Money, Marketing and Soul for Massagepreneurs
Archive for February, 2012
Go Local
Feb 29th
Ever searched Google maps and seen a business listing pop up?
Those listings are a part of a free service called Google Places (formerly Google Local). Your Google places listing allows customer reviews, videos, and even a place for you to post updated special offers!
Start by going here to list your business. You will need to create a Google account for this process if you don’t have one already.
Google will take you through some forms to fill out about your business: such as store hours, parking, types of services, credit cards, etc.
Here’s my Google Places listing that you can check out as an example. The more information the better, so fill out every field and add some pictures and videos. Don’t forget to solicit reviews from your customers to juice up your places page!
Create a Tagline
Feb 22nd
Nike said, “Just do it.” Timex said it takes a licking and keep on ticking. And GE mentioned that it brings good things to life.
Developing a tagline can go a long way to help market your massage business. A well-conceived tagline makes it easier for clients to remember your company’s name, to think positively about why they should use your services and to differentiate your business from the rest of the pack (especially if you are in a crowded area with lots of massage therapists).
If you donʼt already have a tagline, letʼs make it a rock solid. Hereʼs how…
What Makes a Good Tagline?
A good tagline is: short (three to seven words); simple (avoid industry jargon), specific (Tell why they should choose you over your competition).
As with all advertising (because thatʼs what a tagline is), identify your audience and then focus on their needs and wants.
Writing a Good Tagline
If all this seems like a tall order for a short phrase, donʼt worry. It is doable by following these steps.
Brainstorm keywords: Just like doing keyword research for your web site.
Brainstorm benefits and values: Now make a list of words that describe the benefits of massage, along with things a client might value about it.
Combine words: See if you can combine two or more keywords, or keywords plus benefits and values, to create a descriptive phrase. Donʼt edit yet!
Pick your favorites: Now start editing. Go through your phrases, and consider how you can make them into a tagline. Pick two or three favorites.
Test your favorites on others: Get opinions of people not in the massage business. So hit up your friends and family. Make sure they both like it and actually understand it.
Your final tagline should be specific enough to say something meaningful, but general enough to remain relevant as your business grows and expands.
Community Networking
Feb 15th
Based on your specialty, who are the other professionals in your community who also work with the same clients? Identify 5-10 people who work with the same population, but in different role. Reach out to these individuals with a letter of introduction. (Note: Laura Allenʼs book A Massage Therapistʼs Guide to Business has the actual letter she uses to build her practitioner referral network — worth a look see).
Identify that you are building your massage practice with a specific focus and you would like to touch base soon to talk about how you can support them with their patients/clients. It is very important that you focus on how you can help them, not how they can help you. Remember everyone wants to know WIIFM (whatʼs in it for me?).
If you do get a referral, ask the client for permission to send a treatment summary to the referring person. Follow up with a one page letter thanking them for the referral and give a brief summary of your diagnosis and treatment plan. Physicians do this for each other as a matter of course and greatly appreciate when others reach out in this way. This courtesy will demonstrate that you are professional, taking good care of their patients and will build trust so that they will send more referrals to your practice.
Update your referral sources 1-2 times a year. A quick letter simply stating any changes or new services in your practice.
Return the favor and refer clients to your referral sources as well.
Itʼs not difficult to build a few mutual referral relationships. It does take time and effort. However, keep in mind you are building a relationship and people are much more willing to refer to someone they know, like and trust.
Contraindications to Massage
Feb 13th
Massage Therapy is a wonderful and very beneficial form of holistic health care. It can provide stress relief, improved circulation… But there are time when massage is contraindicated, or not advised. These conditions are …
Want to use this video on your own website or Facebook Page?
Just click on the YouTube link in the lower right-hand corner. It will take you directly to this video on YouTube. Click on “Share”. “Click on “Embed”. Click on the size video that you want on your website and grab the embed code. Need more help? Check out my video tutorial How to Upload Video to Facebook and Your Website.
Have a comment you want to add, leave it below.
Build a Tribe on Facebook
Feb 8th
Often times when I am meeting with client about building their business online, Iʼll ask if they have a Facebook fan page. Most, do not. They find the process confusing and donʼt know where to start. Plus, its just one more thing to do on top of their long to-do list.
Why do you, as a small business or start-up need one? Check out these stats from Facebook:
-More than 500 million users
-50% of active users log on to Facebook on any given day
-Average user spends more than 55 minutes per day on Facebook
Think about this: your clients are not going to log onto your website everyday, but more than half of all users log on to Facebook in any given day. Thatʼs over 175 million people you could potentially reach with a daily status message. Plus, a Facebook page offers these advantages:
1. Visible to even those without a Facebook profile account. If you send a Twitter message or email with a link, anyone can view the page.
2. Indexed on Google. Meaning, if someone does an online search of your company, this is one more link that will come up.
3. Not sure who your target market is? Facebook fan pages can help you figure that out. Each page keeps statistics of who your followers are and who is participating. It will tell you if they are male or female, their age range, where they are located and what language they speak.
4. With a regular Facebook profile you are limited to 5,000 friends. With a Facebook Page the number of fans is unlimited. This might not be a huge thing if you are just starting out, but always plan for your growth.
5. You can further establish your brand. People do business with people they know, like and trust. Social media is all about building the trust over time and Facbook is a great way to do that.
If you’re not sure how, check out this video tutorial on how to create a Facebook Business page. Once you have build your Page, here are 21 Ways to Increase your Fan Base.
What is Pregnancy Massage
Feb 6th
A pregnancy massage, also known as a prenatal massage, is a specialized massage for expectant mothers. Discover the benefits of a pregnancy massage.
Want to use this video on your own website or Facebook Page?
Just click on the YouTube link in the lower right-hand corner. It will take you directly to this video on YouTube. Click on “Share”. “Click on “Embed”. Click on the size video that you want on your website and grab the embed code. Need more help? Check out my video tutorial How to Upload Video to Facebook and Your Website.
Have a comment you want to add, leave it below.
Establish a Powerful Online Presence
Feb 1st
If you want to build a successful massage practice in today’s economy, you must have a powerful online presence. In 2010, Pew Research Foundation reported 62% of Americans search for health information online. People are online looking for support and information. If you are not present where people are hanging out, looking for you, it makes it that much harder for your practice to grow.
I know some of us havenʼt reached the digital age and are uncomfortable with the idea that we must be online to build our practices. Online is where people are and all business, commerce and marketing is moving in that direction (this is why newspapers, traditional TV and radio are struggling to survive). Here is my short list of what you need to develop an effective online presence.
1. A blog. Blogs are a wonderful way to post helpful information for your current and prospective clients. A blog that you can edit and update independent of a designer allows you to optimize your marketing and multiple income streams. I suggest a WordPress.org blog that you host independently. You can use a free template or paid theme (for a paid theme, I suggest Headway, check the Resource section of my website for more info.)
2. Active profile on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a great place to network with like minded colleagues. Think of it as an online, never ending networking event.
3. Get a Facebook Business Page. With over 500 million users on Facebook, some of them are bound to be looking for YOU! Be active. Provide value! Check out this blog post for a video tutorial.
4. Twitter. I canʼt tell you how much I love Twitter as a marketing tool! Used effectively, Twitter allows you to communicate your ideas to thousands of people many times per day. At first glance, Twitter may not seem relevant or make much sense to you. Iʼm planning on pulling together a class teaching the ins and outs of Twitter for helping professionals. In the meantime, hereʼs a short video tutorial to get you started. Follow people who tweet ideas that speak to your interests. Many will follow you back. When you feel comfortable, start sending your own tweets. Donʼt worry, itʼs free and you canʼt break it!
