Today we’ll dive into some ideas on how massage therapists can stay safe managing their therapeutic business, screen their clients, and make sure they don’t freak out their clients in the process. Believe it or not, new clients are generally a little nervous about their first session, from our observation quite a bit more than a first time massage therapist. It’s a therapist’s role to be a bit more confident, lead the way through the booking process and communicate their rules for a session. All massage therapists are fully independent on the platform, we are simply your handy marketing and promotion tool. If an agency telling you what to do is what you seek, this is not the platform for you. Your screening process is yours and yours alone. Everyone is unique in what they require from a client and that’s all up to you.

Screening On The Platform
Our platform allows you to screen all your clients before a booking and get all the information you require to be comfortable meeting them. To prevent clients from booking without a conversation, head to your settings and select the number of replies that you will be required to send before they can checkout services from your store’s menu. You can also require a client have a current profile photo so you’re not booking a faceless person. Sometimes it can be important to stress to your client that no non-platonic activities will take place so you’re not wasting time communicating and dealing with any inappropriate clients. The best place to state your terms, rules, and screening process is at the bottom of your about me.

Buddy System
Hopefully everyone on the platform has one good friend, family member, or close relative they can always have check up on them at an appropriate time or at set intervals through out the day. Massage therapists here can make as much as, if not more than most doctors per hour so it’s safe to say you can thank a friend with a few dollars or at least a nice lunch or dinner once a week for always having your back during your sessions with new clients. Just make sure the friend or family member you are trusting is not someone with memory and/or drug issues and is an overall reliable person. If you do not have your own method of transportation, it is highly recommended you use the buddy system for all your outcall sessions.

Safety Apps
There are many innovative safety and personal security apps being released these days. These applications have been proven to be very useful and effective in granting people piece of mind when meeting strangers for work and all other social situations. Users can set their own emergency contacts, the time required to alert their emergency contacts, a confirm safety button, an extend session button, intervals to confirm safety, and more advanced settings. Give it a quick google search and find one that’s perfect for you and your mobile device. Some well received apps include: Watch Over Me, bSafe, StaySafe, and On Watch. All of which are available for both Android and Apple devices.

Deposits, Duh!
Yes, requiring clients to make deposits benefits everyone and we’re very happy we implemented a system that requires clients to checkout out with a deposit. We definitely believe it keeps 99.9% of the crazy nut jobs and creepy people away from the very start. If a client ever states they don’t want to make a deposit, that is a huge red flag and they should be avoided at all costs or better yet reported to us. They’ll more than likely be banned quickly anyways since they have no business being here. Once you screen your clients to a point you’re comfortable meeting them, ask them to proceed with checking out the services they’re interested in and guide them through the process if it’s their first time on the platform. The best clients understand why deposits are needed and will always be happy to pay them.

Work Phone Number
Having clients contact you on your primary phone number is not the best way to go about running your massage therapy business or further discussing your sessions with clients once they’ve booked. It’s smart to create a secondary number using Google Voice or one of the many phone number and text apps available these days to act as your work phone. This way no one knows your real phone number and you won’t have to worry about being constantly bombarded with messages and phone calls from your clients on your primary number. Getting a Google voice number is free so be sure to get one soon following this link.

In Depth Screening
Some massage therapists may want to take extra safety measures such as reviewing a client’s LinkedIn and/or social media account once the client has booked them. This can be beneficial in instantly knowing a lot more about the client, their work history, and what their background is. Some potential clients may find this an invasion of privacy so if you’re someone that would like to do in depth social media screening, it’s a must you write out your screening process in your about me. This will make sure bookings falling through due to miscommunication will not occur and the client knows exactly what the massage therapist’s specific screening process is on the platform and once they’ve booked. Transparency and honesty from both parties keeps bookings efficient and safe.

Awareness Is Smart
Being familiar with your surroundings always helps one feel more comfortable when out and about. Don’t travel to unsafe neighborhoods if at all possible, always use google maps to know where you are, and yes there are also apps that can show you exactly where higher rates of crime have been occurring and routes to avoid them. Always know where you’re going and try to have the first few minutes before a session be in at least a somewhat public setting. Before sessions, it can also be a good idea to meet a client at a coffee shop, restaurant, or the lobby of a hotel for a quick meet and greet.

Got Other Ideas ?
We’ll keep this article updated with fresh tips and new ideas our team members brainstorm as the site continues to develops. We’re also be happy to hear your creative ideas so let us know if you as a professional massage therapist have any new points to add on being safe and meeting new clients. We’ll add them to this article if they’re really good and helpful tips so everyone else here can gain from your wisdom. Earning an income doing what you love is great but never compromise your safety for a quick buck, always screen your clients! We hope everyone make safety their number one priority on the platform.