Marketing Your Massage Therapy Business
In your massage therapy business, you’ll serve as the owner/operator, customer service, accountant, secretary, and marketer. While you can certainly hire other individuals to help you along the way, without a solid marketing plan it is all for naught.
Have a Business Plan
One of the biggest mistakes new business owners make is diving into their new endeavor without a business plan. Take the time to assess where you are now, where you’d like to be in a year, and how you’re going to get there. Now is the time to decide the type and amount of marketing you want to conduct, as well as how big your marketing budget will be. The Right-Brain Business Plan: A Creative, Visual Map for Success, by Jenifer Lee, offers a fun and creative alternative to the business plan process. She emphasizes the importance of utilizing imagination and intuition.
Let Your Name Be Known
You need an online presence. Many people who want and need your services will be searching for them online. You can’t afford not to be there. Start blogging or build a website, even if it isn’t wonderful at first, just to claim your piece of online real estate and confirm to others that you are a legitimate business. Blogging is a powerful tool to establish yourself as an expert within your unique niche.
Get involved on social media and networking sites. Connect with your clients, as well as other professionals. LinkedIn is a wonderful networking site that can showcase your experience and expertise to your clients, as well as connect you with other professionals that may be willing to pass your name along to their connections.
Start a blog filled with unique and intriguing information. Maintain and add to this blog regularly to boost your position on search results and build a loyal readership. Create videos to share, filled with tips, instructions, and news about your business. Just don’t sit back and do nothing; your clients want to hear from you so make it easy for them.
Offer Incentives
Consider running promotions for a percent off services or have a contest. Offer a drawing for a gift certificate, either for your services or to a popular local restaurant. Engage your clients by getting them excited and offering them something of value. They’ll want to tell everyone they know about this great deal they just found with you.
Marketing is all about meeting your customers where they live and understanding what they want and need. If you are diligent and show that your primary concern is for your customers, your marketing efforts will be successful.
Following are two articles that may inspire you to take the next step towards creating a business plan or unveil a new marketing tip to try.
Boost Your Business
Marketing for Introverts
We would love to hear from other massage therapists. Please share what has worked for you- networking, social media, a website?