posted September 06, 2011 10:53 PM            

I have taken part-time work at a Chiropractor's office, mainly to get me off the couch and re-invigorate my zest for massage, which it has accomplished on both fronts, but now as I see every pettiness and every failing in this "Doctor's office", and every unprofessional and unethical way they slip up, I am disenchanted with owning a business in general and feel like I should just call it a day since all these lousy people seem to succeed, on the surface, where I fail miserably Now we're not comparing the same entities, mind you, as they are an 8-10 person office, with lots of bells and whistles at their disposal, while my business is a mobile, in your home or office, massage therapy business with little "traditional" advertising, and minimal repeat business. I can chalk it off to the economy, or the state of healthcare, or simply say my prices are too high or perhaps people simply can't abide a stranger coming in to help them feel better...I don't know if I am doing something wrong, or not enough ,or if it's out of my control and that frustrates me to no end.

posted March 04, 2012 05:58 AM            

Establish professionalism. If your community isn't that familiar with massage or is leary of it being more an "entertainment business" than quality complimentary healthcare, it could be a great opportunity to educate them about the positive health benefits while establishing yourself as an authority who can be trusted. Trust is very important, especially in a community where massage isn't fully understood and you're trying to get into people's homes to do your work. Educating the public about it could be just as important as advertising. In fact, it could be one of your major advertising methods.

This educational advertising can be as simple or complex as you'd like- everything from holding classes and workshops to just including one-liners stressing benefits in your ads. Example: "getting massages regularly helps reduce high blood pressure." If you have preferences for clientelle (male, female, children or animals), than your advertising should target them. The high blood pressure benefit will target men because more men have high blood pressure than women. Dry skin effects both men and women, especially in winter. "getting massages regularly during winter can help relieve and prevent dry, itchy skin.".

Customer testimonials also work very well. When clients compliment my work, I always ask if I can use their statement as a testimonial. They've always said yes. So, when one female client after a foot reflexology treatment told me "wow, I haven't felt that relaxed in years", I jumped at the opportunity to use it as a testimonial. In a new town, this will be a major asset - even if you have to call up old clients for permission. An ideal one for house calls would be when a client says something like, "I'm so glad you came! It feels so good to just relax at home after your massage instead of having to deal with traffic." anything like that would be perfect to use in all your advertisements for house calls. The benefits also vary with the type(s) of massage offered; deep tissue is more applicable to sports and work-out enthusiasts than to pregnant women and infants, who would benefit more from a Swedish effleurage.. Because I have had bilateral carpal tunnel, I can't give deep tissue massages- this limitation reduces my potential clients and the services I can offer. To make up for it, i've had to identify which massage techniques I can do that clients like best, and advertise those. Also, when a client says something like "amazingly dreamy" after a hot stone treatment, not even bothering to make it a "complete sentence", then I use their phrase as a headline in my online listings. This is especially helpful for advertising hot stone massages during the hot, summer months. Whether you work with hot stones or not, the point is to listen to your customers, and use their compliments to offer what you're best at.

I got carried away - more about educational workshops and classes and how they can help improve your bottom line. Not every one likes speaking before people, and many of these could be adapted into "articles" for local publications and various online media, including your own website. Plus, you might prefer some over others.

Workshops, classes and articles ideally should focus more on actual information than advertising. Your advertising comes at the end or in the byline, when you inform them of your services, any special incentives, and how they can contact you to schedule an appointment. The workshop or article should focus on benefits and proven facts supported by recognized outside authorities... The American heart association, national institute of health, etc. Topics can be as general or specific as you want. There's plenty available on the Internet for generating ideas for your own classes and articles.

Also, sometimes instead of encouraging participants/readers to schedule an appointment with you, you may show them how to do it for themselves or each other. Examples:

"Pregnancy massage" for lower back pain relief, leg cramps and improved blood circulation.
"pregnancy massage for expecting fathers" teaches massage techniques to men so they can help relieve their spouse's discomfort. Those couples who attend this class would be more inclined to also attend your workshop on:
"infant massage" is a wonderful and easy way to show love for babies while giving them the closeness and sensory touch they need for healthy development.

These could be workshops for a whole bunch of people, or personal instruction for couples at their home. networking with professionals in these adjacent fields is also helpful. For the pregnancy angle, working with a Lamaze instructor can be a win-win for everyone, as the target clientele is the same, making referrals and joint projects easier. Connecting with a sports or fitness instructor for referrals would work the same way.

posted May 05, 2012 11:28 AM            

Thanks for checking in I dropped the unethical chiropractor's office after they treated me horribly after I was in a car accident. Oddly enough, when I stopped micromanaging my business and fussing over it, business has really picked up! I am more energized and optimistic, but I also am more willing to trust that I am guided to the places and people that best influence both the business and myself; no need to chase down things that cause pain.