Welcome to the 5th installment of Professional Development. This week we will talk about Business Etiquette. I recently worked a health fair for a Chicago company with 5 other therapists. At the end of the day I knew I had to write about this for those who may be unsure or those who have no idea about proper business etiquette. Again these lessons are from my experiences and what I feel work best in the massage world. This is a long post so strap in.
- Prepare: This is number one for a reason. When you are going to work, chair massage special event, etc, please prepare. Make sure you have everything you need like, business cards, face cradle covers, hand lotion, hand sanitizer, massage chair, tools (I hope you use them), music, hand wipes for cleaning, a good breakfast/lunch and whatever else is required to have a successful event. If you will be working with other therapists for a health fair or expo, have a meeting a week before the event. The meeting is to get everyone on the same page and same mindset for the event. At this time schedules should be ironed out for breaks and lunches so that no one is over worked. The meeting is also when a dress code is talked about so that all the therapists look like a team. More on this later. I could go on but I think you get the idea. As a therapist and any business for that matter, there must be a level of excellence that far outshines the next person.
- Skills: When you work an event or just go to your job, you are expected to perform at a certain level. The job required may be lower, high or in most cases medium, which is where the majority of people live. Don't be in the majority! Your mindset should always be one of excellence. A high skill level will enable you to help many more people than your average routine therapist. I have put throughout this blog many ideas and a few people to learn from to take your skills to the next level. Believe me people will notice especially at an event where there are more than two therapists. The ones with higher abilities are usually sought after. Continue to read, take classes that will help you and push yourself to be your best.
- Dress Code: The very clothes we wear are important part when there is an event, look at any sports team. On any team the uniform lets you know who they are but more important the sameness lets everyone know there is a connection, a unit, a mindset. Look on almost any basketball court during the summer and you will see the shirts vs. the skins. It is a real mindset that one must embody to really work with people. If you will be working with other therapists make sure there is something of a dress code. When spectators observe from the sidelines you want to be seen as a unit working together not just working. There is a big difference.
- Hygiene: I can't believe I'm writing about this one but I must. Before you leave the house please bathe, wash your hair, brush your teeth, put on deodorant, cut and clean your finger nails, CLEAN clothes, clean underwear and clean socks. We work with the public and no one wants to smell our Body Odor because we think it's cool not to use soap everyday. That is all that I will say on this topic.
- Professionalism: This is a wide area for most of us so I will do my best to focus it for massage and similar therapies. All the above are part of what it takes to be a Professional Massage Therapist. To get specific about the dress code, I have always worn Adidas track/sweatpants that have a slick, smooth look to the them. My shirts are always polo style made of cotton/polyester blend for easy sweat evaporation. My shirts are also made by Adidas. This "uniform" is easy to move in, comfortable BUT stylish. I try and stick to a white shirt and black pants for every event. I have worked events from parties, law firms, expos, private gigs and I always have a professional look to my sports clothes. I usually wear Adidas sandals with clean socks just in case I want to slip out of shoes for a Thai massage stretch and then slip right back in. Never should you be barefoot at a company event (in fact I'm never barefoot when I work). This smacks of unprofessionalism and bad hygiene.
Time is an important part of being a professional. Always arrive at least 45 minutes early to set-up and then gather yourself through prayer, meditation or whatever you feel centers you. Start and end on time and make sure your sessions are the allotted time so as not to create a pile up. I have seen many therapists get "lost" because they are not paying attention.
Ok, that is enough for now. I think I touched on some areas where massage has to grow and some areas that could be more refined. I hope that in the future we can can have a more of a focused mindset about massage therapy and improve and learn from ever encounter.
PD6 in two weeks.
Peace
