The Life of a Therapist

I’m incredibly surpised at how successful my “EveryBody Deserves a Massage Week” campaign has been. I’ve booked three massages and found 4 of the 5 participants I need for a case study I’m working on. Wow!

The curiousity has been overwhelming, too. Everyone is reading the flyers and asking about massage. I’ve had men ask about massages for their wives; women thinking about it for themselves, and more. Even if these people don’t book massages this week, they’ve got the thought in their head and they’ll think of me when it is their time.

That’s the key to marketing, my friends. You want your name out on the street so that people will begin thinking of you first when they want a massage or bodywork service. Participating in massage community events is an excellent way of getting your name out into the world!

Things are moving slowly, but surely. I’m actually getting ready to launch into the full-time world of freelancing (massage and writing) within the next month, so things will certainly get interesting moving forward!

Have a great weekend!

As a massage therapist, you’re going to find marketing to be one of the most difficult tasks on your list of things to do. You’ll probably find that placing ads in the paper is not the most cost effective; neither is a largely blind mailing. So, what will you do?

If you’re just starting out, you’ll need a set of business cards. You can easily carry business cards in your purse or pocket and hand them to anyone you meet who may be interested in your services. It’s also easy to mail a few to family and friends (in cards, etc) or leave them in various doctors offices or stores you may visit frequently.

I’m almost never without a business card and a pen. I’ve even gone as far as mailing cards out with my bill payments. If I meet someone who is interested in massage, I’ll ask for contact information so that I can call or email when I run a special. Most people are willing to accept a discount or coupon, so it’s not tough to get that sort of information if you are honest and promise not to mistreat it.

I’ve met quite a few therapists who wonder why they don’t have any business. The problem is that they aren’t promoting themselves, or they’re going about promotion in the wrong way. Start with the easier (and less expensive) options and move on from there.

You can  purchase business card templates from your local office supply store. They sell perforated business cards that you can print on after designing your card in a simple program, such as Word.

If making your own card isn’t your thing, search online for business cards. There are dozens of companies giving away FREE business cards as long as you pay shipping. They’ll only give them to you for FREE on your first order, but most of these companies charge relatively low prices to start with…

Grab some business cards and hit the pavement. The best way to promote yourself is by making yourself known!

Attention Massage Therapists!

Did you know that the week of July 20th through 26th is EveryBody Deserves a Massage Week?

EveryBody Deserves a Massage week is sponsored by the ABMP (Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals), and they have been running the event for 14 years.

Basically, massage therapists are encouraged to promote the benefits of massage therapy while helping to make massage more affordable to the community. You can participate any way you want, but here are a few suggestions:

• Offer discounts to your current clients
• Give FREE massages to senior citizens
• Donate complimentary chair massages and/or offer massage for a donation that will be given to a charity of your choice
• Asked for canned food donations in exchange for chair massages
• Create special offers for service groups (ie. firemen, etc).

These are just a few of the suggestions made by ABMP and others. I’m sure you can think of more.

Personally, I am offering incredibly steep discounts to anyone who calls to book their massage by the 26th, even if their appointment is after that date.

I also took this opportunity to open up a case study program to some of my clients, where they will get a package of 5 massages for a very low price while helping me to finish a project for an international certification! Everyone wins!

Regardless of how you celebrate, remember to express how important massage and bodywork actually is and how beneficial it can be to the body. Be creative, and have a great week!

The further removed you get from massage school, the more likely it is that you’ll come across a disease or condition that you aren’t exactly familiar with. Such was the case for me last night. I had a woman visit my studio after winning a gift certificate I donated to a chinese auction.

When she made her appointment last week, she mentioned that she had neck problems and that she had never had a massage before. I was a little bit nervous, even though I love working on necks and relieving upper body tension.

I was slightly dismayed when I looked out the window to see her husband drop her off. She had a neck brace on! I wondered if I was being set up for a lawsuit or if she was freshly injured and I should decline the massage.

As it turns out, my client has degenerative disk disease. She wears a neck brace when she is a passenger in a car because she is afraid of what might happen if they are in an accident or have to slam on the brakes suddenly.

We had a lengthy conversation about her needs and expectations before her massage. I became more comfortable with her and her condition and she was comfortable with me working on her neck (carefully) as well. She felt great by the time we were done the session!

Remember, it pays to question yourself, especially if posed with a difficult situation. Never jump in feet-first if you don’t know what you are getting into. Always ask questions, and if you aren’t getting the answers you need (or the answers that make you comfortable with a massage), decline to do the work and/or refer your client back to his or her doctor for clearance.

Better safe than sorry.

As a massage therapist, having given and received many massages, I know that determining whether or not to tip a massage therapist is often a source of awkwardness and uncertainty for many clients. It’s a question I’m asked often, by my own clients and by people who plan to see other therapists. There is not one clear-cut answer, but there are a few things you can keep in mind that may help you to make that decision based on your own situations.

First and foremost, was the service you received worth tipping? Was the massage therapist friendly and did you enjoy your massage? With the exception of therapeutic and physical therapy type work on injuries or related situations, was your massage pain-free? Did your therapist communicate with you throughout the session? Think of tipping your massage therapist like you would like of tipping your waiter or waitress at a restaurant - was the service worth it? Once you have decided whether or not you feel a tip is warranted you can then move on to determine whether or not a tip is appropriate.

Did you see the therapist in a spa or in a private massage practice? If the massage therapist is working at a spa, he or she is only earning a fraction of the price you paid for the massage (30-40% on average, more if they’re lucky) and is also competing with other massage therapists who may have seniority and get more clients assigned to them. Situations like this make tipping appropriate and I can guarantee your massage therapist will be very grateful for the extra cash at the end of the day.

If you saw the massage therapist in his or her own private practice you may have to do a little more digging. The same goes for a massage therapist who comes out to visit you in your home. If the massage therapist is the owner of the company, he or she has set the rates and should not need to be tipped, though it is oftentimes welcome. Many times the owner of a massage practice will not accept tips anyway. If the massage therapist you are seeing is an employee at the massage practice or wellness center, he or she will most likely be grateful for the tip. The massage therapist in this situation is probably making a little more than if he or she were in a normal spa setting, but they still aren’t getting 100% of the price you paid.

Massage therapists who work in chiropractor or doctors offices are normally independent contractors, so they may be setting their own rates but have to pay a small percentage back to the owner of the practice to cover their costs. It’s not likely to be a huge amount, but it cuts into the funds your therapist has for overhead (and to live on). Considering the setting, if it’s allowable, a tip is appropriate in this situation as well.

As I mentioned before, the most important step you need to take is deciding whether or not you feel the service you received was worth a tip. You should also never feel pressured to leave a tip if you don’t want to. Once you’ve made the determination, you can offer a tip regardless of whether or not you are clear as to the establishment’s rules or protocol. If it’s not appropriate, the massage therapist will gracefully decline, but at least he or she will know you thought enough of him or her to offer. In the end, the final decision is up to YOU!

Welcome to my new blog, dedicated to all things Reiki, Massage, and Bodywork. Basically, if it’s related to the field of bodywork, you’ll read about it here.

I am a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist with experience in Swedish massage, thereapeutic massage, Thai massage, Reiki, Indian Head Massage, Pranic Healing and more!

Massage and energy healing techniques are incredibly beneficial to both the physical body and the mind. Join me as we explore the benefits of massage and the different types of massage that are available. I’ll share information about my experiences as a therapist, as well as general information on massage and how it impacts the body as a whole.

Please do not hesitate to leave questions or comments. If you’re interested in a specific aspect of bodywork that hasn’t been mentioned, I’d be happy to write about it for you!