"Worth.  An interesting word when you think about.  What is worth?  What is the true worth of something?  Is there even such a thing as the true worth of something? Who gets to decide what something is worth?

For massage therapists, the questions get a bit more personal: What are you worth?  How much are your skills, training, knowledge and time worth?  I think for many massage therapists these can be uncomfortable questions.  And the most uncomfortable question of all, probably because it directly confronts your self-esteem; how good are you?..." Click here to read the entire article.

Here are my thoughts:

I totally agree with your point about the value you create for clients by providing a service that meets their needs or helps their pain. And there are a lot of other things besides offering pain relief or relaxation that bring value to your sessions. For example, having a positive attitude, a smile and welcoming tone of voice or being ready to begin your sessions on time all add value to a massage or bodywork appointment.

Other more tangible things like providing cool water, breath mints and extra blankets can make a big difference in the perceived value of your work. And then of course there are bigger things like offering birthday rewards or free product samples that have an apparent dollar value attached to them.

In short, everything you do to touch the client, literally and figuratively, makes an impression on them and either adds or detracts from the overall experience. As a spa consultant, I often advise clients to take a look at their overall business practices, procedures, and the details/ steps of the client experience to see how they can make things better. You might be surprised at the differences a few changes can make - and how your clients will respond!

So the question is...what are you doing to create, grow or improve your own worth both in terms of personal self-esteem and business/professional value? And - at least in terms of your business - are the values you offering wanted, needed and/or appreciated by your clients? Give those some thought and please let me know if I can offer you a hand in finding the answers