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business boosting advice

I am a newer massage business owner in Delaware and while I have had a decent amount of clients since I started I am always working to build my clientele up, but I have been running into several. My services are mobile in that I travel to the client to provide the services. I understand that some people are uncomfortable with allowing strangers into their home and this is a unique situation that I will have to deal with on my own. The section of Delaware that I am from and that I mostly cover is very rural, and while I am centrally located to both Dover (a somewhat major city) and the beaches in my state I am finding it difficult to get people interested in investing in a massage. I am very interested in marketing and getting my business out for people to learn about me. I have a business website as well as a facebook page (on which I also write educational information on the benefits of massage), I use business cards and brochures that I give extras of to my clients to refer others to my business, which I have has some success with. I just recently was able to get my press release into a local newspaper and will be running an upcoming holiday ad in the same paper. I have advertisement on my car so that everywhere I go people will see it. I also write each of my clients a thank you card each time they purchase a service to show them how much I appreciate their business. Despite all of this and many other routes I use I am lacking in the flow of clients that I believe my specific service should have in comparison to city-based facilities and services. Has anyone ever run into this problem (rural area or otherwise) or do you have any other advice that may help me in gaining more publicity and eventually more clients?

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Comment by dawn lowe on November 26, 2009 at 6:29pm: When I first got out of massage school and started my business there were no local places hiring so I went into business for myself. Most places then, and especially now with the economy, wanted people with either A: more experience than I had or B: someone with an established clientele. I did work at one salon but was recently laid off due to decreasing business demand. I do not have the income currently to rent a room from anyone since I have only a small clientele base, and since I have no client base no one will take me on even with splitting income until I could afford to rent so I am in a Catch 22 situation right now. I do have a referral program in place and have received a few referrals from that but the people doing the referring have yet to use their rewards. I do like the idea of an open house though, I will have to see if there is a local place that I could do that. Thank you for the advice.

Comment by Julie Onofrio on November 26, 2009 at 12:09pm: I think mobile massage is a big hurdle. Having a stranger come into your house is a real challenge. It is also a very big risk for you to be going into strangers homes.

The best way would be word of mouth and getting people to refer you to their friends and neighbors. If you have any current clients focus on getting them to tell others by offering referral discounts or something. Have an open house at their house for their neighbors or have a meeting in the local library or some coffee shop where people can meet you.

Just curious why you choose mobile massage rather than setting up an office?

Julie
www.thebodyworker.com
www.massage-career-guides.com