Building A Massage Therapy Business

Get A Business License

To make sure that you can lawfully operate your business within the limits of your county or city, you need to make sure that you have the proper licenses and permits. Local governments usually handle the issuance of business licenses at the county or city level. If you don’t obtain the appropriate licenses and permits to operate your business, you could get fined or shut down.

S To Launching A Massage Therapy Business

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. Walt Disney

The decision is made. You are ready to set out on your own and become an entrepreneur. Its a worthy goal and one that can lead to a successful and fulfilling career if you do it right. Here are 5 steps to ensure your massage therapy company starts off on the right foot and stays on track for the long term.

What Factors Should I Consider When Creating My Marketing Plan

When setting out your marketing plan, there are some questions you need to ask yourself.

The first is what product or service do I want to promote? How can this benefit the customer? Will it solve a problem or fulfill a desire they have expressed before? What does the competition look like in terms of prices, quality, functionality, how are they marketing?

The second thing would be who is my target audience? Who am I trying to reach with this message, product, or service?

What kind of language do they use? How can you create a relationship with them through your messaging that appeals to their lifestyle and values so that when they hear about the services offered by your massage therapy business it resonates on an emotional level as well as seeming logical from a rational standpoint?

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How Much Can A Massage Business Owner Make

Many massage therapists run profitable businesses, but their income varies according to the businesss location, specialization, and competition. The Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights how the May 2018 median annual wages for massage therapists differ depending on the industry in which each massage therapist worked. Massage therapists who worked in chiropractic offices earned $51,690, while massage therapists who worked in other health professional offices earned $44,560. Massage therapists who worked in personal care services earned $39,740.

Ask For Reviews From Your Clients

Youve created a great intuitive and easy to navigate website, and you post riveting content on your various social media outlets. Now, dont be shy to ask your clients for reviews and ratings. Once you start having repeating clients, you know they like what you do so ask them for reviews. Your online ranking will increase and youll become more attractive to potential customers. As a matter of fact, people will pick a place with a 4.5/5 that has 500 ratings over a place with a 4.9/5 with only 8 ratings. In a Forbes article, they explained that having hundreds of honest reviews will have a positive effect on your conversion rate and make people trust your business more. Similarly, according to a study conducted by PowerReviews and the Northwestern University, having 20+ reviews is the optimal number for small businesses. Potential clients will be convinced that your massage therapy business is worth a try.

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B Put Yourself Out There

The internet is the best and most sophisticated marketing tool at your disposal. Use it, to its fullest capacity. List yourself on online business directories, such as Google My Business, Yelp, Bing, etc. Make sure that people are able to click on your business and access your contact details. You can even add your booking link or Book Now button to directly get appointments from these channels.

Research online spa finding tools and try to get your business there as well. The motive behind these steps is to use the algorithm of the web to make sure you are visible when someone searches for your service.

Top 10 Tips For Starting Your Own Massage Therapy Business

Would you like to start your own massage business? Like the idea of taking control, making something your very own and creating your own employment? Providing you have enough get-up-and-go and the commitment to see things through, running your own business could become an extremely positive and rewarding experience for you. Here are 10 top tips youll be glad to know about.

1. Become certifiedWhen it comes to massage youll have to be fully qualified before you can lease out a room and pop a plaque on the wall. You need to complete either a Certificate IV in Massage or a Diploma of Remedial Massage. If you havent already received these, you can read more information here about massage courses at Sage Institute of Massage.

2. Get aligned!There are lots of different massage associations out there, and some require certain qualifications before you can apply to join. This is a good thing, becoming a member will give you credibility. Additionally, there are some associations that will be compulsory to join if you want to get a rebate with HBF and other private health insurance funds.

We suggest you check out the following two Australian member associations:

• Australian Association of Massage Therapists aamt.com.au
• Australian Traditional Medicine Society atms.com.au

3. Get an ABNBefore starting a business, youll need to register for an ABN. Dont worry, once again this is a relatively simple process. Check out this site for more information: www.business.gov.au

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How The Massage Therapy Business Will Be Started

The first thing to do before you start thinking about how to start a physical therapy business is to develop a business plan for a massage therapist. You can also take help from this massage business plan template. After this phase, you can start executing the planned steps. As the next phase, Susan will procure and enhance an existing therapy center in downtown Manhattan which ceased to function two months ago. Since the facility was previously used as a therapy center so the cost of inventory is cut down and the biggest expense will be incurred on the renovation work. The costs for the startup are as follows:

The detailed startup requirements are given below:

Marketing Strategies To Get Repeat Clients

If you are working with a client on a specific problem and they are making progress, point it out. Look back over your treatment notes to see where they are now compared to where they started. Maybe their pain level is much lower, they report sleeping better, or their ROM has increased. When improvement happens slowly it can be hard to notice.

Also, you are more likely to get repeat business from clients that are in your target market. Lets say that your TM is athletes and you design your practice around this. Everything from your brand, the ambiance of your office, your treatment style, etc. If you get a new client that comes in expecting a relaxing spa experience that is usually offered at a luxury day spa and is welcomed by a treatment room with posters of Olympic athletes on the wall, can hear weight plates clanging in the gym, and a faint smell of gym socks, they are not likely to return. Your practice just doesnt appeal to that person. On the other hand, a weekend warrior who works out at that gym and wants a sports massage may feel right at home getting a massage there.

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Utilising Your Home Space For Massage

After following some of these basic steps, youll soon find that you are running your own massage therapy business from home. Not only can you have a business that is completely yours with the freedom to choose certain aspects of your business, but you could find that work-life balance that you have been looking for.

Working With Related Businesses

As a massage therapist, you may be able to save some money on rent by cooperating with related health businesses. Perhaps you could create a partnership with a chiropractor or an acupuncturist to offer massage services in their offices. A spa, athletic studio, or yoga studio may allow you to set up a massage room at an existing business for a reduced rent cost.

These types of locations and businesses often will have people already visiting them who may have an interest in massage. This extra foot traffic can introduce your business to more clients quickly.

Perhaps the therapist could operate out of his or her primary location a few days a week and set up shop inside a related business for another day or two each week.

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Create A Massage Therapy Business Plan

A business plan is a crucial component to launching your own massage therapy practice. This document forces entrepreneurs to set realistic expectations about things like their budget and projected profits. It also helps to identify potential problems, organize resources and guide decision-making toward longer-term targets and milestones.

A business plan is also necessary if you plan to raise funds, whether by approaching investors or applying for a loan backed by the Small Business Association

It takes time and research to build this road map but its essential to gain the best understanding of your businesss landscape, reducing possible risks. While there are many templates you can adapt to meet your business planning needs, in general, a massage therapy business plan will include:

An executive summary: a brief and concise explanation about your businesss general mission and goals, what services you will provide, where you intend to operate and who you plan to serve.

Company information: including a comprehensive list of products and services you plan to sell, your qualifications and experience and that of any other people who will be working with you.

A market analysis: this section should detail what demand exists in your area for your services, describe your ideal clientele and identify who youll be competing with for their business. Make sure to address how you will differentiate your business model from these competitors.

Start A Massage Therapy Business By Following These 10 Steps:

There is more to starting a business than just registering it with the state. We have put together this simple guide to starting your massage therapy business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

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What Marketing Is And Why You Need To Market Your Massage Business

Marketing is the process of getting people interested in your product or service. Its also communicating with people who are already interested about why your massage therapy business offers the best value and is able to solve their problem.

Many small business owners, including massage therapists, start their business thinking that clients will start lining up as soon as they hang a sign that says Open For Business. Unfortunately it doesnt work like that. The reality is that it takes hard, consistent work, for an extended period of time to build a thriving business.

There are many types of marketing that can attract clients for a massage business. Here are just a few:

• Word of mouth marketing
• Direct marketing
• Social media marketing

There is a difference between marketing and selling. is a broad concept that includes planning, researching, implementing a marketing strategy, and promoting. Selling is just one component of marketing. It is delivering your services and products to your customers.

Marketing asks the question, Who is interested in massage therapy? Selling asks the question, Would you like a massage?

Almost every explanation of marketing includes a description of the Four Ps of Marketing. So Ill outline them here using a massage business as the example.

Is Offering Discounts A Good Way To Get Massage Clients

Offering discounts for your massage therapy services can attract more new clients and speed up business growth initially. This is a pricing strategy called penetration pricing. But there are some problems with using this marketing strategy long-term. Here are a few problems that I can think of:

• Discounting your prices attracts clients who just want the cheapest massage in town. These clients may leave you when a cheaper option comes along or if you ever raise your rates.
• It can lead to a price war with your competition. This essentially becomes a race to the bottom, which makes it hard for any therapist in your community to make a living.
• You will have to do more massages and get even more clients to make the same income.
• Working for less than what you think your services are worth could leave you feeling underappreciated.

Instead of discounting your prices to get clients, a better way is to increase the perceived value of your services. Help clients to understand why you offer more value to your massage clients than your competition.

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Choose A Concept And Stick To It

Have a theme and stick to it. You dont want to be all over the place. You cant be a boho-chic Bali massage parlour mixed with minimalist and refined Swedish massage parlour. Choose one. This concept should be inspired by your own taste and the vibe you give off. As long as your business is clean and tidy, you pretty much have carte blanche for your concept.

Moreover, the name of your massage business should fit with your concept. You can be very conventional and have a name like Jane Smith Massage Therapist or you can choose something a little bit more original like Ananda Massages . Whatever you choose, make sure it represents you well and that you love it!

Furthermore, when you’ve chosen your concept, make a list of all the equipment you need: Massage tables and chairs, massage oils, lotions and creams , towels and bathrobes, relaxing music, candles, incense, etc. You can’t give massages if you don’t have all the proper equipment ready.

Make Booking Accessible And Easy

One huge factor in growing your business is accessibility that is, how accessible your massage services are to clients, old and new.

And yet, sometimes it seems that businesses go out of their way to make themselves inaccessible. This is especially damaging in the online world, where users expect nothing but expediency and efficiency from businesses.

Whether user frustration stems from unwieldy websites, outdated apps, or frustrating interfaces, the solution is the same. If you improve your online accessibility, your numbers will have nowhere to go but up.

If you dont already offer online booking, its a great place to start. Statistics have shown that a large percentage of people prefer booking online and for good reasons!

Offering online booking means clients can book with you anytime even after-hours. With Yocale, your customers can even cancel or reschedule their appointments right from their mobile device without making a phone call.

Now thats convenience!

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Treat Your Practice With Focused Care

Karen MenehanEditor-in-Chief, MASSAGE Magazine

Massage therapists contribute to a healthier planet, one session at a timeand I am grateful for the many benefits I have received from massage and other hands-on techniques. This is why I would love to see massage therapists, in general, become more focused on their marketing efforts. Focus looks like choosing a particular clientele and then crafting a marketing message and materials to match. Focus means setting up social media business accounts separate from personal accounts. Focus means taking advantage of the software, retail products, advanced education and coaching available to massage practitioners today. If massage therapists put the same care, presence and attentionfocuson the health of their practices as they do on each massage session, I believe this field would advance greatly in public perception, medical referrals, and the financial health of therapists themselves.

Step : Get Business Insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your companys financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If youre unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so its a great place to start for your business.

Learn more about General Liability Insurance.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, its a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

Recommended: Learn what business insurance for your Massage Therapy Business will cost.

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What Are The Basics Of Marketing A Massage Therapy Business

When it comes to marketing your massage therapy business, there are a few key components you will need:

• A marketing plan that includes how to market your massage therapy business online, how to find clients through social media, how to promote your services in person, how you will track the effectiveness of marketing efforts, and how often you plan on updating it.
• A website with a blog that can drive traffic back home so people who are looking for information about what is offered at your massage therapy
• A presence on social media platforms that allow you to engage your target audience in conversation via one convenient location.
• Competitive advantages such as email marketing, which allows for frequent communication with existing clients and helps build loyalty through discounts and promotions on new products or services offered by your massage therapy business.