Let me be transparent

I was recently contacted by a local company creating a local guide to business - helping residents to find high quality specialists and providers across Newcastle. Apparently, I fitted perfectly within the 'Best Massage Therapists' category, due to my high client care standards and reputation. Which could be a compliment if I did massages. I explained I didn't and was promptly offered a place within their new Holistic Therapy guide. With hindsight I should have stopped there!

However, each year I look at my business and marketing and like to experiment with different things to see where new clients hear about me and what works but as I wasn't tied in for a long period of time and could choose when to withdraw, I thought I'd give it a go.

I received my first draft copy of what was created by the local editor and this is where it all began to go wrong! Let me explain, the article stated I had been visited by the editor, who had thoroughly enjoyed their treatment, they didn't visit! It also said that after speaking to my very satisfied clients...this would have meant I had shared their details, NEVER have I, nor would I, so the only way they could have sourced such information is if they had taken a seat and asked every person entering or leaving the building if they were seeing me, this didn't occur. However I think my Google testimonials helped, so all in all it was very misleading. They spoke of the pro's and con's too, a negative point made was that I only work with a few clients at a time, incorrect, I only work with one at a time, this is not a negative, I only have one pair of hands, fancy sharing them with someone else? No, I thought so.

Safe to say I was very unhappy as this article was completely against my ethics, and reputation, I wasn't prepared to agree to this listing and withdrew my interest.

I've built my business of almost 12 years with integrity, care and love for what I do, so was extremely frustrated and disheartened to then be contacted by a fellow company to introduce themselves after seeing we advertised on the same platform, erm what platform? Oh yes, that one that I withdrew from!!! Following a very curt email and a threat to inform the Advertising Standards Agency if it wasn't removed, it has now been taken down.

If you've read this to the end, thank you. My reason for writing was to confirm to all of my clients that details are not shared with any 3rd party ever.

Also to highlight to need for doing your research when choosing to visit someone for a holistic therapy, ask for referrals, speak to the holistic therapist to get a feel for them, we really don't mind. And be particularly cautious nowadays with how Ai is used.

After speaking to one of my clients who reminded me of my popularity, she laughed and said she's happy I'm not going to spend money on marketing as she doesn't want to share me - a big compliment - so I will be sharing more words from my clients and writing more blogs to help keep clients and potential clients informed.

So, there you go, a little bit of transparency from me, Rachel, proud founder and owner of R&R Therapy.