Marketing Insights For Practitioners Of Massage, Bodywork, Reiki, Reflexology & All The Healing Arts

Just Ask Eileen!

Posted in May 21st, 2008

This is the place where you can post your questions about marketing your practice. It’s a great opportunity to find out what other therapists are challenged by or are curious about.

It’s also my chance to talk with you rather than at you.

I’ll be checking in here frequently and responding to as many as I can; some directly and some as a blog entries.

You can see what kind of ideas I sprout and get a chance to put your two cents in, too.

16 users commented in " Just Ask Eileen! "

Andreas Gregorio said,

in June 25th, 2008 at 10:51 am

Eileen Hi,

We’ve recently made a small order of brochures from your products.

We`decided to personalise them with our names, tel no’s email, web address etc.
Do you think its a good idea to include some kind of pricing on this personalisation? or not.

I’ve sent an email today to Noah asking the same question . Later on I saw your section on the website and I thought to ask again

We opted for the “therapeutic massage, how can it help you” brochure.

Eileen said,

in June 25th, 2008 at 11:43 am

Ah! Excellent question.
In brief, I would not include pricing. I think it would limit the flexibility of the brochures as a marketing tool.
One of the things we DO recommend to our customers is to design a simple 1/3 page introduction/menu that can be slipped into the folds of the brochure.
While the brochure is a great introduction to the benefits of massage, it may behoove you to give new/potential clients an insight into your business philosophy, cancellation policy or your approach to healing. On the opposite side of the page you can list your current menu.
Now, you can give me some help here: We have been playing with the idea of creating a free, on-line menu template that people can download and personalize for their practice. It would be for inclusion in a brochure or gift certificate. What do you think? Useful? Is there any other thing like that you wish were available and would make your marketing easier?
Thanks again for the great question.
All my best,
Eileen

Andreas Gregorio said,

in June 25th, 2008 at 3:23 pm

Eileen,
Thank you for your prompt reply.
Since our website entails all relevant information and since our web address is included on the brochure WE CAN ONLY HOPE that people will take the time to look at the specifics of our treatments/practice.

The same applies in my opinion with your question regarding a free on line menu template.

We are about to start handing our 300 initial brochures in selected houses/apartment blocks in central London .
We are anxious to see the response.
Accordingly we will adjust our approach and thankfully you are only few clicks away for further advice.

Once again , thank you for your advice .
kind regards
Andreas

Eileen said,

in June 25th, 2008 at 9:16 pm

I’ll want to hear how it goes, too. Good or bad.

I realize now I should have asked what you were planning on using the brochures for. My oversight.

Tell you what, I’ll have a look at your layout tomorrow (if you haven’t already had it sent) and see how it looks. Actively inviting people to your website would increase your visits and therefore your appointments.

Look for an entry on this.

Please stay in touch.

Eileen

franD said,

in July 7th, 2008 at 4:07 pm

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! I love this. OMG. OK here goes. I am currently renting space in what really is a Chiropractor’s office turned wellness practice. It’s a goof thing. While we all benifit for each other being there. The thing is I really would like to have a space of my own I share the room with two other people. I’m paying $400.00 rent and that’s really great considering. But sometimes it feels a little crowded. I would like a spot of my own and wonder what will I be giving up and gaining from such a move.

Eileen said,

in July 8th, 2008 at 7:57 am

Good one! I just got off the road from Montana so give me a couple hours and I’ll get right back to you.

Eileen

Eileen said,

in July 9th, 2008 at 12:17 pm

Okay, Fran, this is turning into a blog entry. I called a couple MT buddies and they are giving me many opinions; too many for a comment box. So look for tomorrow’s or Monday’s entry to address your question.

Any one else out there want to get in on this? Please do.

Eileen

sandra said,

in August 4th, 2008 at 8:04 pm

Hello Eileen,
I have worked with a senior group for the past 6 months at a reasonable rate doing chair massage 5 days out of the month. I am now being offered a 1 year contract but have been asked to reduce my fee as their budget is tight. They feel that since they are guaranteeing me work for a full year, I should accept a reduction in fee.
I love working with this population but my budget is also tight. I now receive $90.00 for 90 minutes, they are now asking me to accept 75.00 for 90 minutes. Everyone, including me is feeling the squeeze now and I really depend on this money and hate to loose it but I think they are asking for too much of a decrease.

Eileen said,

in August 5th, 2008 at 1:53 pm

Hi Sandra—

Let’s see what we can do for you.

I called Cherie Sohnen-Moe (her Business Mastery book is having its 20 birthday next month [www.businessmastery.us])about this one. I know what I would do, but …

She had a lot of questions for you:

1. Are you there for 90 minutes ONLY per day?
2. Are you working on seniors or staff or both?
3. Do any of them give a supplemental payment?
4. Is your business table AND chair or just chair?
5. Is there an opportunity through this work to get clients for your table?
6. What are other people in your area charging? Is $75 for 90 minutes close?

Not knowing the answers to these, Cherie’s first suggestions are to negotiate for a bigger timeslot (maybe three hours) so the drive, set-up and take-down are more cost-effective.

Can you open up your chair to paying customers (like inviting the staff to get work done when you’ve finished with the seniors — charge a come-on rate to the staff)?

Let us know and we’ll get cracking.

Eileen

» Please Tell Me: how do I tell a therapist there’s a problem? Marketing Matters: Marketing Insights For Practitioners Of Massage, Bodywork, Reiki, Reflexology & All The Healing Arts said,

in August 8th, 2008 at 12:38 am

[...] an experienced smartypants. You can read her immediate response towards the bottom of the Just Ask page. I’ll be fleshing things out for Monday’s entry. See you then. [...]

Beatrix said,

in February 8th, 2009 at 11:04 pm

Hi Aileen,

I want to develop a website.Could you recommend a company specialzing in websites for massage therapists or one that would provide assistance
in developing a site?thank you.

Massage Marketing Made Easy said,

in April 3rd, 2009 at 9:56 pm

Hi Eileen

I’ve left a comment on your post about me, so hopefully your readers will have a better idea of where I’m coming from, what my background is about and the fact it’s not a scam and instead I’m genuinely out there to help

I’d love to have a chat, but can’t find anywhere I can email you. Hopefully you can get my email address from this…

Perhaps we could interview each other and make the interviews available to each of our lists so more MT’s know what’s out there to help them with their marketing.

Thanks!
Karen Dimmick

massage2go said,

in May 5th, 2009 at 4:23 am

Eileen,

I have just recently moved from Chicago to Cape Cod, Ma and accepted a job at a spa/gym. The space and business is new to the owners of the spa. THey have two other locations on the cape. I have been hired to be the massage therapist/marketing person. We have tried numerous marketing ideas. Some examples: Spring stimulus package for $99.00 (includes-hair cut,facial, massage), Beauty bucks-$20.00 off a purchase of $80.00 or more, referral program for the trainers- refer 2 people get half-off a service. We have even attended a ladies community night in which over 500 women get together at a local venue, to see the local businesses and what services they have to offer. Not one have called or come by. What are we not seeing? I have learned not to discount your services or give them away for free. The web-site for the gym is http://www.fitness500club.com and we are under the link Beyond Beauty. We also have our own link for the salon/spas, http://www.beyondbeautycapecod.com. Please, Please help. I do not want to give up on this venture.

frand said,

in May 16th, 2009 at 6:53 pm

How do you know when to step back? I feel like I am drowning sometimes with constantly trying to get my weekly book filled. I always manage to average the same amount of appointments per month which cover expenses with little else left. I post business cards, fliers,offer discounts, blog, email, do newsletters… emailing.

Eileen said,

in May 20th, 2009 at 1:47 pm

Oh, Little Button Fran, you sound overwhelmed. Let me get a blog entry up and see what everyone has to say.

Massage2go! I did an entry for you: http://www.naturaltouchmarketing.com/blog/marketing-matters/2009/05/do-not-give-up/
Check it out, answer some questions and we’ll see who says what. AND, what is your name?

» “I feel like I’m drowning …”: Overwhelmed with marketing your massage practice Marketing Matters: Marketing Insights For Practitioners Of Massage, Bodywork, Reiki, Reflexology & All The Healing Arts said,

in May 21st, 2009 at 2:53 pm

[...] Posted in May 21st, 2009 by Eileen in Ask Eileen, Get Going I got a question this week on the Ask Eileen page from a long-time reader/commentor, Fran [...]