What to do when you have too much business?
When it comes to private practice, it seems all I ever hear about is the fear of not having enough clients? So much so that it almost lends to a negative perception of starting your own massage business.
My question is, has anyone ever thought about what happens when you have too much business? Well I have, I do. You see, many a day over the last 4 years I have found myself with too much business; full schedule, too many appointment requests from existing clients and inquiries from new clients. I understand that this is a great problem to have but it can be stressful and needs to be handled professionally.
To think more positive about your practice or future practice here are a few rules to live by when you find yourself on the Most Wanted list.
Say No
Let’s just start with the hardest one, saying no. As care givers, it is extremely difficult to say no when someone is in pain but the fact is sometimes you will be maxed out and there is just no space in your schedule. In this case, you will have no choice but to say no. Provide the client with your next available appointment and several options from that date, in most cases they will book and wait for you.
Keep a Cancellation List
If you are booked out several weeks, let your clients know that you will contact them if something opens up sooner. You will never have a happier client than the one that gets in to see you 3 weeks before their scheduled appointment.
Have Referrals Ready
Don’t be afraid to give your existing clients and new inquiries a few options other than yourself. I always tell my clients that it’s important to have a back up massage therapist. They will appreciate your honesty, admire your confidence and almost always schedule out a future appointment at that time.
Give Self Care Recommendations
You will have the folks that simply do not want to see anyone else, in this case they have to wait for your next opening. In the meantime, find out what is ailing them and give them self care recommendations to help alleviate their discomfort. Even though you can’t get them on your table immediately, you can still care for them in other ways.
Stop Taking New Clients
This is the leap of faith that many small business owners are too frightened to take. But if you have a full schedule and regular clientele it will serve you better to take care of them first. If you are constantly taking new clients, your regular clients will get bumped out of appointments and be forced to find someone else to work with. Whereas, if you make space to cultivate your existing clientele you will end up with more regular appointments and meaningful experiences as you get to know your clients better. If things slow down, open your practice to new clients again until business gets back up to speed.
Be Good to your Good Clients
As much as I am an advocate to saying no there are times where you have to go the extra mile for your clients and find a space for them. In this case, you squeeze them in for a treatment, look like a hero and take extra care of yourself so that you come out stronger in the end.
When you run a professional practice and you are good at what you do, your clients will respect and understand that you are busy. Remember to always be a resource for your clients, don’t just say ‘no’ and hang up the phone. Actions like that will ensure a less then financially satisfying schedule. In private practice, there will be slower times and busier times but staying positive through all experiences while caring for your clients in the best way possible will help your practice thrive.
JessG
