Advice From Industry Experts
October 22, 2025
Featuring Michael Ortiz, Massage Business Coach & Owner of Massage Customs
Marketing is simply building trust. Get known, continue being known, build trust, and then invite people to buy.
That’s how massage therapist and business coach Michael Ortiz explains it. Marketing isn’t about gimmicks or flashy social media. It’s about helping people see that you understand their problems and can be trusted to help solve them.
Once clients trust you, the sale happens naturally. Without trust, no one buys.
For more perspectives from other experts, check out Massage Therapy Marketing, a roundup of insights from multiple Lunch & Learn guests.
If you hate talking about what you do because it feels pushy, start by defining your ideal client. When you try to appeal to everyone, you sound like a salesperson. When you speak directly to the people you’re meant to serve, you sound like someone on a mission.
Michael’s advice:
Stories and testimonials are key. They sell without feeling salesy. Share what happened, how you helped, and what the result was.
For more ways to refine your messaging, explore How To Stand Out From Other Massage Therapists and The Business Mindset Shift, two other expert-led Lunch & Learns.
Pick one thing you’ll actually do and do it consistently.
You don’t need to be on every platform. If your ideal clients are busy moms, ask where they hang out: Facebook groups, Instagram, or local gyms. Start there.
Before you dive into marketing, know your numbers and schedule:
When you have that clarity, your marketing decisions become simple. Michael dives deeper into this topic in Massage Expert Pricing Tips: How to Charge Your Worth. You can also explore practical guidance in our blog post How To Price Your Massage Services to help align your marketing with your business goals.
Your price and schedule naturally define your target market.
Start by asking:
These questions narrow your focus so your marketing attracts the right people and keeps the wrong ones out.
This is also a key part of learning how to increase your prices without losing clients. The clients who value what you offer are the ones who stick around.
If you’re not fully booked, marketing should be your full-time job until you are. Michael suggests spending up to 80% of your working hours on business-building activities when you’re still growing.
His productivity mindset:
When you’re not busy, that’s your cue to invest time in your business. Host a chair massage demo, attend local events, or film a client experience video.
These habits not only attract new clients but also help with managing client retention, getting more referrals and it’s how you get repeat bookings from clients who value your services.
Video is king right now. Show what it’s like to be your client: the environment, your technique, your professionalism. People want to see themselves on your table.
Michael said the best type of content is the one you’ll actually do consistently. Use a mix of formats: video, screenshots of reviews, and storytelling posts, but stick with what you’ll keep up with over time.
His content formula:
For inspiration and instruction on creating engaging videos, check out Video Marketing for Your Wellness Business.
Business is about relationships. About 75% of your marketing should be giving value: helping people solve small problems and building trust long before they buy.
Good customer service is the baseline. Hospitality goes further. It's about making each client feel seen.
A thank-you card with a Starbucks gift card is nice. A card with a gift to their favorite restaurant (because you listened) is unforgettable.
That level of personal care turns clients into lifelong advocates and helps you build an abundant massage business rooted in authentic relationships.
Not necessarily. If you’re not already consistent with organic marketing, start there. If you do test ads, begin with a small, comfortable budget of $500 to $1000 a month.
Only invest what you’re okay with not getting back right away. It's an experiment, not a guarantee.
Marketing is a non-negotiable. You can’t think your way into confidence, you have to act your way into it.
Educate yourself: read marketing books, study what grabs your attention, and start trying things. Every post, video, and email builds your confidence muscle.
ClinicSense makes it easier to put Michael’s advice into action.
Inside the ClinicSense Community, you can connect with other massage therapists, watch Lunch & Learn replays like this one, and get inspired by real-world marketing strategies that work.
Plus, the software includes massage marketing tools designed to help you stay consistent:
Together, these tools make it easier to manage your business, market authentically, and grow the kind of practice you love.
Building a strong marketing foundation isn’t about doing everything, it’s about doing the right things consistently, with clarity, confidence, and genuine connection.
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