When you first start your massage practice, you’re entirely focused on acquiring new clients. However, as your practice grows and expands, you need to consider how to keep your clients coming back.

As a new massage therapist, you might be making mistakes that put your client relationships at risk. Given that acquiring a new customer can cost five to seven times more than retaining an old one, this can be quite costly.

Let’s explore three common mistakes we hear from massage therapists that lead to client churn. If any of these statements sound familiar to you, we’ll discuss how you can turn it around and build stronger relationships with your clients.

1. “I’m worried about annoying my clients, so I don’t do marketing”

Marketing as a small business owner is difficult—you’re figuring out how to reach out to your clients, yet you don’t want to do so too frequently. However, marketing is essential, especially when you approach it strategically. With the right messages, you’ll be able to keep your massage practice top of mind and encourage clients to return for future massages.

Digital marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to keep in touch with your audience, and the best digital channels to use are social media and email. After all, the average daily time spent on social media is just under 2.5 hours and more than 90% of businesses say that email marketing is important to their company’s overall success.

Here are a few ways you can use these channels to connect with your clients unobtrusively:

• Send an email wishing your client a happy birthday and include a discount code for their next massage
• Spotlight a new service you’re offering
• Introduce a new massage therapist and the services they specialize in
• Provide educational resources on the benefits of massage

Additionally, you can set up automated marketing messages to follow up with clients you haven’t seen in a while. Tell them you hope they’re doing well and ask if they’d like to book an appointment. Some of your clients will greatly appreciate the reminder!

2. “I’m not using SOAP notes to deepen personalized connections”

SOAP notes are a professional note-taking format that massage therapists and healthcare providers use to document sessions and craft the best treatment course for clients. They’re also incredibly handy for developing a relationship with your new clients.

Some of the information you can record through SOAP notes and use to build stronger client relationships include:

• Massage preferences. Many massage therapists use SOAP notes to record clients’ personal preferences related to their services. For example, you might note if they do not like conversation during the session, that their aromatherapy scent preference is lavender, or that medium to heavy pressure is painful for them. You’ll be able to look back at this information for future sessions, ensuring that you deliver a massage tailored to their preferences.

• Lifestyle choices. Maybe your client is training for a marathon, starting yoga, or tells you that they stand all day at their job. You can make a memo to pay special attention to the areas that could be affected. Then, you can follow up with the client on any pain and soreness they’re experiencing in these areas.

• Personal notes. If your client likes to chat during appointments and tells you key information, such as their pet’s or kid’s names and ages, make a note. This is a great way to strike up a conversation and build rapport at their next appointment. They’ll appreciate your attention to detail when you say, “I remember you recently went to a parent-teacher conference for Daniel. How did that go?”

Consider purchasing a dedicated massage therapy solution that offers digital SOAP notes to help you with future note-taking. That way, you can keep your notes organized, making it easy for you to reference them before a session with a returning client.

3. “I don’t have any rewards for my regular clients”

There is no better marketing than word of mouth from happy clients. That’s why, at MassageBook, we encourage business owners to create ways to reward clients for their loyalty and referrals.

Here are two types of rewards you should offer:

• Loyalty rewards. Client loyalty is your most prized possession as a massage therapist, and it should be rewarded! Easy ways to incorporate rewards include discounts, free add-on services, or offering a free massage after a certain number of paid massages.

• Referral rewards. With referrals, you’ll encourage your clients to market your massage practice on your behalf. Reward your existing clients for referring their friends to your practice—for example, offer referred clients a 10% discount on their first massage and give the referring client a 10% discount for every new referral.

You can even consider starting a massage membership program to secure regular patronage for an extended period of time. To join your program, clients will pay you monthly for a set amount of services, usually at a lower rate than if they purchased the services individually. It’s a win-win! Your clients will enjoy always having a reason to book new appointments, and you will enjoy their loyalty!

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Building positive client relationships is crucial for any business, but it’s especially important for service-based businesses like your massage practice. Thoughtfully consider what you currently do to foster strong relationships with your clients, and don’t be afraid to invest in a massage therapy solution that makes it easier for you to do that!