Attracting new clients

[Mac da pimp]

Hi there

Me again, just wondering how you all attract new clients to massage and Indian Head massage. Although I have done 3 full body, lots of back massages and about 4 IHM since I have rented my room from April, I would like to do more.

I charge £18 for 30 min back massage, ihm and £34 for 1 hr full body.
I think the prices are reasonable for down in the South of the UK, but maybe I'm wrong.

From what my clients have told me they have all complimented me on my massage and say I have very good hands. One (a tutor) asked if I would like to take her job when she left at the local college. So I don't think it's me.

Frustrating really as I really enjoy doing massage.

Deb

 

[Rt Cald]

Hi Deb,

Have you tried offering an incentive to re-book - like 25% off your next treatment if you book now or maybe a recommend a friend scheme for a discount.

Good luck

FBx

 

[GleCamaaoe]

How have you advertised?

 

[loz]

....& how is the location/venue environment for attracting people? do you have to pay for the room & be there all the time? do you take bookings in advance only, or is there drop-in business as well? have you considered offering mobile IHM to workplaces nearby?

 

[Istorchard]

hi

check out the business and marketing forum..there is a long thread there with useful ideas

tigress

 

[mwfrgkps]

Hi Deb,

The #1 way that all therapists attract more clients is from referrals from people who have already experienced your services. And you can encourage that by asking them for referrals. It is pretty easy, just say something like "I would like to work with more people like you and I build my practice through referrals. If you have any friends, family, or co-workers that you think might enjoy my services please take some of my business cards to give to them." You can even setup a referral rewards system where your existing clients get a reward - like maybe an extra 15 minutes - every time they send you a new client. So even if you have just a few clients this is a good place to start getting more. And then make sure you stay in contact with your current clients regularly. Send out a monthly newsletter or post card, etc.

I hope this helps.

jobymojo

 

[Kayla Mcnulty]

You could always try posting an energetic sign! It's a form of visualisation

The possibilities are endless, but here are some questions you might like to ask to help you devise your sign:

a) Is it just one sign or would several signs be best?
b) What is the exact location of the sign? On the roof of your house/office? In front of your house? Covering the outside walls of your house? In the centre of the town? Trailed by a plane around your neighbourhood?
c) Does it need to be a specific shape? Rectangle? Square? Irregular shape?*
d) How big should the sign be?
e) What is the sign made of? Wood? Metal? Glass? Stone? Transparent or coloured plastic? Some ‘energetic’ substance with special properties?
f) What colour should the background be? A single colour? Multiple colours? Patterned?
g) What should the message on the sign be? [Something short seems to work well in general] Naming illnesses? Blatant advertising type slogans? Promoting you? Promoting the therapy?
h) How big are the letters? Are they all the same size? Font? Line spacing? Letter spacing?*
i) Is the sign electrical in some way? Flashing lights? A message which moves or changes as the potential client looks at it?
j) Does the sign include pictures? Symbols? Other graphics?
k) Does the sign include sound? Smell?
l) Should the sign point in a specific direction? Should the whole sign rotate?
m) ?????

Then get visualising.

You need to pay regular attention to your sign. To begin with you need to check it at least 4-5 times a day, but after a while you can check it less often. The checking involves seeing it as clearly as possible in your mind’s eye. Drawing it may help you to visualise it more clearly. Remember to carry out ‘housekeeping’ on your sign: keep it clean and bright, check any electrical connections and bulbs, etc. Doing this makes the sign as ‘real’ as possible. Imagine the positive results from having such a wonderful sign. The more energy and realism you put into the sign the more likely it is to be successful.*

Usually the sign needs changing fairly frequently in order for people not to ignore it. This also means that you are putting even more energy into it. Different signs attract different clients, so by changing it on a regular basis you will stand the best chance of attracting as many clients as you want.

May sound bizarre, but it does work!

 

[spot the cat]

hi jane,
just curious... how do you know it works?
x
henry

 

[epliaomz]

Hello Henry,

because I've tried it. I've also suggested it to other practitioners who've tried it and found it works

Jane

 

[Tyra]

Good grief, Jane, this could put the entire advertising industry out of business. Is it possible to put one of these virtual adverts in the local paper?

 

[kimbacfc123]

mmm, I've been toying with the idea of putting one on Google for my web site!

 

[xsjwfuhw]

i am definitely going to try this tehnique - as soon as i have something to advertise...or perhaps sooner

 

[Carla R]

great, do let us all know how you get on with it

 

[LiveLaughLove]

Apologies for reviving what has become a dormant 'thread'. But there have been a couple of recent posts from female therapists who work from home, and have received unwelcome attention from male clients who were expecting something more than a straightforward massage. I therefore think that one needs to be cautious when trying to attract new clients if one works from home.

There is some useful advice in a book called 'Healthy Business' by Madeleine Harland and Glen Finn (ISBN 185 623 0058).

My personal advice would be that the word 'massage' is so frequently used by women who are actually offering sexual services that it is unwise for any legitimate therapist who works from home to simply advertise 'massage'. If your interest is in deep tissue and remedial massage, then go on a sports massage course and advertise yourself as 'sports massage'. If your interest is in gentle relaxing massage, then go on an aromatherapy course and advertise yourself as 'aromatherapy/massage'. But to simply advertise oneself as offering 'massage' runs the risk of attracting the wrong type of 'client'.

I accept that, as a male therapist, I am probably at less risk than a female therapist. Nevertheless, although I have a general massage qualification as well as a sports massage qualification, I only ever advertise myself as 'sports massage'. And I only advertise myself on professional websites (SMA/LSSM) and at three local running clubs: I certainly wouldn't advertise in local newspapers or 'Yellow Pages', and I certainly wouldn't consider erecting a sign as Jane appears to be suggesting. If you are an effective therapist, you will gradually get more and more clients through 'word-of-mouth' recommendations.

Alan

 

[Corey Taylor]

At present I am advertising in the following ways:

1) My website
2) Google AdWords ad for my website
3) I give a business card to just about anyone who will have one when I mention my practice
4) I always have a stack of leaflets with me in my bag wherever I am in the world for anyone interested
5) Free listing in Yellow Pages (company name and phone number)
6) Paid Priority Listing on Yell.com
7) Leaflets in local shops and salons that will take them as part of a referral program

I am about to extend this by doing the following:

a) Increase the number of shops I put leaflets in, also put some posters in local hospitals, dr's surgeries etc.
b) Send a press release out announcing my new practice, then once I have my Press database follow this up with announcements of expansion, new treatments etc
c) Write to all my local personal trainers, physio's, oesteopaths, chiropractors letting them know about my new practice and offer an incentive to start a referral program
d) Talk to some local social groups about doing a short presentation for their members

It takes time unfortunately, and word of mouth helps. But unfortunately to get the word of mouth you have to do the advertising to let people know you exist and have a treatment. Without a treatment there can be no word of mouth.

Also on the Yellow Pages / Yell.com issue. I am a male therapist with a home practice, I have had my share of of w*nk calls. I can usually tell fairly quickly if they are after such services, and politely tell them that appropriate draping is used throughout the treatment and no sexual services are offered. Although with some I do want to tell them where to go and if they want sex why don't they have a look at the rentboy website. The first time was a bit shocking, but now I take it as part of my job. I have however had a very good time with YP and Yell.com - several clients have found me there and made appointments and left very happy with the treatment.

Hang on in there, it takes time and effort but you will get there!

Good luck
Hugs, Mat xxx

 

[vjezpuydiatitheut]

Hi Mat

Thanks for the reply. But I suspect that as male therapists, we are more easily able to ‘brush aside’ requests for sexual services than some of our female colleagues are. And there is a genuine risk to female therapists: there was a case some time ago where a female therapist in Dorset was murdered. According to the press report which I read, the killer was a male customer who had assumed that she was a prostitute because she had quoted a price of £100 for a massage.

Regards

Alan

 

[RusQuentsek]

Hi Alan[/align][/align]What make you think it is easier for a male patient to knife you in the back than a female?[/align][/align]I do agree that males are targeted more often by female than male prostitutes for massage/sex and this does lead to problems but I have also received funny phone calls and been propositioned during treatments from females.[/align][/align]IMOthe problem is people simply do not understand massage regardless of gender and it is up to us to explain fully what is and what is not included during the consultation, you can always put one of thosecreditsigns on the wall "Do not ask as a smack in the mouth often offends" ;-)[/align]

 

[Hawaiian Bruddah]

With regards to Yellow Pages - I had a free one line listing last year and had a lot of male callers asking for things I simply don't offer - this year I changed my ad. I use the company logo, makes it look professional, and avoided putting massage simply as massage. I put down all the therapies I practice and worded it as 'Aromatherpy / Remedial Massage' - I felt that linking the massage to remedial looked psychologically better than 'Aromatherapy Massage/ Remedial Massage' cause I've noted that some of the men ask for 'Aromatherapy Massage' when they want something less thaninnocent. It's been much better this year.

I was approached to put flyers in a nice pub locally but figured although it's got a nice restaurant by day, by night it's full of drunks and would give totally the wrong impression.. You just need to think carefully about positioning of ads.

I find doctors surgerys to be very mixed, some will let you put leaflets in, others wont cause it looks like they are saying go to this person they are reccommended by us.. where I have put leaflets in the doctors, I've had good responses.

 

[xwgjhvsi]

Thanks to Paul and Gussie for their replies.

I must admit that until I read Paul’s post, I had never contemplated the possibility that I might be stabbed in the back by a female client demanding sexual services. My reason for adopting a very cautious advertising policy was that I was concerned about being propositioned by homosexual males demanding sexual services. I guess that I must have led a very sheltered life!!

Incidentally, going back to Deb’s original query, I would have thought that charging £34 was on the high side for a newly-qualified therapist. I have been qualified for more than six years and charge £30 for an hour, which seems to be the average rate for massage therapists in the Croydon area. There are two very good therapists within five miles of me who only charge £25 for an hour’s treatment.

Alan

 

[juikeTede]

I think local considerations have to be taken into account when discussing the price issue. £34 for one hour would be relatively inexpensive in the area of North Hampshire where I practice, although 20 minutes up the motorway might be a different story.

Incidentally, with reference to Paul's message - the most uncomfortable I have ever felt providing a massage was whilst training, whena female client made entirely inappropriate and lewd comments about being "rubbed all over" by "a nice young man". The innuendoes didn't stop for next hour and a half, and whilst I appreciate it may have been meant in jest I felt completely undermined and embarrassed.

A learning curve if ever there was one