Massage Business Practices:
Terms of Endearment
By Barbara Calkins CMT / Coach
In the massage trade, there is not a standard term to refer to a person that retains our professional services, (i.e., patient, client, or customer). This lack of clear terminology may be one reason for confusion over the role or service a massage practitioner provides. It may also play a role in the confusion in a massage recipient’s idea of what to expect from a professional practitioner.
We’ve all encountered the implications of the sex industry posing as massage therapists to cloak their trade. While most of us have clear boundaries around this issue, the ensuing confusion in language can cause distress for practitioners in the field, and massage enthusiasts as well. Of greater importance, is how we are perceived by our market through the language we use? Knowing the power of our words is worth a test or two.
It’s unlikely that this article will determine a concrete solution for the field, yet the topic is worth discussing, especially in light of ever increasing legislative limitations and concerns. As massage practitioners ply for a legitimate place in the health industry, not enough is being done to educate the general public on language distinctions that can help separate therapeutic massage from illicit bodywork practices. This article may not be comprehensive on the topic, yet a conversation with one’s market base may help to clarify subtle messages that are delivered through practitioner language, and identify the term or terms that the market responds to best.
According to Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language (1972), the definition for the terms patient, client, and customer are as follows:
patient (pÄ׳shÉ™nt) adj. [ME. Pacient < OFr. < L. patiens, patient, prp. of pati: see PASSION] 1. bearing or enduring pain, trouble, etc. without complaining or losing self-control 2. refusing to be provoked or angered, as by an insult; as by and insult; forbearing; tolerant 3. calmly, tolerating delay, confusion, inefficiency, etc. 4. able to wait calmly for something desired 5. showing or characterized by patience (a patient face) 6. steady; diligent; preserving (a patient worker) 7. [Rare] receiving action; passive –n. 1. a person receiving care or treatment, esp. from a doctor 2. [Rare] a person who receives action, or is affected –patient of 1. capable of bearing (fatigue, thirst, etc.) 2. admitting of or having (a certain meaning) —pa׳tient-ly adv.
client (klÄ« É™nt) n. [ME. & OFr. < L. cliens, follower retainer < IE. Base *klei-, to lean, incline, as in L. clinare (cf. INCLINE); basic sense, “one leaning on another (for protection)â€] 1. formerly a person dependent on another, as for protection or patronage 2. a person or company for whom a lawyer accountant, advertising agency, etc. is acting 3. a customer —cliental (klÄ« ent׳t’l) adj.
cus·to·mer (kus׳tə mər) n.[ME. < OFr. coustumier: see CUSTOM] 1. a person who buys from, or patronizes, an establishment regularly 2. [Colloq.] any person with whom ine has dealings [a rough customer]
In the advent of the Internet many definitions have been updated, and I found that Webster’s Online Dictionary lists these definitions a bit differently. It is worth checking out each definition online and off, as there’s a great deal more history and reference available than this article will cover.
An additional language resource is at www.visualthesaurus.com which gives you a visual map of terms that relate to each word and is helpful for an overall perception of the use of each term. The links below are for your convenience.
Over the years I’ve heard several reports of massage instructors dismissing the use of the term client, citing that it implies illicit activity, and suggesting that the term patient is preferable. I have difficulty with this thinking because the term patient implies a person is receiving medical care, which is not within the scope of massage unless one has the appropriate medical credentials. When asked, peers exhibited an emphatic response that using the term patient is dangerous.
Some instructors and practitioners use the term customer to describe patrons of their practice or business, yet I’ve noticed in the different definitions provided by Webster’s, Webster’s Online, and Visual Thesaurus, the words client and customer can be used interchangeably. Though for me, the term customer evokes a vision of individuals purchasing consumer goods, and depicts a lack of personal connection to the end user.
It seems the uses of these terms have changed subtly over the years. While patient may have been the term of choice in early years of the trade, now it reflects someone who requires medical care, implies someone suffering from a disease, or a reference to illness in general. In years past the term customer has held relatively the same meaning as client, yet now can be construed to reflect a negative image, such as “a rough customerâ€.
The term client has perhaps changed the most. At one time it held a negative connotation and was often associated with illicit activities, especially in relation to fields that had less than optimum reputations like low integrity attorneys and proprietors of ill repute. Yet in the current shift of subtleties, the term client is held more highly in the minds of many, including massage enthusiasts. Perhaps because it has been somewhat normalized by the computer industry which uses several references to the word, such as client servers, email client, and client to client protocol.
My own preference of terminology is to refer to massage patrons as clients. I prefer the word client because it implies that I act on their behalf. The Romanian translation reflects massage patrons best as: client, patron, customer and prospect.
In an informal field poll of local massage patrons, I found that most preferred to be referred to as a client, citing the professional nature the word evokes. Participants revealed that the term client seemed more endearing to them than customer. Poll takers reported that the term client felt more personal and implied a more collaborative nature, while the term customer left them feeling empty, taken advantage of, and powerless. This may be due to the fact that I asked patrons that live in an upper class area, and their word associations may differ, (though that’s a study I’ve not done), yet the responses do indicate that clients have an opinion.
I recommend doing a field test of your own and to ask what feels best to your market. After all, that’s where the term will have its greatest impact, and this could reflect on new prospects, referrals and more.
Great marketers test everything, from their company name, to tag-lines, branding, and terminology in sales and marketing material. They test it all. Why? Because testing shows that language does impact the actions and responses of potential clients.
What do you reflect about your own practice through the language you use? Can changing language attract a different or better market base? Can language increase ROI on marketing, sales and referrals? My clients say yes.
This is one simple tactic that may improve your marketing results. Take the time to find out what terms motivate your market and use that winning language!
As we all know, language changes with each generation. Jargon, colloquialisms, and new marketing hype can subtly and not so subtly shift our interpretations and assign new meaning. Check written materials from time to time. Before you reorder that marketing piece, implement an informal language test with family, friends, peers and more importantly patrons. You just may find a term that makes your business more endearing.
This article was written by Barbara Calkins CMT and Massage Income Coach. If you’re a massage practitioner looking to build a better practice, contact Coach Calkins for a free collaborative interview. “Don’t settle for less when you can be your best!†© Barbara Calkins 2005
© Barbara Calkins 2005 www.massagemsoi.com
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