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Retaining Clients

As I am in the middle of a bit of a slow spell, I'm reviewing some of the BizFit marketing material (which is very useful), but when I come to the advice about the importance of retaining clients, I find myself in a bit of a quandary. Of course, it makes absolute sense to me to retain clients and that it costs a lot more money and time to continuously attract new ones. My problem is that I live in a HIGHLY competitive market (San Francisco) and many/most of my clients treat my practice as they would a day spa. It's an occasional treat and they enjoy trying different therapists and locations.

I now also work at a nonprofit TCM health clinic, where I have repeat and very loyal clients but mostly among those who are subsidized by various grants/programs we have for those with chronic disease but without money for TCM and massage. But, among my private/full-pay clients there, same thing as my home practice: I see them once or twice and then not again or not for months in between. Given that I do have a loyal following when money is not an issue, I am confident that I provide great service and massages that clients find beneficial. By the way, my rates are competitive, if not slightly below average in both locations.

Does anyone else (especially in large cities) encounter this? How do I bring even a fraction of these clients back more frequently? It it, perhaps, a matter of education about the benefit of massage? Other thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by Erica Olson on February 25, 2010 at 5:26pm

Ah, but if you rebook them right away, then they don't forget about how good it feels. I've done work on folks who have said plenty of times, "God, I forgot how /good/ this feels!" Just like we forget how bad pain can be, we forget how good pleasure can feel.

Stephen Jeffrey said:

Please show respect for the wonderfull condition you have created in your new propective repeat client and let them enjoy it.............If you can't, then go sell some holiday time share instead :)