How to Start a Massage Therapy Business

Useful Tip

In the initial days, you will be treating people with all kinds of massages; however, as your businessgrows, it is advisable that you take up a specialization to streamline your business.

Massage therapy business has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. Today, it is divided intovarious specializations like oncology massage, facial massage, chair massage, full-body massage,sports massage, Shiatsu, Thai massage, hot stone massage, deep tissue massage, reflexology,Swedish massage, aroma therapy, Balinese massage, etc. Many massage therapists work incollaboration with chiropractors, acupuncturists, naturopaths, dentists, yoga gurus, etc., to providehelp to their clients. This is one of the most lucrative businesses which require limited amount ofstartup investment.

Take Courses

It is important that you take courses in professional massage therapy before starting to practice as atherapist. There are many schools which offer good courses. If you are studying or workingsomewhere and are unable to attend the program, check out the American Massage TherapyAssociation (AMTA) website for online courses. Acquiring a certification is a must as it will helpestablish your credibility.

Get Experience

Merely getting a certification is not enough to start a business. You must gain hands-on experiencein the field. After finishing your course, it is advisable that you work as an intern at a massage

therapy center to learn about the 'tricks of the trade.' Ensure that apart from getting practicalknowledge about various massage therapies, you also learn about dealing with customers, revenuegeneration, marketing, conflict solving, billing, taxation, etc. Nothing quite works like on-the-jobtraining.

Find a Mentor

This is one business where it is advisable to get a mentor from a similar field to guide you. Findsomeone who inspires you through the success he/she has achieved in the massage business.Introduce yourself to that person, and tell him/her that you want to learn under his/her ableguidance. Finding a mentor is important as he/she will guide to take your startup venture in theright direction. Guidance from an experienced person can help you to take the right decisions at theright time.

Make a Business Plan

If you have worked with an established massage therapist, you will know about the nitty-gritty of thebusiness. Also, study how your competitors are conducting their business. It will not only tell youabout the functioning of the venture, but also help you to make a good business plan. If you areavailing a commercial loan, you need a foolproof business plan to impress the authorities. Hence,make a plan giving details of your profit projection, vision, expansion, allocation of resources,pricing policy, etc. Ensure that the plan will act as a guide for the success of your business.

Understand Your Target Market

You should conduct a study of your client profile to understand the details of the demographics. Youmay be getting maximum number of younger clients who are females or baby boomers. It may sohappen that your client composition may be dominated by clients who belong to the sportsbackground. Having an understanding of your target market will help cater to them in a better way.

Formalities

Come up with an attractive name for your business. Register your business as 'doing business as.'You will have to submit the incorporation documents related to massage therapy business with yourState. It is advisable that you hire an attorney to complete the process flawlessly. You will also haveto open a business checking account and apply for an Employer Identification Number. Check withyour local, State, or Federal authorities for the licenses and permits that you will require to operatethe business. Ensure you are abiding by all the tax and state laws pertaining to this business.

Arrange for Finance

If you are planning for a mobile massage therapy business, you may not require too much finance.However, if you are going to get a place of your own for conducting this business, you will have toavail a loan. As it will be a startup and you will not have much initial investment, it is advisable thatyou apply for an SBA loan. You can also avail a commercial loan from banks, but you may be askedfor a heavy down payment. One more option for sourcing finance is to avail a credit union loan. Ifnothing works for you, borrow from your family and friends or find a business partner.

Scout for a Place

If you are planning to find a location for your business, go for a place which will boost your business,

give you great exposure, and will have a lot of foot traffic. If you think that buying a place will costyou too much, you can rent out a facility. Apart from this, you can also rent a place from anotherhealth care provider. Ensure that the place has a soothing and calming ambiance, and appears to beclean and tidy. Don't forget to add relaxing music and fragrant aromas to make the entire experienceof massage a pleasant one. During the initial days of the business, when you will not have adequatefunds to buy or rent a place, service clients from your home or offer to visit them at their place. Thiscan help save a lot of money.

Get Insurance

It is highly recommended that you consult a professional insurance agent to understand about yourinsurance needs. You will have to avail for coverage of commercial vehicle and property damage.You may require to obtain workers' compensation insurance, health insurance, and dental insurancefor your employees. If you are looking for cost-effective solutions, avail the small business healthinsurance.

Arrange for Supplies

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This is one business which will require a lot of investment in the supplies like massage tables andchairs, linens, pillows and supports, stools, etc. You will also need skin care products like massageoils, creams, etc. As people may be allergic to certain ingredients in your skin care products, ensurethat you know about them before starting the massage. Use high-quality products to avoid any kindof problems to the clients. Use disposable gloves, and disinfect the massage equipment and furniturefrom time to time to avoid any kind of skin rash or reaction.

Advertising and Marketing

Invest a good amount of money in advertising and marketing. Have online banners on variouswebsites. Create a website giving details of all your services and packages. Optimize the website forthe right key words. Get your clients to write testimonials for you, and put them up on the website.Show photos of the facility as they will impress prospective clients. Give ads in newspapers andmagazines, but focus more on advertorials and giving interviews in the local newspaper as an expertin massage therapy; it will help garner a good response. Also, sponsor the local community programsand offer trial massages to promote your business. Try to make focused efforts so that you canoptimally utilize your advertising and marketing revenues.

Network

This business is heavily dependent on word-of-mouth marketing. Hence, ensure that you meetcustomer expectations all the time. This will make them give your referrals to their family andfriends. Encourage your clients to 'spread the word' about your business. Also, network with othersimilar businessmen and women in your community. You can form alliances for a joint venture andbenefit out of this arrangement. As they will benefit from your expertise, you will reap theadvantages of their reputation and credibility.

Promote Your Business

You will face tough competition from already-established massage therapists. Hence, apart fromcustomer satisfaction, you will also have to implement innovative schemes for attracting new clientsand retaining the existing ones. You can offer loyalty discounts, free massage trials, and costbenefits on referral schemes. You can also offer short free workshops on facial self-massage to yourclients. You can also have a 'guarantee satisfaction' scheme where you may redo the massage ifhe/she does not like it or return his/her money back. Although few people will act difficult, thisscheme will establish your credibility as a good massage therapist. This will help widen yourcustomer base.

Hire People

When you expand your business, it will become impossible for you to look after all your clients onyour own. Hence, at that time, you should hire other massage therapists to help you out. Whetheryou hire trainees or experienced ones, you will have to retrain them according to your method ofoffering massage. This is essential because the clients may be used to getting a certain type ofmassage from you which they will also expect from other people you hire. If the standards or qualityof service are not met, they will move on to your competitors.

Remember that some women are apprehensive to get a massage from a male assistant; hence, hireemployees of both sexes. Also, ensure that your charges are reasonable, and not overly extravagant.Take responsibility as the head of the business, and be accountable for its growth and success.Remember, providing quality service, customer satisfaction, and value for money is the key tosuccess.