Is "marketing for massage therapists" different ..

[Nickaroni]

that "just plain marketing"?

I mean, can a massage therapist "count" on someone who has experience with marketing for something other than massage, or books. training seminars, etc.? Or are there extra.... nuances... that someone else might not realize about marketing massage?

 

[I love him <3]

Yes and no.

Marketing is marketing. And yet, I think it's easier to sell something if you've sold it before.

To wit, if I hear one more well meaning marketing person suggest, "You could sell your own lotion," I think I might get violent.

 

[ConcernedCitizen]

I agree entirely with Josh. There are basic marketing principles that apply to any situation, many of which are available free or very inexpensively. I repeatedly recommend "Book Yourself Solid", by Michael Port, which is a very inexpensive book, that can guide you through many important marketing concepts. More importantly, it will teach you how to think about you and your business in a deliberate fashion and how to connect with who you wish to reach. The difference between placing an ad (anywhere) advertising "Massage Therapy" and targeting your ad with defined wording, etc., to attract those who you wish to serve are essential.

There are many Massage specific marketing books, etc available out there and many are quite good. But start with the basics. You may not need anything else.

 

[HappyDiva]

My two cents

There are TONS of resources out there. Free and otherwise. Yes, basic marketing principles apply to all things.

After you take a look at what's out there, go with the people / columns that talk to you the way you want to talk to your clients.

Check out sites that sell bodywork marketing products (books, postcards, gift certificates, etc.). Most of those places (mine included) want to keep you in business and help you communicate effectively with your clients.

A book I personally like is Twelve Months to Your Ideal Practice by Lynn Grodzki. It's like a jeans and t-shirt/intuitive approach to keeping track of what you're doing and why.

I'd be very interested to hear what you do end up finding helpful.

Eileen

 

[Angel]

Well, I'll tell you what we DIDN'T find helpful! A couple of weeks ago, the Chamber was putting on a "Power Hour Luncheon" with a local guy coming in to talk about networking skills. He went over several very good, and basic, sales premises. That was ok. But then he used an "assumative close" to "trick" us into practicing on each other! Dh was already not happy to be there, and that broke the camel's back! He told me again this morning, as we were leaving the bazaar event before it even started, that he had not appreciated how that guy had done that, and it gave him lots of insight into how PUSHY that tactic is.

Yes, I'm coming to the conclusion that dh is not a fan of the Chamber, and we probably will cancel our membership, since he just has not been happy with any but one of the events we've been to so far with it. I guess it's just not his "cup of tea" (and honestly, he'd rather sit back and relax with a beer, LOL! Give me the "tea"!)

We were also talking about the massage school where I've just finished up, where he went 2 years ago and worked for a few months this year, and where our oldest son is almost done. He said that the school sold a lot of gift certificates, but it just doesn't seem to be working for us to try pushing them. I remarked that the school was selling TREATMENTS, not THERAPISTS. They don't give a HOOT which therapist actually does the treatment the gift certificate is redeemed for. They aren't selling HIM, they're selling "SPA" as a whole. Definitely a difference in goals there, so obviously a different strategy works for them. (That paragraph feels very awkward- I hope it comes across as I meant for it to!)

So, we've learned that "selling gift certificates" is NOT a good marketing strategy for us. We have to sell HIM (dh). There are far too many "spas" and other MT's around who sell gift certificates for our GC's to stand out (especially coming from a male MT).

Our biggest problem is lack of funds. Well, that and lack of real understanding (experience) in where to put those funds for the greatest return. I suppose that the funds will grow along with the understanding, and vice-versa. I just hope and pray that we survive until then, LOL!

 

[lemon]

I remarked that the school was selling TREATMENTS, not THERAPISTS. They don't give a HOOT which therapist actually does the treatment the gift certificate is redeemed for. They aren't selling HIM, they're selling "SPA" as a whole.

Okay, you've just hit on a really HUGE point here. The thing your clients and potential clients need to hear is how your work will benefit them. I don't really care who is working on me (to a reasonable point) so long as I am able to get back into my exercise routine faster/sleep better/get through the week.

While telling people a little about you is good and confidence building, they really want to hear about themselves and how you will make their lives better.

Diana has a great article out on this if you care to read more (I won't take up the whole page with it ): http://www.naturaltouchmarketing.com/NTM-Article-Archives/2008/11-Target-your-clients'-real-concerns.php

I'm sure you've already examined who your ideal clients are. Believe me when I say that it helps to write it down and put it somewhere you see everyday. Every decision you make should be based on your ideal client profile. Yes, the profile will change. And, because it looks like there will be three of you, you may have three sets of ideal clients.

Until you know who you're talking to, you're just throwing time and money down a hole. And that's darn discouraging. Here's an interview that may be helpful to you, too. Maybe. http://www.naturaltouchmarketing.com/NTM-InterviewJennifer.php

And Cherie Sohnen-Moe has some free planning forms on her site at: http://www.sohnen-moe.com/forms.php Scroll down to "Marketing" for Targeted Market Analysis ... below "Financial Management" and above "HIPAA."

Have you checked your local community college or Small Business Assn? Oftentimes, the SBA gives free classes and they really are worthwhile.

And, yeah, the Chamber isn't for everybody.

All my best,
Eileen

 

[William R]

I remarked that the school was selling TREATMENTS, not THERAPISTS. They don't give a HOOT which therapist actually does the treatment the gift certificate is redeemed for. They aren't selling HIM, they're selling "SPA" as a whole.

Okay, you've just hit on a really HUGE point here. The thing your clients and potential clients need to hear is how your work will benefit them. I don't really care who is working on me (to a reasonable point) so long as I am able to get back into my exercise routine faster/sleep better/get through the week.

While telling people a little about you is good and confidence building, they really want to hear about themselves and how you will make their lives better.

Diana has a great article out on this if you care to read more (I won't take up the whole page with it ): http://www.naturaltouchmarketing.com/NTM-Article-Archives/2008/11-Target-your-clients'-real-concerns.php

I'm sure you've already examined who your ideal clients are. Believe me when I say that it helps to write it down and put it somewhere you see everyday. Every decision you make should be based on your ideal client profile. Yes, the profile will change. And, because it looks like there will be three of you, you may have three sets of ideal clients.

Until you know who you're talking to, you're just throwing time and money down a hole. And that's darn discouraging. Here's an interview that may be helpful to you, too. Maybe. http://www.naturaltouchmarketing.com/NTM-InterviewJennifer.php

And Cherie Sohnen-Moe has some free planning forms on her site at: http://www.sohnen-moe.com/forms.php Scroll down to "Marketing" for Targeted Market Analysis ... below "Financial Management" and above "HIPAA."

Have you checked your local community college or Small Business Assn? Oftentimes, the SBA gives free classes and they really are worthwhile.

And, yeah, the Chamber isn't for everybody.

All my best,
Eileen

Thanks Eileen. I'll take a look at those articles later today (after I get DS to school). And DS doesn't *think* he wants to work with us- he wants to work in a spa. Since we're having such difficulty getting enough clients to fill just DH's schedule, that might not be such a bad idea, at least for now. DS also wants to eventually get a job "somewhere cooler" (we live in Texas- he doesn't do well with the intense summers here. DH, on the other hand, doesn't do well in colder weather!).So I think we'll be "stuck" with two sets of clients for now, LOL! I'm thinking of getting into prenatal and infant/children's massage in time, myself. DH is much more of a "Mr Fixit" type. So yeah, definitely different markets!

Eileen, I was up at 4:30 this morning with ideas traipsing around in my head so much that I HAD to get up and write them all down, and then I had to get my oldest daughter up to talk to her about them! I'm PM'ing you about this now.

 

[Miss 6]

Yes and No.

But the most important thing you need to do is differentiate between SALES and MARKETING

MARKETING gets people to think they should buy an SUV. SALES = aka the sales person/department gets you to pick their model at their price at their dealership.

Marketing increases demand for massage. But you can't forget the sales aspect if you want them to get the massage from your practice (regardless of it is a solo or multi-therapist one)

Simply speaking, marketing is the 4Ps. Basics, but services are VERY different since they are not mass produced and there really is no such thing as marginal cost.

Product: The product aspects of marketing deal with the specifications of the actual goods or services, and how it relates to the end-user's needs and wants. The scope of a product generally includes supporting elements such as warranties, guarantees, and support.
Pricing: This refers to the process of setting a price for a product, including discounts. The price need not be monetary - it can simply be what is exchanged for the product or services, e.g. time, energy, or attention.
Promotion: This includes advertising, sales promotion, publicity, and personal selling, branding and refers to the various methods of promoting the product, brand, or company.
Placement (or distribution): refers to how the product gets to the customer; for example, point-of-sale placement or retailing. This fourth P has also sometimes been called Place, referring to the channel by which a product or service is sold (e.g. online vs. retail), which geographic region or industry, to which segment (young adults, families, business people), etc. also referring to how the environment in which the product is sold in can affect sales.
These four elements are often referred to as the marketing mix,[1] which a marketer can use to craft a marketing plan.

The four Ps model is most useful when marketing low value consumer products. Industrial products, services, high value consumer products require adjustments to this model. Services marketing must account for the unique nature of services.

 

[Joe_Lover Nyc Girl.]

Interesting. Thanks, R&R.

 

[EllenMay]

Too long, didn't read version: You have to solve your customer's problem. You or the person doing your marketing needs to know the industry well enough to understand what your customers' problems ARE, and how your SPECIFIC BUSINESS addresses those problems.

Service marketing will share a lot of the same basic principles. If you're considering hiring out for an external marketing consultant or something along those lines, a good one will understand the need to research the industry to some degree in order to do their job effectively.

People think that succeeding in marketing is knowing and presenting your business well, but it's not. That's important, and you won't succeed without it, but truly effective marketing is about your AUDIENCE, not you.

Your job is to tell them how YOU address THEIR problems and offer them solutions THEY need. As long as the person doing your marketing has a sufficient understanding of your target market and how your business addresses their concerns, you should be fine.

Buying anything, whether a product or service, is a multi-step decision involving a lot of factors, primarily emotional, with logical reasons backing up the emotional decision. Get inside your target's head, figure out what they really want and need, and then show them why your services are that thing. What will they really come in for? Addressing pain? Relieving stress? Feeling good about themselves?

Google the Gary Halbert letter for more marketing info, if you're really looking to learn. Tons of free info and a fun read besides.