Excerpt from Credit Cards (by Cherie Sohnen-Moe, futurelmt.com)

Offering your clients the option of paying with a credit card or debit card presents advantages and disadvantages. For many years, the typical massage therapist didn’t accept payment by credit card, but that is changing with the ease and low cost currently associated with a merchant account. In many instances, you don’t even need special equipment—you can process the transaction by phone or the Web.

A lot can be said for making it easy for your clients to pay you. I recommend accepting payment by credit card or debit card, particularly if you sell products or offer classes. In fact, marketing research shows that people are often are willing to spend more if they can pay with a credit card, and then there’s the impulse-buy factor. Advantages that come with accepting this form of payment are added convenience for your regular clients, increased appeal for your gift certificate program, more high-dollar product purchases and an increased likelihood of clients purchasing a package deal for a series of sessions.

Read entire article here.