Evening hours question

[holey moley]

May I also suggest that you locate a few MT's who you can refer these clients too?

I recently have had an influx of new clients from a few MT's in town who closed their businesses. Now, even though this is not your case, you could help do your clients and another MT a world of good by just having the referral avaliable.

I can't tell you how many new clients have complained that their therapist didn't have anyone to refer them to nor make the time to find someone for them.

Just a thought for those who may not be able to fit into the new schedule.

 

[Julie E]

I agree with everyone encouraging you to take this step. You can definitely build a full practice of daytime hours. Law of Attraction combined with Professional Boundaries will do the trick!

My guess is that some of your evening clients will switch to daytime appointments, and some will look for another therapist who still offers evening appointments. Whenever I've made a change to my practice, there's been a transition period before the new openings in my schedule fill with my new "target-market" clientele. It's a short transition period, but anxiety can make it feel long. You mentioned being concerned about the financial risk to this change. Can you budget extra money for savings over the next few months, so you have a cushion for the transition period?

That might give you some peace of mind.

 

[Tiger Dude]

Can you budget extra money for savings over the next few months, so you have a cushion for the transition period?

Fabulous, I love it when all the simple answers that get clouded with stress start to emerge and it all seems very do-able once again.

I will tell my folks asap about the 'deadline' for the switch. I think if people are able to do so, they will adjust their appoinments immediately. Then I'll have a better idea of how many I am letting go and I'll be able to see a realistic financial picture.

Meanwhile you (once again) provided a bit of clarity for me, in that I am hoping to attract a slightly new "target-market" clientele as my business direction shifts. As much as I love my evening clients, I am hoping that some of them don't switch to daytime so that my niche market can fill up my 15 appointments a week. Hard to admit stuff sometimes.

To pueppi, I definitely would not leave these people high and dry. Of course many of them have already gone to the other therapists in town, but if I don't have someone in place in my business to pick them up, then I'll have names and numbers of the evening time therapists in the area.

For my final obstacle:

Right now the majority of these clients are on my maint. plan (which I stopped offering in the spring) which is $10 off 60 or 90 minutes when they have a standing appointment every week or every other week. Let's say that some maint. plan clients move to daytime appointments, but my schedule is such that I am not even able to offer them the weekly or bi weekly appointments anymore simply because my book is already filled.....what would you do about the maint plan offer that they have been on for the past several months to years? Still offer them that rate or take it away?

Thanks everyone for their input, it helps to get out of my own head!

 

[Jen[Chocolate Burn]]

I am hoping to attract a slightly new "target-market" clientele as my business direction shifts. As much as I love my evening clients, I am hoping that some of them don't switch to daytime so that my niche market can fill up my 15 appointments a week. Hard to admit stuff sometimes....Right now the majority of these clients are on my maint. plan (which I stopped offering in the spring) which is $10 off 60 or 90 minutes when they have a standing appointment every week or every other week. Let's say that some maint. plan clients move to daytime appointments, but my schedule is such that I am not even able to offer them the weekly or bi weekly appointments anymore simply because my book is already filled.....what would you do about the maint plan offer that they have been on for the past several months to years? Still offer them that rate or take it away?

That's a tricky one. If you drop the evening appointments and the maintenance plan, that's a lot of change at once. However, if you're hoping some of these clients move on anyway, that could be the nudge they need.

 

[edward s]

To pueppi, I definitely would not leave these people high and dry. Of course many of them have already gone to the other therapists in town, but if I don't have someone in place in my business to pick them up, then I'll have names and numbers of the evening time therapists in the area.

For my final obstacle:

...what would you do about the maint plan offer that they have been on for the past several months to years? Still offer them that rate or take it away?

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like you would do something like this. It was more meant as an overall for those thiking of change and you were the catalyst for the post.

For tha maintenance plan, I agree with Blisss that it is a lot of change. Possibly you could remove the maintenance plan around Feb. next year? I chose Feb. as it is after the holidays and when people sort of start getting back in the swing of things in our office.