disturbng yellow pages advertisements

[Abey c]

I'm an MT student. Yesterday I opened my local yellow pages to scan the listings under massage therapy (wondering who is in business in my area) I came across something disturbing. The largest ads were pictures of female models. Even worse, the ads say things like "therapeutic massage by sexy models..." or the ads will describe the female massage therapist by her looks, age....etc.

Isn't it obvious that if the MT is describing herself by her looks that she must not be a real MT?

In my state you have to be a licensed MT to advertise massage. I doubt they are licensed.

Is there anything I can do about this? I'm afraid in the future when I'm done with MT school and have my license to advertise next to these..ummm... prostitutes!

:x :x :x

 

[Northern Sky]

Hi Sandy

I agree, that is disturbing! Unfortunately, it's something that we deal with a lot, especially in my area. (I imagine there's some variance but I also imagine we're not alone!) Our state requires a license as well, and while there are plenty of unlicensed "therapists" (who are offering Other services), there are also some legitimately licensed therapists who are ALSO offering Other services and they advertise much like you described!

THe good news is, you don't have to advertise next to them. I'm not sure what can be done about THEM advertising in the phone book, but you sure as heck don't have to. And actually, I never have, and I wouldn't recommend it. Most people I've heard from who do so end up paying way too much money for advertising that brings them all the wrooooong clients. So, I would save myself the cash and develop a community and web-based presence instead. (The web has also attracted some less-than-ideal would-be clients, but I screened them away, and the web has brought me some of my longest-lasting and most loyal clients. And, a community presence is even better!)

If you DO choose to advertise in the YP, I would advise keeping your photo out of it, publishing your license # if your license has one (make sure they can't Google it and find your address on a roster somewhere, though--if you Google mine, all you come up with is a PO Box ) I would also advise advertising what modalities you do, what medically-based specialties you have (such as migraines, children, Pre-Natal, elderly/seniors, Hot Stone, etc). Keep it health- and wellness-based. I would NOT use terminology like "release", "full-body", "relaxation", "deep relaxation", "Swedish", "feather-light", "light-pressure", etc. I think that if you really want to advertise that way, there are ways to do so and minimize the Creep Factor, but do keep in mind that since you have dubious therapists advertising in that section, that may increase your chances of having to put up with calls from dubious prospective clients, too, so screen carefully.

Hope that helps! Good luck!
Hugs,
~Jyoti

 

[Pompal 09.]

In our area, there used to be no distinction made in the yellow pages between "massage" establishments and massage therapists. When the advertising representative from the local phone company called and tried to sell me an advertising space in addition to the free YP line listing, she got on humongous earful about that sort of disrespect to legitimate LMTs. Several other LMTs did the same thing when she phoned them. After that, there was a division of listings with the sexual massage ads being segregated from those of us with legitimate licensing in therapeutic massage.

Give the phone company a call, see if that will help the situation.....

 

[Riley07]

disturbng yellow pages advertisements

In my state you have to be a licensed MT to advertise massage. I doubt they are licensed.

Since massage is regulated in your state, report the offending ads to your Board of Massage (or whatever they call it in your state.) I've done that before....cut out pages from the yellowbook, circling the bad ones and mailed it in.

Also as suggested, make sure your ad is different from theirs....stress your therapeutic modalities and make sure your ad looks very professional.

Angie

 

[Pompal 09.]

Interesting... Good points!I guess my question would be for Jyoti or anyone else. How would you describe massage without using full body or relaxation/Swedish? I think that YP advertising and phone inquiries are very much alike and I'm interested to know your response(s). t102

 

[jess b]

If you DO choose to advertise in the YP, I would advise keeping your photo out of it, publishing your license # if your license has one

I was wary about using my photo, but the lady I hired (well, my generous grandmother hired) to help me with marketing convinced me otherwise. Since I'm the only therapist I'm advertising, she argued that this sets me apart from the faceless massage companies. She sent me to a photographer who produced a headshot I'm actually happy with (I'm not so photogenic usually) and it turned out very wholesome looking.

In the yellow pages, I'm the only legitimate-looking ad with a photo of the therapist. (The other photos are of people receiving massage. Lots of skin.) I'm told by people I know who aren't in the massage profession that they would be encouraged by seeing who the therapist is, even though they know you can't judge a person by appearances. So many other kinds of ads that represent a person--real estate brokers, lawyers, others I can't think of at the moment so my list is unimpressive--use their professional, smiling image to garner trust with potential clients.

So, don't rule out using a photograph, just chose your image wisely

 

[Bosco]

Things were similar here, with mixing up the massage therapists, with the massage parlours. And a similar thing happened, the RMT's here complained, that if they are going to have a listing for Massage Therapy (which is a registered trademark here) then they cannot list the massage parlours under that as well. And it changed.

Call complain, it does help.

 

[weddingdressesunnf]

Yeah, I think it's good to complain and threaten (as a group) that you will not buy ads if they don't clean it up.