Keep Marketing Your Massage Business In Economic Hard Times

Keep Marketing Your Massage Business In Economic Hard Times Part 1

By Amy Roberts

As Massage Therapists we can become afraid of what we hear on the news about the global economy. And when we hear stories of doom and gloom, the first thing we want to stop doing is marketing. Regardless of what is happening in the world, many of our clients have not lost jobs or financial security. In fact many people’s situations have not changed one bit. And they’re the people to focus on.

If your massage business does drop off a little, then marketing is even more important. People still need to know you are still around, still offering the great service you always have and are there for them.

 The danger is when you make the decision not to market yourself. You, as a sole trader, or clinic owner with staff, need to keep marketing regardless of what’s going on in the world. This danger is when you find that the marketing ceases and soon, so will the new clients coming in.

It’s not good practice to only rely on one marketing strategy. You really do need to have all your eggs in one basket, so to speak, when it comes to marketing avenues. Your marketing of your massage practice will work far more effectively if you rely on a few different sources. If there is a drop off in clients at the moment, do not panic, it just means you have an opportunity to increase your marketing sources.

In times of economic depression your success as a massage therapist depends on your persistence. Persistence means you ask “what other avenues can I market to?” perhaps you could do another break down of your target market and find some sub-markets in the mix of your clients than may become a good group of people to market to. Ask yourself this simple question: “Which of my clients might represent another group of people that would become clients?”

Your success depends on your persistence in your marketing and drive to find other opportunities that might be waiting for you to discover. Sometimes life presents you with things that enable flourishing through well planned targeted marketing. By performing with power and visibility when all you hear are words like “Depression” you will continue to attract clients who have faith and confidence in you. Take this chance to position yourself even stronger.

Keep Marketing Your Massage Business In Economic Hard Times Part 2

By Amy Roberts 

In Part One of this article we discussed how this economic situation can be a great opportunity for you to gain strength, find other target markets you may not have been tapping into yet, and how persistence can increase confidence from your clients. Here are seven ways you can keep attracting more clients using well planned marketing and saving on cost

1. Use your email signature to offer something of value –If you haven’t got into the 21^st century and created an electronic database of all your clients names and details, then now is the time. You can send out e-newsletters with a free bonus eBook such as better postures for prevention of shoulder& neck pain.

2. Give away an eBook or even some audio recordings of you talking about back pain (or muscle pain) that can be eased with self massage or massage aids in the time between appointments. If you’re not sure how to create an eBook do a search on the internet or ask someone online who sells eBooks.

3. At the end of your e-newsletter, direct clients to your new website where they can sign up for your massage and book online. You can also use this space to advertise a special promotion or even a tip of the week.

4.  Questions on your business cards to be used as prompts are also a good point to make your business stand out a bit more. You can have questions printed on the back or front of your cards that address the striking needs of your potential clients. "Would you like to experience life without back pain?” “Do want a life free of stiff and painful joints and muscles?"

5. Use the internet to create business for yourself. You can do a search on Google local results. Type in “Massage Therapy” then the name of your area and city and see what comes up. These will be the best results on the first page that comes up. See what’s happening online in your local area and try to get some extra business by offering to treat the spill-over clients from your competitors that advertise online in your local area.

6. If you have a video camera you can create a small video and post it on You Tube. You can film yourself in your massage room talking about the benefits of massage and you can even video current clients as to how good your massage treatments are. Create your settings to local search results when users look at your video. Make it educational and make sure the quality is good. 

7. Stay positive with everything that you do. Remember in the first article I said that persistence radiates confidence. When you have confidence in yourself, others can’t help but have the same confidence in you. When you feel confident, you tend to make good decisions that have repercussions that echo ahead of the time that we can immediately foresee.

Be proud of yourself. Your massage therapy practice is the result of your thoughts, energy and actions. In fact your actions stem from how you ultimately feel about yourself. Reinforce an image of value and deliver the highest quality to your clients from that unique value.

To get started on a new train of thought that creates success and radiates happiness. What is it that makes you different, special and valuable to your clients? You know the answers so tell the world what they are.