Marketing as a Student Practitioner

[???????????]

I was talking to my instructor about doing this, as a way to make a little extra $$ on the side, and she said this is perfectly acceptable, as long as I don't charge a fee....but I can accept tips for free bodywork. I'd like some feedback from established bodyworkers about how I can market myself for this.  Have any of you done this while in classes?  WHat are some effective ways to market/promoteThank you for your time

 

[Mallow]

Marketing as a Student Practitioner

Hello Biorhythm, welcome to the boards. In Ohio, we simply got business cards that said "Student Massotherapist" and showed up at a lot of volunteer events, like the Revco run, where we could give them to those who asked. At those events, some students would put up a little sign on their tables, saying "Donations Accepted".

 

[jennababe_68]

In my state, students are not able to accept tips for massage (not even at the school clinic).  So your idea is not even an option for me.  I would say that you would have to market yourself just as any MT, but you have to specify that you are a student.  You don't want people thinking you have already completed your training.  Good luck!  

 

[Wes]

Thanks for your replies!  I'm not wanting to fool anyone into thinking that I've completed my training....I just want to stay legal.

 

[Beverly Anne N]

Market to everyone you know.  Friends, family, neighbors are an valuable resource.Let them know that you need to practice and I am sure that they will be more than willing to participate.The "sticky" part comes after you graduate......now you will be charging the same people you worked on for free.Some may not come back as paying clients.....some will.I set a friend/close relative fee and mentioned it whenever my "guineapigs" asked me what I would be charging.Get your hands on as many people as you can.Good luck,Robyn

 

[Sal (yeah)]

In my school we couldn't take tips, but two of my class did quite a lot of work outside school.  One talked to everyone at their church, and had regular MT sessions at weekends.  The other rented a room in a holistic/alternative community centre, and started building up a strong client list on a 'donations and expenses' basis from people they knew and friends of friends (the fee they charged covered the cost of the room etc, I don't know if they took tips).

 

[Christy]

Marketing as a Student Practitioner

In my school we were allowed to take tips. And after we finished our clinical we were paid 40% of each massage.

I told everyone when I past my test to work in clinical. We had to test out on our MT instructor before we were allowed to work in the clinic.

Wow, I only wish our MT school had done that, most of us needed jobs immediately after we graduated in order to afford food/bills. We couldn't accept tips either.

 

[Ds Ehhhd]

In North Carolina students are not allowed to receive tips or compensation of any kind.  We can't even accept a free meal in return for a massage.  So there's no way we could set up an office and accept donations to offset expenses prior to licensing.  

 

[rachel c]

I don't know what your states requirements are.  If it is a state where it is regulated and you need to be licensed or certified to work then I would say - only market yourself to those you truly know.  Mainly because you want to make sure that you don't get fined, arrested, or even worse penalized so that you can never get your license.  I was very nervous in between the time that I finished school and when that piece of paper came in the mail.If your state is not, then go for it.  You definitely need the experience outside of the "school" setting, that is when you truly learn your hands on.  But make sure that you let them know that you are still a student.We were told when I was in school that we had to wait until we could apply for malpractice insurance. To cover ourselves just in case.  I totally agree.  All I would need is for someone to say that I hurt them, and my education would be out the window.  Yes, you may need the money, but look at it with the point to do the right thing in the long run.  Oh and my school was in NJ, I live in NY, and we were allowed to accept tips from clinic.  Even a few dollers really helped.  They were told that they had to tip the students between $5-10, most tipped 5, some even less... and they payed $25 for the massage, they got a good deal!

 

[Crafty Max]

I agree with the others to check out your State laws and go from there.When I was in school for reflexology I had to fulfill my practice hours but had just moved to the area 8 months before and didn't know very many people. What worked for me was to advertise on Craigslist.org with a "suggested donation" clause for my student status. Seemed to work well, I did get an odd phone call or two, but I mostly kept to scheduling the appointments through email and that allowed me to filter the occassional nut.  

 

[Msean]

I know a lot of people do this...but to practice without making sure of your state AND your municipality laws is dangerous. You HAVE to be absolutely certain that it doesn't say something like "ANY person performing massage..." because that rules out the old "free massage for generous tips" thang. Even then...you will go into a meat grinder IF someone rats you out or, worse, has a problem or falls off your table or something.

--Jenna