So being mentally and physically ready to hand out massage business cards (or bodywork, reiki, reflexology, yoga, or … ) got covered. And then there was a big ol’ entry on building rapport. Now it’s time for the Ma Joad/Tyne Daly* Special Bonus Cheerleading Round.

Where did all this come from? A couple weeks ago I had the point driven home that not everyone is comfortable handing out business cards. Handing out your massage business card, like practically everything, takes practice. You have to get into The Zone.

Pushing the Comfort Zone
If you want to improve in anything, you have to push beyond your comfort zone. If you want to gather more clients, you need to go beyond what you have been doing. If you are comfortable handing our business card to someone when they ask for one, start offering cards to people. Attach a “personalized” benefit (because you’ve established rapport, right?) and you won’t feel so “sales-y” about it. Keep pushing your envelope.

Noting “Missed” Opportunities
You know when you walk away from a conversation and you think, “ARGH! I should have given her my card!” Don’t beat yourself up. It’s okay. This takes practice.

Review the conversation. What did you do right? When would have been a good point to bring up the benefits of your work and offer your card? Remember. Look for the next opportunity. Sometimes just talking to people and taking mental notes is a good way to rehearse and prepare. When you’re more at ease, go for it. Will you mess up again? Yeah. Are you going to get better? Yeah. See “Pushing the Comfort Zone” above.

Benefits of Repetition
Practice = Confidence = Success :: Practice = Success

I really can’t think what I could add to make that clearer. Find something that works both for your business AND for you and go with it. If it doesn’t work, stop.

All my best,
Eileen

*If you don’t think Ma Joad and Tyne Daly are the coolest ever, I don’t even want to know.