Attracting & Retaining Clients
May 6, 2025
How to get clients as a massage therapist is the first order of business for any practice. Without new clients, the business doesn’t grow. Attracting new clients is essential for both new massage businesses and established ones. Successfully marketing your massage business can lead to a thriving practice. This article will show you how to get more massage clients, no matter what stage of business you’re in.
There are many ways to get new clients as a massage therapist. Build an online presence through a professional website and social media. Engage in local networking events, offer introductory discounts, and ask for referrals from satisfied clients. Additionally, consider joining associations and directories in the massage therapy industry.
Use a multifaceted approach to promoting your massage business.
Check out our video for a quick look at 6 effective strategies for attracting new massage therapy clients:
There’s not one single approach that works for every massage marketing plan. However, if you work hard and use a combination of marketing tactics you will see results.
Sometimes, it’s all about who you know. Most of your new massage clients will come from within a ten mile radius. So, focus your networking efforts locally. The more people you know, the more potential referrals you have.
Networking in your local community gets your name mentioned by more people. Attend housing association meetings, track meets, high school games, charity events, and the like. Move around and talk to people. You don’t have to sell yourself. Simply introduce yourself and let people know you’re a massage therapist.
If you’re in sales mode, consider setting up a stall or offering massage coupons at an athletic event like a 5k or local sand volleyball league. Give a free chair massage to participants, pass out business cards, and promote massage specials, like a first time client discount.
Don’t forget about local groups on social media. Connecting with people in your community on social platforms is a great way to get in front of more people. Participate in conversations, and occasionally share helpful massage therapy social media posts. Also, be sure to link your online scheduling portal to your social profiles, so your followers can easily book appointments.
The health and beauty-focused businesses in your area are perfect places to get new clients as a massage therapist. Make strategic partnerships with local business owners to leverage the power of collaboration. A local gym or dance studio owner will be happy to send their sore clients your way. Make a deal with your hair stylists to refer clients to each other. Ask the natural grocer if you can put up a flier or set business cards on the checkout counter, in exchange for advertise his business in yours.
Learn from Margaret Wallis-Duffy, owner of Wallis for Wellness and 29-year massage veteran as she discusses how referrals have driven the growth of her award-winning business and how you can use the same strategies in this interview:
Work collaboratively to think of ways to promote each other. For instance, maybe you give members of the gym a special rate. The gym owner can offer it as a perk of membership, and you get more massage clients.
If you work in a shared space with other wellness or spa service providers, consider bundling your services and selling spa packages including both your services. This could give you access to your colleague’s clientele.
Google has become the first stop for anyone looking for information these days. Let’s say Christine wants a massage. She whips out her phone and googles massage services in her town. It would be a shame if you didn’t appear on that first page of results.
Create a business account with both Google and Yelp. These two are the most consulted online directories. If you’ve been in business for a while, you’re probably already listed on Google and Yelp. If you haven’t already, claim your business page.
Claiming your business on Google and Yelp enables you to correct inaccuracies and omissions in your business listing, such as operating hours and contact information. You also get to engage with reviewers and address their concerns. Link your massage website to your google and yelp business pages.
Encourage clients to rate you on Google. ClinicSense Google Review Booster can do that for you. Getting rated by more people helps get you ranked higher on Google. A higher ranking and the consequent search discoverability helps you land more clients googling massage therapists in your area. You can also use local SEO strategies to show up in more searches. To learn how to easily leverage the power of SEO to make sure your clients find you online, check out this lunch & learn with massage business coach Julie.
A good advertising campaign can bring you a lot of business. Online advertising is the best bet because it’s both much cheaper and less intrusive than ads on traditional media.
Instagram and Facebook ads for massage therapists are a great way to get new clients. Advertising on social media allows you to send targeted ads to ideal clients in your neighborhood. Need some inspiration? You can find examples of effective massage advertisements here.
Another way to advertise your massage business online, is to use google ads. Have you ever noticed the top several search results say “sponsored” under them? Those are paid ads. You can create a google ad for your massage business to land that top spot too. Google only charges you a fee if someone clicks on the ad. You just set a daily budget for click and Google does the rest.
Don’t overlook the power of advertising to your current customers. Maybe you don’t need more clients, you just need to get massage clients to rebook with you. You can use email newsletters to advertise new services and special offers to existing clients. Get some inspiration for effective email marketing for massage therapists here!
Word of mouth remains the most reliable form of marketing for massage therapists. People trust recommendations from family and friends (and even strangers on the internet) far more than any ad. So, turn your customers into brand ambassadors.
Here are 4 easy way to get more referrals:
No amount of marketing can sustain poor business practices. Continuously attracting new massage clients and building customer loyalty relies entirely on your ability to consistently provide an excellent service. Satisfied clients will keep returning and urge their friends to come along as well. The unsatisfied ones will go someplace else.
Always showing up as the best version of your massage therapist self is essential to building a strong client base. Continue learning new skills, offer much needed or highly sought after massage modalities. Take your time with people, and build their trust. Build your brand by providing the same level of care every single time. You clients won’t want to go anywhere else.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to market your massage business. There are so many massage marketing tools available to you. Let them do the heavy lifting for you. Save your energy for your treatment room.
Massage therapy software is the best option for getting more massage clients and managing a growing practice. ClinicSense offers a wide array of features to help massage therapists market the practice, stay connected to their clients, and automate all the tasks other businesses use a receptionist for.
Ready to get more massage clients? Sign up for a free trial of ClinicSense.
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