Closing the Deal: Your Worth

[harxy]

I always wonder if we are the only profession that gets treated this way, if other professions get hounded by bargain seekers like we do. And why. Do these ppl think massage is "too expensive" or we already make "too much". Why don't these ppl argue at the grocery store, at the post office, at their dentist's office and ask for a better deal. It's a mystery.
Unfortunately some MT's willingly charge less - there is an individual in our community advertising $25 1 horu massage. Yes, that's 2-5. The school charges $35.
And some MT's give in under pressure. We are usually caring people who want to make other happy. Is it why?
I let someone finagle a free chair massage out of me last week. It was a busy day but it was going OK until 4 pm. Then all hell broke loose for about 1/2 hour. Our 4:30 appt forgot their driving directions and I spent 10 min on the phone with them (they were out of town and NOt listening), I was hungry, had to go to the bathroom, I had to set up for a couples hot stone massage since the other therapist was coming from work, then the 4:30 arrived and was waiting, there were 5 ppl wanting to buy GC's, the phone ran off the hook. The woman wanted a free massage b/c she bought 2 GC's over the phone. I do not do it b/c if I give a free massage for every GC I sell, I will go broke. But my stress level was so high at the moment that I just wanted to get her off the phone.

Which made me think about an assertiveness class I took a few years ago. An important thing I learned in class was that it's a lot easier to be assertive when you are feeling good physically, mentally and emotionally. And not so easy when you are tired, hungry, thirsty, have to pee. When you are already in agony a pushy person becomes too much for you to handle. Your body needs to take care of your primary, physical needs first .

So it's very important for us to feel good about ourselves, eat well, exercise, take breaks. It all came back to me and made sense!

 

[EllenMay]

I always wonder if we are the only profession that gets treated this way, if other professions get hounded by bargain seekers like we do. And why. Do these ppl think massage is "too expensive" or we already make "too much". Why don't these ppl argue at the grocery store, at the post office, at their dentist's office and ask for a better deal. It's a mystery.

Several factors contribute to this.

1) they are dealing with you, 1 on 1. Most of the other examples you point out the customers are not dealing with the proprietor. Haggling with the manager of Safeway won't get you anywhere, hangling with SPs often does.

2) competition. someone else will probably always be willing to do it for less. It is relatively easy to become an MT in most states -- compared with becoming a plumber, dentist or opening a boutique -- so you will always have those who compete on price, as you cited yourself. It can be weeks to get in to see a dentist. If you don't like his price, you would have to wait a few more weeks to see another, and might be told the same or higher price. They don't give prices over the phone. What a hassle! You can pick up the phone, call 10 MTs and price shop in 15 mins.

3) other business do get cherry-picked and tire-kicked. Who here has bought a car in the past 5 years that has NOT tried to buy it at INVOICE or some other ridiculously low price. The public has determined it is their god-given right to buy a car at cost, or as close to it as possible. How would you like those shopppers for clients? Travel is much the same way - ORBITZ and EXPEDIA and HOTELS.COM all exist to get consumers the lowest possible price. Granted, fixed-cost businesses like those can afford to sell some % of their capacity at marginal cost, but it creates a consumer mentality that focuses on price, not on value. Your massage may be better - dollar for dollar - than anyone else's (the definition of value) but if clients focus on price, the will always go elsewhere.

 

[glownatural]

I agree with R&R. Many times, when someone calls me about using my services for a convention, one of the first ?'s out of their mouth is "how much do you charge?" This before I know how many people attending, type of setup, etc. It is a price and not the value mentality.

And let's not forget the people who think our doing massage is a hobby or something we do in our spare time......and are shocked to discover not only do we charge, but what we do charge.

 

[Leigh [ex nihilo]]

Actually I do know ppl who haggle around with dentists and I have asked if there were any discounts since I was paying cash.

I am actually getting ready to send letters to my last 2 discounted clients. I want to tell them in person BUT they are related and if I tell one, she will call the other. This way, they will both find out on the same day that all discounts are discontinued.

 

[noone]

I saw your post and you gave me an idea. I have 2 discounted clients that can afford it now.

Many people just don't get it that this is how we put food on our table, we are not hippies who like to burn candles and just dig touching people, man.