What's your greatest business challenge?

[purplecrazyy]

Hi everyone,

I'd like to get a better idea of what challenges other massage therapists face. As I fine tune my coaching practice which focuses on holistic practitioners, I want to make sure that what I'm offering is meeting a real need.

I wish there was a way to allow people to mark more than one option. Oh well.

Any input is greatly appreciated! If your challenge isn't included in the poll, feel free to mention it.

warmly,
Lisa

 

[legionfalls]

For me, it is the marketing. I just do not enjoy marketing. I enjoyed creating my brochures and business cards, so that is the basis of my marketing, so far. They do get a very nice response and my business is growing nicely, but I know I should be doing more, I know some specifics of what more I should be doing - I just don't like it.

 

[kisses]

I used to feel the same way about marketing, but now I've become a marketing maniac. I love it! so marketing is no longer a problem for me.

I'm finding that I just don't have enough time for all of the paperwork end of running a business, taxes, etc. this is the stuff I can't stand doing and am starting to feel a little overwhelming. It probably wouldn't be bad if I just did it, but I procrastinate because I don't enjoy it, and then it becomes a huge task. ugh.

 

[sajan]

I don't have any trouble with anything you listed. My issue is procrastination. Plain, old-fashioned "I'll do it later" syndrome. If I could get over that, everything would be just peachy.

 

[rauma_raumamary]

One problem not listed in your poll, but mentioned a lot on the board, is maintaining professional boundaries with clients. For example, trouble with clients who come late, cancel at the last minute, or no-show completely. Enforcing a cancellation policy seems to be hard for a lot of MT's. Others have trouble with clients who take up more than their allotted time (either requesting extra time added onto their massage for free; calling between appointments wanting free advice over the phone; or staying after their appointment to talk -- sometimes for hours).

A think a lot of MT's are gentle personalities who have difficulty with confrontation. I can see this as an important coaching area. Good luck with your growing business!

 

[justbeingher]

I think there should be an all of the above... :

Seriously though, I agree with Blisss' remark about professional boundaries and most of us having issues about confrontation and sticking up for ourselves. We tend to be taking care of everybody but ourselves!

 

[joe]

I don't have any trouble with anything you listed. My issue is procrastination. Plain, old-fashioned "I'll do it later" syndrome. If I could get over that, everything would be just peachy.

I am a HUGE procrastinator too!

 

[Hallwoman]

As a massage therapist just starting off as an independant contractor in a Laser Skin center, I find it hard just to find clients who are looking for massage on a regular basis. I have been giving out $10 dollar off gift certificates and have had quite a few people buy gift certificates, but that tends to attract one-timers. I haven't had any complaints about my massage, I just haven't found people that are looking to get massages all the time, so that is definitely my biggest issue right now as someone just starting off.

I didn't make it quite clear which option I chose. I chose the "having trouble retaining clients". Of course, I'm having trouble with quite a few of those options.

 

[Ryskag]

Thanks so much for your feedback everyone. I really appreciate it.

Breathe and Angela - how does procrastination impact your business? What are you not getting done that would benefit your business?

Thanks again!

Lisa

 

[inlove7]

I've been out of school for just over a year now. During this time, I've been doing massage in between the times I have to be at work (full-time at a retail business that really pushes the "full flex" scheduling concept...yech).

Because I have not had much in the way of consistent times available for massage, I haven't marketed myself alot, and thus have had a slow, steady trickle of clients. Several of these have come back many times, and many have been for one treatment, say they will be back, but haven't yet; I think perceneforum.xxxe-wise, that's probably pretty normal.

As of April 15, if everything goes according to plan, my wife will be taking a full time job with benefits. This will allow me to back away from my full-time situation and dedicate myself more to the bodywork.

Thing is, it's scary leaving that regular paycheck when I only have one or two clients a week! I'm a bit afraid of how long it will take to build enough of a client base to replace it.

 

[CANUK]

Breathe and Angela - how does procrastination impact your business? What are you not getting done that would benefit your business?

The primary way is stress, followed secondarily by potentially accepting less actual massage business than I am capable of, simply because I am overwhelmed with piled up paperwork. Between SOAPS, HCFAs, bookkeeping, going to the post office, marketing flyers, etc, I'm always "behind" on something. If I didn't procrastinate, I'd be working an easy 32-36 hours a week total (including paperwork and documentation,) but since I put things off until I have a giant pile, it feels more like 50.

I seem to have a psychological requirement for deadlines, and I haven't been able to effectively set them for myself. For instance, I have one more month of last year's books to audit before I give them to the accountant. Here it is the 4th, and I have yet to do it. I'm home, I'm on the computer, the records are in my backpack right behind me, but what am I doing? drinking coffee and surfing the internet. :roll: :

 

[AFR-CAM]

I seem to have a psychological requirement for deadlines, and I haven't been able to effectively set them for myself. For instance, I have one more month of last year's books to audit before I give them to the accountant. Here it is the 4th, and I have yet to do it. I'm home, I'm on the computer, the records are in my backpack right behind me, but what am I doing? drinking coffee and surfing the internet. :roll: :

Hoo Hoo!! You sound like me! :woohoo: :banghead: :yikes: