How did you change your practice focus?

[Rayle]

I just took James Waslasky's upper body orthopedic massage workshop weekend before last and it was AMAZING and practice-changing. I'm going to go for Orthopedic massage certification and hope to be certified within the next year.

In the meantime, I have decided to start practicing my new knowledge in part by working with select clients. I've already contacted my first "target" client; she's been seeing me a few months now and was recently diagnosed with the early seforum.xxxes of a frozen shoulder. I offered her $10 off each of the next three sessions if she would be my guinea pig and allow me to do a case study on her. I told her, "The sessions would be different than what we've done in the past, and you'd have to tolerate me figuring the next step out (at least somewhat) and using reference materials as we go along." I realize I didn't have to offer a discount, but I'm comfortable with it and it lets me off the hook in feeling I have to be "perfect" as I work on her. She's accepted the offer.

Anyway, the longer-view is that I am going to change my practice. While I will continue to do relaxation massage for some time, I am going to start focusing on recruiting new clients with pain issues and positioning myself as a health care practitioner with a THERAPEUTIC massage service. I've decided to investigate other massage businesses in my state who have the type of setup I hope to eventually offer.

I'm wondering if anyone here can relate how they changed their practice from relaxation or mixed clients to primarily a therapeutic service?

Other questions/ideas:
* Did you raise your rates?
* Did your space needs change?
* Did you change your practice location?
* Did you stop taking tips?
* Did you pair up with other specialties (chiro, PT, etc.) in a joint practice?
* Do you work on your clients with them fully clothed?
* How long do your sessions generally run?
* Did you change the name of your practice?
* Did you find yourself spending a lot of money on new reference materials and tools?
* How has it worked out?
* What else should I be thinking about?

To add to the confusion, I've also recently learned that the US's first Green Outlets are opening up in my practice town! (See http://thegreenoutlets.com/.) I met with the three women founding the concept and they're planning to have green vendors (kinda like a department store), educational and fitness facilities, a media center and an organic restaurant (with drive through!) in the log building (it'll also be green construction), and natural health practitioners upstairs in 5 rooms. The rooms are reportedly 800 sq. ft. (150 sq. ft. bigger than my little house!) and can be shared by several practitioners if desired. So now I'm thinking again about trying to put together a mutually-beneficial shared practice of some kind and renting space...

 

[technicolourlassie]

First of all, and this may be picking nits, but I wouldn't discount the "therapeutic" benefits of relaxation work.

That said, I transitioned my practice from mainly relaxation work to rehabilitative work a few years ago. My intent was never to stop doing relaxation work, but to integrate rehabilitative work into my existing practice to be able to better serve my existing clientele and to attract a new market.

Your questions:

* Did you raise your rates? - Not specifically though this did coincide with a rate increase.
* Did your space needs change? - I have plenty of space in my office but I found I needed to adjust the layout of my treatment room to give me more space at the foot of the table.
* Did you change your practice location? - Nope
* Did you stop taking tips? - Nope - I find that most tips come from relaxation work rather than rehab work.
* Did you pair up with other specialties (chiro, PT, etc.) in a joint practice? - I had already formed relationships with other professionals - this didn't change with my shift in focus.
* Do you work on your clients with them fully clothed? - No. The work I do requires direct access to the client's skin.
* How long do your sessions generally run? - Anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes mostly
* Did you change the name of your practice? - No, my practice name is well-established.
* Did you find yourself spending a lot of money on new reference materials and tools? - It's easy to go overboard. I spent some but not a LOT.
* How has it worked out? - It's worked out wonderfully so far. A lot of my previous clients have shifted over to the new modalities and I've attracted many other clients I may not have otherwise.
* What else should I be thinking about? - I feel there's a place for both relaxation and rehabilitative work in anyone's practice IF that's where there heart is. Honestly, just follow your passion, do your best work and get the word out there to your market and the rest will follow.

 

[try to no avail]

How did you change your practice focus?

Other questions/ideas:
* Did you raise your rates? - No, though I have recently. Many clients are now choosing to book longer sessions, which also helps.
* Did your space needs change? - Not really, but a little extra room all around the table is often more convenient.
* Did you change your practice location? - No, and now the business is acquiring a reputation for therapeutic work that will soon rival its rep for relaxation work.
* Did you stop taking tips? - No, and I have seen no decrease. Actually, I think my average tip is up a bit, but I don't really know.
* Did you pair up with other specialties (chiro, PT, etc.) in a joint practice? - No, just a bunch of massage therapists.
* Do you work on your clients with them fully clothed? - Sometimes, but not often. I am considering doing more fully-clothed work, as my primary techniques can work fine through clothing.
* How long do your sessions generally run? - 60-90 minutes hands-on, plus extra time before and after for talking, changing, etc.
* Did you change the name of your practice? - No, it's a franchise.
* Did you find yourself spending a lot of money on new reference materials and tools? - Constantly, but I would do that anyway. My professional library has an overactive pituitary gland. :
* How has it worked out? - Great so far! Love every day, and my client base keeps growing.
* What else should I be thinking about? - Refining your client communication skills. Learn to educate without lecturing, to make the boring technical details you love shimmer with the excitement of "inside knowledge" they will remember. The more they learn and take personal ownership of, the better your results will be. And they will send others to you.

 

[Cam]

Thanks Pifatos and Jason. Didn't mean to downplay the therapeutic benefits of relaxation. Guess I should use terms like "rehabilitative" massage and whatnot.

More space at the foot of the table, eh? I can see that being beneficial, not sure if I can make that happen in my current space (which is a tad tight at 11.5'x9.5', I have my table angled in the room).

Interesting that you both still accept tips. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I've just considered not accepting them since it would help my clients perceive me as a health care provider.

I already tell my clients details about what's going on with them, and I love doing so. I feel like it empowers them to really understand what the problem is and how self-care can help keep them well. I've been working on making technical talk more user-friendly.

Thanks again for the feedback!

 

[gravitate]

I don't think the tip issue will make your clients take you any more (or less) seriously at the outset. Instead, leave that issue alone and focus more on transitioning your practice into this new direction. Familiar things like tipping will make it an easier transition for some of your clients.

When you have completed your Orthopedic Massage certification and are ready to update your marketing, reconsider the matter and see if it is still important to you. Perhaps start by refusing tips when clients come to you with a prescription or medical referral.

 

[Mark Anthony]

Or if your clients absolutely want to tip, consider donating tips to a different cause each month? That way the good they want to do, gets passed on in the community...

"Our thanks for this donation to BackCountryMassage and her generous clients!"

 

[kitty]

Thanks for the opinions on tips. I think I will consider it later, and also the donation idea (something I already like to do, so it would be easy to let clients know I'm donating tips monthly). Have a great day!

 

[Fofo]

I'm not sure how much help I'll be, since my changes have been gradual and kind of organic. I mean, I didn't really sit down and write up a new biz plan. But, FWIW...

I'm wondering if you can relate how you changed your practice from relaxation or mixed clients to primarily a therapeutic service?

I currently have a mixed practice. It varies from week to week, but I am doing 50-75% ortho work now. Mainly I did this by referring out any new inquiries for relaxation work. At least, this is what I was doing before things started getting rough around here with layoffs and the collapse of the construction/housing market. Right now, I have a lot of openings, an issue I haven't had to deal with in more than 2 years. So I'm taking any/all types of massage.


* Did you raise your rates?
Yep, not coincidentally with the practice change, but because it was time. I just raised them. Things have been slow since December, so last month I bumped my rates. I'm starting to see the higher pricing have a positive effect now. I also revamped my description of a session. For Ortho work, a one hour session includes the eval and special testing, so table time could be a little less than a relaxation session, which is 60 minutes hands-on. The session rates are the same, but the Ortho stuff may or may not be a shorter table duration.

* Did your space needs change?
No, I had plenty of space before. If I had been renting a single room, it might have been rough, because now I have balls and straps, and I sell a few self-care items.

* Did you pair up with other specialties (chiro, PT, etc.) in a joint practice?
No, but there are other providers who are aware of what I'm doing, and refer to me occasionally.

* Do you work on your clients with them fully clothed?
Not fully. For Ortho, they have to bring shorts, but I usually have them take the upper clothing off for the actual hands-on, and drape them with a towel (for women.)

* How long do your sessions generally run?
Ortho = "standard session" 50-55min hands on, or for an "extended session" 80 minutes hands on.

* Did you change the name of your practice?
No, but I've thought about it. May still do it.

* Did you find yourself spending a lot of money on new reference materials and tools?
Kind of a continuous state with me. Right now, I've got a DVD education series to get through, a personal trainer course to get through and test out for certification, and I'm on the hunt for a kinesiotaping course. I also purchased some training guides, and the Primal 3D anatomy software. TBH, I wish I had the full version, but at $1500, it's more than I'm willing to lay out. I also bought some equipment for take-home: therabands, stretch straps, yoga straps, balls...

* How has it worked out?
Other than being the procrastination queen, it's fine. I need to get studying. Also, I don't sell much stuff, just here and there. I eventually will sell enough of what I purchase to make up for the initial layout. At least, that's how it has worked in the past.

* What else should I be thinking about?
Don't get locked into changing your practice until/unless you are financially in a position to turn down work. Some people can keep a full practice during a transition, and some can't, so don't get frustrated if you need to keep doing "regular" massage while you are changing the balance of your practice.

Don't be afraid to raise your rates. Also, don't be afraid to offer discounts in exchange for "trying new stuff." Just be selective, don't put "new moves special" on your website or flyers, because you will want to constrain those types of discounts to the people who you will actually get to practice on. F/I, you don't want to offer a $40 "new low back fix" special, only to have 10 people come in with no low back issues who end up wanting you to work on their neck.

That's all I can think of at the moment, hope it helps!