5 - Tips To Build A Successful Massage Therapy Business

So you went to school to learn to become a massage therapist and then when you started in the real world, you really found out what you did not know. To have a successful massage business, it is not all about the art of massage but also how you promote yourself.

You may have tried different ways of self-promotion without much success. You may be running out of ideas and out of time. With the crazy economy, what may have worked before may not work well now. Here are five tips to help you succeed in today's economic down turn.

1. It is always a special day for someone. It might be Valentine's Day, a birthday, an anniversary, another holiday or just a thank you for being a friend day. No matter what the day means to someone, you can be there to take advantage of that day.

In order to take advantage of this fact, place a variety of gift certificates for every occasion in a photo album or binder at the check in/out desk of your business. As the clients sit waiting for their appointment, they may look through the book and think of a special day they want to purchase a gift certificate for. Have the gift certificates available for purchase at the front desk.

2. Ask your local coffee house or restaurant if you can place a fish bowl and sign for customers to drop business cards or sign up forms in for a chance to win a free massage. Place the bowl at the register or front entrance.

When the fish bowl is full, award one winner and use the other cards or forms to send a discounted marketing promotion to. You can offer a one-hour massage for the price of a 30-minute massage. The cards can be used over and over for different promotions.

3. Instead of purchasing an expensive ecommerce account, use a less expensive alternative such as Paypal to sell your gift certificates. You will be able to accept credit cards and fees are only about 2.5% and .30 per transaction. Your customers will spend more if you have the ability to take credit cards for your gift certificates.

4. Set up a website. Most people start their research on the Internet. If you do not have a website, you may not be found at all or taken seriously. If you are low on money and cannot pay for a website to be developed, you can use one of the free services such as Weebly.com. It is easy to learn, so do not be afraid to give it a try until you can afford a professionally designed website.

5. Advertise on free websites and in free local circulars. You can use on-line services such as Craigslist or Backpage to place classified ads. These are free and have a well-viewed web presence. The more you can advertise on the Internet or in print the more you will build up your name and be found by potential new clients.

These are just a few tips and there are many more to help you build a successful massage therapy business. Your success is dependent on your ability to market and promote yourself.