Attracting & Retaining Clients
February 7, 2024
Need more clients, but don’t have a lot of money to spend on advertising? There are plenty of affordable options when it comes to marketing your business. You might have to get a little creative if you don’t have much money to spend. However, a lack of funds isn’t a barrier to success. Use these creative massage advertising ideas to create a marketing strategy that works for you.
If you’re trying to grow your massage practice, there’s no way around it; you have to advertise your services. You get more clients by making more people aware of your business. Then by convincing them to make an appointment.
If the idea of being a salesperson makes you cringe, we get it. You’re a therapist, not a sweet-talking marketing expert. You got into this business to help people, not to sell them on anything. And that’s the good news! You don’t have to be salesy. You just need to be helpful. No marketing degree required.
All you have to do to convince someone to buy is make them aware of the benefits you provide.
A session with you provides A LOT of benefits. Stress relief. Pain relief. A mental break. A restorative hour. The list goes on. Show them these benefits, and they’ll sign up if they need them. If they don’t, they’re not your customers. No big deal.
You can spend a little, or you can spend a lot.
When it comes to creating a massage marketing plan on a budget, you have options. Before you get started, figure out how much time and money you can invest in advertising.
Then, figure out what your sales goals are. This is an excellent time to review your massage therapy business plan. If you don’t have one, you need to create one. Look at your future projections, goals and financial obligations. Use that to determine how many new clients you need to bring in.
Next, brainstorm as many creative massage advertising ideas as you can think of. Jot them all down, regardless of whether or not you think you can afford them.
Once you’ve created a list of massage advertising ideas, go through them one by one. Estimate how many people you could reach with each strategy. Then figure out what it would cost to implement each idea.
Advertising doesn’t need to be expensive to be successful. There are a lot of free ways to advertise that have a huge reach IF you invest the time. Then again, if you need new clients fast, a paid option might be worth the funds.
Make a list of pros and cons for each option. That’ll help you decide which strategies are best for you. Then create a plan, and implement it.
Here are a few massage advertising ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
Choose one to three of these creative advertising ideas for your massage business. Use them to spread the word and market yourself as a massage therapist.
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Ask any massage therapist what the most effective form of advertising is for their business, and they’ll say the same thing—word of mouth.
Referrals and positive reviews have the potential to be the bread and butter of your marketing plan. However, it’s your job to get people talking.
Get more people talking about you by creating a referral rewards program, networking or creating a strong online presence. Collect reviews and testimonials. Publish case studies on your massage website.
If you rent space in a spa or salon loft, take advantage of the network of colleagues you have there.
Every one of their customers walking through the door has the potential to be a client of yours too. Reach out to your colleagues and support each other.
Promote each other's services. Display each other's business cards in your private spaces. Work together to create massage and spa packages, and split the proceeds.
If you don’t work with other service providers, you can still partner with businesses that make sense to collaborate with.
Your potential clients are already doing business with your neighbors. Reach out to your local gym, yoga studio or chiropractic office.
Support each other by promoting each other’s business. Offer a discount to their patrons. Hang a massage flyer in their business in exchange for placing a flyer in your place for them.
Build your brand by regularly posting on social media. Choose at least one platform to post on daily.
Share your vision. Share helpful tips. Share your success stories. Share pictures of your clinic. Share events going on in your business and neighborhood. Share, and keep sharing.
Think of this as virtual word of mouth. Keep talking. Make it interesting. Eventually, you’ll have a crowd listening.
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You have direct access to your clients via email, assuming you’re collecting everyone’s email address. If you don’t. You should, because your list is your most valuable asset.
Stay in touch with your subscribers by providing them with valuable content. Consider the main reasons people come to you for care. Share articles and insights about helpful things in your email marketing campaigns.
In addition to educating and entertaining your subscribers, promote new services, staff and sales. Ask for referrals and share upcoming availability with your email list.
Connect with people in your neighborhood by attending local events. Volunteer by setting up a massage chair and offering mini massages to participants.
Throughout the spring, summer and fall there are a lot of 5Ks and marathons going on. There’s a good chance one is scheduled in your neighborhood this year.
Hand out your massage business cards, and give a free demo of your services. Offer a limited time discount for event participants when they book a full session with you.
Give your massage advertising a theme each season, by designing promotions around the time of year it is.
Every season has a holiday. Create sales and massage promotion ideas around that.
Holidays like Valentine's Day, Mother’s Day, Labor Day and Christmas are great times or promote massages as a gift or a treat for the occasion.
Take advantage of Clinic Management software with marketing features to help you advertise your massage business. Software like ClinicSense offers tools to help with your email marketing, promotions and gift certificates to spread the word about your services and offerings.
Check out our marketing tools and try ClinicSense free!
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