Advice on how to deal with 'undesirables' please. I don't want to exclude male clients totally.

Yes, it's a tricky one, and I've had one or two similar experiences! It does unsettle you and makes you feel both very cross and vulnerable.
Do you work from home or a rented place? I work from home and if I have a male client that is unknown to me (not a partner or recommended by someone), I have insisted that they attend when my husband is home.
The other way is to say when they book that ...'there will be another car in the drive, but you are OK to park nearby - that car is my husband's as he works from home, etc.... that usually deters any undesirables. I've had a number of phone enquiries cut off at that point!
If you work from a salon, try and have someone else in the building when seeing a male for the first time.
On your leaflets and website if you have one, have a statement to the effect that .....'I am a professionally qualified therapist and any intimation of improper behaviour or sexual suggestion the phone call or treatment will be terminated. Please do not offend in this way.'
Have a 'salon etiquette policy' clearly stated; ladies to wear underwear and gentlemen to wear boxer shorts at all times etc.,
A colleague made a recording of general conversation and chit-chat between a male and female and had it playing in an adjacent treatment room when treating an unknown male for the first time; it gave the impression of others being on the premises.
When a male is preparing for a treatment and you have explained the treatment and are going to wash your hands in preparation, you can casually say that you are .....just going to wash your hands and I'll ask Rob (or whatever name you think of), to man the phones during your massage/reflexology,'.... gives the impression of another male support colleague on the premises.
Hope that helps, and don't let it put you off, fortunately most men out there are decent guys!

I have the same blooming problem hun.I cannot afford to turn away but I just put in the section of explaining about ourself that professional only. Just say in a text this is a professional service only and so If you change your mind to not come then for respect text me that your not going to turn up please.
I have a mini personal alarm. I am in a business quiet house and they pay first!!! so if they expect anything, i say there is the door holding alarm and phone speed dial for emengency help.It is not our fault but the men who assume of all doing bad of what they want, their problem.

Hello,
Among all other services we are specialising in one that is more problematic in this subject...
We are offering professional synchronized 4 hands massage for male, women and couples in London. The best then is phone conversation with regards to client’s expectation, that way I’m eliminating not genuine ones.
You have to be strict what massage you offer and sometimes if you have a doubt it’s better to tell them literally what you are not offering, than deal with it latter.
There is certain types of massages that work as a hidden code for not genuine clients, just never be associated with any of them !
My favourite clients’ query is along the line: I hope that you are not one of these place that offers massage of sexual nature
and once I reassure their concern, they never book any massage ;o)
Unfortunately even if you are clear and your website is straight forward, you might find an idiot.... I’ve had once client who enquired one of our massage services for couples massage workshop and ask if we could provide a partner for him also ....
Best regards
Anna
http://www.4foryou.co.uk

Much of it can be due to advertising. Do you have any suggestive wording or pictures on your website or other advertising? How about the name of your business? Start by doing a short intake when they first call for a massage. What are they looking for in a massage, what has been their experience, etc. Also state that you only offer professional, nonsexual massage and if that is not what they are looking for, suggest they look elsewhere. I would advise that you have "professiona, nonsexual massage" in all of your advertising (websites, brochures, business cards, links on other websites). You need to convey the professional nature of the massage, and there are no "happy endings.". I find it is a constant uphill battle with the public and also the medical community.

The easiest way to get around this is to always have some one the house/or their house that is female or your partner.
As for getting phones calls, I am too new to the business myself to be able to answer as I still haven't found a way around this, however Holistic Sanctuary's suggestion seems to be fair and reasonable and one I shall adopt myself in future, so put those messages on your advertisements and webpages and hopefully those calls will stop and you won't get any more undesirables through your door.
Don't let it knock your confidence, your still learning, change your methods and you will get the clients you deserve and who deserve you.
Good luck xxx

Hi,
I've had a similar problem. I just say at the beginning of the call
"sorry if this offends you but due to previous bad experiences I have to make it clear from the word go that I dont offer anything sexual do you want to continue with the conversation?"
No-one has been offended and the ones that are after something else just hang up.
Good luck!

This is a tricky one. Most of my clients are female, however when I did advertise recently I got a few male responses, which I must be honest made me a bit nervous. Anyway I decided to go ahead and although nothing was actually said I did feel uncomfortable and I think the suggestion was there, so I have always specified 'women only' from then on. I try to make my adverts as female orientated as possible.

--When you take the booking, tell the client that you are a Professional
and you only do what the treatment is. Specify that you are member of BABTAC
or FHT or any other organization.
--Explain that according to the organization rules, you perform all your treatments
in the boundary of that organization.
--When the client comes for the first time, if possible have a friend, cleaner
or a family member there, visible to client. That way they know you are not alone.
I hope these help.
Thankyou

Hi i am a male therapist doing massage and waxing and still get the odd text and calls from clients, like you at first it un nerved me for a bit but now i have been doing it for 5 years you get to ignore them and carry on prof. As long as you state from the begining its a non sexual service they soon give up. Dont take is personal and let them know there are plenty of other therapist out there then will cater for their needs!.good luck and dont let it deture you
XXXX

when i first started out i had a males looking for the sort of treatments i did not do so i did adopt a women ony policy but if men want to come along then i have asked them to first bring a partner or freind and if they dont wish to then dont do the treatment..x

Most of my client base were (gay) men, at some point,my experience is, all all men will at some point want "extra",unless they are sports men. It's a funny old game, I am a male, women don't want treatments in case I abuse them,straight men don't want me as they are "gay" for being massaged by a man, gay men want extra...what can you do.If you massage men, be sure to get their details first, don't let them near your house, don't go to their house. We're not all predators, but just one is enough.

Hi! I have a woman only policy. I do man but only if recommended by a female customer. I have the "Woman ONLY" and "Strictly NOT SEXUAL" written everywhere- website, leaflets etc. but I still get almost daily phone calls from guys saying how much they would do with a nice ralxing time :) Some of them just don't listen. I am mobile and I will not change my policy. I guess other therapists gave you some really good advice and hopefully it will help you stay safe! Good luck x

For my part, I always act professionally, I concentrate on what I say and never use any ambiguous language and I always wear a massage uniform including shoes. I leave the client to change in private before and after the massage. When doing the massage I ensure that the client is suitably covered at all times and my pressure is firm and certain.
I have thought about what I would do if a client behaved inappropriately - initially I would advise them that it is not appropriate language or action and if they continue then the massage will stop. If they do continue then ask them to leave and advise they are not welcome back if they cannot behave. If they are very inappropriate or won't cease and desist, then report them to the police.
You need to project a confident demeanor and not appear to be vulnerable. That is what people like that are looking for to take advantage of.
On my website and when talking to clients I talk about massage as a therapy. I stay away from using any other language even to say "not included". In my opinion, if people don't see the words then they are less likely to think in inappropriate terms. Also, I always refer to myself as a massage therapist and not a masseuse. The second term has evolved to have different connotations.
I treat clients in my home and don't have a partner, but I am lucky with male neighbours on both sides who are more than happy to step in if need be. Thankfully, I have several male clients and they are always well behaved.
hope this helps.
Helen :-)

Tricky one, indeed. I’m a male therapist and occasionally get guys asking if I offer “extras”, even though all my ads clearly state that it’s not a sexual service.
I think it’s fine to be upfront with new clients at the start... explain clearly what the treatment involves.
My partner also gives treatments from her own home and does have a women-only policy, only having male clients when they have been recommended via her female clients. This has worked well for her, but obviously it may effect your client list.
Don’t let it knock your confidence. As others here have said, most men are decent guys just wanting a lovely professional massage.
On a MUCH lighter note, check out this amusing YouTube clip on the subject....
http://youtu.be/btheeIEDIrE
David

Your partner is right, you should make it clear at the start, before the male client books that it is a non sexual, non sensual massage, otherwise wires can get crossed.True, not all men are this way inclined, but touch can still arouse a man and he can't help the obvious indication of his arousal. If this occurs during the massage then go straight to the scalp and forehead area of the head and work the base of the scull, as this often diffuses any sensual sensation, otherwise avoid men altogether. If you are prepared to do that little bit more with your hands, then that often means crossing boundaries where it can make you feel uncomfortable. So clarity from the onset is important.such indicating that underwear is kept on during the session

Hi there, I must get at least one telephone call a month from men asking if I do full body massage 'au natural'. I make it clear before the booking that the service is a professional therapy not just a body massage. I also put a statement on my consultation sheet and on the web site stating that any approaches or suggestions of an offencive or sexsual nature will result in the client being asked to leave immediately with no refund and with the potential for their details to be passed to the police in serious cases. It has not stopped the telephone enquiries but I don't get any problems in the workplace.
I also inform them that my partner will be around.
You will have to consider carefully how you word your statement though.
Good luck.
Christine

I specialise in male waxing so obviously with naked men on my couch they have to be aware that I take no messing around without offending the normal everyday blokes who are very nervous because they think therapists will think they are a secret pervert!!
If you check out my website you'll see the statement that I make - I got 1 too a few months after I started-1 and only in over 4 years but i'm old enough and ugly enough to not let it get to me and it was the best decision i ever made to continue with my male clients
Keep your chin up and don't look at every man as a possible pervert - I have some fantastic clients and if you catch their confidence and make them feel comfortable you'll grow an extremely loyal client base!!
Emma

I specialise in male waxing so obviously with naked men on my couch they have to be aware that I take no messing around without offending the normal everyday blokes who are very nervous because they think therapists will think they are a secret pervert!!
If you check out my website you'll see the statement that I make - I got 1 too a few months after I started-1 and only in over 4 years but i'm old enough and ugly enough to not let it get to me and it was the best decision i ever made to continue with my male clients
Keep your chin up and don't look at every man as a possible pervert - I have some fantastic clients and if you catch their confidence and make them feel comfortable you'll grow an extremely loyal client base!!
Emma

What a shame you have had such a bad experience so early on in your career. Hopefully it will not stop you taking male clients because very often they need somewhere they can go to get proper and expert treatments as much as women. I have been doing the job for quite some time now and many of my clients are men from all walks of life. I tend to take a very businesslike approach with men and right from the start outline how the massage will go, their dress mode and the way I will go about the massage. Setting boundaries right at the beginning of the massage is a must and this starts with what you wear and this is where a uniform speaks volumes. You are a professional and you look like a professional and you treat your clients in a professional and respectfull way. I have found that setting this tone right from the starts works well with men who very often are more nervous about the whole procedure than we give them credit for and follow through with the way you carry out your work and the tone of voice you use and very often thes stops people from stepping over the mark. Once you know them a bit better and they have become regulars then you can relax more.

Hi , you must know your target people, either men or women or both , make sure what you are offering and sharp statement , it wont put people of because profesional people love working profesional and serious people that why why we call professional , because they exactly know what they looking for.
make your business plan and ask why you are operating this service , who for , what for
when you grow your business you will see range of people and some of the people will try out your nerves be strong, you provide a good quality service you must believe that and than whatver people ask you you must have your answer ready if not you will lose a client , no one afford losing client
go for branding this is the best way doing business,
]by the way if you operate your service I would like to talk about it because I am looking for pro masaagist
info@fitinfitness.co.uk