Takeaway: Having a user-friendly business—from your website organization to your treatment room instructions—will keep clients coming back.  

User-friendly. It’s a term often used in technology spaces referring to a particular piece of software and how easy it is to be learned and used. It’s a helpful concept to consider when you are thinking through the inner workings of your massage business, but where does user-friendliness start?

It starts—and ends—with making every part of your massage business easy to use. From searching and scheduling to physically finding your office and paying for your services, every step should be as easy and obvious as possible for your clients. 

The Search

Be easy to find. If a client searches your name or the name of your business on the internet, you want your website to come up on the first page of results. Ideally, your business will display on the map if someone searches Google or Apple maps for “massage.”

If that’s not happening, be sure you have an active Google Business Profile (business.google.com) and an Apple Business Connect listing (apple.com/business/connect). Both of these services are free, and having complete profiles will increase your chances of showing up in a search for practitioners in your area.  

Website

When a potential client lands on your website, make it clear you are the right massage therapist for them. It should be easy to understand what you offer, who you can help, and what kind of appointment will meet their needs. 

Keep your website simple. Put the services and prices on one page and have obvious buttons to get to your booking page. Make it easy to find your contact information, hours, and office address on the website.

Booking process

It should be a simple process for clients to schedule online. If you don’t use online scheduling, be sure to provide clear instructions on how to contact you to schedule an appointment. The confirmation email or text should include a link to your online intake forms; if it doesn’t, let the client know if they should arrive to their appointment early to fill out forms in person. Be clear about the payment types you accept as well as your cancellation policy. If you send a reminder email or text, include the office address along with a phone number in case clients get lost.

Want to go the extra mile for prospective clients? Put a “What to Know Before Your First Massage” information page or blog post on your website and include everything first-time clients should know. Be sure your confirmation emails or texts point new clients to that information before their first appointment. 

In the office

Ideally, you’ll be at the entry, ready to greet the client when they walk through the door. Years back, a client said, “When I come here I always feel like you’re so happy I’m here, and like you’ve been waiting just for me all day!” This is how I want clients to feel when they arrive for a massage.

During your verbal intake, and with an updated health intake in hand, note and repeat back the client’s concerns and priorities. Agree on a treatment plan before you leave the room. This doesn’t need to be a long and involved process; my intakes sound like, “It seems like headaches are a priority, so we’ll start with your neck and shoulders, then your arms and legs, then we’ll flip you and spend lots of time on that upper back. Does that sound good to you?”

Give clear instructions on how much or little to undress and which way to get on the massage table. It’s always nice to remind people to speak up if they need a change in temperature, pressure, or even music. Think about your procedures for after a massage too. Have a script for accepting payment and asking the client if they wish to book again. This includes a script for people who don’t immediately schedule their next appointment. I typically ask, “Would you like me to email you in six weeks to remind you to schedule your next appointment?” If so, I make a note in my calendar to do that. 

Accept that there will be imperfections

We will always have clients who don’t fully read (or listen to) instructions and information. And some clients just forget the protocols. If people have a hard time finding your office or don’t understand how they should get on the massage table—or anything else when dealing with your business—the problem isn’t the people. The problem is your process.

I’ve found that when 99 percent of your business is easy to use, the occasional glitch won’t cost you a client. They will trust it’s a glitch and not a pattern, and you’ll keep that client for a long time. Take a close look at how a client experiences your business, from the moment they find you to the day after their appointment. If there’s any step of the process you can make easier and more intuitive, make the changes now.