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While i understand that lots of people work 8am-5pm M-F I know there are other people out there that make great clients.  Who are the clients that you see during the day? What stratigies have been effective in filling your daytime appointments with great clients?  I have some that are retired, work for themsleves, come in for TMJ treatment, have a free day during the week, start work later, or work 3rd shift.  But i am having trouble finding ways to market to optain opertunities with more of these clients. Thanks a ton for any thoughts,

Elizabeth.

 

two things that have worked so far:

giving great TMJ treatment, this tends to be taken more seriously and people are more open to coming in during the week.

 

hosting an event when i am already in the office at my normal appointment times that i would like to fill.  that way the people that come to the event are already availble when i'm available.

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Do you know where your existing daytime clients first heard about you, and/or what other things they do in their lives? Some of it might be a good starting point for places to find similar people in similar situations.

I find that the medical profession (doctors, nurses, dental techs, etc..)  seem to have at least one day during the week that works for them. I will usually wait until they refer someone that accommodates my schedule, thank them and ask them to tell more of their friends about me.

First you need to identify WHO these clients are and what they have in common.  (e.g. retirees)  Once you've identified the market, you need to target them.  Are there publications you can advertise in?  ...groups you can speak to?  ...events you can volunteer at?  After you determine how you can reach this market, you need to craft a message that speaks to them and generates interest in your services and motivates them to book.  

If you want to reach out to a broader market with the intention of filling your daytime slots, you might want to try promoting an "early bird" special offering a discount during the days/times you're seeking to promote.  

You might also think of offering shorter sessions as some sort of "Lunch Break Special" for office workers who could use a quick fix for neck or back pain during the day.

I'll second all of the comments above. You can't figure out how to fill your books during those times unless you know who the clients are that can fill them. Once you do a bit of demographical research and you know who they are, you can better understand them. I love zip skinny dot com for research. I would look for households which have higher average incomes because this most likely signals professional work by one or both spouses. Zip skinny also gives you college degree information. These households are going to be 1. More likely to have income to support your services and 2. A parent/spouse who is at home during normal business hours. I like to create sort of a client avatar. Build a client in your mind. Even write it down maybe. What does he or she do in their day? Where do they go? Can you go there too? Can you market to them in the places they go? What are their roadblocks to seeing you? How can you eliminate them? What can you do to prevent their answer from being "No" to your attempts at getting them in as a client. The reality is this... WE ARE in an "evening and weekend" industry. Think about it? Do you want go relax in the middle of your day? Personally, I'd prefer to relax at the end of my week or day. Not to say I don't have daytime clients, I'm just stating the reality of the profession. Are you involved with any insurance companies? Do you work with MVAs or PIP claims? These clients are often not working due to injuries, and it's been my experience that these clients book during more "normal" business hours. Lastly, as Jed stated above, I offer what I call "The Desk Job" at my clinic. A 30-minute service focusing only on upper body. I will even do this 30-minute session in a massage chair. Clients appreciate this because they aren't getting covered in oil/lotion if they are having to return to work. 30-minute sessions can also be great if you are doing trigger point tune-ups on clients who are seeing you for regular sessions. My only warning would be that if any of your marketing offers have discounts...BE SURE TO EXCLUDE 30 MINUTE SESSIONS! The session already isn't a huge income generator, it hurts to take even more off the top with a discount. Happy hunting and best of luck. 

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