MAXIMIZE Your Massage Therapy Department PROFITS

Introduction

Thank you for choosing this book! Whether you are a seasoned therapist, spa owner, or massage entrepreneur, my hope is that this book will find you well.

This book is designed to be a collection of strategies that readers can use for greater success. I am eager to share the skills and expertise I’ve learned through so many kind teachers, to whom I owe my deepest gratitude. Much of this content I am about to share with you is a study guide for you to follow. One point I want to make clear is that the journey you are about to take is not an easy one. It will require you to study, learn, and apply these principles so that you build a solid foundation for yourself as an individual, and for the success of your career in these fields. It takes a specific mindset and a great deal of patience to obtain steady success; so with 20 years of experience behind me, I’m here to share from my inspirational gurus, leaders, and guides to give you a hand. The knowledge they’ve shared was not theirs nor is the knowledge I teach mine. I ask you to also understand the importance of passing on this information to the next generation. There is true power when we share with others.

In this book, we’ll dive into the seven most highly-effective steps that I’ve found and used to build my first spa in Birmingham, Michigan, as well as to open my second day spa in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. In conjunction with my most recent endeavor in the heart of South Africa at Pezulu Lodge, I was able to give the opportunity to teach a group of massage therapists how to perform a massage that goes beyond just relaxation–which is the title of my first book. What many massage therapists fail to understand is that while, yes, clients desire a good basic massage, it is really their energy, personality, thoroughness, and professionalism that truly sets them apart to leave their client with a great experience.

Chapter 1 A Journey to America

There’s always a story. We may not see all the pieces of one another, but they exist beneath all the “living” that gets done each day. The past interwoven into the present, every thread making up a tapestry of who we are. Every scar and every smile line has its own narrative to offer up. We need only stop for a moment and pay attention.

It’s no different for me–my story. It has moments of joy and heartbreak, much like everyone else. And looking back, my past spreads out like a beautiful sunset over the lands from which I came. And it’s there, in Poland, where my story begins.

It doesn’t define me, but I remember it well. At four years of age, we left our small village and moved on to find a better way of life. Because then, we had no shoes. It seems inconceivable to me now, to think that I had nothing to protect my feet. Many years later, it might even be cliché to say. But then, being poor was a way of life.

And it might also seem a bit odd to say that Word War II could bring salvation to anything – no one who lived during that time can say there was anything redeemable about the war. But it did bring work. A steel factory was erected in a nearby town, in order to make tanks for the effort. After the war, the factory was still a mainstay for our community and people walked 25 kilometers to work there. And they worked hard. My father died before I was born so I watched my mother work too.

She worked in the fields, farming wheat and doing odd jobs. She taught me about self-reliance and resilience. She urged me to carve out a future for myself beyond the poverty of my past. She saw something in me that I would only discover later; that I had the innate ability to dance. I heard music and saw movement in everything I did. Although I never imagined where a career in dancing would lead me.

When I was 13, my mother remarried and we moved again. Despite numerous personal tragedies, I continued to dance professionally. I learned traditional Polish folk dancing, ballroom dancing, and ballet. I traveled extensively, performing with the world-renowned dancing group, Lasowiacy. It was exciting and exhausting and I pushed myself to achieve athletic perfection! And like most professional athletes, I suffered injuries. Notable for me was a fairly severe ankle injury when I was 17.

At that time, my mother sought out a masseuse to assist me on my path to healing. I was truly unconvinced that anyone could help me with the severe ankle pain that I suffered. But this masseuse was different; and of all things, he was blind!

As a masseuse, his blindness became a strength. It gave him what others lacked–a keen sense of touch and the ability to tune into the human body in very subtle ways. He worked tirelessly to help me heal. I never forgot his kindness or the way he transformed me physically, personally, and professionally. Not only did I heal, but he also ignited within me a desire to help others find their own path to wellness.

In 1995, I explored Rome for almost a year. I worked odd jobs. I swept floors, worked in hotels and also learned to speak Italian. It was an adventure and I did a tremendous amount of growing during that phase of my life.

When I was 20, I moved to Warsaw, Poland. There was a significant amount of struggle to find my way and pay the bills. I went to college. I worked in tourism. I danced. I found and lost love. It was messy and chaotic! It was beautiful. During that time, and as fate would have it, I met Michael Krolewski while he was traveling through Warsaw. He was the Student Director for the International Office at St. Mary’s College in Michigan. We developed a friendship and he urged me to come to America and teach dance at St. Mary’s. I agreed. It was thrilling to consider a different life so far from home.

So without ceremony, I packed my bags and headed to America for what would be the biggest adventure of my life! Stay tuned. My story has only just begun.

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Chapter 2 Positioning Yourself as an Expert

Have no fear of perfection, you will never reach it.

Salvador Dali

What does it mean to you when you hear me say, “position yourself as an expert?” There are many components of being great as well as becoming great. For us to achieve expert level or mastery of any discipline, one must do what most others will not do. In my 25+ years in massage therapy and entrepreneurship, there have been a multitude of sleepless nights, waking up at 4 a.m. only to work until midnight and repeat the process. Not only have I had the pleasure to travel for my studies, but I was doing this all while opening my first spa and building a presence and name for myself in Southeastern Michigan. Quickly I got the nickname, “Where’s Waldo” if you know the book reference. You would flip the page of a book and try to find this character, Waldo, in many different, crowded spaces. You knew you were looking for a red-striped hat (and in my case, a bald shiny head!). Nonetheless, Waldo was on each page having new adventures, always in the midst of activity. This metaphor was much like my life when I started in my business. Meet and greet social events, black dress and red tie events, Chamber of Commerce coffee meetings, and more. All of this has helped position me as an expert.

Now let’s walk through a series of questions to see just where you fit on the lateral line of expert mastery in our field. First, I would like each of you to grab a highlighter or pen for marking and begin to visualize your immediate interaction with your guest up until they leave after their reservation. What does it look like, where do you typically meet the client, where is the consultation done, do they go to the restroom, do they get a facility tour, do they fill out an intake or waiver form… You get the point.

I would like for you to read the following 16 questions and circle YES if you are consistent 80% of the time or higher and circle NO if you are NOT consistent with each visit. The more honest you are with yourself, the more opportunity you give yourself to grow and know where we can improve to generate your personal success.

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Chapter 3 Introduction To Seven R’s Formula

What is it that makes you come alive?

During interviews, I always make a point to ask massage therapists looking to join my team what they believe excellent customer service looks like. There are many career paths for a massage therapist. Many choose a winding journey, whereas some work consistently in one speciality, such as with athletes or prenatal mothers, because it is fulfilling and purposeful for them. You’ve got to ask yourself what is it that makes you come alive? What are your natural talents and what are you already providing to your community of people? For me it was thoroughly delivering every time. I always looked for new, detailed ways to wow a client so they would come back. Coming from a lack of resources growing up, I became good at living in fight-or-flight mode, and that helped me when building my business in the beginning. Often, we look back at life and can be grateful for the hardships as they made us who we are and show us how far we’ve come. For me my drive came from having little, wanting to make something out of myself and someone my mother would say she was proud of. Coupling this with having a new marriage and baby on the way, the pressure to provide and increase my books was a top priority. Not to mention, my English wasn’t as solid as I wish it could have been in(at) the beginning of my journey. So I made sure to push hard toward(s) success.

This was all coupled with a belief I hold, that if we stop the quest to seek and discover more knowledge, we in turn have to let a part of ourselves die. Self-discovery and evolution is one part of being an expert. It is about being able to understand where we are and where we desire to be. We have to check in with ourselves and regularly take necessary inventory as therapists, team members, or possibly owners. In order to understand my Seven R’s formula it is key for you to understand these basic components.

The little details matter in our industry.

Maciek Lyko

In order to understand my seven-step formula it’s important you realize these strategies will help separate you from your competitors. Some of the biggest mistakes therapists and spa owners make is simply not understanding the power of follow-through and taking charge of the session, as well as post-care treatment. The little details matter in our industry and I am about to show you how to do it.

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Chapter 4 Mindset

Motivation gets you started and good habits get you going.

This statement couldn’t be truer for how I’ve lived my life and attribute to much of my personal and professional successes. In this chapter, I’d like to set the foundation for the mindset needed in this career path, and to lay out the many factors that contribute to one’s success. These factors include but are not limited to, personal motivation, daily habits, balance of mind, body, spirit, daily rituals, visualization, meditation and more!

When I discuss mindset with my students, spa owners and one-on-one coaching clients we learn a lot about why they are struggling and “stuck” in a place longer than they should be. Through the tools we are about to unfold and unlock I believe you’ll be one step closer to finding what motivates you, learning how to set goals, and discovering the pillars of how to achieve legitimate success. This is all accomplished by understanding the importance and value of one’s mindset. So, let’s get started!

Daily Rituals and Habits
Fixed vs. Growth Mindset
Consistency and Persistency

In the book, Miracle Morning, by Hal Elrod, we can learn six powerful daily rituals that I’ve used religiously for over eight years that have been important in changing my mindset. In his book, Hal created an acronym easy for his followers to remember. Given its powerful impact on my personal and professional success this will be our foundation for this chapter. Now let’s dive deeper into the six different S.A.V.E.R.S. See below the S.A.V.E.R.S. and what each stands for.

SAVERS

Silence

Affirmations

Visualization

Exercise

Reading

Scribing

Hal’s perfect design for beginning using his ritual systems is to spend as little as one minute on each of the items in the S.A.V.E.R.S. method. I found that 20 to 30 minutes is a good amount of time for initial reflection and development. My daily ritual begins at 4:30 a.m. every day. It is so second nature to me that if I miss or begin my day with anything other than this method I feel “off.” The power I’ve received by utilizing these six easy and effective tools has helped me proceed into my growth mindset. They have directly infused me with knowledge through daily readings of powerful minds who have either gone before me and have left their legacy or those still living in it. This coupled with visualization has developed a greater level of intimacy within myself to be able to connect with my message and those who will hear that message. If you’re interested in diving further into what each of the S.A.V.E.R.S. were intended to provide please go grab a copy of his book or buy it on Audible; it is worth your investment.

Fixed vs. Growth Mindset

My next inspiration to share will be the groundwork for our mindset. Once that is laid, then we’ll get into the nuts and bolts. For one to move forward into a good mindset, we need to understand which fixed stories or traumas hold us back from reaching the true potential of the goals and visions we can’t stop thinking about. Have you ever wondered why you can’t reach simple goals and feel defeated and frustrated often? You start in hopes to create and finally do what you’re always saying you want to do and then bam!– you’re faced with a thought or doubt somewhere along the lines of “imposter syndrome,” or “who am I to do something like this?” Or maybe it sounds like, “I don’t have the education they have,” or “I am not good enough to have that success.” I admit, I’ve had a few of these poor mindsets and beliefs along my journey. What I am about to show you, though, got me through the hurdles of my childhood traumas and stories that no longer served me. I switched the poor beliefs with the truth. I am more than qualified and capable to do what I am doing, and I am enough. In the graph below, you will see continued examples of Fixed vs. Growth Mindsets.

Fixed	Growth
“I am not good enough for this”	“I did my best, it’s good enough”
Wants to prove intelligence or talent	Wants to improve intelligence or talent
Avoids challenges for fear of failure	Engages challenges to improve
Avoids responsibility	Persists in overcoming obstacles
Treats feedback as attack	Treats feedback as an opportunity
Feels threatened by others’ success	Feels inspired by others’ success

As we build upon your mindset, it requires a sequence of actions to get the energy flowing in the right direction. It starts with getting your attitude and behaviors in alignment with your thinking. You have to learn to anticipate solutions to problems, and to think about the outcomes of any particular action, so that you have a better chance of reaching your intended end result. Successful people don’t just sit around while things happen. They create the space for a healthy mind palace and feed this mind palace with the goods required to be unimpaired. As we shift to a growth mindset, we begin to tell ourselves a different story, one that resonates with our purpose and aligns with the passion only you were created to have. We begin to set new personalized goals for our learning. This can include further self-help books, podcasts, and/or learning a new discipline or skillset specific to your goals.

In everything you do, understand and remember how powerful it is to capitalize on your failures–not just your successes. Tell yourself three times a day, failure is your friend. I say this because it is true! We cannot grow without failure. One of my favorite examples that we can all appreciate today is Thomas Edison and the lightbulb. He understood that every time he failed, he was one try away from his own success. It took him not 10, not 100 not even 500 fails. As an inventor, Edison, made 1,000 tries at inventing the lightbulb.

I am not sure I’ve tried 1,000 times and willingly and happily failed to keep going the next day. Now I can say I’ve successfully failed 10 or so times on certain concepts or ideas and had a light at the end of the tunnel with the 11^th try. I also work to always create better systems in which I’m always open to evolution and change. Change can be hard for a lot of people, but for myself, I’m wired for change. I seek it and it creates a thrill for me. As a result of your mindset shift, you achieve greater goals and accomplish superior levels of success. Failures create the staircase to progressive achievement.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.

Winston Churchill

Consistency and Persistency

Words to live by: “never say you can’t, but rather ask how can I?” Similarly, these words are never in my vocabulary: “no, it won’t work, don’t waste your time, you will fail.” Like Arnold Schwarzenegger says, “Don’t listen to the nay-sayers. You’re going to do what? That’ll never work, are you crazy?” As author, Brene Brown also states, “Do not be interested in hearing the opinion or feedback from those not willing to be in the arena getting their ass kicked.”

Having people in your life to support your ideas, goals, and visions can be the shot of adrenaline or espresso (for those coffee enthusiasts) that will take your goal and vision to the next level. Be careful who you let in this circle. I wouldn’t suggest your closest loved ones for obvious reasons unless you’ve already created that healthy relationship and boundaries with success. Let your partner be your partner and your relatives be relatives. Seek out a mentor, coach, and like-minded enthusiast to coach you up from where you are to where they know you’ve stated you’re going.

As we get deeper into the layers of the mindset build, we now begin to look at the nuts and bolts. How do we continue to have a positive, forward-thinking mindset? In my opinion, I believe we do this through consistent habits practiced daily and being persistent with visualization. As we visualize our desires, goals, and passions, understanding the role of daily habits is crucial. It is the difference between the 1% and the 99% of us. Being the 1% takes dedication, planning, and constant reminders until the goal has been met or achieved. What does the lifestyle look like for the 1%? Everything we’ve already discussed previously in this mindset chapter. This is why I have an entire chapter to set our foundation for the rest of the book.

The Nine Traits that the 1% Live By

1. They practice daily compassion

Daily compassion is not just for you, it is for others as well. As we extend compassion for others, we learn to also provide this needed gift to ourselves as we navigate through our own journey. Think about it. How many times have we easily provided compassion for others when we listen to their stories of failure or disappointment? On the contrary, how little do we think to provide ourselves the boost of compassion and reassure ourselves that the path less traveled wasn’t going to be easy? Every day is a new day to refuel and refresh your compassion tank. Our world and our work rely on it.

2. They meditate or find time for silence

Silence or meditative practices really clear out the daily clutter we allow to live in our hearts, mind, and soul. It’s the stories we can rewrite to match the passion and enthusiasm we have for our goals. Meditation and silence is a practice that benefits everyone in our lives we come into contact with. It provides the connective moments needed to check in with and be real with ourselves. This practice has immensely corrected poor thinking habits as well as created a daily peace. As we walk out our front door to greet the world's chaos, high-paced check lists, duties, and responsibilities can be a fight some days. We can feel the world is coming at us not happening for us, as stated by one of my biggest inspirations, Tony Robbins. Through meditation and silence, the door now opens and the world can say, they’re up!! I AM prepared for creating the day I desire, not the other way around.

3. They eat nourishing foods

Diet is truly connected to how we feel, think and see the world. They say your gut is your second brain and honestly, they are right. I know this from my years of living and working in an industry where having good nutrition was essential; I had healthy fats to nourish my joints, and long sustainable energy to help fuel my 12-hour days. Our energy (or lack thereof) is directly affected by the foods we choose to eat as well as the caloric daily amounts we consume. Some of the most influential motivational speakers I know speak briefly on how they stay ahead of the competition through their daily food choices. Their secrets came down to intermittent fasting and eating a green apple daily. We will discuss further in Chapter 14 more tips and guidelines to feel well, make healthy choices, and provide some simple and easy recipes you can make to achieve optimal health. Private Chef, Personal Trainer, and Health and Wellness enthusiast for over 13 years, Jennifer Beyer, will be assisting me on this chapter. Not only is she my partner in business but also in life. Together we’ll inspire your daily choices, help you understand your body's cravings and what they mean, as well as guide you in an ever-changing industry.

4. They have a Coach

I wouldn’t be where I am without the coaches I’ve invested in, simply put. Coaches are the fast track to personal success. Furthermore, coaches serve as your road map helping navigate through detours, red lights and stop signs. Just as Dean Graziosi, Tony Robbins, Dori Soukup, and many others I’ve studied with will also say–investing in a coach is investing in you. If you’re not going to invest in you, who will?

5. They get quality sleep

Briefly, sleep as you may know is an activity we need in our lives. We can’t not engage in it as it is required for us to live. It is essential for good health, organ restoration and rejuvenation. Check in with yourself to see how you feel after five, six, seven, eight, or nine hours of sleep. Over time, I know for myself that getting into bed before 9:30 p.m. and waking up by 4–4:30 a.m. is the perfect sleep for my ideal productivity and energy. Figure out where your sweet spot is and make it happen. Your body requires this of you! Especially in our industry with such physical demands. The body needs to regenerate so we have the stamina to perform all day.

6. They value personal development growth

Through the years I’ve collected, read, and highlighted many books. Among the more notable titles, there is Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris and The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz. All have been very influential and inspiring. Whether you enjoy reading, listening to a podcast, watching YouTube channels, or attending live events, each has a beautiful place to help you master your success. For me, these serve as a higher level of education but also keep my brain stimulated and amongst circles of like-minded people. If I can’t find someone locally to help me grow, I can always find someone in a book to read, or podcast to listen to. Through their writing or recordings, they can infuse me with lessons and strategies–and fast track me to my next level.

7. They have values

Honesty goes a long way. Good character goes even further. If you haven’t heard the saying before, that money changes people, it can be true. It can change you in many ways but you get to control how and who you become through your career changes. A smile never hurts anyone, and can turn someone’s bad day into a good one. Extending a compliment to someone can brighten their entire day. Never negotiate with yourself on your values. It doesn’t matter what your financial status is, what you used to drive and what you choose to drive now, or how many vacations you go on. Values should never be deviated from. We will come into contact with many people in our lives that have different values. They will try to give you their opinions on matters they know nothing about or possibly something about. Either way, always do what is right even when no one is watching. I couldn’t have built my two day spas by being dishonest, walking all over those who helped me in the first stages, or if I lacked appreciation towards the things and people who make it all happen. I would encourage you to write down your top 10 core values. My business has five main values, and each new employee sees it before signing on with us. If those core values don’t resonate with them and completely inspire them to be a part of our culture, we don’t hire them. Like-minded people are powerful and can accomplish a lot. We can be held to our values and hold each other to those same values.

8. They do what they love

Mark Twain puts it simply, do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life. When we tap into our passion and find purpose, we will always find the fuel to keep going. Life is short, and working every day in a field you're either not passionate about or have lost passion for will affect all parts of the body, but especially your spirit.

9. They take risks

Risks are a part of leadership, management or owning your own business. The biggest risk is not taking one. Risks bring out the best and worst parts of an individual. Risk creates space for a host of emotions such as fear of the unknown, lack of control, and fear of failure, to name a few. As you work through your feelings of fear or lack of control you will see on the other side of fear is freedom.

1. They practice daily compassion

2. They meditate or find time for silence

Silence or meditative practices really clear out the daily clutter we allow to live in our hearts, mind, and soul. It’s the stories we can rewrite to match the passion and enthusiasm we have for our goals. Meditation and silence is a practice that benefits everyone in our lives we come into contact with. It provides the connective moments needed to check in with and be real with ourselves. This practice has immensely corrected poor thinking habits as well as created a daily peace. As we walk out our front door to greet the world’s chaos, high-paced check lists, duties, and responsibilities can be a fight some days. We can feel the world is coming at us not happening for us, as stated by one of my biggest inspirations, Tony Robbins. Through meditation and silence, the door now opens and the world can say, they’re up!! I AM prepared for creating the day I desire, not the other way around.

3. They eat nourishing foods

Diet is truly connected to how we feel, think and see the world. They say your gut is your second brain and honestly, they are right. I know this from my years of living and working in an industry where having good nutrition was essential; I had healthy fats to nourish my joints, and long sustainable energy to help fuel my 12-hour days. Our energy (or lack thereof) is directly affected by the foods we choose to eat as well as the caloric daily amounts we consume. Some of the most influential motivational speakers I know speak briefly on how they stay ahead of the competition through their daily food choices. Their secrets came down to intermittent fasting and eating a green apple daily. We will discuss further in Chapter 14 more tips and guidelines to feel well, make healthy choices, and provide some simple and easy recipes you can make to achieve optimal health. Private Chef, Personal Trainer, and Health and Wellness enthusiast for over 13 years, Jennifer Beyer, will be assisting me on this chapter. Not only is she my partner in business but also in life. Together we’ll inspire your daily choices, help you understand your body’s cravings and what they mean, as well as guide you in an ever-changing industry.

4. They have a Coach

5. They get quality sleep

6. They value personal development growth

7. They have values

8. They do what they love

Mark Twain puts it simply, do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life. When we tap into our passion and find purpose, we will always find the fuel to keep going. Life is short, and working every day in a field you’re either not passionate about or have lost passion for will affect all parts of the body, but especially your spirit.

9. They take risks

In closing this mindset chapter, there is a lot of time and attention spent here because there are many layers and components to consider. As you move through this chapter you may need to pause or go back through and read it again, as new ideas and questions come up in you. For example, you may want to begin your meditation practice or write down some fixed mindsets and examples of how to make them your new growth mindset. Remember habits, traits, and mindset takes a lifetime to develop. That is why if you go to Amazon you’ll find pages and pages on this content. We as a culture need constant help and guidance. Be patient with yourself and allow room for grace.

Now let’s dive deeper into the meat of the book with our Seven R’s Formula Secrets.

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Chapter 5 Seven R’s Formula Secrets

Success is a journey, not a destination.

Maciek Lyko

The Seven R’s you will be learning with me took approximately 10 years to develop and fully implement in my own business. I want to fast track your success by providing you simple ways you can improve yourself, career, and personal potential. The exact strategies you’re about to learn are step-by-step with clear direction, storyline, and applicable impacts that will hopefully serve you in the exact way you’re seeking. As there are many parts to business and a multitude of ways to seek help by getting this book, you’ll have sustainable, consistent guidance that isn’t overly complicated, for you to always go back to.

Over the years my training has led me to many places in the United States as well as Worldwide. Thailand, South Africa, Poland, Florida, Arizona, California, and more. The beauty of each place and training provided a different level of enlightenment along my journey to help me see more clearly how to build a strong business and rapport with clients. I realized it wasn’t only about your hands touching the body or the certifications behind your name. Being a healer requires qualities that some of us including myself needed to sharpen and spend some time with.

When I moved to America my biggest challenge was my language hurdle, and it still causes me some frustration to this day. I’ve worked hard by studying and working with mentors, because speaking to our clients is a huge part of how we connect. Connection is key for proper feedback from a client. Some win with great hands but you can only serve to a certain level in your career as clients are looking for more.

How many of you can relate to sending clients outside your scope of practice? How many of you want to explain a yoga pose or stretch to a client but you felt you weren’t a yoga instructor, so you didn’t make the recommendation? What about wishing you knew more about the energy meridians so you could talk on the same page as your client who is sharing with you what they learned from their energy worker?

The point I am trying to drive home is that being a healer in our industry as a massage therapist requires you to be more, give more, and build more of your resume. The massage MBLEx is the prerequisite to truly meeting the ongoing needs of the clients you’re about to meet. What do I mean? When a client comes to you with pain here or there, there are MANY different directions you can take to infuse the session with other than just massage. Cupping, for instance, or fascia release, trigger point therapy, and Thai body work are some examples. The list goes on and on. If you don’t have the growth mindset to continue learning after massage school, then the other passionate massage therapists who are learning will surpass your work. Studies show that to master anything it requires 10,000 hours. I’ve worked with therapists in the industry for 16 years giving the same massage to every client they see. Their flow is the same, warm the body up, sweep here, push there, pulsate here, and move on. But you really want to continually advance your flow, touch, and skill sets as each client is different. Continuing education is a key role in my personal fast track success. Luckily I am able to teach and provide CEU’s to my students for Thai body work and my Seven R’s Formula Program.

Currently I hold many certifications that some may not think are relevant to massage itself. I am proof through the years that I have used every training and certification course I’ve ever taken. Such courses include: Yin Yoga Training.

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Chapter 6 Rapport

First Step Create Rapport - Five Areas of Focus

Presentation and Appearance
Body Language and Demeanor
Smile/ Handshake
Compliments (They are for everyone!)
Your 30-Second Commercial

4:00 a.m. and my alarm goes off. I quickly silence it and look to the left to see my beautiful soon-to-be wife still sound asleep. I remove the blankets and immediately get into a child’s pose. I breathe in and out to release any thoughts that may have followed me after waking. Then, I walk to the kitchen and turn the kettle on for my morning coffee. While I wait for the coffee, I squeeze a lemon and apple cider vinegar into a glass of lukewarm water. I quickly grab my Miracle Morning book and walk downstairs with lemon water in hand and my mother’s inspiring, strong coffee. I begin standing on my Melt Method balls to awaken and energize the body and nervous system. (I will be going into further detail later on about why I love these melt balls so much!) I light palo santo to create a cleansing atmosphere, and then do a 10-minute meditation and visualization practice.

While each day can bring its own focus, it typically starts with the intention I have for my day and my clients. Once my light stretch and meditation is finished, I begin the daily process of transformation by applying the S.A.V.E.R.S in Hal Elrod’s book I previously shared with you. I shower, shave, brush, put my pressed uniform on, then add a dab of essential oil to my wrists. Within an hour and a half, I am out the door to work on my first client.

What I would like you to see about my morning routine is that I begin with a clear intention. I can’t tell you how many times I would wake up without a clear direction and feel busy all day, but without chipping away intentionally at the things that help build success. Once I changed that and began this intentional routine daily, I felt such clarity to identify my purpose and move towards it. I felt like I was waking up with a specific desire backed by a strong purpose, which is a great need that every human desires. I checked in with myself. I prepared my soul and energy before serving my clients, who need a lot from me physically and energetically. I filled my cup so I can fill others up.

See, a lot of therapists don’t realize that massage therapy is a deep exchange of energy from the first second you meet your client. We physically give a lot, but we also take a lot from each individual’s body and energy. I cannot give properly and serve fully without my daily grounding practices, so I would highly encourage you as well to find a few small intentional ways to check in with yourself–and include a clear focus. The mindset chapter hopefully has also provided some definitive tools to create a successful start to your morning.

When I realized the power that my morning routine truly provided me, it became clearer who I was as (a) dad, partner, therapist, and entrepreneur. I like to say it adds more value to who I am and who I can serve in a day. Tony Robbins says, “it’s NOT about your journey to the destination that generates success, but the person you become once you arrive.”

One of my personal struggles I will share with you, that I feel some will relate to, is that I used to regularly over-commit my schedule; I was often not stern or present enough to know what my limitations and personal boundaries were in order to maintain good internal health. Many years passed by of me being in a perpetual cycle of saying yes, working additional tasks and projects into my already-busy schedule. This resulted in immense frustration with myself for my lack of balance and prioritization. It felt like everyone else got my time but the tasks I needed or wanted to get done came second. How many of you can relate?

One of my business coaches shared with me one time that each day we have large rocks known as larger tasks and smaller rocks for smaller tasks to accomplish. If we start with the smaller rocks and fill our jar, it leaves little to no room for the larger rocks. On the contrary, if we fill our jar first with our high-priority, larger rocks, we can ensure space for those tasks, and then continue filling with the smaller rocks that easily fit in spaces between. If you don’t believe me, try it! Grab small and large rocks like what you’d find on a beach for example and a jar. It’s neat when you see it visually, it’s quite the “ah-ha!” moment. Prioritization, commitment, and boundaries: it’s all things as healers we will at one point struggle with if you haven’t already. It is a journey and path we all share. I can reiterate here that I fully contribute my “morning routine” as a foundation that continually helps me pivot and realign daily, keeping me clear and focused on essential tasks.

Rapport- What is it?

The exact definition of rapport is a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each other’s feelings, ideas, and communicate well. You might also call it togetherness, unity, harmony, “same wavelength,” or “hitting it off.” How many of you can remember a time in your life you “hit it off” with someone? How did that feel? Great, right? Would you agree that being in harmony with your partner makes life seem easier and filled with more joy? Being in unity with people allows you to break walls of insecurity down, build trust, be you, and feel safe. This is what we’re looking for our clients to feel with us. We want them to find harmony in our presence, to be on a similar wavelength, and hit it off!

’Be early, 30-minutes early, so you don't have to rush or manage unnecessary stress.

Maciek Lyko

Rapport-building for us will begin with one of my golden rules: be on time! However, I actually mean “be early,” in the end. Because as I see it, if you’re on time, you’re actually late. Be early, 30-minutes early, so you don’t have to rush or manage unnecessarily stress. I know people that generate a lot of avoidable stress because they honestly do not give themselves enough time. Don’t be that kind of therapist! You can’t afford to be off your game especially if you want to be the 1% who are at the top! A few of you may have rolled your eyes because the statement doesn’t make any sense. On-time is being late? What?! Being on time is a reflection of you respecting your own time let alone your client’s time. When we are early and fully prepared, it’s an intentional sign to yourself and to your client–a sign of respect for our most precious gift… TIME!

I would like to share a story to illustrate all five approaches to my first R. One of my coaches shared this story with me while I was attending her MasterMind Group. She shared her experience at a day spa and it began with her in the waiting room being a secret shopper for one of her clients. For those that don’t know what a secret shopper does, they come in and pretend to be clueless about the process in which they are about to experience. You have one or possibly two reservations scheduled, and your role is to take notes from a consumer and business standpoint. You watch how they hold themselves (professionally or not), and you assess if they represent the role and business well; you analyze the experience to predict whether a client would come back to the facility based on the encounter.

Feedback can be difficult for the business owner but necessary for companies to grow. Part of what I do when I travel is secret shopping. I found such value for me as the secret shopper, as well as the feedback provided to the business owners. Having a second opinion from someone in your business, as well as someone who wants the best for you goes far.

So to continue the story above, my coach was waiting for her treatment at this day spa and there was one other guest in the spa. Together, they were inhaling the beautiful spa aromas which were indeed pleasant. Just moments before my coach’s appointment was to start, a therapist walked into her shift with wet hair, her shirt untucked, and after the noisy entrance, she dropped her cell phone before heading back to their treatment room. She was no more than three minutes in the back, when, sure enough, she came out to grab the lady sitting next to my coach. From what she later found out, this exact therapist was supposedly one of their super star therapists. Needless to say, this spa owner had a “talking to” regarding how building rapport cannot fall between the cracks. The way we show up says a lot about ourselves whether we’d like to admit it or not. Being on time, presenting yourself professionally and being kindly groomed is the first essential part of how I’ve built my business into a 5-star spa.

Don’t ever for a second think the way you groom and present yourself isn’t making a difference in your yearly salary. Researchers state it takes someone less than three seconds to make a lasting impression, be it good or bad. In my professional opinion, you should walk into your job everyday as if it were the first interview with the company or spa, so that you are continually making a good first impression.

The spa standard today for women is light makeup with their hair pulled back. Clients are not there for you to be dolled up like you’re going out to a wedding; they are there for relaxation, pain relief, and celebration. No perfumes or colognes allowed. Many people today are allergic, and the client does not come to a spa to smell you… They come to enjoy the many aromas a spa should smell like. Light blends of essential oils rolled onto the wrist or neck are okay, as they are a great way to implement a future R- Retail, in my seven-steps formula. So, a spa should have a signature scent or oils available in the boutique for clients to buy if they’d like. Making this best first impression makes clients want to come back again to see you! To close, the main point to drive is to make and keep a high standard for presentation, as it is one of the easiest things we can do to build rapport.

Posture

If I had to teach posture, I’d recommend the posture of a ballerina dancer… Just kidding! But seriously, what I am trying to say is don’t slouch with rolled forward shoulders looking at the ground. Not only is this not helpful for your body’s mechanics long-term, but it’s also not inviting for your clients either. You are a professional getting paid valuable income to lead the way for your industry of experts. Not taking too much time here, find time to practice good posture. One way to check in with yourself is to stand with your back against a wall. Are both shoulder blades touching the wall or are they pulled, rolled forward away from the wall? Roll your shoulders back and down sticking your chest out. If this was hard for you to achieve, posture can be the next thing for you to work on. In our line of work guys, good posture equals longevity in one’s career.

Part 1: The Handshake

I am amazed how many therapists either don’t shake their client’s hand at all or have a jellyfish handshake. We all could agree we have that one time and place we remember the best hand shake we’ve ever received, yes? There was just something about the one I remember that made me stop and recognize the firmness and genuineness of the person I was meeting. I gear therapists to assure it feels firm but gentle, professional yet safe. You should also always look the client in their eyes when giving a handshake. Nothing is worse than when you meet someone who’s supposed to make your plastic surgery dream come true or make a large financial investment with a “hello” while looking down at the floor… You get my point. We place expectations along with the letters and degrees behind certain career positions. We are one of them, if you haven’t noticed already in your line of practice.

For massage therapists in particular, we physically touch our clients with the service we provide. The handshake is often a client’s first experience with our profession, and with the quality of touch they can expect in a session. Our spa averages 80-135 new clients a month and 30% have never had a massage in their life! If we have any sense of insecurity or lack confidence that we will provide them with the relief they are looking for, it will be an immediate energetic close-off to the clients. To say it in other words, a weak shake can turn off a client and make them feel less confident in what we can provide. Our goal is to get clients to relax as quickly as they can so we can be the most effective for them in their 60/90 minute or up to two hours with you. Having a professional look and firm handshake helps!

Part 2: Smile

As simple as it sounds, smiling is one of the top three things people look for in another person to genuinely find connection and openness. To be clear, this isn’t about flirting or insinuating anything, but it’s about a genuine smile from one person to another. A genuine smile can change an entire session and the outcome. Smiling is a very attractive trait that draws good energy to and from another person. Its innocence is inviting and opens another to smile back. How many of you feel more open when the person speaking to you is smiling? How likely would you be interested in engaging in a conversation with someone not smiling? How much more pleasant is it to see someone greeting you with a genuine smile–not forced? Even if you don’t feel like smiling, learn the art of what dancers call, Stage Smile #5. You speak with a smile regardless of what comes out of your mouth. When we smile energetically, something happens to us internally and we want that something to happen in our clients as well. Now before you move to the next point do me a favor and smile!!! ☺

Part 3: Posture

Compliments will immediately differentiate you from your competition. They are so simple that they hardly take any effort, so get excited to see the immediate results of point number four. As a therapist, the guest experience begins the moment a client walks in the door, wouldn’t you agree? Maybe you’ve never thought about it but everything begins with the five senses: what do clients see, what do they smell and hear? I’d like you to now put yourself in their shoes the first time you walked into the place you’re working for now. What was it about the place that made you feel good enough to call it your home for the work and healing you do? The five senses are key to getting any return client in any business, but I want to make the point that as powerful our senses are, so is a genuine compliment.

I think we can all agree compliments feel good and can be an impactful part of meeting someone for the first time. I know my partner loves to give them. She loves seeing someone light up and sometimes even make their day. She and I alike love giving them and receiving them! So, what is it about a compliment that is so powerful for building rapport?

I remember when I was a young boy back in Poland walking on the side of the road with my family, and my aunt paid a compliment to my mother about the way I was walking. She described it as a graceful flow, and was impressed that at my age, my gait was so distinct from other young children. You should have seen me smiling from ear to ear. My mother was quite happy as well.

Now I would like to ask you to close your eyes again for me and think of a time you remember someone paying you a compliment. Ask yourself what it felt like inside of you to hear that kind compliment? If I had to guess, a slight smile gracefully appeared on your face; because at the end of the day, as different as we’d like to think we are, we are very similar in the basic needs we have. If you haven’t read the book, The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, please do. He states there are five different love languages we all embody, but each of us has a main one that makes us feel most loved and come alive. “Words of Affirmation” is a great way to compliment someone. It literally can change the entire energetic field and aura of a person who’s coming to see you in chronic pain, for example. Now that is a lot of power we hold as healers and that gets me excited!

Oftentimes, we remember the powerful words people use to describe us. Just as powerful as a negative word will leave someone with a distaste in their mouth, paying someone a genuine compliment, in my opinion, can create a lasting positive relationship with your client. A few examples that I have successfully used are complimenting the clients color of their clothing or shoes. Another that happens often is noting what you feel when meeting the client for the first time. For example, if they have such a positive energy about them, let them know you’re excited to work with them for that day!

If compliments don’t come naturally or you’re worried you don’t quite know what to say, I’ve created a few safe yet truly effective ways to greet a client professionally that have worked for me.

“Welcome my name is Maciek, I’ve been expecting you!”
“Hello and welcome to (enter place of business here) I’ve been preparing for your visit; my name is Maciek by the way.”
“Hi, my name is Maciek, I would like to start off by stating you’ll be in good hands today.”
“Hi, my name is Maciek, has anyone told you that you have amazing energy?”

This is one of my most favorite questions to ask someone who wants to work with me as a coach/ mentor, or to work as a therapist in one of my spas. It shows me a lot about the person’s current successes and what their future success might look like. I am looking to see if you know who you are and what you do. Who do you serve and why, as well as what makes you different from anyone else who may be seeking this position? If you’ve given any thought to your WHY and your WHAT, you should feel extremely proud.

When I am out and about, the popular question is what do you do for a living? Very often therapists state, “oh I’m just a massage therapist.” I’m sorry, I didn’t spend $10-50,000 a year investment for certifications, ongoing CEC’s, ect., to be “just a therapist.” Think about networking events, for example. The people who catch my attention are the ones conversationally confident and know they have 30 seconds to win me or lose me. Be strategic, be intentional, and be different. There are so many different reasons why people get into becoming a healer. Your specialty, your touch, how you provide the session, your passion–these things are all unique to you. So try to highlight all of this in your 30 seconds to let people know who you are and what you do.

For those who need a bit more structure and scripts, I’ve compiled a few examples for you on how this can look.

Example 1-

“I’m a professional massage therapist. I work at X spa and for years now I’ve been helping people like you de-stress, gain balance, and live a healthier lifestyle. That is what I have the pleasure of doing every day!”

Example 2:

“I’ve been a massage therapist for X years now and loving every minute! If I knew just how corrective and life changing what I do in a session would have been to so many, I’d say you’re crazy. I currently own my own practice at X and still growing. I’m always looking for clients who could benefit from the work I provide because I simply love what I do.”

Example 3:

“I’ve been successfully growing my massage therapy business for the past X years, specializing in X. I’m always looking for new clients who want more stress relief and relaxation in their life. The work I do has made me a better person and I can’t wait for the next five years!

This can be a great tool for self-marketing outside of the spa or place of practice, which I will cover in further detail in the R for “recommendation.” I go into greater detail about this portion in my 12-week program as well.

In closing this chapter, I’d like to speak to the male therapists for a moment. Building rapport can be difficult and sometimes seems to work against you no matter how great or hard you work. The fact is female therapists are easier to book because more people feel comfortable with them. Female therapists in a lot of ways will never understand the intense feeling of disappointment from a client who has a male therapist for their upcoming session. It is similarly frustrating for a female therapist when someone doesn’t believe they can provide a strong deep massage because they are female. Not true of course, with good technique and a little effort, anyone can do deep work. Males are keen to look for it because sometimes the client’s disappointment is inevitable. During the booking, maybe the client didn’t state they had a preference, or whatever the reason, and they find themselves on your books. Of course, the clients don’t want to be rude or discredit our ability as male therapists, and it can become awkward very quickly. This is just a situation we will never be able to completely avoid, guys. Understanding that massage also has a lot to do with safety for our clients can positively boost your practice if you are mindful through your interaction with each individual client. The hard reality is some men or women will NEVER be ok with a male therapist. In this case, I’ve added a professional way to handle this situation for the next time you encounter this.

“Mary, it’s a pleasure to meet you today. I would like to start off by saying you’ll be in good hands today. For the past X years, I’ve been helping clients address injuries and helping them design the best wellness programs with the work I do. With that said, let’s go ahead and hear from you how you would benefit most from your session today?”

I hope you observed how I addressed the potential fear or any discomfort she may have with a confident 30-second commercial as we just discussed. Make good eye contact and be secure in your skill level, as this is valuable for rapport building. When you’re a male facing a client with any uncertainty, the client may not be comfortable with you due to your gender, not necessarily your experience.

Secondly, males must understand by creating this professional handshake, eye contact, and 15-30 second commercial, it creates immediate professional boundaries with your client, notably when they are females. This type of demeanor creates assurance to the people we work on and achieves a quicker level of relaxation in our session to be most effective! It is also a great way to set the boundaries and tone, to avoid any proposition or inappropriate behavior in the room from our clients.

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Chapter 7 Recommend

If there was only one chapter you were going to read, I would suggest this one. This chapter is the most important as we enhance the experience of the guest, upgrade services, and cross promote to different departments. I will show you how to properly consult with the guests through a proper overview of the intake form. Most people don’t take as much care as they should with the intake form. I will work with you to recommend actions to create an ideal experience with your client, one that can be most successful, as well as to utilize what your guests communicate with you. It will be an enjoyable discovery and journey for both you and your clients.

What I see over and over is a therapist walking their client into the room and essentially asking them to undress, closing the door and communicating little to no further information on how the experience is going to look. Nor do they ask their client what kind of experience they are here for today or desire for today’s session. Therapists today say less and hope their skills will shine through and end up providing a more vigorous massage to overcompensate for the lack of development in the other R’s I teach

Let me ask you how many of you enjoy going to the doctor’s office? If you’re someone who doesn’t go often when you get there it can be a little overwhelming, yes? Scenario A, you don’t know which window to stand at, how to check in, which seats to sit in, and if you needed to go to the bathroom, you’d be clueless as to where it was. The clerk behind the desk says nothing, expecting you should know your way around and which counter you should be at. Scenario B has the clerk immediately meeting your eye with a warm smile and saying, “Hello, this window please.” After checking you in, she mentions the best seats to wait for the doctor and that it should be about 10 minutes, as he or she is running behind. She points to the beverage station and kindly informs you to help yourself if you get thirsty, as well as mentions where the restroom is located in case you need to use it. Lastly, she updates you that your appointment should take no more than 30 minutes and the doctor will be sending in the blood work from today’s visit. We can agree Scenario B makes you feel aware of your surroundings, ensures they have the right person checking in, and makes you feel very comfortable with what is to come. This is what our job is after we greet the client with the proper tools, as we just discussed in the last chapter with building rapport. We will now break down each part of the consultation in the room to get the client to open up, as well as communicate how the treatment will be going.

As we mentioned, first impressions take three seconds or less. What does the client see when they step into the room? Is it a dark and mysterious room with nowhere to put your things nor a picture on the wall? Or a bright clean-looking room with crisp bedding and a beautiful serene picture to see? Is the table heated, or is it a cold temperature that penetrates your bones and even a penguin would be uncomfortable? Did I catch your attention?!

As a matter of fact, let me share a true story with you. As you may already know, part of my business is to provide secret shopping services to spas looking to measure their team’s performance and improve their departments. I happen to be visiting a local massage chain business scheduled for a 60-minute massage. Upon arrival I was trying to get a hold of the place, and called upwards of five times without any success of getting through to a person. Once I arrived there were three girls behind the front desk chatting amongst themselves. It looked like I wasn’t going to be invited into this conversation. After a few moments of their chatting, I was finally asked to sit and wait for the therapists. Trust me, I am going somewhere with this story. I was not provided an intake form, nor was I greeted by my name. For all I knew, I was receiving a Brazilian wax, as they did not confirm what I was there for. The therapist finally took me to a pitch black room and said, “sorry it is dark but your eyes will get used to it after a few minutes.” While I appreciated her warning it made me wonder if I was really in good hands?? The next thing she asked me was, “Sir, do you tip in cash?” If that wasn’t enough, she quietly added this is a very intimate service, therefore I would like to be compensated well and cash is usually the best way, you know what I am saying.” She proceeded with “take your clothes off and lay on the table,” and she then stated she’d be back in a few minutes. During the session she implied she was to use her homemade cream and hoped I liked it. After the session, I stepped outside of the room and to my surprise my therapist was nowhere to be found. I began walking to what I thought was the front of the building and could have left without paying as there was no one around to guide me in the right direction. After finding my way, I waited for someone and before I left, I had to ask if I could leave a tip to the therapist, as she never asked if I wanted to! I wish I could say I was kidding you right now but unfortunately, I am not.

We have individuals in the field communicating and representing our professional field as such. This is one of many reasons I chose to write this book. I have so many other instances and stories with hands-on practicals, meetings with potential new hires, secret shopping across the country, and stories shared with my colleagues. I will be sharing more as the content continues.

As we turn our focus to our room and the space it holds, what it looks like as well as how inviting it is, there are five impressions of interest I will be covering. They include the following:

The appearance of the treatment rooms

Bedding
Lighting
Promotional Tray or Special of the Month
Table Warmer
Client Intake Form

There are many ways to prepare a bed, and the look may change depending on whether you work for a luxury spa, day spa, or even destination spa. The following things I’m about to highlight are the areas a client notices most and will make their experience reflect the price they are paying. For instance, I could do a 20 -minute tutorial on making a bed. Everyone’s idea of crisp lines, evenness on all sides, and folded with precision may look different. Part of this reason can be that some people do not see the value in the WHY behind the WHAT in this section. I had a team member once look at me and say while making their bed, “there are more important things to think about.” Individuals like that have their idea of what brings a client in and back as well as their highlighted focus of areas. The truth is IT ALL MATTERS to your client. So, the quicker you realize the value of this particular R, the better your career will be for you. Walking into your home, what does your bed look like? If you knew that Oprah was coming for coffee at your house do you think you may clean differently? You might make the bed with careful precision, fluff the pillows on the couch, or move the furniture to vacuum as there may be dust that has been collecting for a while. My point is when it matters to you who is arriving, we all have it in us to go above and beyond because let’s face it, we care what people think of our personal space. Pretend all your clients are like Oprah and ask yourself, how could I make this room look and feel more 5-stars? Guys, these clients should be treated like the King and Queen of England, you know why? They make it possible for you to create income doing something you feel great at; helping people. They allow you to take vacations, make memories, afford children, and be able to provide an amazing life for them. These clients need to be respected and presented only the best. As you know, clients will have many opportunities to go somewhere else where they don’t always get 5-star rooms. Now that we all understand the WHY behind the WHAT let’s move forward.

I would like you to mentally walk into the room you work in and look at the table the way the client will see it. I catch myself sitting in the consultation chair provided in my spa rooms and look at the floor, room, and bed just as the client would see it. It is important, whether you believe it or not. Anyone who works at my spa goes through training on how I want my beds to look. If a client is spending good money on their treatment, the bedding appearance should reflect it. I have to admit my favorite thing about trying new hotels is the excitement of what each hotel comes up with as their signature spread on the beds. Some have pretty animals made of towels, or chocolates on the pillow and my favorite is when the bedding is completely tucked in encompassing the whole bed. It elevates the bed and makes it the room’s focal point. Be sure to have the sheets not seen and have the bed cover lines straight down the side of your table. Be precise and have fun making your space look luxurious!

If you think you don’t know the power of lighting, I’m about to show you that you do. We indulge in playing with it to take a good selfie, we dim the light switches and light candles for a nice romantic dinner, and when a client walks into your room there is an art about choosing the right level of lighting. I’m about to share with you why it’s important. There are three different types of lighting I want you to be aware of. If you have the opportunity, I recommend having dimmable switches, lights underneath your massage bed, and/or a lamp in the room.

The first lighting to make note of is during the consultation. Essentially when a client walks into your room, we want the lighting to be bright. We want to make sure the client feels safe once we slightly crack the door to discuss their discovery journey with us. Everything we can do to make a client feel safe with us, that’s all the better! Once the consultation is done, the second type of lighting is when the client is face down: a yellow dimmable light will create the ambience and warm earthy feeling we want to achieve. Stay away from the white LED lighting.

Once the client turns face up, you’ll want to adjust the dimmable light in the room and lower all the way or shut it completely off. Our goal is to not wake the client just yet nor blind them with a light in their eyes. One trick you utilize if you don’t have a dimmable light in the room is utilize an eye pillow. You can have this available in a warmer. Regardless of whether or not you have a dimmable light in the room, the eye pillow is an additional touch I always implement as a “wow” factor. It will increase the level of relaxation we can induce for the client and creates a warm safe feeling for them to let go and deepen their experience with us. It is similar to when a dog has its thunder blanket. The warm heaviness over the eyes will be a sensation your clients are not used to but really enjoy the way it makes them feel. This can be a great bridge for you to let your clients know they can have this same experience at home–either you or the place you are working at should carry it for resale.

In closing, you want your room to be inviting when it needs to be, but calming and relaxing when it is time. You do not want the room too dark as it can be scary and suffocating to a client. Remember the story I told you regarding walking into a pitch-black room? We don’t want to tell our clients “don’t worry your eyes will adjust.” Please don’t do this to your clients! Once the session is over, turn the lights up just a bit to allow the client to safely get off the table without falling and some vision to get dressed. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten dressed in a dark room. It doesn’t give for a smooth transition from massage back into the real world, nor is it the icing on the cake any client wants to experience at the end of their phenomenal massage.

In-room upgrades can happen a lot easier when there is a promotional tray available for the client to look at. Whether it’s Himalayan salt rocks, sugar foot scrub, or dry brushes, having something the client can physically see as well as something you can physically hand to a client makes a difference. This can provide the extra “wow” factor a client was looking for. Or, if your compensation model allows for additional revenue to be earned if a therapist upgrades a client, your outcome can increase tenfold with this presentation method. It’s also a subtle invitation for other things you may have to offer them. Once the client and I have established their WHY for coming in and discussing most everything that will take place during the massage, we create a beautiful transition. Just before I discuss the expectations of undressing to comfort level and how to get into the bed, I remove the promotional tray from the bed right in front of them. We use the, “oh by the way” method presentation to our client. An example looks like the following:

“Oh, by the way Mary, our promotion this month for guests includes the experience of dry brushing. Have you ever experienced that? No, I believe dry brushing has so many powerful benefits to the work I do here, like reduction of cellulite in stubborn areas, increase to blood flow, and stimulation of the lymphatic system. For the difference of X we can enhance your session today with it. Shall we go ahead and do that?”

This “oh by the way” method helps you prepare the client for “how to spa with you;” each visit, they will have the opportunity to accept other wonderful enhancements–as your menu of options are diverse. Instead of overwhelming a client to the point where they opt out of choosing an upgrade, you can easily focus your energy on explaining just one possible offering during each visit. If your client declines, you can always say, “no worries, Mary, there will be another opportunity for you next time, should you want to add an enhancement. Just let me know.”

Consider a time when you’ve experienced this type of promotion or sales method at a restaurant, for example. You’ve wined and dined and are completely satisfied yet the server insists on showing you the delicious homemade desserts the pastry chef has made for the day. You think you have made up your mind until what…? Until you saw what each of them looked like! You could now ask further questions about the drizzle of sauce or flavors in each dessert. This particular method uses the powerful sense of sight to give guests a better experience. As you continue to learn more about my Seven R’s Formula you will realize our profession engages all five senses. It’s the way to do good business and create a return client. Restaurants know if you can simply taste the amazing desserts, it helps increase gratuity for the servers as well as generate a return client and a raving fan for life.

If you have the opportunity to present a promotional product, try displaying it on your bed or on a side table in your room. I would highly suggest this. Some may be thinking what else could you display on the tray? Some of my favorites are: Chinese cups for Chinese Cupping Therapy, an essential herbal oil (which is super simple to have a client smell and engage their senses), thai wooden tools for reflexology, or hot stones.

I won’t be taking too much time here as it is quite simple: never have a client on your table without the bed warmer on. As we work on our clients, their body temperature fluctuates. Warmer muscles are easier to work on and relaxing them more quickly will help you be more effective. There is also a “wow” factor present and during the winter months that really is non-negotiable. We’ve got to keep our client’s bodies warm throughout their session.

I will go through one example of a time I couldn’t relax during a session with a therapist because I was cold. I went for a massage in the winter looking to get some relief from some back pain, very much looking forward to being warm and relaxed. The session started with me walking into a cold room. Next, to my continued surprise, I was invited to get onto a cold table without a warmer and was provided only a sheet for this session. Needless to say, my mind was focused on how cold I was rather than the enjoyment of relaxing. If it wasn’t for the fact that I was hired as my client’s secret shopper, I would have gotten off the table and left the massage.

While we’re talking about warming the client’s body, let’s briefly deviate to how our hands should be warm before we touch our clients. I’ve had so many practicals with therapists touching me with cold hands and then apologizing for it. Once the stimulus of cold hands touches a client’s body, or conversely if you use stones that are too hot, the impact and impression is unfortunately going to stick. There are a few little tricks I’d like to pass on if you haven’t already found an ideal method for yourself. The first trick requires you to have the ability to warm a stone up quickly. Whether your towel warmer is on and the stones can heat up quickly or you microwave a stone. Hold onto the stone for a few seconds up to one minute and allow your hands to enjoy the sensation. You can also make yourself an herbal hot towel and wipe your hands of it while the client is undressing after the consultation. Lastly, having your oil or massage cream sitting in the towel warmer before the massage begins, creates a favorable impression to the body in the winter months for your client. Most of my team utilizes the last technique because we are all about the “wow” factors.

Now that we’ve created a strong rapport with guests through the first R and the beginning of our second R, let’s walk the clients back to their treatment room. First thing to note is ask your client if they need to use the restroom one last time before the treatment. It would be a time to be proactive so they will be comfortable throughout the whole 60-/90-minute treatment with us. Having productive conversations with our clients is an important building block to creating strong relationships. If the client says they do not need to use the bathroom, ensure that if for whatever reason during their session they do need to use the restroom, there is a robe and slippers in the room and they can easily slip into it and use.

The more information we have about our guests, the better we can serve them as a healer.

Maciek Lyko

Now that you’re in the room with your client, let’s create the next focal point; the intake form. An intake form will include all the necessary information you’ll need to understand what the client’s needs are and to confirm how to design their session for the day. For instance, if you see the client did not fill out the form in its entirety, please go through and ask them to finish; this helps you with inside marketing and other in-room opportunities. To that point, having their email and birthday are important especially if the company you work for has birthday specials–you can plant the seed of the birthday discount if theirs is coming up. We do something special on birthdays because we want to give people a reason to indulge and celebrate with us! Birthdays are a big deal at my spas. ☺ Let’s face it, the more information we have about our guests, the better we can serve them as a healer.

Some may not feel knowing one’s birthday is essential to give a good massage but you are wrong in this path of thinking. Clients like to know we listen, pay attention, and know them. If a client takes their time to fill out the intake, they expect us to read it in its entirety. I had a review one time where a client mentioned this exact argument. The guest mentioned the massage was good but it was frustrating because he was asked to fill out the paperwork ahead of time, but then the therapist ended up asking him to repeat answers that had already been given on the form. And importantly, there are sometimes areas of the body a client does not want touched. If you miss that because you skimmed over the intake form, it could really be detrimental to how the client feels in their session. The client intake form shows us more than we realize. Let’s begin to break down the seven key points of focus for each client when viewing their intake forms. If you do not have a proper intake form, use mine as a guide and create one with your name and logo.

Point One: Personal information
Point Two: Welcome
Point Three: Reserve Treatment Section
Point Four: Concerns (aka, areas to FOCUS or HIGHLIGHT)
Point Five: Pressure
Point Six: Frequency of Treatments
Point Seven: Which Areas to Avoid
Point Eight: Pregnancy

This section of the intake form provides us with a lot to begin a consultation. Knowing the client’s birthday, their address, and whether someone referred them to you are all super important as previously mentioned. Their address provides us with two pieces of useful information. One, it ensures that when we want to send them a thank you card or happy birthday card, we have their address to do so. It also gives you an additional way to connect with them for marketing purposes. The referral line allows you to thank the person who sent the guest to you while also communicating to the new client that yes, you have a referral program to take advantage of. If you don’t have a referral program, we will dive further into the importance of the role of R Referral in the coming chapters. Neither of these “seed planters” as I like to call them are in-depth conversations, but planting these seeds for the client to circle back to after their first experience with you can be beneficial.

Every single word we speak in a session can be used to assure first-time guests that they’re in good hands. Be mindful of your tone and the words you use. You will learn many phrases that work well throughout this book. Something simple yet professional is all you need in this part of the intake form. I would encourage you creative souls out there to have fun with this part. Color outside the lines if you wish.

The intake form will share with you what the client is scheduled for today. Keep in mind that unless you’re the one who made the reservation, or the guest relations team is trained on how to reserve and generate revenue through booking, more than likely you will be altering the reservation. Be mindful that some clients book one time a month which means a lot can change in the four weeks since making the original reservation. You may have a client always reserving Swedish relaxation sessions with you and that morning they kinked their neck while sleeping. The Swedish massage is no longer the “best” option for their session today. I’ve found in my business and practice about 35% of clients have someone else buying or choosing their friends or loved one’s treatments as gifts. For many people who are in a relationship I ask, could you choose a meal on a menu without asking the person you’re with and be 100% correct? So, it is likely that many of these clients who had friends or partners booking for them may actually need something other than what was scheduled.

This is not the only way we should be confirming what the client is scheduled for, though. You should be looking at the reservation itself to check for any notes and upgrades in the system you use. It’s important we confirm with our client what services we see them booked for. You don’t want to accidentally take the wrong client back while being erroneously sure that we are treating the client’s needs appropriately. It is like going to the doctor. No one wants to receive the wrong treatment! A close friend of mine shared a story of how she went in for blood work. The nurse drew her blood and went to confirm her name and the lady called her by a completely wrong name. She panicked and wondered if the blood that was draw(drawn?) was too much as there were 6 vials and she was not anticipating that much blood needing to be drawn. The lady knew at that point there was a “oh shit” moment and quickly began to problem solve the error. Luckily, she was simply reading the name of the next client coming in but nonetheless it did not make for a good first impression.

Being familiar with the techniques around reservations also can help you to cross-promote and fill your schedule or another team member’s schedule. If a client mentions they’ve never had a body treatment, that’s a good opportunity to share with them a special of the month or your favorite one to give if they are interested in coupling treatments for today’s sessions. Never forget the knowledge we possess is most helpful backed by our actions to promote it. These tools help each of us create the best packages and retreats possible for our new clients.

This section clearly addresses the guest’s overall concerns and why they are coming in today. This section contains the facial department but will again allow you to bridge a conversation regarding facials at your place of work, while you also confirm that the guest is properly reserved. This positions you to upgrade or enhance and design the proper treatment. I’ve found they leave out a few details verbally that they did not check on the sheet. It helps them to remember and express any last-minute changes to their session with you.

Most importantly, as you know, the pressure of massage that someone enjoys can differ from client to client. Even deep tissue has a range from client to client. One of my spa members shared the first time they came to visit my day spa. The female therapist asked what kind of pressure the client preferred for today’s session. He stated he wanted a good deep tissue. She told him she’s worked on football players and provided “deep” tissue and asked is this the kind of pressure he desired for his sessions? Not only did his eyes get really big but he realized even deep tissue has its range. We can provide light, medium, and deep tissue pressure during a session. Most often, we utilize all three. We need to be mindful that certain clients who request deep tissue may not actually have much tolerance for the pressure they are asking for. A good rule of thumb is to communicate our goal as a therapist is to stay around a level 7 on a scale of 1-10. We should never take our guests beyond a 7 and inform them you will frequently ask them what number they feel. This will help us gauge if we are on point as we are not miracle workers or mind readers. This allows for the client to fully understand this is a discovery journey and can always change depending on how regular they become with you. If they are more regular, their bodies may be able to take increasing pressure from us as they develop healthier muscle and tissue. On the contrary if they don’t come often, the verbal calibration will be necessary to perform the best massage for each guest.

In other instances, a client may get on the table after expressing light pressure preference and truly enjoy or need a deeper therapeutic touch. This is also a good time to let them know they are welcome to communicate pressure needs on the table, but mention if there is a price difference between pressures before you put them on the table. It’s good to know wherever you work if there is a difference, and what that is; this sets the boundaries and expectations with the client before they get on the table. All the same, we should be getting paid for the work we provide, and if they want more pressure, we need to set clear intentions while in the room. I will be discussing this particular topic more thoroughly in the upcoming few pages.

Knowing how often a client receives treatments helps you to mentally note when you should suggest they return, as well as if membership could be a good option. This is something you note for yourself internally to properly direct the guest “post massage.” The other thing to note is depending on how new or seasoned they are to massage therapy you’ll want to adjust your approach to the client. One way to engage the client with this information is as followed:

“Mary, I noticed you get massages 5-10x a year. That tells me you appreciate and understand the benefits of frequent massage. I’d love to share with you before you leave about how you can spa with us more frequently and save.”

Then you continue on with the consultation portion.

Don’t expect a client will know fully which areas of the body you’ll be covering during the massage, especially if it’s their first time. Furthermore, every therapist designs a session based on the needs of the client for that day, or at least they should. Part of your job is to explain why we cover certain areas–for instance, if they are experiencing low back pain, sciatica, or hamstring tightness, certain areas are essential.

Oftentimes we are faced with clients who do not want their glutes touched, am I right? In this case we know we cannot be fully successful by negating the glutes if low back pain or other “glute” related tightness is causing them pain. Therefore, I always suggest you explain how glutes are a part of the experience, but we can respectfully avoid this area if they really prefer, even after an explanation. Here is an example I’ve used in the room to get a client comfortable with me working on their glutes fully knowing it will alleviate their concerns for the day.

“Mary, I see you marked in the areas to avoid, buttocks. But I also see you’re expressing low back discomfort. You also shared you walk a lot. In order for me to treat your low back pain it would be highly beneficial to incorporate that area. Not to mention your glutes are being utilized when you walk. If you decide for us to include the glutes it will be safe. The way I approach this area of the body will be through the sheets.”

As we continue discussing the tactics of positioning ourselves to create the best experience for our client, we also position ourselves to be qualified to offer our knowledge. For example, if the client doesn’t want their ears touched you can mention the benefits of reflexology and the points in the ears that correspond to the organs in the body. Our intention isn’t to force a client to have you touch their ears, but to position you as an expert, as their guru for living a healthier life by coming to see you. I hope this section was helpful as it is a very crucial part to building rapport with your clients. The consultation portion truly will be what separates you from another therapist.

While we could dive into the many different facets of how to give a prenatal massage, I will not be going in depth in this context as I cover it more thoroughly in my master program available on my website [macieklyko.com]. This master program offers students who are looking to provide a massage your client won’t receive anywhere else. I want to cover though in this section how to make a prenatal client feel comfortable and what not to do during a session.

One of the first things we’ll want to know when making the reservation is which trimester the client is in. This information helps us to understand more fully what is happening in her body as each trimester offers different challenges. Different areas of the body become tighter, hold a greater volume of water weight and cause discomfort for her. It’s recommended to begin massages during the second trimester.

The First Trimester Concerns:

Most new therapists are taught in school to never provide a massage to a client in her first trimester. While some of you may feel more comfortable or believe this to be true, I want to give you a few things to ponder and consider. If someone has already been receiving massages there shouldn’t be any reason to change this. Just as a woman who works out before she gets pregnant, she shouldn’t stop working out just because she is pregnant. Keeping with the routines you’ve already established is what most doctors align with. We do encourage the client to provide us with a doctor note that she is cleared to have a massage, just to be safe in the first trimester. We do not know the exact details of her health and having the doctor clear her establishes she is a good candidate to receive a massage with us. It can put both her and us at ease.

The Second Trimester Concerns:

During the massages in her second trimester, you can utilize the side-lying method. This uses a body pillow as well as positions another pillow in between her knees if desired for optimal comfort. You may utilize both sides when doing the massage. There is also a pregnancy pillow you can use with an opening for her breast and belly that allows her to lay face down. Over the years, most of my pregnant clients enjoy using the second method, as it’s been a long time since they’ve been able to lay this way.

The Third Trimester Concerns:

During this phase as a therapist, you’ll want to avoid working on the ankles, ears, elbows, and reflexology points that may trigger pre-induced labor. My personal advice when providing your massage with the client is to use your hands and utilize body work. Keep it simple and avoid using hot stones or essential oils during their massages at this later stage in pregnancy.

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Chapter 8 Retail (At-Home Care)

We are professionals that have knowledge to give. We are a part of our client’s health and wellness journey whether we fully comprehend it or not.

Maciek Lyko

My first goal with this chapter is to expand your awareness of why making at-home recommendations will build the kind of rapport that will encourage our clients to return to us. Moreover, most massage therapists do not put at-home care on the top of their priority list; they identify as a therapist, not a salesperson. My hope is that after you understand the WHY behind the WHAT, it will make sense and you will begin applying this to every one of your clients.

Providing tools and at-home care to help our clients with their ever-changing needs in between massages works for you. Most of the time recommendation is mistaken as selling. There is a 20/80 rule by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto I would like to share with you. What this means is that as therapists we are providing 20% of their care with our skilled hands-on massaging of the body. The other 80% is at-home care clients do for themselves, with utilization of hand tools, massage balls, and or creams for therapeutic recovery and care.

I often catch myself internally smiling when doing an interview with a new therapist who wants to work with me, because when I ask them why they became a therapist, it’s unanimous: “to help people,” they state. When I ask them if they believe massage creams and tools help in our line of work, they say, “YES” without hesitation. When I ask which is their favorite they ramble on and on about a tool or cream they like and why they love it. When I then ask if they believe it’s a part of their professional obligation to get retail into the client’s hands, they will also state, “ YES, of course.” When I communicate my expectations of them as a therapist (which includes learning and implementing my seven steps to each and every one of the spa’s guests) they nod and keep listening.

But as I continue on, explaining that one part of how I measure each therapist’s success is through how much retail they recommend to clients, they immediately shift. For some reason, across the board, people believe salesmen are born, that some people are naturally equipped with those skills. My answer to this is that salesmen are not born, but taught. They learn the skills needed to be successful at understanding, first of all, people will not buy everything that we recommend. Not every person will value what we wish they would value. Not to mention, some people may already be using a product or tool that is working for them. If you approach your line of work knowing people will say no, you’re 80% on your way to making a good sale to someone who does value what you have to offer, as well as will buy it from you.

Most are stuck and held back by the fear of having someone reject what we are offering. Not everyone will want it and that is okay! One thing you should know and be mindful of, is we are a consuming society as a whole. We on average use over 25 products a day. Which includes but is not limited to: toothpaste, soap, deodorant, hair spray, perfume or cologne, foot creams, muscle rubs, toner, make-up, conditioner and shampoo, etc. The point I am driving home is that most of the hurdles and setbacks of each therapist lies in that they feel people don’t have the money to buy what they are offering, or doubt that they will use it. I am statistically telling you that if they don’t buy it from you, they will from somewhere else.

The intent for recommending to our clients is that we can help alleviate their chronic pain or reduce their daily stress. This in turn is one key to building the rapport to get them to return. It’s like stacking the pieces of a Jenga game, one fits perfectly on top of the other and establishes the building blocks of rapport. It’s not about the money as much as it is the gift we provide to our clients to add value, eliminate any daily discomfort, and help them be the best version of themselves daily. We desire pain free, happy, and relaxed clients and there are many tools and gadgets out there to assist them!

I proceed that it is important to be consistent with every client so they know what to expect at each visit. If we initially recommend at-home stretches on their first visit, the next visit should follow an additional recommendation. There are plenty of stress reduction items as well as relaxation products to choose from. I provide my team with their first 10 visit at-home recommendations to clients; I will be providing some of my favorites at the end of this chapter.

The hurdles, objections, and fear around having to recommend retail to reach personal goals seems to always hinder therapist growth. They are fearful of sounding too pushy with sales. Now, I’m not insinuating everyone is this way but I have worked with a great number of therapists in my time and there are common denominators.

There is a huge misconception about what is being asked of them. We are not car salesmen or work for an Art Van furniture store. We are professionals that have knowledge to give. We are a part of our client’s health and wellness journey whether we fully comprehend it or not. Massage is sometimes not an option for some individuals living in daily pain. I’ve seen the spa world dramatically shift in the last five years or so. In the past, people assumed a spa was where you go for relaxation. But nowadays, it’s no longer a luxury but a necessity. Which means if we are to be consistent with the seven steps of building rapport, Retail is also something we’ll need to get really good at.

How to Recommend and NOT sound too pushy…

Let’s now dive into a very useful tool on how to recommend a product while still coming across as professional and not pushy. There is a system made easy taught by one of my business coaches Dori Soukup of InSparation Management, that if you learn you can recommend anything! This system is simple and easy to implement. She calls it the P.R.I.D.E. System.

You can purchase the entire system by going to www.insparationmanagement.com.

This amazing system will also be included in my master program when you sign up for it at www.macieklyko.com.

Let’s begin to break down her system. This recommendation can happen in-room or in the boutique area. The key is to have the product in hand, so if it’s not accessible in-room you’ll need to adjust for it.

P. Stands for PRODUCT=PROBLEM
R. Stands for RESULTS
I. Stands for INGREDIENTS
D. Stands for DEMONSTRATION
E. Stands for EXPERIENCE

When talking to the client, we first introduce the product we are recommending. Discovering a problem or concern is the foundation of the recommendation process. If there is NO problem or concern there is no need for a solution. This is where we obtain where their concerns lie. We simply ask, is there anything you’d like to change about the pain you're experiencing? Tightness, or lack of mobility, for example?

The client wants to know what kind of results they will achieve with this product. For example, if your client is looking to alleviate pain while traveling, a foam roller (mini) size or massage balls may be a great recommendation. Explaining to them that by using the product it will open the area for better blood flow, allow for less tension in the area of pain, and allow better movement throughout their day.

You should explain to the client with just two or three simple reasons why the product is effective as well as how they will achieve desired results. Mention why the product works, how they will feel, and why they need the product. For example, if you’re recommending an essential oil that is a blend, knowing a few health benefits to the oils or ingredients will elevate your recommendations.

The client should have all five senses engaged. You want them to smell the product if possible, feel it in their hands if it’s a massage tool, or on the top of their hand if it’s a cream. It has been proven that when we can engage someone’s sense of smell, touch, hearing, sight, and even taste if applicable, it creates a standing memory in their brains. Think of it, go back to a time when your grandma made a delicious baked cookie that was fresh and warm out of the oven. You were relaxing sitting looking out a window where the sun was hitting your skin. The window was open and you felt a warm summer breeze kiss your face. Your grandma brought the plate of cookies right before your eyes and you excitedly grabbed one. You took a bite and the chocolate chips melted in your mouth the second you bit into it. Mmmm, get the point?! Now we want the chocolate chip cookie! This step is the “make it or break it”. How many times have you purchased something because you were able to try a sample? Always keep this in mind.

What is the overall experience the client will feel and which results will they enjoy? See the example below:

“Mary, this heat pack is going to help loosen your mid-back and alleviate the tightness you’re feeling when you sit for hours at work.”

Now that you have a basic understanding of the “system” we can begin infusing the rest of this book with this structure. You can get so good at the system you can recommend anything. I tell my team to practice P.R.I.D.E on a pair of socks, recommending a vehicle, a dish you want someone to try, you name it you can P.R.I.D.E it! Here are two examples of how to utilize this system further for your mind palace:

“Mary, you absolutely need to have these socks. I love them because they are super soft and will add so much warmth to your cold feet. You mentioned your feet get cold at night and these will help your feet stay warm. They utilize 50% cotton and 50% spandex which makes them super soft; feel how soft they are. They even add anti-slip grips on the bottom so you don’t slip. For a $20 investment you can have warmer feet any day of the week.”

“Mary, we discussed you wanted a safe vehicle, good with gas mileage and leather interior. This four-door Lexus sport can get you all the things you want, and even a few additional perks. Let’s go ahead and sit in the front seat so I can show you the heated seats and feel how amazing it is to have the steering wheel warm on those cold winter mornings! Not to mention, this vehicle I’m recommending has a lifetime warranty on the battery and tires. For the difference of $10,000 we can get you in this safe vehicle that has good gas mileage and the leather interior you wanted.”

These are two very different examples NOT in our field, but you can see how simple it is to utilize this system with anything and how other great salesmen understood this system and got us to buy from them! This will be good practice for you as you’re driving to work. Within a few roleplays you’ll have your script and be able to “P.R.I.D.E” with ease.

Objections

Next, we will shift focus to the five objections or hurdles I’ve seen over my 20 years in practice that hinder a massage therapist’s rapport with their clients. We will work together through them, and my goal is to help you successfully be great at Retail recommendations to truly position yourself as an expert in our field.

Time and time again, I show my team how simple it is to make their final recommendations to clients. There are two things that get in the way of them making recommendations. One, they are not familiar enough with the product, and the types of conversations they are having need to shift. What do I mean by this? Well, often the dialogue post-massage looks like this: Thank you and don’t forget to drink lots of water today and we send them on their merry little way. Possibly we’ll throw in a bath or if you have a tennis ball to roll on that.

We send clients into the world with no skills to help themselves. The conversations we have with our client’s should immediately shift to something more productive and truly helpful. Not having time is not a fair excuse in our profession. We received a review at one of my day spas in Michigan that clearly described how the recommendations we give to our clients actually make us stand out as more professional. The guest wrote, “I loved my massage and I hadn’t received one in a while. I loved the at-home recommendation they made. I’ve never had a therapist offer anything post-massage and I appreciated it. I will be back sooner than later.” This elicits the perfect duo–phenomenal massage and great at-home recommendation. Here are a few simple scripts to learn and implement immediately that will build the rapport building block.

Script #1– Recommending a massage tool in the boutique area after the massage has taken place.

“Mary you were right, you were very tight in your neck and shoulders as well as your low back. We have massage therapy balls that I really like because they are compact, they travel easily, and they will reach those stubborn areas when you need some quick relief at home.”

Then you could demonstrate how she would use them and place them at the counter for her to take home.

Objection #2–“I’m Not a Salesperson”

We sell from our minds and recommend from our hearts.

Maciek Lyko

No one is born a sales person, it’s something you learn, remember? Therefore, I’d like for us to find the easiest way to recommend instead of selling. We sell from our minds and recommend from our hearts. The moment you put the thought in your mind that you’re “selling” something, it completely closes your energy off to providing your clients the proper tools in between their session and results for their well-being. This is why we became therapists, to help our clients even beyond the bodywork done on our table. If enlightening your clients on an at-home care product isn’t something that excites you, I invite you to sit a moment and dive further into this.

I couldn’t have been as successful with my public reviews, opening three spas, and earning the awards behind my name if I hadn’t implemented this powerful tool for building client rapport. Coming from Poland, my skill set was mainly focused on providing a good massage to my clients, initially. I too thought “well, if I can deliver a wow massage, that should be enough, right?” After 20+ years and now writing my second book, I’m here to tell you that if being great, achieving a six-figure income, working smarter not harder, and having clients come back is what you desire, then it behooves you to understand this simple principle.

Salesmen can be taught and obtaining the tools to do so will be necessary to build your career’s success. I encourage you to not get stuck in the place where you’re feeling blocked from success–that thought “I’m not a salesperson”–and I will tell you why. What you may not know is that you’ve been practicing it your whole life everyday. What do I mean by that? Well, every morning you wake up, get ready, and put yourself together. Why? You’re selling yourself to the world. You present yourself to the workplace, your local communities, your social media platforms and small social groups every day. You’ve gotten so good at it you’ve completely forgotten you do it. The moment you walk out the house not put together you feel guilt or embarrassment, am I right? This is an indication that you’re displaying your best self to the world. Hopefully this example allows you to further explore and understand this principle, and help you expand your awareness of what it means for you to remove this impending blockage from your future success.

Objection #3–Lacking the Confidence

From someone who could barely speak any English to someone who now does 90-minute stage presentations and webinars, this objection is dear to my heart. It is VERY possible to “learn” how to recommend. It is not about saying the perfect scripted thing to your client. Again, like I previously mentioned, when you recommend, it comes from the heart. This shouldn’t be difficult. Your field is what you’re passionate about and energy should naturally flow. We don’t want to get so complacent or hide behind our hands as therapists and healers, because we have a lot of knowledge to share. One of my teachers stated that the information and knowledge I was just taught is not my own and is to be shared with the world. Sharing knowledge is where our power lies. Everything you learned is vital for sharing and directly correlates to recommending home care. Let your clients experience your passion on multiple levels as they will connect to parts of you which in return builds rapport with the client.

Objection #4–Lack of Product Knowledge

“Welcome my name is Maciek, I’ve been expecting you!”
“Hello and welcome to (enter place of business here) I’ve been preparing for your visit; my name is Maciek by the way.”
“Hi, my name is Maciek, I would like to start off by stating you’ll be in good hands today.”
“ Hi, my name is Maciek, has anyone told you that you have amazing energy?”

Part 5: Your 30-Second Commercial

For those who need a bit more structure and scripts, I’ve compiled a few examples for you on how this can look.

Example 1-

Example 2:

Example 3:

6. They value personal development growth

Through the years I’ve collected, read, and highlighted many books. Among the more notable titles, there is Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris and The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz. All have been very influential and inspiring. Whether you enjoy reading, listening to a podcast, watching YouTube channels, or attending live events, each has a beautiful place to help you master your success. For me, these serve as a higher level of education but also keep my brain stimulated and amongst circles of like-minded people. If I can’t find someone locally to help me grow, I can always find someone in a book to read, or podcast to listen to. Through their writing or recordings, they can infuse me with lessons and strategies–and fast track me to my next level.

7. They have values

Honesty goes a long way. Good character goes even further. If you haven’t heard the saying before, that money changes people, it can be true. It can change you in many ways but you get to control how and who you become through your career changes. A smile never hurts anyone, and can turn someone’s bad day into a good one. Extending a compliment to someone can brighten their entire day. Never negotiate with yourself on your values. It doesn’t matter what your financial status is, what you used to drive and what you choose to drive now, or how many vacations you go on. Values should never be deviated from. We will come into contact with many people in our lives that have different values. They will try to give you their opinions on matters they know nothing about or possibly something about. Either way, always do what is right even when no one is watching. I couldn’t have built my two day spas by being dishonest, walking all over those who helped me in the first stages, or if I lacked appreciation towards the things and people who make it all happen. I would encourage you to write down your top 10 core values. My business has five main values, and each new employee sees it before signing on with us. If those core values don’t resonate with them and completely inspire them to be a part of our culture, we don’t hire them. Like-minded people are powerful and can accomplish a lot. We can be held to our values and hold each other to those same values.

8. They do what they love

9. They take risks

Risks are a part of leadership, management or owning your own business. The biggest risk is not taking one. Risks bring out the best and worst parts of an individual. Risk creates space for a host of emotions such as fear of the unknown, lack of control, and fear of failure, to name a few. As you work through your feelings of fear or lack of control you will see on the other side of fear is freedom.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

A Journey to America

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Chapter 2

Positioning Yourself as an Expert

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Chapter 3

Introduction To Seven R’s Formula

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Chapter 4

Mindset

SAVERS

Fixed vs. Growth Mindset

Consistency and Persistency

The Nine Traits that the 1% Live By

1. They practice daily compassion

2. They meditate or find time for silence

3. They eat nourishing foods

4. They have a Coach

5. They get quality sleep

6. They value personal development growth

7. They have values

8. They do what they love

9. They take risks

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Chapter 5

Seven R’s Formula Secrets

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Chapter 6

Rapport

First Step Create Rapport - Five Areas of Focus

Posture

Part 1: The Handshake

Part 2: Smile

Part 3: Posture

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Chapter 7

Recommend

The appearance of the treatment rooms

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Chapter 8

Retail (At-Home Care)

How to Recommend and NOT sound too pushy…

Objections

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What Our Participants Say

Transform strategy
into results

Transform strategy
into results

Transform strategy
into results

Transform strategy
into results

Transform strategy
into results

Transform strategy
into results

Transform strategy
into results

Transform strategy
into results