Awesome practice building info I just found online....

Hi everyone. I am getting ready to set up a massage room at a nearby country club for the first time and since I was searching for some extra materials like business cards, brochures, etc. I got up on www.info4people.com. I have purchased items from them before and they are great. Here is some info they have at this link: http://www.naturaltouchmarketing.com/NTM-Quick-Tips.php

I will reprint it here but then you can get up on their site for yourself to see what they have that can take your business to a new level.

Postcards

Send regular clients a birthday card that offers 10% or $5.00 off their next massage. Also mail a "Thank You" postcard with a discount to clients who refer new people to you.
—Mary Jane Ashton, Fort Worth, TX

We send birthday postcards offering a 20% unlimited discount during the client's birthday month. We are seeing a lot of return on this offer! Some clients only come in during their birthday month, but they send in referrals during the rest of the year. It's a good way to maintain the mailing list and a very good way to gently remind our clients we are still here. We feel we get much more response from mailing to our existing clients than from running newspaper ads.
—Melissa Greiner, CMT, Ebensburg, PA

I sent out the Mini-Vacation postcards. Then I put up a shower curtain with a beach scene for one window, another shower curtain with shells for the other windows. I brought in a beach chair and umbrella and hung pictures I brought home from Hawaii. I put a beach towel over the blanket for the table and play ocean surf and Hawaiian music. I put warm stones in their hands and one under their occiput. When it is 10 degrees outside, this looks and feels great! My clients loved it.
—Suzanne Daigle, Georgetown, MA

I had postcards and stamps left over from an event. So when I gave a talk to 180 people, I included the stamped postcards with my business information in the packet I handed out. I asked the audience to use them to write with any feedback or questions. I received about 10% back, and all of those contacts were "business-building" in some way.
—True-ly Tiger-lilly, Salisbury, MD

Promote your services to wedding parties! Send the Spring Promo postcard to brides who are clients or acquaintances offering her a package of gift certificates for family members and helpers. Also, get names of brides-to-be from the engagement announcements in your local paper and send them a postcard with a congratulations message, “Good for one free 20-minute massage.”
—Debbie Kacic, LMT, Medina, OH

Here's a way to reach new people if you work with or refer to other health care practitioners. Ask them to include a postcard with your personalized information in packets for new clients. On the postcard, offer a discount on the first session. In return, you can include their business information with whatever you give your new clients.

Personalize postcards for a targeted professional group. For example, to market to a group of lawyers, you could say, "Prosecute stress. Get a massage." For policeman, "Arrest your tension." For medical professionals, "Vital signs need a boost?" Hand them out to groups of professionals in your community in combination with a brochure of your choice, such as Chair Massage for You or What is a Massage Like? Add clear contact information to both postcard and brochure.

Get together with one to three of your trusted associates. To begin, one of you sends out a postcard mailing announcing a special offer. If the response is more than you can immediately handle within two or three weeks, then refer your clients to the other people in your group who will honor YOUR offer. Later, someone else in your group sends a promotional to his or her clients, and will repeat the referral set-up. Keep taking turns. This will help you build a support network of associates who your clients will get to know, and who can back you up when you are sick or want to take an extended vacation.

Reward and motivate your most regular clients with postcard announcements and specials. Your established clients are your best source of income. To make the most of your marketing dollars, target your regular clients with frequent mailings. Do larger mailings that include both regular and infrequent clients less often, perhaps once or twice a year.


Brochures

At a health fair, client education brochures provide something you can give potential clients to think about after you talk to them. You can also see which brochures go first which can give you an insight as to the concerns of potential clients and the approach you should take with them.
—Anne Ledbetter, Ballwin, MO

When you sell gift certificates, include several copies of your business card as well as one or two massage brochures in the envelope. You may even want to include your bio. Find out something about the gift recipient from the giver and select brochures targeted to the recipient. This makes the gift seem more substantial, more like a packet than a piece of paper. Plus the recipient gets to learn more about you and about massage. That may help them feel more comfortable making their massage appointment (and hopefully come back again on their own as a repeat customer).
—Debbie Heffernan Benko, Gaithersburg, MD

Laminate copies of the brochures you use, front and back, with your personalized information on it, to post in the offices of other health practitioners or other sites such as health food stores, fitness centers or day spas.
—Sylvia Meister, New Market, Ontario

Make a colorful flyer on one-third of an 8.5" x 11" page announcing your specials. Then insert them in your most popular brochures.

If you can, get the addresses of gift certificate recipients. Then do a follow-up mailing to the receivers with a brochure or card that allows you to introduce yourself to the recipient. This can boost the return you get on your gift certificates.

Mail a packet to new clients when they schedule. Include a welcome postcard or greeting card and the brochure, What is a Massage Like? or another brochure that addresses a topic they mentioned when they made the appointment. Also include your brochure or business card with your hours, rates and cancellation policy.

When starting up a massage business, plan to send a brochure and gift certificate to local doctors, dentists and chiropractors to give them a chance to experience your work.


Gift Certificates

Attach a sparkling ornament to a gift certificate. Just punch a hole in the corner of a seasonal envelope and use a ribbon to attach. Slip your gift certificate in and you have an especially appealing gift. Flat metal ornaments are light and easy to handle.
—Kathy Kyar, Des Moines, IA

As a favor to my clients, I let them know that they can call me ahead for a beautiful gift certificate package for their loved ones. When they let me know, I wrap a gift certificate of their choice in a box with a bow, which is ready for them to pick up at their convenience. (Note: Get the message out to your clients ahead of time with a newsletter or postcard mailing, in a special email message or by promoting it on your Gift Certificates Available poster.)
—Christine Heffner, Orlando, FL

Make a binder showing a variety of gift certificates. You never know what will prove irresistible to a client who is thinking about a gift for a loved one, but hasn't decided what to buy. They may look over the one or two designs you've had for years, but something in a different color or design may spark their interest, even if it's not your favorite. Attach your "Gift Certificates Available" poster to the front of the binder, insert the gift certificates in page protectors, and put the binder out for clients to look at while they're waiting.
—Mary Jane McDermott, Rural Hall, NC

Offer massage packages to businesses in your area to use as thank-you’s to customers. I struck a deal with the car repair shop down the street. They buy gift certificates from me for chair massage and give them to their customers as a thank you. The customers redeem them while they are waiting for the car to be done.
—Julie R. Jones, Griffith, IN

Try teaming up with a salon nearby to offer “A Day of Beauty” with massage, facial, and manicure or pedicure. Sell a special gift certificate that you don’t normally use, so that when any of the practitioners see it, they will know that the customer is coming in for the special “Day.”
—Mary E. DelGrande, Athens, NY

I donate gift certificates to various charities every year. Single gift certificates are not always redeemed. That is a missed opportunity for a potential new client. If they do come in, sometimes one massage is not enough to persuade them to become regular clients. I am now giving out packages of three massages, to be used by one person. Three sessions seems to be enough to convert the gift recipient into a regular client.
—Debbie Heffernan Benko, Gaithersburg, MD

Trade your gift certificates with those of other business people—for example, other bodywork practitioners, yoga teachers, florists or hair stylists. Use them to thank employees or as a seasonal bonus, or thank other practitioners who refer to you or provide you with a service.
—Karin Olsen, Shelton, WA, (kbizconsulting.com)

Make a gift certificate display for Valentine’s Day. Put Valentine sweetheart candies next to a sample of the Sweetheart gift certificate for an attention-getting display.
—Pauline Leblanc, Glenview, IL

Add your name and number to your Gift Certificates Available poster. (Note: this can be especially useful if you work in a multi-specialty environment or display the poster in a location other than where you work.)
—Nancy Jones, RN, BSN, NCMT, Gibbstown, NJ

If a holiday is coming up, I keep gift certificates in a pretty basket on my table, and as clients come or go, I suggest they buy one. I also take them to presentations on reflexology, and home parties. When someone says, “this would be great for my mother,” I say, “Great, here’s a gift certificate.”
—Joyce Dupak, Midland Park, NJ

Teach massage classes in your community. People will get to know you, and, at the end of the class, you can give the participants gift certificates or coupons for a massage with you.
—Sherry Bloxam, Northport, WA

As many of our customers have discovered, ideas for boosting business by partnering with other businesses are endless. Find a nearby business that would like to offer chair massage during the week of Mother’s Day to generate more foot traffic. Or talk to shop owners who might like to trade their goodies for massage. Then include the treats in gift certificate packages your clients can purchase.

Is there a business nearby who would sell your gift certificates while you're doing what you do best? In businesses such as drug stores, boutiques or coffee shops, you could create a small, attractive gift certificate display. Give your business friend a small cut of your sales, and make everyone happy-—including your regular clients (and new clients!) who can stop by and pick up a gift certificate without a wait.

If you really want to accommodate new clients after the Christmas or Mother’s Day holiday, consider adjusting your schedule to accommodate newcomers for a month or two. For example, work an hour later one evening a week through January or June. Make sure you are ready when new clients call in to redeem their gifts. Whether you have a live person answering the phone or a voice message, ask yourself if your greeting is welcoming, informative and user-friendly. If callers have to press too many buttons or can’t hear the message clearly, they may get frustrated and give up.

The AMTA 2005 Consumer Survey found that 73 percent of those polled would recommend massage therapy to someone they know. Reward your clients with a discount or gift certificate. They WILL pass your name on.


Greeting Cards

We sent out over 100 Frosty greeting cards for the holidays. Our customers really liked them. We used two personalized messages: "Gift Certificates Available by Phone or in Person!" and "Use this card for $10 off your next treatment." About 15 customers responded within 30 days for the 10% off and more have been trickling in as there is no expiration date.

About 25 people responded to get the gift certificates—we sold more than 40 of them! From our experience, we get a much better return from sending specials to regular clients than we do from newspaper and yellow page advertising.
—Natural Flow Massage, Lake Oswego, OR

For referrals, our therapists hand-write a Thank You card to the client who referred, and give them $10 off to use the next time they come in.
—Kerri Calver, A Better Balanced Body, Encinitas, CA

We used to send a gift certificate for a free massage after a customer referred three people. That got too costly so now we simply send a “Thank You for Your Referral” card. Soon we may start sending a $10 off coupon clients can use in their next session, or save up to use for a full treatment. Our number one advertising is our clients!
—Christine Stites, Reconnect Therapeutic Wellness, LLC, Stratford , NJ


Business Cards

It’s worth your time to join small business groups. Then GO to the meetings. It’s the best use of your time and energy. Hand out your business cards and coupons and talk about how you are building your business. You will get interest and referrals. They will KNOW you.
—Mercedes Nepute, LMP, Tacoma, WA

We print up specific business cards that say Referral Program on the front. There is a line for the referring client to write their name, and a space for the person who brings it in. Both get a $10 or $15 discount, depending on the service.
—Peter Owen and Catharina Kiaha, LMT, Alegria Bodywork and Day Spa, San Antonio, TX

Make a travel kit of marketing materials to take with you wherever you go. Include brochures describing the modalities or conditions you specialize in, your business cards, flyers or postcards printed with your name and business information as well as tacks or tape. When you meet people, you can easily hand them your information. If you see a new bulletin board or appropriate area in a coffee shop, you can post a flyer or leave a stack of business cards or postcards.



Practice Building

Keep a drawing going for a free massage (or massage for half-price!) in your office. One way to collect your clients' names is to invite them to drop their business card or another piece of paper with their name into a fishbowl.
—Sandra Talt, Anchorage, AK

Add your picture to every piece of marketing you do, like the Yellow Pages and flyers. It replaces the image of "stranger" in people's minds because now they feel they know you.
—Dottie Smith, Cleveland, TN

Always offer more. Instead of pricing yourself lower than others, offer extras, such as aromatherapy or flannel sheets. Making your clients feel special is easy to do and it's guaranteed to keep them coming back!
—Jennifer Talbot, Oceanside, CA

Take a good look at the local population and location you are working in. Who do you want to attract? Obviously, in the beginning working with as many people as you can is good. Then, as your path becomes clearer, start focusing on the kind of customers you want to work with: your “perfect customer.” Think about how you should talk with your “perfect customer?" What problems does your “perfect customer” have (stress, pain, etc.) and how you can help them? What words do they need to hear (relax, pain-free, mini vacation) that would prompt them to get in your studio and on your table?
—Tama Bevan, Sitka, AK

People love free stuff. They love to get a deal and they are more likely to remember you. I’ve been handing out $10 gift cards to people who refer new clients to me. Clients who bring new people to me are paying me a real compliment and deserve to be acknowledged and rewarded.
—Donna Kimmel, Huntingdon Valley, PA