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Article du mois
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MOVING - TO MOVE OR NOT TO MOVE
Other consequences of a move
by ACTMD's team

Any move has repercussions at different levels.  We can classify them into four groups:

• The consultation office or the workplace
• Pets
• Children
• Couple

Repercussions of the consultation office or workplace move
As well as assuming all the consequences of a regular move, moving one's office implies, a partial or total loss of it's clientele according to the distance between the new and old offices and, an investment of time to find affordable ways to get yourself known and to rebuild your clientele.

Moving and pets
At the time of lease signing, make sure you can bring your pets.  If you really cannot have any pets, remember the number of abandoned pets in the street double at moving time.  If you really must part with your pet, try to find it a good home.  If worst comes to worst, take it to an animal shelter along with its bed and toys, its pedigree and important information on his behaviour and habits.

Moving and children
You will also have to change schools and a neighbourhood for your children, and, it is possible their behaviour will change.  As many children find moving stressful, major changes or transitions that affect their lives such as school change, loss of friendships, loss of a pet, nursery changes, etc. will add to the stress.

Moving and relationships
Whether it's your first move in with a new partner or a simple change of home with your spouse, moving is not always easy for couples.  Whoever says moving is saying major stress.  And if it is the first with your spouse, the possibilities of friction multiply.  The new routine may be hard to accept, tasks are not always shared evenly, and all of a sudden the question of money raises it's big ugly head.  So many reasons to fight and argue…

Some helpful hints

• Before moving your office, take the time to do a market study to check the    profitability of your business (define or specify your clientele, the price of services that you offer, the area where you will be located, the competition that you will be facing and finally the overall state of the area.)  Then try and do an analysis of the terrain, the competition (who they are, what they offer, their prices), and future customers (opinion phone poll).
• Watch out basement apartments as snow may well cover the windows and, if there is a lot of snow, you may be complaining about the lack of brightness or sunlight.
• Also think about the closeness of public transportation - some of your clients may not have cars.
• Before signing the lease, carefully read it and make sure you do have the right to open an office or consultation room.
• Also make sure that zoning laws allow you offices.  Some zoning laws do not allow for massage therapists offices and certain other group activities.  It would be shocking to learn after setting up your new offices, that your area has these restrictions and you cannot practice there.
• To avoid surprises, do not hesitate to consider ways and means that you will need to rebuild your clientele before even being installed at your new location.  In other words, get information on the regulations in your new locality (internet access, local papers, networking, etc.)

Losing old clients & gaining new ones
When moving your offices to an area greater than 10 kilometres away from the old one, you must expect to lose a certain part or perhaps all of your clients and to start finding new clients.  The further away you move, the higher the loss of clients; if you have to cross a bridge, well that increases the loss even further.  You will have to make yourself known and to re-think your advertising/promotional material.  Expenses will accumulate especially if you have to pay for new business cards, publicity, and new invoices - a new look.

Getting to know you in your new environment
Certain traditional methods could help in getting yourself known.  You will have to determine the most efficient way by comparing the costs and the return on your investments.  Here are a few examples:

1. Mass mailings or flyer distribution can take a long time to develop and a further delay to dispatching.  In addition to the costs associated with its planning, you will have to add printing charges, postage and/or distribution charges, if applicable.  However, it is a good form of publicity.
2. Exhibitions or salon participations in your locality.  Your presence is an excellent way to drum up business.  It is a good occasion to make first contacts, which you could follow up with phone calls.  Rather than invest time and money in a classic stand at a show, we recommend participation at conferences that are organized locally and which attract a lot of potential clients.
3. Being part of a network or of an association allows winning new clients.  You will have to check for the right network and know how to use it.
4. Advertising in free local newspapers and at local radio stations.  Publicity is never free even in local papers.  You can however, learn if the Managing Editor could possibly write an article on you and your enterprise.  If you opt to use publicity in local journals, you should also try and find out if the readers are those you wish to attract.
5. Be sure to be listed in the Yellow pages and local phone book.
6. Give promotional offers/specials from time to time.
7. Offer special membership cards for loyal clients and/or special offers.
8. Etc., etc., etc.

Technological solutions

1.  Internet
Today, all businesses should have their own Web sites as a window to their activities, and if you think about it, a relatively economical way to obtain clients.

You can also gain from free advertisement sites on the Net, registering your site on networking sites and also registered on your association's Website.  It would also be beneficial to your enterprise, to publish various articles on your enterprise on the appropriate Websites.

2.  Multi mailings by E-mail and Net faxing
Although relatively inexpensive, these two methods are also considered useless.  In fact, receiving e-mails or unsolicited faxes risk to have the adverse effect as the receiver considers them an intrusion.

Other methods
Of course, there are many other methods by which to have yourself known and you will have to use your creativity and imagination.  You will have to consider your financial means and add these expenses to those of your move.

Good luck with your move.

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