Marketing 101: Growing your Massage Practice

Creating and starting your own business is an exciting venture—full of promise and expectations... and fear! With all of the unknown that go into planning a new business, it is important to be as fully prepared as possible. The American Massage Association has put together some tips and suggestions to get you on the right track. These include: advertising, promotions, and record-keeping techniques.

There are many marketing avenues to take: direct mail, newsletters, advertising, gift certificates, and more. Create your personal marketing plan; perhaps that includes attending volunteer events to pass out your business card, or public speaking about the importance of massage therapy. Advertising is how you remind current clients to stay with you, and how you reach new clients to give you a try.

Promotions are also a good way to motivate prospective clients to give you chance. Special offers or discounted prices create enthusiasm and a sense of urgency. Promoting multiple-appointment offers can also bring in the newbies. Getting new clients is what it’s all about, but you also have to be cognizant of customer retention—be sure to offer these specials to your regular clients as well!

Keeping track of where new clients come from is also important. In order to formulate the best practices for your future marketing, it is essential to know what has worked well in the past—and to keep doing it! “Knowing where to spend your time and money to get the most impact from promoting your business is dependent on having a good marketing plan. Your marketing plan will help you define your goals and objectives and then establish a strategy and action plan for achieving your goals,” – AMTA