The Best Client Retention Strategies for Massage Therapists

There are lots of marketing tricks out there to get new massage clients in the door, like social media campaigns or new client discounts. 

But if you’re focused too much on new clients, you could be missing out on the steady revenue of returning clients.

As a massage therapist, retention strategies are the basis for keeping your clients happy and returning to you again and again.

(Think “loyal customer discounts” or follow-up thank you cards.)

Solid retention strategies for your massage therapy business means:

• More clients who rebook
• More stable income

You can also be sure they’re singing your praises to their friends and family, giving you free word-of-mouth marketing. Win-win!

By putting a little more energy into retention strategies for your massage clients, you’re likely to book more appointments, and in turn, earn more money.

To help you do that, we put gathered up ten client retention strategies for massage therapists that are sure to get your clients to rebook!

10 Client Retention Strategies for Massage Therapists

1. Make (Re)Booking Easy

Online booking is all about convenience — for you and your clients.

It saves time in your busy day (as well as pen and paper), and clients can book (and rebook!) their appointment whenever they like.

No more worrying about after-hours calls or late-night emails! 

With online booking apps like Schedulicity, clients can easily rebook appointments from their own phone or computer – for free.

And on your end, you can set up your schedule, services offered, and policies, so clients can get all the info they need up front. 

2. Stay in Touch

On top of your regular marketing efforts — like a monthly newsletter — you should also be reaching out to your existing clients.

Take a look at your client list and appointment history, and see which clients haven’t booked in awhile. Look for the clients who are no longer booking recurring appointments as well.

Then, send these clients an email, reminding them to book, or you can simply check in and remind them that you’re there to help.

Don’t worry about seeming “pushy” — you’re simply reminding clients to take care of themselves. (We can all use that reminder from time to time, right?)

3. Follow Up

Speaking of reminding… 

The more ways you can stay in touch with clients, the better. This could be reminder emails and text reminders for their appointments.

This could also be a Thank You email after their appointment, which is a great way to simply say thanks while also giving clients the chance to rebook. 

And if you’re using Schedulicity, you want to be sure you’re taking advantage of the Automated Marketing tools to set up automatic Thank You follow-up emails, Time to Book reminder emails, and Re-engagement emails.

Bonus: Don’t forget about massage satisfaction surveys. Surveys can easily be incorporated into your regular follow-up emails to clients, and there are plenty of great sites out there — like Typeform — for creating the perfect survey.

4. Educate/Recommend

Your clients come to you as the expert.

So, make sure you’re taking the time at the end of the session to share what you noticed:

• What went well
• What needs work
• Where to go next

Let your client know when they should come back for another appointment.

Here are a couple email templates to try:

• “I’d recommend coming back within [timeframe] or you might run the risk of losing some of the improvement you made today.” 
• We made good progress today, but things could tighten up again in [timeframe]. I think you should rebook again in [timeframe].

Be confident in your recommendations and specific in your timeframes.

5. Offer Discounts on Advance Bookings

That post-massage chat with your client is the perfect time to pitch another booking.

An easy way to do that is by offering a discount if they book in advance, right there, with you.

As you’re making recommendations, mention your discount on follow-up appointments. Even if it’s only 5–10% off, it could be enough to entice them to book. 

6. Create Package Deals

Packaging your services into bundles is a fantastic way to market you massage offerings, incentivizing new and current clients alike to book.

There are plenty of benefits to packaging your services:

• You’ll book more appointments
• You’ll encourage repeat business
• You’ll set yourself apart from the competition

To help hook new clients into rebooking, you can create a package especially for them, like “Returning Customer Package of 5” with a little discount built in.

7. Be Consistent

As a service provider, consistency is crucial.

If your client’s first experience was a great one, they are more likely to book again, but you’ll also be expected to deliver as well as you did the first time. 

It may seem obvious:

• Don’t cancel clients unless it’s a legitimate emergency.
• Don’t try to reschedule them if you can avoid it.
• Make sure you’re prepared for every treatment by arriving 15-30 minutes early. 

By being professional and consistent and giving your client the results they’re looking for, they’ll value your services, trust you, and won’t be able to book with anyone else but you!

8. Focus on the Client Experience

One simple way to get clients to rebook with you is to keep their spa experience top of mind.

You may be one of the best massage therapists in your area, but if you’re not able to connect with your clients, you may never see the same clients again.

So, on top of making a strong first impression with clients, you want to build a relationship with them by giving them the best spa experience.

Here’s a handy checklist for a great customer experience:

• Answer phones and emails consistently and professionally
• Ask how your clients are doing when they come in and ask if they need anything, such as a bottle of water
• Never forget to say thank you

9. Be Memorable

You don’t want to be an average massage therapist — you want to be the best!

Part of being a great massage therapist is creating a memorable experience for your clients.

This involves everything from your website, your easy online booking platform, the greeting, the massage, the chat after the massage, and the follow-up email.

Think about every step of the massage experience for your client, and be sure each step is a breeze and enjoyable. 

Then, think about all the ways you could enhance their experience. Maybe offer refreshments before and after the massage. Or have a self-care package handy for new clients.

10. Just Ask

At the end of the day, it never hurts to ask. You’ve given them a great massage, made them happy, and you know you can help them with their goals.

So, don’t be afraid to pop the question before they get out the door. 

Here are some easy ways to start the conversation on feedback:

• “When would you like to come in again?”
• “My schedule fills up pretty quick. Do you want to go ahead and book for next month?”
• “When are you free to come in again?”

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