Whether you just started or have been at it for years, knowing how to market your massage therapy business goes a long way.
You can’t overstate the importance of solid marketing skills for massage therapy businesses. It’s how you grow, communicate with clients, and of course — make more money.
But with everything that goes into running your own massage business — leases, inventory, clients, payment processing — it’s hard to implement a massage therapy marketing strategy that helps you in the near term and long term.
To help, we put together this guide to massage therapy marketing to give you the best marketing tips you need to truly grow your business.
In this article, we’ll show you how to:
- Build an Online Presence
- Take Advantage of Social Media
- Stay Connected with Your Massage Clients
- Offer a Referral Program
- Partner with Other Local Businesses
5 Massage Therapy Marketing Pro Tips
1. Build an Online Presence
Before you think about social media marketing or email marketing for your massage business, you need to establish an online presence. That includes your business website, Google listing, Yelp page, and online scheduling platform.
Business Website
Since your website is likely to be the first place clients get to know your business, your website has to hook them.
With so many free website builders out there these days — like Wix or SquareSpace — you can give clients a look into your work and who you are.
Here’s a checklist of items every business website should have:
- A Book Now button
- A full breakdown of each service you offer
- High-quality photos representing your work
- Testimonials from clients
- An “About Me” or “My Story” page
Extra Credit: With Schedulicity, you can add a Book Now button on your website to take clients right to your booking page, or you can even build your Schedulicity booking page directly into your site, meaning clients never have to leave your site to book!
Online Scheduling App for Massage Therapists
There’s no doubt online scheduling apps make your business more efficient. But not all scheduling apps are created equal.
While we believe Schedulicity is the best (wink wink!), we put together a guide to finding the right scheduling app for you.
Google My Business
According to Google, customers are 70% more likely to visit a business with a Google profile, so it’s a crucial first step to building your online presence.
Once you’ve set up your Google business profile, clients can easily see your location, visit your website, view your hours, or contact you — all from one simple Google search.
Yelp
Clients want to trust the businesses they book with, and Yelp is an excellent tool for clients to research businesses before they book.
Like Google My Business, you can update all your business information and upload pictures of your business or services you offer, giving clients the info they need and a platform to read and leave reviews.
2. Take Advantage of Social Media
Social media can be a gold mine for small massage businesses looking to grow when used the right way. It’s an easy way to engage with current clients and get your business in front of potential new clients.
But how do you start marketing on social media when you’re, well, just getting started?
Here at Schedulicity, we break down social media marketing into the three C’s: Be consistent, get creative, and give everything a call to action!
With those ideas in mind, let’s look at what it takes to get the most out of both Instagram and Facebook.
When it comes to Instagram, don’t think so much about posting something pretty or what you believe would personally be fun to share. It’s more about posting content that gets your clients engaged.
1. Post consistently
Aim for posting at least once a day. Daily posts may seem like a lot, but a recent study found that 60% of Instagram users are on the platform daily, including 55% of young adults who visit several times a day.
2. Don’t forget your #hashtags
Hashtags have become a pop culture term, but they have value in giving more visibility to your posts. Unsure which hashtags to use? Don’t miss this list of the best hashtags for massage therapists!
Extra Credit: Interested in learning how to get the most out of your Instagram captions? Schedulicity’s guide to Instagram captions has all the tips and tricks!
The number one thing to keep in mind when it comes to Facebook? Keep your business page and personal account separate.
Since your Facebook business page is where you can ramp up traffic to your website or booking page, you want it separated from your personal page.
When it comes to your posts… keep them fun, informative, and helpful. Offer tips and tricks that your massage clients and potential massage clients could use.
Essentially, you’re showing your value and credibility as a massage therapist, so be sure you’re sharing the info that reflects you and your business.
Social Media Marketing 101
Deep-dive into trends, tools, and hashtags that will take your brand – and small business – to the next level.
Get the Guide3. Stay Connected with Your Massage Clients
Email Marketing
If you’re not already sending out consistent emails to your clients, you’re missing out on one of the best marketing tools out there. With an average return of $45 for every $1 spent, there’s no doubt email marketing is huge for small businesses.
Your email marketing efforts could include a consistent newsletter, updating your clients on current specials or promoting services.
It could also include emails to pass along deals, follow-up Thank You emails after appointments, and re-engagement emails – all of which this massage booking app can do for you.
Burnout is a syndrome…resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.
It is characterized by… feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy.”
4. Offer a Referral Program
Too many massage therapists wait for referrals to walk through the door. Instead of waiting, why not let your current clients do some free word-of-mouth marketing for you?
You can keep your referral program simple, too — say $10 off for each new client they bring? This way, you’re showing appreciation for your current clients while bringing in the new!
5. Partner up With Other Local Businesses
Reaching out to fellow small businesses in your area may seem a bit old school, but it’s still a big way to put your business in front of new clients.
Since massage therapy falls under the umbrella of the health and wellness industry, you can partner up with other local businesses in your community that share similar values and goals, such as:
- Gyms
- Spas
- Dietitians/Nutritionists
When connecting with other businesses about a potential partnership, you can offer to provide your massage services at their location. You can also offer discounts to customers who visit the store or their employees.
Putting your massage business out there in the community — coupled with your online marketing efforts — is a surefire way to drum up new clients and grow revenue!
