos.
2. Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts is another program we love and use often! It’s totally free as well, and integrates with Google Calendar, our preferred calendar. It’s super easy and convenient to set up. I would recommend having your client schedule for their appointment in the normal way you conduct business. Then you will create the event on Google Calendar, and share the event with your client. The custom link will be included in the invite! Here’s how:
Open Google Calendar and create an event (make sure you have a Gmail account).
Click “add location or conferencing”
Click “add conferencing”
Then your custom video link will be created!
Next you want to “add guests” and include your clients email. They will get the notification and have access to that same link to join the video meeting. Make sure you tell them to check their email for the confirmation and the video link!
If you want to learn more, check out our step-by-step comprehensive course that will walk you through taking your practice online for only $69.99! Learn more here.
We hope that this article has been helpful for you! If you want to learn more and join the Yomassage community, you can do so through our free Yomassage Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/yomassage. And if you enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends in the industry!
If you are interested in learning more about Yomassage, and taking this time of rest and reflection to become certified in Yomassage, we offer a VIRTUAL 25-hour Yomassage Certification that starts on the first Monday of every month, and runs for 3 weeks. For more details, check out this page.
Additionally, you can sign up for the Yomassage Affiliate Program and earn ~$50 for every person you refer who signs up for the training! This program is free for you. Sign up for the program here.
Join our free Facebook group for live Yomassage® Self-Care classes, live Q&A's from the founders, advice and support from Certified Yomassage® Therapists, and more!
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