Do It With Intention | Business & Marketing for Massage and Bodywork Therapists

Sometimes when certain people reach out to you for your services, you just intuitively know that they will not be a good fit for you or your practice.

It can be such an uncomfortable situation, and we dive even deeper into similar circumstances like this inside The Bodywork Project. 

Over the years, I have learned many powerful lessons in my own personal growth by working with people who have challenged me, so I take each individual seriously and I'm careful to not reject people outright.

But sometimes, a person is just not a good fit. Then what do you do?

On this week's episode, I'll give you 3 ways to gently refuse a new client, including what to say so that you stay grounded in integrity.

This week on the Do It With Intention Podcast:

• How to set up any conversation with potential clients so that you can have confidence and strong boundaries.

• Ways to gently turn away clients who won't benefit from your massage and bodywork services and still maintain your integrity and kindness.

• Why it is so important not to ignore your warning signals when dealing with potential clients.

Resources from this episode:

• Grab your free practice-building resources here!

• Check out my website

• The Bodywork Project

• YouTube massage business videos

On today's episode I break down what to say when someone says your modality doesn't work.

Ouch.

As a big-hearted therapist, I know that you are in love with your modality for many reasons — maybe it even helped you to heal in your own life.

When someone challenges your modality, or says it's ineffective, it can be awkward, uncomfortable, and difficult to know how to respond.

So take a listen as I share with you what I've learned over the years on how to respond (or not) to the naysayers, while remaining grounded in your integrity.

This week on the Do It With Intention Podcast:

• 3 important steps in responding to criticism so that you can remain neutral and reply with intention.

• How remembering that no modality is right for everybody is so crucial to understand when explaining your modality.

• Why choosing to bless and release certain critics is the best choice for everyone.

Resources from this episode:

• Grab your free practice-building resources here!

• Check out my website

• The Bodywork Project

• YouTube massage business videos

On this week's episode, we continue with our WHAT TO SAY series with a look into how to react when a potential client tells you that your services are too expensive.

I'm constantly talking about the importance of providing premium services with my students in The Bodywork Project, and your rates will reflect the premium services you provide.

I know you have carefully set up a safe container on the business side of your massage and bodywork practice, and your heart-centered pricing is where it needs to be. So, with that in mind, you are more than prepared to react to people who question your pricing.

This week on the Do It With Intention Podcast:

• Why any pushback on your pricing is not about you.

• The response that may be the best way to let your rates speak for themselves.

• The uncomfortable situation with a client that showed me the importance of being clear and confident with my business's boundaries.

Resources from this episode:

• Grab your free practice-building resources here!

• Check out my website

• The Bodywork Project

• YouTube massage business videos

As a small business you may occasionally find yourself in sticky situations where you don't know what to say or do. My students share these situations and we work through them together inside The Bodywork Project, but I wanted to give all of my listeners some guidance on a few of the most common scenarios you may find yourself in.

I begin this series focusing on what to say when a client cancels an appointment. In today's episode I'll guide you through a few responses to help you to feel confident with your boundaries while continuing to be kind and intentional with your clients.

This week on the Do It With Intention Podcast:

• How a clear and concise cancellation policy will help you to maintain a safe container for your clients.

• Simple steps to take after a client cancellation so that you can simultaneously look out for the best interest of your client's desires and your business's needs.

• Knowing when to bless and release certain clients, so that you can allow space for your most ideal clients in your practice.

Resources from this episode:

• Grab your free practice-building resources here!

• Check out my website

• The Bodywork Project

• YouTube massage business videos

I bet at some time in your career you've been told that you MUST use social media to get new clients and fill your practice. I was certainly told that when I was starting out…

But is that true?

In the past few months, I've decided for many reasons (time, focus, a need to have integrity and make my actions reflect my beliefs) to close almost all my social media accounts. I wanted to gain some insight from someone who has walked that path before me to find out what effect being off of social media might have on my business.

In today's episode I chat with Alexandra Franzen about how she decided that social media was no longer for her, and what she did instead to market and grow her business.

Listen in as we talk about her personal boundaries set around social media that have allowed more focused space in her life for creativity, productivity, and business growth.

This week on the Do It With Intention Podcast:

• The question Alex always asks business owners skeptical of dropping social media.

• 4 social media alternatives to market your business so that your massage and bodywork clients will feel more connected to you and the services you have to offer.

• The single post card that generated $20,000 worth of business referrals.

Resources from this episode:

• Grab your free practice-building resources here!

• Check out my website

• The Bodywork Project

• YouTube massage business videos

When you think of Feng Shui you may be picturing the physical placement of a room or house. But when diving deeper into the practice there is a greater importance on your body, your feelings, your environment, and even your business.

The environment we live and work in has a huge impact on all aspects of our lives and our businesses so understanding the Feng Shui in our personal spaces and workplaces can make life easier.

In today's episode I talk with Kerstin Tracy, an experienced Craniosacral Therapist who also has added Feng Shui to her toolbox for healing. After learning more about some of the concepts behind Feng Shui, I was eager to hear more from her about the practice in a way that is relatable to all of my students and fellow bodyworkers.

I invite you to join our conversation as Kerstin gives me some on-the-spot tips about my workspace, and even shares her exercise of choice that keeps her sexy alive.

This week on the Do It With Intention Podcast:

• The simple changes you can make in your massage and bodywork treatment room that utilize Feng Shui concepts so that your clients feel comfortable and welcomed.

• How considering the birthdate of your business relates to elements essential to your business success allowing you to make small changes to improve the energy within your practice.

• Socially-distanced Feng Shui tips from Kerstin that will help you to retain a vision and clarity within your business while creating the intention of inviting more people into your business and practice.

Resources from this episode:

• Grab your free practice-building resources here!

• Check out my website

• The Bodywork Project

• YouTube massage business videos

Did you know that the average podcast only lasts 12 episodes? Well, here we are (almost) one year later with episode 52, and I am so grateful to be sharing with you each week!

Typically, I am wonderful at celebrating others — my friends, students, and of course my dog George — but when I achieve one of my own goals, I'm quick to move on to the next goal without taking the time to acknowledge the accomplishment.

So today, join me in celebrating my own business milestone of 52 episodes of podcasts while you become more intentional in celebrating yourself and maybe even taking a business stillpoint in your own life and practice.

This week on the Do It With Intention Podcast:

• How taking the time to celebrate your massage and bodywork business milestones will allow your clients to ultimately reap the benefits.

• Why you may not be giving yourself the praise for your accomplishments that you deserve.

• How a business stillpoint for yourself and your practice is similar to a stillpoint that occurs during a CranioSacral session.

Resources from this episode:

• Grab your free practice-building resources here!

• Check out my website

• The Bodywork Project

• YouTube massage business videos

In bodywork, we often talk about coming from a place of neutral. What if you apply this concept to other aspects of your life such as your massage and bodywork business?

In this episode I chat with my friend and multi-passionate entrepreneur, Xonna Clark, about taking a step back from fears we may all be experiencing in our practices and approaching our different situations during this pandemic from a place of neutral.

As you truly take notice of what is actually happening in your personal life, business, or health you can become mindful of the associated results you are seeing.

Just like we may tell a client to lean into his or her pain, it's the perfect time right now to look at your practice and think of your open appointment time slots as an opportunity to create a service to reach more people.

I am thrilled to invite you into my conversation with Xonna Clark while we chat about trusting our alignment with the Universe with everything from our business ventures to Xonna's unexpected travel hiccup at 2am…

This week on the Do It With Intention Podcast:

• Why the pandemic is magnifying the fears you had before around uncertainty, and ways in which you can lean into those fears so that you can shift your perspective to see all the possibilities for your business.

• Understanding polarity as a way of looking at your business by bringing balance through design and intention so that you can see there is always another way to provide your services to your clients.

• How the power of "noticing what you notice" will allow you to be mindful of generating constructive thoughts in all aspects of your life.

Resources from this episode:

• Grab your free practice-building resources here!

• Check out my website

• The Bodywork Project

• YouTube massage business videos

What do you do when you've reached out to somebody, but haven't heard back?

In this week's episode, I continue our series on what to say in difficult situations you come across as a bodywork therapist. I loved hearing your responses from last week; keep sending them in!

If you're like me, I am sure you have felt that not hearing back after contacting someone is a clear sign of rejection or disinterest. But I have come to realize after all these years that it's not always about me.

In fact, taking the time to follow up and reach out again is an impressive way to show your interest.

This week on the Do It With Intention Podcast:

• 3 aspects of reaching out to others that are central to your message's success.

• Why evaluating your communication medium's level of stickiness is so important in maximizing your response potential.

• 3 examples of situations where you may need to follow up, and what to say in each case.

Resources from this episode:

• Grab your free practice-building resources here!

• Check out my website

• The Bodywork Project

• YouTube massage business videos

"What should I say?"

This is the most common question I hear from my students when they ask me about reaching out to referral sources or speaking with new clients or connections.

So, I thought I should sort out some of the most common situations a bodywork therapist, like yourself, comes across and leaves you stuck with the notion of, What do I say?

In this week's episode, I break down a typical phone call when somebody contacts you to find out more about you or your services.

I've learned from experience that the potential client doesn't want to hear me go on and on about the anatomy, touch, or energy of the craniosacral modality (which I would happily discuss for days…)

Instead, I'll show you a way to take a short initial phone call, and turn it into a new client appointment.

This week on the Do It With Intention Podcast:

• How not answering all of your business calls can actually lead to an elevated conversation with potential clients.

• 3 simple talking points during a call with someone new about your services to make your time (and theirs!) pleasant and productive.

• The importance of answering inquiries from a potential new massage and bodywork client, but also flipping the script to ask important questions to figure out how you can truly be of service.

Resources from this episode:

• Grab your free practice-building resources here!

• Check out my website

• The Bodywork Project

• YouTube massage business videos