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Hope you've been well and that your spring is shaping up to be the best ever!
Just wanted to let you know that we added some wonderful new Mother's Day Gift Certificate template designs to MassageBook in advance of Momma's Day weekend.
Perhaps you've been wondering why you haven't received the usual number of new feature and update emails from me in the last couple of months...
The simple reason is, as I shared last time, we're working on a few really big features (Square payments integration and a Google Reserve integration) that have required foundation level re-work using some seriously cool new technologies that will help accelerate the future development of some very exciting improvements to the MassageBook platform.
But it's come at a cost.
It's forced us to temporarily postpone some smaller (but also very important) work on enhancements - which brings me to this episode of "Mark's thoughts on success":
Today's message is all about... simplifying
I think it's probably safe to say that we all have more things we need to do (and want to do) than we have time for.
At MassageBook I WANT to please you and every one of our thousands of customers by adding to and tweaking our software to meet the exact needs of each and every one of the bodyworkers we support. We have a list (no joke) of over 200 unique small-ish requests from individuals.
AND
We also have to make sure that we're building a software platform that will continue to be fast and super-reliable as we continue to grow quickly.
AND
We can't forget that MassageBook is a business - and must support its growing team of 20+ kick-butt engineers and support staff that allow us to serve our customers at an extremely high level of awesomeness.
As a business, we need to pay our team and grow our income to allow for the ongoing re-investment in MassageBook - by developing new features that add even more value to you, our customer - and which we can, in good conscience, charge something for. (*Personal note - I believe so strongly in MassageBook's mission and keeping our costs down that I have personally provided 100% of the funding and draw no salary.)
Point is - there are always competing priorities in our business and in our personal lives.
If everything is important, then nothing is important
I see a lot of business owners who get overwhelmed by everything that needs to get done - and fall into an unproductive downward spiral of trying to please everyone all the time. They end up with their days being so fragmented that very little of significance actually gets done.
The business (and their mental states) suffer as a result.
So what's the alternative?
Here's where you just need to enforce some super-strong discipline and prioritize things ruthlessly.
Not everything is equally important - it just isn't.
So even if you have a long list of uber-important things to do, you can't work on all those things - you'll fail 100% of the time.
Pick three by asking yourself the question:
"What single thing(s) can I do that would help solve a number of other related issues?"
I can't stress the importance of asking this question enough. Don't settle for your first reflexive response. Think slowly and deeply and you'll find related connections between issues you're facing. Guaranteed.
These three prioritized things are what you need to be focused on making incremental progress on every day.
There is magic in making even small progress on a single thing each and every day.
Not only will you find that you're making measurable progress each week this way, you'll feel so much better about yourself each day knowing you're closer to your goal than you were yesterday.
You'll have fewer days where you say "I was so busy - but I can't tell you what I really accomplished...".
As a massage therapist or bodywork professional with your own practice, a couple of the key things that affect everything else in your business are very clear. I struggled with these early on in growing my own practice and I know they also affect you:
Thing #1 that keeps me busy but doesn't add a lot of value
Time spent doing administrative tasks
I spent way too much time doing low-value administrative tasks like answering the phone, responding to texts, filing client docs, doing laundry, printing intake forms, updating SOAP notes, reconciling my practice income with the bank statement, cleaning and re-stocking the bathroom, etc.
Solution: Consolidate and automate as much as possible.
Imagine a practice where you didn't even need a phone. One where clients find it easier to manage their own appointments online than to contact you. One where ALL your client information was always at your fingertips. One where clients filled out all their forms online in advance of their appointments. One where your clients and staff were automatically reminded of appointments and any scheduling changes...
So obviously I'm going to tell you that MassageBook does all this. (Because it does - and amazingly well)
The important thing to realize is that having the right massage practice software truly IS like having a full time staff person doing administrative tasks. It'll save you gobs of time AND add back a lot of time to your day.
Thing #2 that if solved, would solve a host of other issues
Having a reliable way to increase my income
Think about it. If you knew you could step on the gas any time you wanted to and see an increase in your income, how great would that feel?
My guess is that you really enjoy performing bodywork. But, if you're like me, you're turned off by the very thought of "selling" yourself.
Solution: Hire someone to go all over town singing your praises and have them hand out some first time client deals while they're at it.
What?!
That would be pretty cool, but it would cost way too much to hire someone to do that. So - I'd suggest letting MassageBook do this for you.
MassageBook has a number of things it does - automatically - to help drive new clients to your massage practice AND get your existing clients to book more often.
The MassageBook massage therapy and bodywork directory is working 24-7, sending thousands of new clients to practices like yours every day. Think of it as "Open Table" for independent massage and bodywork businesses.
Only difference is, your listing on the MassageBook directory is free.
I also can't emphasize enough the importance of staying in touch with your clients via email. The last time I did a presentation to a room of MT's on Marketing your Massage Practice, I asked "How many of you have sent your clients an email in the last month?, Two months? THREE months?!" One MT raised her hand.
We make it so incredibly easy for you in MassageBook to send emails to all your clients, or just to specific groups of clients, that it'll take you no time at all to send off a great looking email.
The result - virtually guaranteed - more repeat bookings, and more income for you.
And for those of you who just can't seem to get emails written and sent?
Just turn on MassageBook's "Auto pilot" feature to automatically track your clients activity and send them pre-written emails at strategic times. Like when they haven't had an appointment in a while, or when it's their Birthday.
So here's the thing - simplifying your day to day and increasing your income at the same time are the two key business problems MassageBook was designed to help with.
Solve these two problems for your massage or bodywork practice and I'm certain you'll find a lot of other things will fall into place for you.
Except for laundering those damn sheets...
Although, with all the extra money you'll be making, you can consider hiring a linen service.
How amazing would that be?!
Until next time,
Mark
P.S. - If you haven't created a Mother's Day Promotion in MassageBook to sell a mother load of Gift Certificates this year, you're missing a great opportunity! Let us know if we can help.
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