| Marketing is actually very simple. It involves telling | | | | your area? What is your "signature style"? What |
| people what you do...over and over and over. The | | | | do you do differently from your competition?For |
| key to successfully marketing your massage | | | | example: "I do energy healing with people in |
| therapy business is consistency.So, first, let's take | | | | hospice who want emotional and physical support |
| a look at the difference between marketing a | | | | through their final life transition."6. Choose Your |
| service and marketing a product.Products are | | | | Strategies and Massage Marketing ToolsIn |
| tangible... you can touch and feel and see them | | | | choosing which marketing strategies to focus on it |
| before you buy. However, when a prospective | | | | is essential to choose things that you enjoy doing, |
| client is considering coming to you for a massage, | | | | otherwise you will find ways to sabotage yourself. |
| until they actually work with you they don't know | | | | So if you are terrified of public speaking, don't |
| for sure if you are the right person to help them | | | | pick that (unless you plan on doing some work in |
| with their specific situation or challenge.It is for | | | | that area).Think about your strengths and |
| that reason that the first thing your prospect has | | | | passions and take those into account when you |
| to buy is YOU, before they decide to become a | | | | are choosing your strategies. This is a time to |
| regular client or patient. It is important to | | | | have fun and get creative!Strategies can be |
| remember this in all of your massage marketing | | | | divided into a number of key areas:Direct follow |
| endeavors.Secondly, I would like to talk about the | | | | up and contact (such as sending personal letters, |
| difference between advertising and marketing, | | | | making phone calls) |
| because all too often when I ask therapists about | | | | Networking and referral building (such as working |
| their current massage marketing plan, they tell | | | | with key strategic partners like a Chiropractor) |
| me about a classified ad in a local newspaper, or a | | | | Public speaking (for example, a brown bag lunch |
| display ad in the yellow pages.Advertising is just | | | | talk for busy professionals on stress reduction) |
| that...the placement of an ad, whether on the | | | | Writing and publicity (putting a press release in a |
| radio, print or web-based, in the hope that a | | | | local paper) |
| prospect will call you as a result. Marketing, on the | | | | Promotional events (like chair massage at a |
| other hand, is relationship based. It is about building | | | | sporting event) |
| a relationship between you and your prospective | | | | Advertising (putting a display ad in the good ol' |
| client or patient over time. It is about building | | | | "banana pages") |
| rapport, confidence and trust.So let's look at the 9 | | | | 7. Create a Budget.Many excellent massage |
| elements of a simple yet effective massage | | | | marketing tools are free. Instead of money, all |
| marketing plan. | | | | that is required is some time, creativity and |
| 1. Define Your GoalsIn order to put an effective | | | | imagination. But some tools will require that you |
| marketing plan in place you first have to ask | | | | spend money. It is important to decide up front |
| yourself, where are you now, and where do you | | | | what your massage marketing budget will be and |
| want to be 6 months, or one, five, or even ten | | | | how you will spend it.8. Develop Your Action |
| years from now.2. Measure Your ProgressYou | | | | PlanYour Action Plan involves the specific |
| have to decide how you are going to measure | | | | marketing and sales actions you plan to make, for |
| your progress. You could measure:Your total | | | | example, how many calls a day, how many |
| number of weekly massage sessions. | | | | personal letters or invitations a week. Remember, |
| The number of new clients or patients that | | | | marketing is about simple effective things that |
| schedule appointments. | | | | you do consistently. It is a good idea to map out |
| The dollar amount actually deposited in your bank | | | | your massage marketing action plan on a |
| account. | | | | calendar, and commit to it.9. Have a Tracking |
| The dollar amount invoiced to massage clients | | | | SystemIt is important to have a system in place |
| and insurance companies. | | | | to track your efforts as well as your results. |
| Or some other measurement that you choose. 3. | | | | Having such a system in place gives you a clear |
| Who Do You Want to Work With?Who is your | | | | sense of direction as to where you and your |
| target market or ideal client? What are their | | | | business |
| ages? Are they male, female, or both? How much | | | | are going. It also helps you to stay focused and |
| money do they make? What are their hobbies? | | | | on task.A tracking system also gives you the |
| What is the biggest challenge or problem that | | | | evidence that what you are doing is actually |
| they face? What are the qualities that your ideal | | | | working. This will motivate you to stick with it until |
| massage client possesses?For Example: I work | | | | you reach your desired goals. It also lets you |
| with female executives between the ages of | | | | know when things are not working so that you |
| 28-50, making $60,000.00 per year minimum. | | | | can make the necessary course corrections to |
| They enjoy athletic activities, but want to | | | | get your marketing back on track.You may |
| experience less stress in their life. They are | | | | choose to keep a record of:The exact source of |
| interested and willing to pay for regular wellness | | | | each prospect. |
| care.4. What Specifically Are the Benefits That | | | | How many new prospects each massage |
| Your Massage Services (or products if | | | | marketing strategy produced. |
| appropriate) Offer?Remember, benefits are | | | | How many of these prospects became regular |
| different from features. Benefits tell the | | | | clients. |
| prospective client how your massage services | | | | The actual monetary value that these new |
| (and products) are directly useful to them or how | | | | clients produced.Remember to periodically evaluate |
| their wellbeing will be improved if they come to | | | | the results you are getting, and make any |
| you for a session.A feature is a characteristic of | | | | adjustments to your plan as necessary until you |
| your service, like the number of years you have | | | | reach and maintain your client or patient goal, and |
| been in practice, or the massage techniques and | | | | the massage business of your dreams.Adapted |
| modalities you use. While features are important, | | | | from the free 28-page workbook, 8 Steps to an |
| people do not buy based on features. They buy | | | | Outrageously Successful Massage |
| based on benefits. They want to know "what's in | | | | Practice.Available from the web site below. |
| it for me". A good way to know that you are | | | | Elizabeth Fletcher Brown LMT, and Certified |
| focusing on benefits is to finish the sentence, | | | | Success Coach is the founder of the Massage |
| "You get..."Examples of Benefits: I help tri-athletes | | | | Business Center, dedicated to supporting massage |
| reduce risk of injuries, enhance concentration and | | | | therapists in creating finanical freedom through |
| increase flexibility. I work with executives to | | | | business success. Do you really have what it |
| relieve stress and tension and to increase | | | | takes to build the massage business of your |
| concentration and productivity.5. Your | | | | dreams? Take out free online assessment at and |
| UniquenessWhat makes you unique from the | | | | find out. |
| other massage therapists and bodyworkers in | | | | |