Newsletters are the way people, your potential clients, expect to get their education about you and your work. Here are seven basic ways a newsletter will support your practice:

1. Education. It’s understood that if your clients see how your work positively impacts their lives then they will be more inclined to see you more often. They will be more inclined to value your work and encourage their friends to see you.

2. Proof of Caring. You know you care. Your clients need a reminder. Give them something that is of interest and use.

3. You Become the Authority. The more relevant and constant you are in your communications, the more clients perceive you as a talented, well-trained problem-solver.

4. Make Your Practice Focus Clear. Even though your practice focuses on elder care, you still have (and enjoy) a smattering of professionals and athletes. These professionals and athletes may not be aware of the central focus of your practice. You don’t want these folks to leave (not at all!) but you would like them to know about your work with the elderly. Perhaps they have a family member or friend they would send to you. Perhaps they are getting long in the tooth themselves and would be interested to know you will be there as their lifestyles change.

5. Place to Share News. This is a great place to share what is going on in your practice. You can talk about new CEUs you’re taking and how they will benefit your clients. Report on changes in your practice (new hours, new packages, new co-workers). Tell clients what your practice is doing to support the community (donating time for fundraisers, working with Habitat for Humanity).

6. Learn More about Your Clients. Do your clients respond more to an emailed newsletter or a mailed one? What kind of response do you get? Positive (send me more) or negative (don’t bug me)?
Do you see that new clients spend time on your website’s newsletter archive page?
What kind of information generates the most comments? Tips for self-care? Descriptions of new techniques?
This is all good stuff to know. It saves you lots of time and money as you continue to market your massage/ bodywork practice.

7. You Look Good. A newsletter is becoming something the general populace expects, like a business card. When people sign up to get your newsletter, whether by email or snail mail, they are using how, when and what you deliver as a way to evaluate the level of your professionalism.

When you write (or choose a pre-designed newsletter):

1. Focus on what your clients need to know. They may find comfort in the fact you have done certified training. But what your clients really want to know is you can do much more effective work on their necks. They will not have pain when they look over their shoulders before changing lanes.

2. Avoid shop talk where possible. Writing “… allows the nucleus pulposus (inside the disc) to assume its central position within the annular fibers and relieve irritations on the spinal nerve …” isn’t going to make a lot of sense to most people. Other bodyworkers, yes. Me, not so much.

3. Focus on your audience. eg: You know you want to attract more professionals. So you send out a newsletter with articles about dealing with stress at work, desk stretches, two minute self-care technique, office aromatherapy and a work-related strain your work can ease. “Golly,” says your ideal client, “these are helpful. I’ll keep this right here on my desktop. And Mike would really be interested in this article. I’ll forward this to him.”

4. Proofread, proofread, proofread. Then have someone else do it. Then call your fourth grade teacher and have her look it over.

Anyone out there do newsletters for their practice? How is that working for you?

Yes, we do have newsletters on our site. We are very proud of their versatility and quality, but we also know that they are not to everyone’s taste. Anyone out there have a company they’d like to recommend for pre-written newsletters?

All my best,
Eileen