Establishing your business

[rastabreezy]

I have my first client due in about 10 min and I'm a bit nervous.

I just wondered from all of you how long did it take you to establish your business. I will be working from home in the evenings offering full swedish and back massage. My husband will be looking after my 7 month old whilst I am undertaking all the massages.

I have handed out my leaflets to friends and some work for big organisations where they can display it on a noticeboard.

I have also given out to a PCT in the area and a couple of health visitors. Have not contacted any gyms or health centres - just hoping that work comes my way through word of mouth.

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks

 

[indie chick]

It took me 4 years to go full-time, and even then, I still did some temping to keep up the mortgage payments! I started outjust like you (30 years ago), but before I had children. I worked in the evenings, initially doing up to 6 massages a week - I sometimes did 3 on a Saturday. Some weeks I had no one booked at all! Advertising is a bit of a grey area. I lived in a town on the south coast, and when I first tried advertising I had a number of dodgy calls. I also relied on word of mouth, and also gave lots of talks to local womens groups, and the Rotary Club (this was in the days when massage therapy was quite 'new'). Rome wasn't built in a day, but as long as you enjoy what you are doing, this will show in your technique, and the clients will start to spread the word for you.
Good luck.

 

[1oldone]

ewll if it is not too late

RELAX

and pretend this is your 1,000th client not your first
if you act confidently your client will be non the wiser, unless you have already told
her/him

hemelgirl

 

[Vegebond]

My clients has just left and it went great.

I relaxed right away and was my usual professional self.

The only other thing is that he mentioned he pulled a muscle on his lower back. Was not sure what to do there. Just did some friction and a bit of wringing and circular thumb movements. Didn't want to do too much just in case I injured him. He said that he does it all the time as he lifts heavy objects.

Shew!!! Time for a glass of wine

 

[pl2010]

I've been working in this field for 10 years and work approx 16 hours a week, but some of that is talks, demos and teaching the therapies.
I do approx 6-12 treatments a week.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Pemba I spotted this posting and it is of interest to me as one also trying (hard) to establish a small part-time activity. I am in full-time employment and merely seek to establish a holistic service based around massage (Swedish and aromatherapy), reflexology and nutritional advice. I've been trying 3 years now via word-of-mouth, leaflets in shops, and various contacts with organisations and I have access to a room (but 3 customers in 1 year!). Like you I am very interest in word-of-mouth approaches (as I fear those unwanted calls so much is talked about on the forum)! I'm afraid i've no positive experience to pass on but at least I can comment on what i've found to be my plight! Mind you, I do regularly treat friends to both aromatherapy massage (mainly) and reflexology and with very positive feedback, including relief from things including Carpal Tunnel problems, sciatica (just this week - so this is very early feedback!), back pain, shoulder joint problems and general wish to 'chill out'.

Best wishes
Anxious

 

[killedbyapenny]

Iwould no be without my website, but you have to tune your website to allow people to find you. People purchase gift certificates for their friends and family from all over the world, I've had people purchase them using the website from New Zealand, England, US, Canada, Australia, China, India, South Africa, Singapore......

I also offer some specialised treatments that aren't readily found - a LOT of my business is pregnancy massage (that also reduces the incident of dubious callers, doesn't eliminate it, but cuts it down significantly), and stone therapy.

I know some marketin guides say make your materials as approachable as possible, but I've gone the other way with mine - I refer to we and our not I/me and my/mine, I make it sound like there are lots of therapists available, or at least that it is not one person, any specfic mention of myself is as the owner, not as the person doing the treatments. I've done this all along,initially as a part time hobby job when I had a normal 9-5 one. I'd make it sound like a bonus that appointments were available evenings and wekends to fit in with THEIR work schedules, not because I was not available during 9-5. Never explain why they can't have an appointment at a particular time, just say "sorry, I've nothing available until Wednesday evening" not "I'm working Monday till 6 then get home and have a client at 7:30 so I can't fit you in, and I'm working Tuesday and going out afterwards, then I'm working Wednesday day time, so Wednesday evening is available".
Don't advertise on any type of online listing that includes any of the other type of massage businesses - you will get confused callers. Be very selective about where you advertise and it helps enormously with keeping the dubious calls down. Your own website is the best online advertising you can do.

I don't know what I would do without my website, particularly for something like pregnancy massage where it's just for a few months while they are pregnant ( a few continue after they have the baby, but finances usually don't allow it), word of mouth just doesn't work, unless you can team up with a prenatal exercise/yoga classes/maternity shop.

 

[Magz]

I think that Cola was a bit negative about establishing oneself by ‘word of mouth’. When I trained at the LSSM (1999/2000), I can recall being a bit dubious when our tutors stated that a good therapist could build up an adequate client base without advertising. However my subsequent experience, and that of several other therapists whom I have met, has shown that the tutors were right: it is possible to establish oneself without a website, and with little or no advertising.
Obviously this does not happen overnight: it took me 2-3 years to build up to 20 clients a week (which I think is a point at one could definitely regard a therapist as ‘established’). There are two ways in which a therapist can gain more clients without a website:

1) as Cola suggested, make contact with a yoga centre, or similar establishment which will attract people with a genuine interest in massage, rather than the type of caller who is actually looking for sexual services. In my case, I also have a sports massage qualification, and more than half my clients come from the same local running club. The club has just under 200 members: fewer than half of them are my clients, but that is still enough to keep me occupied.

2) hire a room in a reputable environment (eg a gym or physiotherapy clinic) for one day a week. If you are a good therapist, you will soon have people asking if you can see them at different times, and you can then offer to see them from a clinic at your home (or by working as a mobile therapist).

Alan

 

[Kaidell]

all good advice.

what I have learnt from this forum is to be very cautious of people ringing and wanting an appointment for that day and only giving a mobile number, when I look back at the ungenuine phone calls ie for sex, they have all followed this pattern. With this in mind I have just included an online form for people to request further info or book parties, etc and specified that they must give an 01 or 02 number for me to ring them back (plus with my phone service I get those calls for free), alternatively leave an email address and I will email them.

I can highly recommend getting a website, a lot of new clients are coming to me via my website. if people have access to the net at work then it makes more sense for them to check therapists online than go through the paper version of the yellowpages.
I pay approx £30 a year, check out 1and1.co.uk
as long as you are willing to do the typing, it is that cheap!

and as cola mentioned, be very careful about free online advertising, most of my smutty calls and emails come from those listings. I now put my clinics details in so that I'm not bothered with them at home. my clinic has a receptionist who is well capable of dealing with 'those' types of calls.

 

[chuck_junior]

Thanks Alan for your comments and advice. I have taken on board all the comments received.

I do realise that its going to take time to establish the business but must just be positive.
I am desparate for money but do not want to be overwhelmed with clients, afterall I have a baby to look after.

I also have a website (free with Freewebs) which is a work in progress.

I have also had some cards printed professionally advertising my business.

I would love to hire a room but (a) I have whatsoever no money (b) no-one to look after my baby...... and will try and find a yoga group in the area to approach/display my card.

So its going to be a waiting game and will let you all know how I get on.

Thanks again!