Massage Marketing: Have Hands, Will Travel
Many people are hesitant to try something new. So what do you
do when you want to convince potential clients to give your work a try? Here’s
some tips on going out to new sites in order to meet people with brief, inexpensive
samples of your work.
Decide what kind of clients you really want
in your practice.
Do you like using your skills to reduce the strain of pregnancy, help people
with chronic pain, assist athletes in staying at their peak? Your goal will
help you choose where you want to go. And since you want to build business,
make sure to choose a group of people who are willing and able to pay your
fees.
Brainstorm a list of venues. Consider
setting up in health food stores, fitness centers, salons, athletic events,
other health practitioners' offices, work sites — or any place that has
lots of foot traffic. Now narrow the list so that the place fits the client.
Here’s two examples. If you want to
fill your practice with more people who are dealing with work
stress or recovering from work-related
injuries, get permission
to set up in fitness centers or salons in the business district after work
hours. If you want to do more sports
massage, set
up a booth at a sponsored run or a massage chair at a gym.
Cultivate your contacts. Make friends with the person who supervises the location
whether it's a shop owner, receptionist and/or event planner. Offer that person
a free session or give him or her a discount coupon to use for your services
in the future. Make sure she or he has a handful of your business cards, flyers
and/or brochures. If you’ve been friendly, they will be likely to help
you spread the word.
Gather the supplies you need to offer $5 or $10 brief, clothed bodywork sessions.
Bring a cash box, so you can easily make change. Set up a massage chair if
you have one. If not, use a chair to give neck and shoulder massage or energy
work, or have people lie on your massage table, if appropriate for the location.
Get contact information. Use a simple
screening form, so you can ensure client safety, and be sure to include space
for their name, address and email address. Get permission to mail or email
announcements of discounts or holiday specials,
newsletters or more in-depth information
on topics of their interest, for example, massage
for women or massage
for headaches.
Give each person your full attention. Listen well to their needs, and let
them know where and how they can find you.
Give people a chance to reschedule or stay
in touch. Have your appointment
book out, and make sure they leave with your business card, brochure or both.
It’s sometimes hard to make connections with potential clients, but if
you go where they are with a brief, inexpensive sample of what you offer, they
will have little to lose by giving it a try! |
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