Seems everyone, including massage therapists, are wondering what happened at the end of the Soprano’s.

I guess it’s a bit of an odd topic to chat about in an email really dedicated to massage marketing; but, regardless, I’ll tell you what I think in a second.

It shouldn’t suprise you that there’s a fantastic massage marketing lesson we can glean from the Soprano’s final episode.

Afterall, David Chase (mastermind behind the Soprano’s) is a true marketing wizard.

Let’s look at what Mr. Chase did leading up to the finale to create such a loyal fan-base, and how you can apply the same principles in your practice to create a new client frenzy (excited, new fans) and near-perfect client retention (your own loyal fan- base).

First, the writers behind the Soprano’s always kept us wondering what was coming next: who was going to get “pinched”, who was going to turn “rat”, who was going to defect to another family, what new filthy act Tony was going to commit next, etc.

And,. it’s that “what’s next” perspective that fans had that kept them coming back and tuning in week after week.

So, how can you create that same type of loyal perspective in your practice, with your clients?

Simple.

ALWAYS keep things fresh, exciting, and new.

In other words, don’t ever bore your clients.

They should always be thinking to themselves I can’t wait to see whatmy therapist does next in the practice.

What’s the next fun practice event?

What’s the next exciting practice promotion?

What’s the next new and unique service?

What’s the next cool retail item?

Remember, by nature, people want to know what’s new, so be sure you can answer them in a way that keeps them coming back for more.

 SIDENOTE: This is why I highly recommend you regularly ask yourself the question, “What’s Next?”. It will keep you thinking ahead.

Second, the writers routinely gave us a glimpse into the different characters lives, especially Tony Soprano’s.

The value of this: relationship-building.

As I discuss in the Massage Client Retention Formula, which you can grab here – http://www.MassageClientRetentionFormula.com – clients will come to your office for the benefits they believe they can reap from your care, BUT they’ll stay clients with you because of the relationship you create with them.

And, one of the absolute best ways to do that is to slowly reveal bits and pieces of your personal life in your internal practice marketing.

Yes, I said “reveal your personal life”.

Remember, people want to know they are being cared for by someone who is just like them – a regular person.

By showing a picture here and there of your recent vacation or a family barbeque; or by talking about your daughter’s recent kindergarten graduation or son’s 50th soccer goal, you’ll create a bond with your clients.

And, that bond, along with new and exciting programs, packages, etc. in your practice, will keep your clients coming back and “tuning in” to see what’s next.

Lastly, the Soprano’s attracted so much attention because the writers created a show that was unique, different, and… even… remarkable.

And, as Seth Godin talks about in his best-selling book, Purple Cow, the remarkable is what gets talked about and creates word of mouth marketing.

The ordinary gets none of that.

So, if you want to create a buzz about your massage practice be remarkable; be worthy of of being talked about.

Be different.

Be unique.

Stand out.

Don’t allow your practice or massage services to be viewed as a commodity – simply providing the same old massage therapy every other therapist in your area is providing.

Think about it…

The television show graveyard is packed with me- too shows that weren’t bold enough to stand out from the crowd of ordinary television programming, and because of that, nobody noticed them.

Same fate for a lot of massage therapists.

Anyway, even though (as a fan) I personally wasn’t thrilled with the last episode of the Soprano’s, as a massage marketing educator I loved it.

So, the big question on everyone’s mind…

What do I think happened to Tony at the end???

Did the guy who walked into the bathroom come out and whack em?

Did the truck driver guy in the booth whack em?

Did they all live happily ever after?

What?

Well, I’ll tell you exactly what I think happened to Tony.

I think he

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 12th, 2007 at 3:21 pm and is filed under Massage Marketing Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.