Amy Bradley Radford (00:04.248)
Well, hey everyone and welcome back to the Massage Business Success Podcast. I am your host, Amy. And in today's episode, we're diving deep into one of the most transformational things that I have in my massage business toolkit for you, and that is how to fill your schedule in 90 days using the power of referrals. So if your schedule feels a little thin or unpredictable, or maybe you're restarting your business or maybe you've moved, then
and you need to restart a new business, then this episode is probably for you. So I'm gonna start this episode with a story and it's both personal and pivotal to the system that I'm going to teach you about today and that's about referral systems. So the year was, it was about 2001 and I had stepped away from running a massage school full time. I had been at that position for about two years and I decided to return back to my table.
and start over with bodywork. And you know, I was really excited because while I loved teaching, I missed the table and I couldn't seem to find the balance between teaching full-time and working at the table full-time. So I had left one and I was ready to go back. You know how much I love the table. And you know, honestly, I naively and maybe egotistically believed that my clients were just waiting for me to come back to that table. So when I decided to reopen my practice,
I was basing my experience off of the thriving massage practice I had kind of shut down when I went into teaching and thought that I had a great reputation in my community and that my clients all loved me. And so I thought, this will be easy. All I have to do is let people know I'm back at the table and my schedule will start filling up. So I just reached out and I left some calls and messages and maybe some emails.
I can't even remember but I do remember mailing lots of things out because, you know, this was 2001. Things were a little different. We were just barely jumping into the emailing side of life or even social media. But I used the old fashioned way of letting everybody know that I was back in business. And I even offered some perks, some thank you for always being my client and here's a $10 off coupon. And I sat back and about two weeks later into this,
Amy Bradley Radford (02:26.19)
I still really didn't have any phone calls. It was crickets. And out of all of those past clients, people who were once regularly seeing me, who told me they couldn't wait for me to be back in practice, only about 25 % of my clients returned. And you know, that's about one in four clients. And that's a little rough. That's a little rough when you were expecting to at least be 50 to 70 % full to know that you're not going to be full. And I remember staring at my appointment book thinking,
boy, I'm in trouble. And I felt that first moment of panic and thought, okay, I was thinking back to the beginning of my career going, how did I find clients? And now I need to find clients in that same way again and I need to do it fast.
Amy Bradley Radford (03:19.064)
I remember sitting there thinking, okay, I don't want to struggle like I did in the beginning. So I decided to sit down with a notebook and ask myself a couple of questions. And that was, one of them was, what has actually worked in the past to bring great clients through my door? And the other one was, what do I know doesn't work to bring clients through my door? Because I didn't have time to waste time to try and figure this all out again. You know, it's easy to get clients into a student clinic.
which was part of my responsibility because it's a cheaper massage. And there's always people out there looking for a lower priced service. So that was easy to get people willing to come in and get that type of massage. But I was starting at a much higher rate. And how do you find the people wanting to do that?
Amy Bradley Radford (04:12.46)
I thought about how my practice had grown in the beginning and added to what I knew didn't work really well. So some of the things that I knew didn't really work well were coupons and punch cards. Those things did not work. They build a practice of people. They would bring people in, but it was built from people who always wanted free or reduced massages all the time. They always wanted a deal. They wouldn't just book the appointment because they believed in massage.
Yes, they believed in massage, but they wanted it cheaper. And I knew I didn't want that client. And I could probably put that out there, but that still wouldn't bring clients to my table tomorrow. It still wouldn't do that. And then it'd be a waste of my time because at some point you need to turn that system off because after you get a full schedule, how do you get people off punch cards? And I had watched that. I had observed that in other business models and I knew I didn't want to do that. And then I knew that ads and flyers and brochures
didn't really work either. was a way for somebody to, which in today's world, we've replaced that with websites and Facebook pages, business pages. It's the same concept. And Facebook wasn't even born until 2004, so there was no social media attached to this. But I knew that sometimes those ads, flyers, and brochures just became scrap paper in someone's car to write down a phone number or something. And they had their place in helping people hear about you. They might stay on their fridge for a while, but it didn't
It didn't create motivation for people to reach out to someone that they didn't know. And then I thought about the clients I did have or did have or had had and how they ended up on my table. And those who had shown up almost effortlessly, like they just gave me a call and became my client, and I sat back and thought about each one of those people and realized that almost 100 % of those came through referrals.
Amy Bradley Radford (06:11.864)
Someone had told them about me. Someone had shared their story. Someone they trusted had handed them my card and said, you have to see my massage therapist, Amy. She helped me when nothing else worked. And so in that slightly panicked moment, I was driven to figure out how to build my business by referrals with motivation to refer quickly. So how do I get the clients I have or new clients to come in
that have the motivation to refer more clients to me faster than instead of like if the opportunity just arose because they were out to dinner or somebody said, you know, I've had these headaches or, you know, just waiting for that opportunity. How did I create, how could I create that opportunity to get people to talk about me? And that system is now what I call the massage referral system. And this wasn't a system I learned from a marketing course or a business, but while I'm sure it's out there somewhere, it was something that
was born out of urgency. I was worried. I was worried I was going to have to have another job and build my practice again and I was far enough into my massage career that I knew that I could do something different. I just wasn't sure what it was. All I knew was I needed a full practice and I needed it yesterday. And so I built this plan to get fully booked in 90 days or less. That was my goal using what I knew worked and that was word of mouth referral. And this process
filled up my clientele and schedule, not in 90 days, but about in six weeks. So in this podcast, I'm gonna teach you what I did and modify it a little to fit a digital and online world. However, what I want you to realize is that the real idea behind building a word of mouth referral is the idea that it is still rooted in face-to-face conversations. This is not social media. And how people share
you are with those around them has not changed. But here's the twist. Not only did I fill my schedule, I built an even better practice than before. My new clients weren't just coming in because of my technique or my pricing or a coupon or a gift certificate. They came in because someone they trusted sent them. And that's when I realized that the most powerful marketing tool I had didn't cost me a penny. It didn't cost me anything because it wasn't an ad.
Amy Bradley Radford (08:36.342)
And it wasn't a fancy website. Now, I believe in websites because people go out and research who you are. They want to know who you are. They want to know where your business is. They want to know what you look like. They want to know what you practice. Even if their friend says, hey, go see them, they're still going to do their homework and it's important that it's there. But how they got there was still, it was still a referral. It was one person speaking truthfully about the impact of my work to another person who needed help.
This particular realization has changed the way I practice in my business in all facets of my business. Whether it's coaching or teaching or CEs or any of the other classes I teach or even just the way I help other businesses, not just even massage, it shaped the way I teach business and coach in business ever since then.
So if you're listening to this and your schedule feels a little light or you've recently moved or you're coming back from burnout or illness or even maternity leave, just know this, you don't need hundreds of followers on social media or a big marketing budget. You just need a strategy. You just need the strategy that I'm gonna teach you today that helps build trust intention and also creates a few repeatable actions.
Amy Bradley Radford (10:00.312)
So grab a notebook if you want, pause this episode if you need to, because I'll be right here when you come back, because this next part could change everything for you. So let's talk about something that too many people brush off as maybe old school or outdated, when really it's the most powerful, and authentic tool you already have, and that is referrals. Now, before your eyes glaze over,
Or you skip ahead because you think you already know how referrals work. I want you to just hang with me for a little bit because what I'm about to explain isn't just about referrals, it's about building a system that fuels them like wildfire. So here's the truth about referrals. They are not a bonus. They are not just nice to have. They are actually essential to any healthy, sustainable massage or wellness practice. They are the things that make us run. And here's why.
You can have all the beautiful websites and social posts. You can have all of that stuff. You can drop money into ads or mailers even. But when someone looks their friend in the eye and says, oh my gosh, you have got to go see my massage therapist. She changed everything for me. That moment is priceless. You can't pay for marketing that creates that kind of buyer. You can't. There is no way. That moment
all of a sudden builds trust in you. That person doesn't know you, but now they have trust. And that moment opens doors. And that moment fills your schedule. So that brings me to my next statement, which you're probably gonna laugh at a little bit. And that moment, in my opinion, is created by business cards. And business cards aren't dead. And I know everything's digital. I know everything is digital now. But a well-placed business card or something like it,
a tool, something that is handed from one hand to another or one phone to another with a story attached to it and there's the other powerful part that is still one of the most powerful marketing tools you'll ever use. So I'm going to walk you through what I call a three-part referral strategy and that's how we take this beautiful idea of referrals and turn it into a real working system inside your business. So number one,
Amy Bradley Radford (12:26.124)
And this was what I learned in the beginning. I had to create, and this is what I learned when I was in that panicky moment of trying to build my business quickly. I knew that I had to create the desire for a referral to come from a current client or create clients who could create referrals. And you know, right off the bat, you can't assume that just because someone loves your work, they're automatically going to tell their friends. They might mean to.
They might tell their family, they might drop it and passing, hey, I had a massage today, it was great. But they don't talk about you in a way that motivates. Life gets in the way. Their reason behind it is just...
They don't have motivation behind it to talk about you in a specific way that sells you to another person. It might be planting some seeds for later on down the road, but you really want them to motivate the people that they're talking to about you.
Amy Bradley Radford (13:29.464)
That starts with you. So there are people around you that, you know, there's people that get on your table right now that say, you know, I need to send my mom into you or, you know, my neighbor and I, were talking about you the other day. I just need to get some cards from you so I can send them something. This is your moment, people, right here. This is when you open up this conversation and say, you know, that would be wonderful. I am building my practice right now.
and I'm opening up a few new spots. you would like to send them in to me and you think we're a good fit, then here, I'm gonna give you a referral card so that you can pass it along.
Amy Bradley Radford (14:09.618)
or you can give them a QR code that's on a business card that they can text to a friend. Or maybe you can send them a framed referral flyer that they can snap a photo of or send it along to the friend. But you're gonna give them something to give to that person. Because when they have that piece of something, paper, picture, QR code, business card they can hand to them, it gives them the ability to have the conversation. So that's why I say business cards aren't dead.
So whatever it is, give them what you want them to share and then make it easy for them to share. So back in the day, and this is what I still tell people to do, I used three business cards and I used the number three for a reason. We'll talk about that. And I actually had two different business cards in my office. One of them was a regular business card with an appointment schedule on the back where you could check off the date or write in the time and date of their next appointment. And the other one, which I did not have out on my counter,
was the same business card but on the back it had this little statement that said, this person was referred by, and there was a line where my client could write their name in, and underneath that it said, and this card, this card is also good for $10 off your first session. And people, this simple card is still working today. My suggestion for digitizing it is to
Take two minutes with your client at the end of the session and you're like, well, hey, let me get you some cards so you can send this to your mom or whatever. And put one card down face up and put the other card down face down that has the area where they can write their referral on it. Have them sign their name and say, hey, take a picture of this. Send them with the cards, but now they have the picture because once they've taken that picture, I guarantee it's more likely to get sent out that day. Just having it ready to go. It's in their camera now. It's in their photos.
so easy to share. It's done. And that process that you walk them through has given them the tool to start talking about you. Now, let's talk about motivation and what gets your clients to really talk about you. And I call this the magic piece. And this is about rewarding the referrer with something that they really want.
Amy Bradley Radford (16:37.344)
And what does your client really want? Massage. If they're with you for massage, they want more massages. And being able to be offered free massage time on your table because they're referring people in is something they will love to share about. Do you know what they don't want? Movie tickets. They don't want you to, they don't want to have to send in five clients and get one free massage. I don't even want to do that. That's a lot of work for me to get one free massage.
You know, they may not even want a free aromatherapy add-on. Well, maybe they do, but what you need to realize is that those freebies you're offering that are a low cost to you or a low investment on your end, they aren't motivating enough to keep sending people in. But what I did find was motivating enough was for every person that one client sent in, I was able to give them a half hour free.
For every client that someone referred to me and they came in, booked appointment and paid, I gave that client a half hour free. And a half hour, while it seems like a lot of time, was so motivating that it made this particular system roll.
Amy Bradley Radford (18:04.706)
And what does your client want more of if they send people to you? Massage. That's what they want from you. They want more massage. They want free massage time on your table because they are earning more of what they already love. What they don't want, movie tickets, or how about send in five clients and get a free massage, or maybe even a free aromatherapy add-on. Well, maybe they want that, but...
What you need to realize is that those freebies, those rewards that you're offering them that are a low investment for you, they aren't motivating enough to keep sending people in. And what I learned when I started this system was when I gave my referring client a half hour free, they were so motivated to send in more people that it was like,
It was like magic how people started calling me and to me that was worth that half hour free and it was worth that half hour free to my client. So when it is worth their time and the money they're saving with you that becomes motivating. And I know what you're already thinking, you know Amy I can't work for free. Neither can I. So
You are correct. You can't continue to work for free. But if no one is currently taking up time on your table, it's better to have someone there for a 30 minute free session who refers four to six people to you than to have that time go unused. Am I right? And when you're full, you simply pause this offer because if you can't take more people, the referrals stop coming in and then this person uses up whatever time they've built up with you and then they go back to paying you.
It works out perfectly. You can actually turn off this system when you need to. It's just a proven way, and I've proven it through myself and the people that have used it, it's a proven way to build fast and stabilize. When it was all said and done for myself on my experience, I had three people refer most of my clients to me. Just three people sent in about 30 clients.
Amy Bradley Radford (20:15.534)
and that's an average of about 10 each. It really came down to about one person sending me about 15 people and the others sending in five to eight people. But when you really break that down into dollars and time, it came out to five one-hour appointments for each of them, 15 hours of work in exchange for building a full practice, 15 hours of work. So you tell me, was 15 hours of work
a good exchange for a full schedule? know, totally, totally. Because in the end, it cost me some business cards, a little printing and my time, but it didn't cost me an unending amount of advertising to try and get enough people to fill my table. So how you look at this makes all the difference in the world. Which way do you want to build your business? Go into debt for advertising and hope it works or reward the clients who are already sending people to you and have
100 times more potential of getting people on your table. So you have to change the way you think about it. This is a marketing expense. The invoice just gets paid in time and effort. So this last and final key to the system is when someone receives a referral from like, you when someone receives a referral, they're already open. They're halfway to booking, but they're still only halfway.
What is going to help that person who received that business card or that QR code or that digital marketing from that person they trust, what is going to help them take the final step to schedule an appointment with you? They need some motivation also, but on this end of it, they don't need a lot of motivation. They just need, and this is what I found, a simple coupon that helped them take that last step. That's why that referral card hat on the bottom
and this card is good for $10 off your first time. And it's something that makes them feel like even if they didn't like the session, they saved money because it's funny. We all think this way. This is the psychology of sales. If I didn't love it, at least it didn't cost full price or my friend got me $10 off to try and it wasn't what I thought it was gonna be, but it's okay because it didn't cost full price. We all think this way. So we just need that last little push.
Amy Bradley Radford (22:38.392)
to get that person to schedule an appointment with you. And I want to make sure you realize that this is not about cheapening your service, you're just creating incentive. You created motivation with the person referring, now you're creating incentive to schedule the appointment. You're giving them a reason to try it and to get on your table. And you know, that's the magic of this system. It's not about pressure or persuasion, it's about invitation. It's about building a real sustainable business
based on someone speaking your truth, talking about your value and the experience they had with you to instill the desire in another person to have that same experience. So if you think about it, what I've taught you is to take your people that refer, let them refer as many people in as you need. They get rewarded with a half hour free. I used three cards because
It was funny, the person referring would come back to me and ask for three more cards because it was one full hour and only half of another. So that inspired them to get three more cards and so they would send out all those cards. just was a sales motivating tactic for me and for them. But they would come back and ask for three more. So then I knew I was going to get at least one client and the start of the next client. And then people coming in for their first time, they get $10 off for free. And then...
that gets them on your table. you know, the thing about this is, is once you've filled up your schedule with new people and you turn off referrals, then you're making full price on all of those sessions. You will continue to go forward. And if you need a few clients, then you just ask those clients who were referring if they have some more people to send, give them a few more cards, and then, and there you go. It's not an ongoing cost to you. It's an upfront cost and it actually grows your...
It grows your business and it's not money going out in marketing that you don't know if it's going to come back to you. It does come back to you. Now, you know, I'm going to talk about something I call the pyramid effect. And this is what I did to build my business. And I made some mistakes because I didn't look far enough down the road because I was panicking and wanting to get people on my table. So I made some mistakes. So I'm going to share those mistakes with you today so you don't make the same mistakes.
Amy Bradley Radford (24:59.7)
to you a little bit about how this pyramid effect works. Now I don't want the name to throw you because this is not MLM, it's not multi-level marketing. This is what I call creating organic momentum and it's how word of mouth naturally spreads when you put the right incentives, the right energy, and the right structure behind your business model. So here's how it works. You you have already have a client and you hand them these cards and
This is really if you have to do what I did and that was build three quarters of your business back. You have this one client that refers two people to you. Those two new people come in and say, you know, I have so and so and so and so that needs to come in and you offer them the same incentive to refer. And then those people have people come in and then they're like, I'd really like to send my mom and my neighbor and my uncle and then the next, you know, and so all of a sudden you have...
one person sending in two, two people sending in four, four people sending in, and it could keep going until all of a sudden you have 10 new people in your space all from one single experience potentially in one to two weeks. And it can build very quickly, but it can also go out of control. So I'm gonna share a word of caution with you and that is don't overshare this card opportunity. Don't give it to everybody because
If you give them to everyone and then those people give them to everyone, your schedule can actually get overwhelmed really, really fast. I know that sounds like a great problem when you need people and in some ways it is, but if you're not careful, then what happens is who you are as a business person, your integrity inside this system, it takes a hit because this is what happens.
This is not talked about in this relationship, but it is automatically assumed. There is this unspoken agreement that starts immediately when you use this system. And that is, if you're handing these cards to somebody who sings your praises and helps build your business and hands them out to people and they come back in, they know they're doing something valuable for you. And you know, your free 30 minute session or 30 minute add-on
Amy Bradley Radford (27:19.656)
is their bonus for doing this for you, but they also expect to be able to use that reward sooner than later. And when they can't, like if it takes six weeks to get in, then they feel like you used them. And that's what I learned. Like, know, hey, I did something for you, but you're not doing that something for me that you promised. And so at one point, my referral system was working so well.
that I literally couldn't fit everyone in, especially the very people who were helping me grow. And that's where there was some disappointment that stepped up. Even in myself, because I just didn't look far enough down the road to see this dilemma coming, and some of my most loyal referrers not only stopped sending people, they stopped coming to me. And so I dropped the ball. I dropped the ball because I was too busy to serve them and didn't
didn't limit how many of these people were coming in because I was desperate to fill my schedule. you need to really be selective. You need to be intentional and you need to be thoughtful about who gets these referral cards. If you give them to one person and they send you two and those two people come in and they each want some cards, you've got to stop about that level. You really do. Because if you have 10 of these people doing this,
then you at some point can't accept everybody that they're referring. You really can't. There has to be some pacing of this inside your business. you know, massage therapists in our clientele, really, our clientele maxes out between anywhere 70 to 100 people. That's all we need. If they're coming consistently, you don't have to have an unending supply of clients. Your goal is to get repeat clientele.
You know, this can fill up really quickly. If you're only doing 16 sessions a week, you can get full really fast. So be intentional about who gets these referral cards. And start with people, if you have a business you're building, start with people who are already sending others your way. These are going to be your natural sharers. They're your massage junkies, like I call them. And they're the ones who talk about you even without being prompted or asked. Give them those cards.
Amy Bradley Radford (29:41.27)
What I did in the beginning was I actually typed up this really fun little letter. I like to infuse a lot of humor into what I do. And I made a list of 10 people that I knew that were talkers in the community. And so I kind of used this concept in reverse just a little bit. And I called them up, made an appointment to go meet with them, and dropped off this little flyer with three business cards. And it was an opportunity. They weren't on my table. A lot of them chose to be on my table.
but it was an opportunity for them to earn free massage even when they hadn't been on my table. They were just people that I knew. And out of those 10 people that I did that with, five of them started sending me people and they immediately got some free massage and ended up on my table. But then I continued to give people cards and then it snowballed out of control. you know, for those of you starting out in a new area, you can kind of do the same thing where you go out and meet people that maybe you have a little connection with or...
we're going to talk a little bit more about how to of start this in a, in a location if you're starting brand new, but that's what I did. And I put too many people in what I call my referral machine. And it's, you know, it's better to have five loyal referrers who feel valued and seen that you can take care of than having 20 of these people handing out cards that you can't honor in their time. So this is a system that, you know, it's really built on trust and you are the one.
controlling the ability to keep their trust through your massage schedule. So make sure that you really stay on top of this and you're not overextending your offer past what you can actually handle. And that brings up another topic because I've had some people ask me about ethics and fairness when it comes to this type of referral system because we are rewarding for referrals.
You know, I've coached lots of therapists through this exact system. And so I can answer this question about being fair and ethical to reward some clients and not others. So let's be honest. You know, every single client could refer someone to you. They could, they could refer a spouse, a neighbor or a coworker, but not every client will. And not every client is wired the same way. So some clients, bless their hearts,
Amy Bradley Radford (32:03.5)
are just natural connectors. share everything they love. They post, they tag, they talk about you to strangers at the grocery store. My biggest referring client was a handyman plumber. He was retired and did plumbing on the side for fun, and he brought me so many new clients because he would just sit and talk about me wherever he went. He was a natural connector. And so others, they love your work, but they'll never bring it up outside your session, and that's okay.
The referral system isn't about pressuring people into marketing for you. It's about thanking the people who already are. So you're not hiring salespeople. You are just recognizing that some clients are already working for you without even knowing it, but you're making it official now by saying, I see what you're doing and I appreciate it and you.
So let me thank you properly. Have you ever sat back and wondered what should I do for that person who just sent me 10 clients over the last year? Have you ever rewarded them or even given them a thank you card? This actually creates a give and take in this whole business model. So it's not about favoritism. It's actually about some business integrity. This reward is not a bribe. It is an energetic exchange. I really want you to see it this way. It completes this loop of
You helped me build, now let me give you something back. And the real secret is that this isn't just about getting more clients. This is about building a business that's rooted in trust and connection and transformation. It is about letting results speak for you. It's about aligning your intention with your action and allowing that alignment to come through. So I've used this referral system to build my own schedule many times over.
I've taught it to therapists who are struggling or discouraged or they're ready to give up because they don't know how to get more clients. And when they start using this, not once or twice, but consistently, their practices shifted and they shifted fast. So this system works and it works because it's human people. This is a human connection and it's not part of this online world of whoever has the most marketing dollars wins the attention.
Amy Bradley Radford (34:24.654)
It also works because people want to help the people they care about. When you give them tools and a reason to do it, you have built a marketing system more powerful than any ad you could ever buy.
Amy Bradley Radford (34:41.614)
So in this last part of the podcast, I want to talk about two business models for using the referral card system, but we're also going to talk about that invitation system that I mentioned. And I really wanted to put this out here because these are the people that really need this information to build their business. So now that you understand the nuts and bolts of building a powerful referral system and this energetic shift that comes from inviting people into your practice,
I want to walk you through how this actually works in these two different real life situations. And these models are based on actual massage therapists that I have worked with over the years. And they reflect the two stages, these two stages of business. One, where the therapist is about 50 % full and needs to grow quickly, they're struggling. And the other is about someone who's starting fresh like in a new town or fresh out of school or with no clientele base.
And both can use the same tools, but with a little bit different emphasis on how you manage them. So let's talk about the 50 % full massage therapist. And maybe this is you. You might have some regular clients on your schedule. Maybe you're averaging eight to 10 clients a week, but you need a solid 16. You need a 16 set schedule every week to make things work for you. You're not brand new, but your books aren't full either. So you're doing good work.
People are happy, but growth has plateaued for you. And the clients you have now, they love you, they trust you, they respect you, and they're already talking about you, but maybe, maybe not quite enough. And this is the sweet spot for the referral card system. So here's what you want to do. You want to actually sit down and pick out four or five of your favorite clients. And these are people you look forward to seeing. They're your perfect client.
They already mention you to their friends or they have sent you some clients already, or they might actually mention frequently that they have referred people to you, but you haven't seen them come in yet. So these are people that are typically community oriented and they're in a space where they get to talk to lots of people. They just need the tool in their hand to make the referring to you, the way to find you easier. So these are the people that you hand them the three referral cards or the digital cards.
Amy Bradley Radford (37:02.79)
and you make it personal. You say something like this, hey, I have a few open spots every week that I would like to fill up. Or maybe you're opening up a few spots if you want to approach it that way. If anyone you know could really benefit from my kind of work, I'd love to meet and work with them. So here's a few cards with a little bonus for you. And then you outline the system.
And if you're comfortable and it works right and fills right for you, just have them fill one out with their name, take a picture of the two cards side by side and let them go on their merry way and see what happens. And the minute one of those cards comes into you, whether it's a picture or the person or whatever it is that shows you that this new client came from this client, you need to follow up immediately with a text, an email, a thank you card, a thank you picture with the half hour free.
And it needs to be every single time someone books and completes the appointment. Wait till the appointment is completed from those cards. And you need to track it and you need to reward it and you need to make sure you follow up with that half hour free immediately. If not, go so far as to say, would you like to schedule in sooner if they haven't made an appointment? You need to make sure that your customer service on this end is...
Amy Bradley Radford (38:25.686)
a high touch experience for these clients. You don't need to change your practice. You don't need to go out and find sellers unless you don't have people selling for you. You just need to activate the momentum in the people who already believe in you and let them feel like they're being part of something meaningful because you know they are, they're helping you. When you start to feel the schedule pinch, meaning that you can't, you're full and you want to make sure you can take care of the people that are helping you,
All you need to do is say, my gosh, I'm just about full. If you have any cards, let's just hold off for a while. Tell them that you appreciate all they have done for you and you will let them know when you need a few more clients. And they'll be like, I was really enjoying that. But they won't stop coming to see you. They are just your people that you will reach out to if you need a few more. And then just see where your clientele is because this card system is a way to turn on the flow of clients and
turn it off at the same time. I love having that ability and that skill set inside and that skill inside my business to be able to have that power over bringing more people in or shutting off the flow of clients. Now this second model is the starting from scratch massage therapist. So let's say you're starting over especially if you just moved to a new town or you're fresh out of school or maybe you're rebuilding after being burned out or
you've come back to an area. So you don't have any regulars yet. You don't have a reputation in this town. This is when it is important to have your website, your Facebook page. People need to be able to find you as they learn about you. So how do you get people on your table without spending hundreds of dollars on ads or being really stressed out about if you can get enough clients to pay rent and pay yourself? And so here's where I used that power of invitation and it stacks beautifully on top of the referral strategy.
And this is where you go out and meet people in the community and invite them to your table. And you can either, if they don't know you already, you can say, hey, I'd like to invite you to my table for a half hour free to sample my services. I'm looking at building my business. And if you've bought a home in a town, your realtor is the best place to start. If you went to the bank and opened up some accounts and got to know the person that you were working with, invite them to your table. the
Amy Bradley Radford (40:51.768)
Join some real live groups, not online groups, where you get out to meet people like the Chamber of Commerce and get to know people, invite them to your table for half hour free. Get them on your table. Because once they have been to your table, then you can turn around and give them this opportunity to continue to get more half hour frees.
Amy Bradley Radford (41:19.544)
But the one thing I want to tell you is you need to make sure that you introduce yourself with presence and clarity. And make sure that you are confident with what you're offering to these people. Like, hey, I just opened my massage practice here in town and I specialize in whatever. And I'm offering a referral gift for new clients. Or I'm offering a half hour free for some people in the community I'd like to meet.
or to create a relationship with for a client practitioner. You could even say if you know someone who could use some real healing support, I'd love to meet them. Leave your cards, they can sign their name on the back. There's lots of ways you can, whatever makes you comfortable, can incorporate these pieces to really start building your business.
Amy Bradley Radford (42:10.798)
You could even go so far as to say, you'd like to experience my work, I have an opening next Tuesday and offer them one of those two things, a free half hour or maybe even just $10 off their first session if that feels right for you and you feel like that would motivate this person to come see you. These conversations begin to embody confidence about you and the care you offer and it's an invitation to open the door to your table.
I could go on, but I'm going to stop right here because I have a few things I really want to share about this whole package of information. While I started the referral system to basically make money through scheduling more appointments in my massage business, it taught me something so much more profound. So in the wellness world, people aren't just buying a service. They are buying safety, your presence, and trust.
They want to know they're in capable hands. This is one of the things that stops people from reaching out to massage therapists because it's a very vulnerable feeling for them. And the more they feel safe and the more they can trust you from the word of someone else, the more they're going to book with you. And they want to make sure that their concerns are seen, they're heard, and they're valued. And when you can carry this energy, when your clients can carry this energy to someone else,
and those clients trust you, the people they refer to you immediately start to trust you as well. And that, that is what creates this opening, is this trust. So this invitation or this, you know, referral card, this is that first soft nudge. It's not a sales pitch, it's not an ad, it's not a gimmick, it's not a limited time offer flashing on the screen, it's a real human moment.
where someone says to another, this is what this person does and I know it can help you. And they care about this person and so this person becomes ready to be your client and you are welcoming them into your.
Amy Bradley Radford (44:27.264)
intentional space. And here's the truth about our work and this opportunity. It's not what I call fast food business. It's farm to table business. It is rooted in patience and quality and this deep connection. So it can't be a limited time offer flashing on your screen. The two do not coincide in the same space. But it does take time to create that deep connection, but it doesn't mean it has to take forever.
When you build a referral system like this that intentionally invites connection, you created the opportunity for this and you give people the tools to spread this connection forward, your time and your energy begin to compound substantially. So, you know, as a massage business coach, I know that massage and business are at many times conflicting with each other. It is hard. It is hard to have that space of intention where
you're trying to run your business with numbers and strategy and be intellectual and turn around and be intuition and hands-on and giving and healing, those two things sometimes conflict with each other. And how do you make a living out of healing? And the way I think you do this or the way that I have come to believe that you do this is by being intentional as much as possible. So starting a referral system not based on ads,
but in intention is creating a framework for people to join you in your work, not just book an appointment. And it's not about booking an appointment and getting paid. You have a valuable work to give to others. This is healing work, and this is creating the opportunity for them to find you for that work. So, you know, this system is also unique because it doesn't just wait around for referrals to trickle in. You are intentionally asking for
and creating the opportunity to create this connection with others and for it to happen. And so all you are doing is opening more doors faster because it will automatically align with the people that need to be on your table.
Amy Bradley Radford (46:45.25)
And when your clients have a meaningful way to refer you with clarity and ease and something that feels good on both sides, they do it. So that's what this referral system is built to do. It brings the unseen part of your business, the quiet gratitude that you have to try my massage therapist conversations into the spotlight. And it turns them into something sustainable and something intentional and something that just keeps growing.
Now you understand that the real work is actually in the relationship. It's not marketing. And let me say this very clearly. The referral system begins with you embodying confidence and care into those that work for you. So the invitation is how you just open this door and how you use your presence, your energy, your story, your hands-on skill to create that trust, all of that, all of that.
means it takes a real connection. And that connection compounds. It's a beautiful relationship.
Amy Bradley Radford (47:59.032)
So this is my real truth about coaching and business. This type of referral system, it doesn't drain your time, it multiplies it. And let's be honest, it feels much better to run your business this way. You're not having to chase new clients every week. You are just planting seeds with the ones who already believe in you and they will grow and you have a lot of loyalty and you grow this practice that supports you because it's rooted in
these real relationships. I don't believe business is just about revenue or tax categories or managing expenses. That's just paperwork. But real business, and I hope this comes through in all of my podcasts, real business is a reflection of you. So your business, your challenging parts of your business are always a mirror about your growth and your integrity and your presence at the table.
and honey, it asks you to show up. And when you do, you are rewarded. So if you want your business to grow, you have to grow. And that starts with how you connect to your clients, to yourself, and inside your community. And at its core, business is all about healthy and healing relationships and massage therapy. And the referral system can be one of those relationships if that's what you create it to be.
Amy Bradley Radford (49:26.2)
So, know, I would be sitting.
It would be counterintuitive at me at this point if I don't say, hey, if you're ready to put in a system like this and you'd love a guide who's walked it, refined it, and taught it, then I'd love to work with you. So you can dive deeper into all of this inside my launch program. This is actually a class inside that program that helps you with referrals and there's more information that goes into it so that you have a good solid grasp of this, but there's more. There's more about building, you know,
building your business into something that's profound for you. And it's inside my program I call Launch. Launch isn't just about building a new business, it's about taking your business to new levels. And that particular program itself paste and action driven. You can go from start to fully booked by following it. Or if you want one-to-one coaching to troubleshoot some of this or tailor it to your specific business or streamline your strategy, reach out.
because I'd be honored to support you and work with you. This doesn't have to be hard people, but it does have to be intentional. But it does have to be intentional. Your healing hands deserve a full schedule and a business that supports your life. Thanks for listening, my friend. Let's just keep going. We'll see you in the next podcast.
