How to make your living doing what you love
Keeping your clients coming back - the Rule of 3
In that wonderful book Nourishing Destiny, Lonny Jarrett discusses the idea that each of us is a unique individual, and Oriental Diagnosis is of the relationship between two unique individuals, giver (practitioner) and receiver (client), as much as of the condition.
To me, the key word is relationship. A close, personal relationship evolves in a shiatsu session. Masanuga's student Wataru Ohashi in Reading the Body describes how to extend that relationship beyond the treatment-occasion and use it for "client-retention" by applying the Rule of 3.
The first step would be to contact your receiver 3 days after their first treatment, to ask how they've been and how they are feeling. Spend time talking (better, listening!) to them. Show an interest (be interested!) in their life and conditions or situations mentioned at the treatment, being mindful this is not the time to re-book them - more on this later.
Getting in touch again after 3 weeks would be to find out how they are getting along. Have there been any changes in their condition? By take a genuine interest in whatever is going on in their life (a holistic view) you are sustaining the relationship that evolved in the shiatsu session. If they have not been able to follow recommendations/advice, let your attitude be supportive rather than judgemental, because they are giving you valuable diagnostic information.
When you make contact again after 3 months they will appreciate your interest even if - perhaps especially if - they cannot afford more shiatsu or if life has taken over where they had other plans.
None of your follow-ups are to re-book them for treatment. If they want one they will ask you for it. Let your focus be on sustaining the relationship between you, so that they know where and who to come back to in time of need.
Your last contact would be after 3 years. They will remember you and be glad you called. They know they have a shiatsu-friend if they need one.
This is the second of a series of articles on 'How to find Clients - and keep them coming back' by Kris Deva North, Master of the Zen School of Shiatsu. You can read the whole series with a click here, including the audio-version, completely free.
NEXT WEEK: Finding new clients
© Kris Deva North
In that wonderful book Nourishing Destiny, Lonny Jarrett discusses the idea that each of us is a unique individual, and Oriental Diagnosis is of the relationship between two unique individuals, giver (practitioner) and receiver (client), as much as of the condition.
To me, the key word is relationship. A close, personal relationship evolves in a shiatsu session. Masanuga's student Wataru Ohashi in Reading the Body describes how to extend that relationship beyond the treatment-occasion and use it for "client-retention" by applying the Rule of 3.
The first step would be to contact your receiver 3 days after their first treatment, to ask how they've been and how they are feeling. Spend time talking (better, listening!) to them. Show an interest (be interested!) in their life and conditions or situations mentioned at the treatment, being mindful this is not the time to re-book them - more on this later.
Getting in touch again after 3 weeks would be to find out how they are getting along. Have there been any changes in their condition? By take a genuine interest in whatever is going on in their life (a holistic view) you are sustaining the relationship that evolved in the shiatsu session. If they have not been able to follow recommendations/advice, let your attitude be supportive rather than judgemental, because they are giving you valuable diagnostic information.
When you make contact again after 3 months they will appreciate your interest even if - perhaps especially if - they cannot afford more shiatsu or if life has taken over where they had other plans.
None of your follow-ups are to re-book them for treatment. If they want one they will ask you for it. Let your focus be on sustaining the relationship between you, so that they know where and who to come back to in time of need.
Your last contact would be after 3 years. They will remember you and be glad you called. They know they have a shiatsu-friend if they need one.
This is the second of a series of articles on 'How to find Clients - and keep them coming back' by Kris Deva North, Master of the Zen School of Shiatsu. You can read the whole series with a click here, including the audio-version, completely free.
NEXT WEEK: Finding new clients
© Kris Deva North
Labels: shiatsu, shiatsu classes, shiatsu courses, shiatsu london, zen shiatsu
posted by Kris Deva North at 7:54 AM
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