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What was your most memorable first-time client experience?
What was your most memorable first-time client experience? Comment and you could be featured in the next issue of Massage & Bodywork magazine!
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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on
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This was back in 1986. I was an inexperienced massage therapist with no clients. I had finagled my way into a job working at.. I believe it was called. The Float Away Relaxation Center on Maui. I was maybe doing one massage a day. In my spare time I would visit medical clinics and MD. offices asking to talk to the Doctors about my Shiatsu Massage. Of course none of them talked to me. They were either too busy or didnt care. Well the one doctor that I did get to talk to briefly was my sons Pediatrician( Dr. Roberts ). There was no real conversation, he knew me and politely took my card. I had offered him a free Shiatsu Massage. Anyway a month later he called and asked me if my offer for a free Shiatsu massage was still good.. He could barely walk. He was bent over and hobbling. I was extreemly nervous.. Gosh he was a Doctor that was hurt, and I realized that I knew not what I was doing. I did my robotic Shiatsu routine nervously.. At one point while I was working on his back he stuck his head up rather abruptly and asked what I was doing. I was affraid that I hurt him.. I said whats worng.. he said... Nothing, I will tell you later. I coniniued nervously with my robotic Shiatsu regime. When I finished he got up off the futon with a very stunned, stoned, look on his face, and just walked out. I didnt know what to make of it? Anyway, the next day I was in the grocery store when I heard my name called out. It was Dr. Roberts. he cam running accross the store and said.. Young man, You completely cured me of my back pain.. Its AMAZING. Im totally pain free. Other people heard. I was shocked and happy. I went home that night.. I rented a room in big house. That evening I told my roommates that I cured a Medical Doctor of his back pain.. Everybody congratulated me.. Then someone asked me how many clients I have tomorrow.. I said NONE.. Then I had an idea.. The next day I went to Dr. Roberts office.. When I came in the door his Nurse immediately recognized me and said she would get Dr. Roberts for me. She walked into a treatment room where he was with a patient and said Gordon is here to see you. Gosh he left the patient and came up to me, thanked me again, and asked what I needed... I asked him if he could put in writing ( a testimonial ) about how I was able to help him so that I could show that to other doctors and potentail clients, and it might help my business. He wrote the letter in the attachment below. That letter has always helped me find work or attract new clients. That was the most memeorable first-time client in my life. Im going to have to add the attachment on the next reply.
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Gordon J. Wallis said:This was back in 1986. I was an inexperienced massage therapist with no clients. I had finagled my way into a job working at.. I believe it was called. The Float Away Relaxation Center on Maui. I was maybe doing one massage a day. In my spare time I would visit medical clinics and MD. offices asking to talk to the Doctors about my Shiatsu Massage. Of course none of them talked to me. They were either too busy or didnt care. Well the one doctor that I did get to talk to briefly was my sons Pediatrician( Dr. Roberts ). There was no real conversation, he knew me and politely took my card. I had offered him a free Shiatsu Massage. Anyway a month later he called and asked me if my offer for a free Shiatsu massage was still good.. He could barely walk. He was bent over and hobbling. I was extreemly nervous.. Gosh he was a Doctor that was hurt, and I realized that I knew not what I was doing. I did my robotic Shiatsu routine nervously.. At one point while I was working on his back he stuck his head up rather abruptly and asked what I was doing. I was affraid that I hurt him.. I said whats worng.. he said... Nothing, I will tell you later. I coniniued nervously with my robotic Shiatsu regime. When I finished he got up off the futon with a very stunned, stoned, look on his face, and just walked out. I didnt know what to make of it? Anyway, the next day I was in the grocery store when I heard my name called out. It was Dr. Roberts. he cam running accross the store and said.. Young man, You completely cured me of my back pain.. Its AMAZING. Im totally pain free. Other people heard. I was shocked and happy. I went home that night.. I rented a room in big house. That evening I told my roommates that I cured a Medical Doctor of his back pain.. Everybody congratulated me.. Then someone asked me how many clients I have tomorrow.. I said NONE.. Then I had an idea.. The next day I went to Dr. Roberts office.. When I came in the door his Nurse immediately recognized me and said she would get Dr. Roberts for me. She walked into a treatment room where he was with a patient and said Gordon is here to see you. Gosh he left the patient and came up to me, thanked me again, and asked what I needed... I asked him if he could put in writing ( a testimonial ) about how I was able to help him so that I could show that to other doctors and potentail clients, and it might help my business. He wrote the letter in the attachment below. That letter has always helped me find work or attract new clients. That was the most memeorable first-time client in my life. Im going to have to add the attachment on the next reply. - Attachments:
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image.jpg, 132 KB
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Permalink Reply by Kendra Wien on
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Wow Gordon!! What an excellent start!
My most memorable was one that has me still laughing: a client wrote in his review (while in student clinic of my massage school) "why did you keep touching me?!"
...thought everyone knew they were signed up for "massage".
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Permalink Reply by Chantel Martin on
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My most memorable first-time client experience actually happened while I was still a student. I was in the internship portion of my schooling program at Texas Massage Academy, in which we worked on clients at the school's spa. A couple had come in for separate massages, and the male was assigned to me. During consultation, I found out that he was very upset, because he said his girlfriend had made him come and get a massage; he really did not want to be there. So here I was, a student intern, with a client who was uncomfortable with massage, and he was already angry.
He proceeded with the massage anyway, and I did my best to make him as comfortable as possible with the whole situation. He was admittedly somewhat rude, but I understood that it was simply his way of taking out his frustration. I remained very calm and cool, not taking anything to heart. I offered to explain what I was doing, and why I was doing it, and he said that might help. So I carried on that way, telling him how I was increasing his circulation, and so on. Every once in awhile I would make conversation about something besides massage, to help him relax. Although he still wasn't particularly happy when he left, he seemed more calm, and had that sleepy, relaxed look on his face.
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Permalink Reply by Tara Doyle on
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That's so great, Gordon! I'm so glad you were able to help that doctor, he sounded very grateful.
Kendra, you would think so! :-)
Chantel, that sounds like you handled a bad situation perfectly. I'm sure he was more calm and relaxed after seeing you.
Thanks to all for your responses!
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Permalink Reply by Therese Schwartz on
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I have a couple of memorable first time sessions to share; hopefully one of them will be good for the magazine!
A few years ago I had a woman come to see me who was in a lot of pain - I didn't realize how much until later. I had just started doing Til Lucau's Myofascial Techniques so I did what I could using those techniques to help her with her sciatica pain. At the end of the session she said she thought she felt better. She had been tense and a little abrupt the whole session so I wasn't sure what to think. The next week when she showed up for her appointment she danced into my house! Since then she has referred so many clients to me that she is responsible for about one third of my business!
The other one that I love happened last week when I had my first session with a four-year-old boy who is coming to me for CranioSacral Therapy. After I performed a pediatric occipital base release on him, he said - completely unsolicited - in his totally cute four-year-old voice, "My head feels better!". It's hard to do better than that!
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