So you want to know what to charge for your massage services. You’ve compared and looked at what your competitors charge within a 5 mile radius of your zip code. You figure if you price just a little lower then what they charge, you’ll get the business.

WRONG.

The problem with this kind of thinking is (at a minimum) two fold:

1) Someone will always be cheaper than you.

2) How do you know that what your competition is doing is successful unless you sit down and have a candid conversation with them?

You don’t. Every business owner and entrepreneur struggles with how to price their services (and products).

If we were selling comparable items – like the same brand of toothpaste – that would be one thing.

But we are not. We are exchanging our talent, education and time for people to invest in us.

We are conditioned as consumers to compare apples to apples. But in reality, our profession does not allow for this. How you see, perceive, work on a client is different from what I, or any other massage therapist “does” in the same circumstance. But you already know that. That is why it is important to really think about your pricing strategy.

So if you know all of this, then why do you really want to be the cheapest massage therapist in town? Price alone attracts a certain level and quality clientele. If you want to be the one to deal with bargain hunters, who will do just that – search for a bargain and haggle with you about your prices and what they can get every step of the way – then pricing below your competition will certainly earn you that status.

But if you’re looking for respect and to be valued for your knowledge, healing ability, heart and soul, then think carefully about what you are worth and the value you bring to the (massage) table. That, in itself, will sell the client on working with you.

Whatever you’re thinking in terms of a starting price point, multiply that by 10% and start there. The majority of massage therapists undervalue and under-invest in themselves. While this alone does not tell me that you are charging what you’re worth, it is a good starting point. This guarantees that you are at least 10% higher than what you were originally going to charge. Numbers are just that, numbers.

If you can’t proclaim to the world that you are worth your services, then they won’t proclaim it either, and they’ll be visiting the massage therapist 3 doors down from you.

Pricing is not just about the numbers. Pricing is a series of steps and research – within you – that gets you where you want to be. Before you can set any price or number on your services (or products), you need to fully and honestly answer these questions: (1) who are you? (2) what are you about? (3) who do you want to serve? (4) what value and experience do you bring to your clients? All of these variables have an impact on your price – not just what your competitors are charging or how good you are (or think you are) as a massage therapist.

Learn to charge what you’re worth and not blindly follow the industry standards.

I would love to hear what you charge for massage and how did you come up with that price? After reading this post, will you make any changes? So take a minute or two and post in the comments below.