Are You Staring At My Belly Button?

Raise your hand if you have heard of Belly?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller?

I hadn't heard of Belly until I got my hair cut last week and the salon had this sleek iPad on their counter with the Belly screen pulled up. The stylist handed me a card with a unique QR code on one side and instructed me to scan it on the iPad. Okay! I like scanning things!

The magical ipad then instructs you to register your QR code card with an email address. Done.

I now have 5 points in my belly and my belly is full. The next time I come back to the salon I can check in again, get another 5 points, and work my way up to some cool rewards for my loyalty.

A few other places in town are hoping on the belly-bandwagon. After watching the video on their website, hosted by their mascot Flop, the belly dog (LOL), I was sold.

So here is my belly:

So far I have pretty boring rewards, free bag of tea, half off a popular product line, free company t-shirt, free upgrades with purchase of massage, and the big mac daddy prize is after 50 visits (250 points) I'll pamper you and two of your friends for 2 hours.

The website has lots of cool examples of rewards. Like if you were a baker, after 100 points you'd let your best customer throw a pie at your face. Hilarious! I'd work for that prize!

So check out belly. I'm not rewarded in anyway if you sign up, but there is a spot on the sign up form that asks where you heard about belly. Mention the Marble Falls Massage Therapy Center and maybe they'll send me a nice Thank You card. I like thank you cards almost as much as I like scanning things.
 

Alternative Uses for Your Massage Studio: AKA Party Central!

Before we renovated,  I had one big open space separating the reception area from the single established treatment room in the office. I had plans to use this space as a community learning center. Where folks would come from far and wide to hear me speak about the wonders of Massage Therapy. Group Couples Workshops. Lectures on aromatherapy and alternative health information.

One of two things happened. Either I didn't market it enough (entirely possible) or people just weren't interested in me talking about Massage. They would rather my hands do the talking. Which was great! That's primarily what I do. So eventually we built two treatment rooms in this space. To give the people what they want.

While I continued promoting our very first fundraiser, I had an idea. One last hurrah before the walls went up. A Customer Appreciation Event! The event was co-hosted by two friends in related businesses, Virginia Walker of Special-Tea Occasions and Amy Montandon of Rodan + Fields skin care. They each set up a booth for product demonstrations and at the end of the party I hosted a free Reflexology workshop. The party had a beach theme. Photos Here!

It even got us in the paper. 

Once the walls were installed, and two big spaces became one big space and two medium spaces, we still managed to host events in our Center. Events that focused on bringing our clients exclusive access to products that they would enjoy. 

In April, we had another Customer Appreciation Party. We invited Judy Landry, a Dove Chocolate Representative, Patsy Wiley of Juice Plus+, the McReynolds Winery, and our favorite Tea Lady, Virginia Walker of Special-Tea Occasions, all of whom graciously came out to treat our clients to samples of their very best products. 

Of course for these small business owners to make it worth their while to come and demonstrate for two hours they had items available for sale, catalogs to take home, and drawings to collect contact information. Our then staff of 5 offered complimentary chair massage in a quiet room while the guests went from room to room sampling the different vendors. It was a TON of fun! 

Today, we are hosting our third Client Appreciation Party since our opening 14 months ago. And today it is all about purses. Our very own Massage Therapist, Amy Lescoe-Hall is a Miche Representative. She will be sharing with us the latest styles to the Miche line. Party attendees will also be treated to free chair massage and yummy healthy snacks.

Reasons you should have parties at your business:

• You get to hang out with your clients, who are AMAZING people to hang out with. When they come in for appointments it is their time and their time alone. To protect professional boundaries I try not to socialize outside of appointments. Which really sucks for me, because my clients are ridiculously awesome people. The more appreciation parties I have to more chances I have to actually get to know them.
• It shows your clients that you can fit more than two people in your room. They start thinking to themselves, "hey, I bet this would be a great spot to host my daughter's baby shower!" and then they could all have foot massages and paraffin after they play how-many-squares-of-toilet-paper-around-the-baby-bump.
• Advertising! Even if they can't make it to the party, an invitation in the mail puts your business back in the front of their eyes. Hit up the local party supply store and make it a theme. Have some fun! 
• People don't go to parties alone. They bring their friends. Friends that may have never heard about your business otherwise. And what an endorsement! Every potential new client that walks in your door that day is extremely qualified to become a repeat customer.
• It shows you care. You are giving back! Go you!!

I'm missing plenty more reasons that you should have a party next week (tax deduction, staff motivation, etc. etc. etc.) but I'm trying to get this second 31 in 31 blog post out before September. Please add your reasons and party ideas in the comment section to share with others!

Couples Massage Sign Language for Massage Therapists

(This post is in part of the 31 in 31 blog challenge.)

I love doing couples massage. I love when two people choose to share this serene environment we have created. I especially love it when a client mentions that their couples massage was selected as a preferred birthday/anniversary gift- what a honor!

In a solo massage room clients are free to talk, or sleep, or drool. Whatever floats their boat. They are the captain of the USS Serenity. If talking helps them to relax, then let's chit-chat!

But, in a couples massage a strange thing happens. To ensure a peaceful atmosphere for both of our clients our staff becomes extraordinarily quiet. Now, obviously, if both clients are the talkative type then we can easily accommodate that. But if one client needs the peace-and-quiet, well then it is our job to make sure you can hear a pin drop. And if we see a pin falling we will do our best to catch it in between our toes so that our clients are not distracted. I may be exaggerating.

In these silent type scenarios, our talented staff does an amazing job of combining their individual massages into a semi-synchronized spa service without words. We still manage to communicate. If a client were to peak under their eye pillow at an opportune time, well they may see one of these humorous scenes:

We have scheduled buffer breaks after every appointment. If we become delayed for any number of reasons we can still give our clients their full time. This means the start and stop time is not set in stone. Both therapists need to be able to end at the same time so this is an important conversation to have.

It goes like this: Therapist A waits for Therapist B to open their eyes and scan the room. It could take awhile. Therapist B may be really into what they are doing, really in tune with the music, unable to feel the eyes of the other therapist. Then, their eyes lock and Therapist A gives the signal. Maybe a simple raise of the eyebrow while pointing at their wrist. Maybe a head tilt with eyes darting back and forth to the clock. The response from Therapist B normally comes back with easy numeral hand gestures. "5 after" they may signal.

The massages continue. A little while later Therapist B's throat becomes inexplicably dry. She waits to recapture the attention of Therapist A to make the drinking mime dance to ask which of the two identical water cups on the shelf is theirs.

The massages continue. It's half way into the treatment and it is starting to get warm in the room with four bodies, two table warmers, and a steam towel cabinet. Therapist A gives the universal rapid hand flapping to signal Therapist B to turn on the table top fan and aim it her way.

Suddenly, a client snorts! The zen has been threatened! The client's partner lets out a little giggle at their loved one's ability to snore them self awake momentarily. As the therapists gently restore the atmosphere, one may give a quiet "Whew!" and wipe of the forehead.

Finally, at the end of the session. Therapists lock eyes and give the headnod to signal they are ready to walk out together. Share your massage-mime situations in the comment section!

This 31 in 31 is going to be fun!