Oh man, it's the biggest bummer, isn't it?

You meet a new client, and you really click. You have a great session, and she tells you afterwards that she feels great. But then she leaves without booking another appointment.

Womp, womp.

What's going on? Chances are that you didn't do a single thing "wrong." You just need to have a solid plan in place so that your clients feel safe and can re-book easily.

You are a big-hearted, skilled bodywork therapist who got into this business to help people, not to try to sell to them or to convince them that they need more sessions with you. I get it. I feel the same way.

But by trying so hard NOT to be pushy, you actually may be pushing people away from you and your work.

Today, we'll look at the two things you must have in place so that clients are ready and excited to book another session with you. And it all comes down to follow-up.

First of all, you need the time and presence to effectively communicate with your clients after their appointment. If it's the initial session, you need even more time, and you can learn all the details of a premium first session here.

But you need to be clear and professional after every session, and you need the time to do that. I recommend scheduling at least 15 minutes between your sessions so that you don't feel rushed, and your client gets the focused attention from you that she deserves.

Once you've given yourself some time to really be present with your client after the session, don't just jump in with what you "found" or how "messed up" her body was before your work. Instead, ask questions: "How are you feeling? Do you have any questions for me?" and then really LISTEN to her response.

Remember, the session is about your client, not about you and all the wonderful things you know.

Being present with our clients means creating and holding space for them in all our interactions.

Now that you've spent a few minutes really being with your client, you can ask her if she'd like to make another appointment.

No need to be pushy or salesy, simply ask: "Would you like to make another appointment?" and then really listen again.

I'm continually amazed by the number of therapists I work with who don't ask the question. And I've heard from clients stories about wanting to make another appointment with a therapist, but not being sure if that was OK, because they were never asked.

So, two things: make some time for your clients after their sessions, and ASK if they would like to schedule another.

These two simple pieces will help you begin to fill your appointment book and give you more ease in your business.