Getting Discouraged

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Comment by Gloria Coppola on April 12, 2011 at 9:15am

Jessica

I agree with everyone! Don't give up. 2 months is NOTHING. It takes an average of 3 years to get a profitable business going. The first year is all about promoting.  Get yourself out there in places where people might be open to more education about the health benefits of massage. Go to events where people can meet you and feel your touch. Have your appointment book handy. Offer a first time introductory special. Most MT's don't realize the amount of time and effort it takes to get a business going. They expect it to happen quickly.

 

I started out in a Chiro office almost 25 years ago. Within 6 months, I was renting my own space in his building and within 1 year had a thriving full time practice. However, I did not sit around waiting for it to happen.

 

I also gave Free lectures at different community organizations with a demo. I answered questions etc.

 

Keep going.......

If you love what you do, it will come

Comment by Jeff Shearer on April 11, 2011 at 1:37am

One more point Jessica. I never advertised for years. The only reason I do now is I have 3 other practitioners who work for me and I want to keep them busy. The best method I have found to generate clients is to Visit other practitioners in the are ask them about how they work with the view to being able to refer clients to them if you feel it may be relevant. Never go in with the mindset of trying to get them to refer to you. Other practitioners want to know what is in it for them.

I also frequent a lot of local businesses and get to know the staff. In many cases you might be able to put flyers in their establishments which spreads your message. The more people in the area that talk about you or see your advertisements the more credibility you have. Most of my business over the years has come via word of mouth which is a cheap and easy way to develop a solid client base. All you have to do is keep connecting with more people and it comes to you after a while.

Regards

Jeff

www.ethicalpractice.net

Comment by Jeff Shearer on April 11, 2011 at 1:29am

Hi Jessica

Such a common problem you are facing. I have been practicing now for well over 16 years and I have been where you are and watched many others in the same place. Starting out in practice can be hard because you trying to figure out your own style of practice, understand what works and what doesn't, how to get clients to come to see you and more importantly how to get them to come back. You are also new to business so there is a huge learning curve for you. However this is the place where you learn also about yourself and how you can keep going just by taking the next step. Tap back into what it is about massage that got you interested in the first place. Find things that inspire you and surround yourself with them. Use that inspiration to take another step and then another. If you keep taking steps you will succeed I guarantee it.

My favourite chinese proverb talks about how water can eventually wear away stone despite not being as hard it is the persistence of the water over time that sees permanent change.

There are many things you can do too numerous to mention. If you want to work for yourself then it just takes a little longer.

Check out my website videos for practice tips and be patient. You will get there

All the best

Jeff

Comment by Amy Kolasky on April 5, 2011 at 11:37am

Lot's of good advice posted so I'll just add to it. Many have commented about the short span of time you have been in "business." My concern is that you are only out of school a few months and need to build up your experience. While it is a bold choice to start the way you did, I believe many MT's would agree that so much of the learning happens on the job, school is mearly a framework of what you need to know.  Since I came from a long career in Media, I didn't know anything about the spa/massage/healthcare world. I decided to spend the first year or two working in as many different massage environments as I could to see what was a good match and where the opportunities were.  I graduated in Dec. 2008 and have worked/work for 2 spas, a chiropractor, a gym, private clients at home and in their homes.  I also work for a company that provides corporate massage and have done chair massage at Price Waterhouse and do Reflexology at HBO.  I work in both Long Island (where I live) and Manhattan.  These experiences have been invaluable and it's been like getting paid to go to "school." I see what works (and what definitely doesn't work) in these environments/businesses and how I would do things.  I have gotten to try out so many massage tools, lubricants, equipment, was taught spa body treatments, and see what the trends are in the industry, all while getting paid to do so!  I would highly suggest working for a few different places so that your income is not reliant on one business, learn all you can from your fellow therapists that you work with and for, see where your strenghths lie and where there is a niche you can fill that no one else is doing.  Take good CE classes (you should know deep tissue, hot stone and pregnancy for sure) since they only teach basics in school.  Also, think outside the box as to where to offer your massage services.  Accountants are super-stressed from January - April.  Offer to bring your massage chair to big accounting firms and charge $1/minute with a 10 minute minimum. You'll probably be booked for hours.  Hold a raffle for all customers to win a free 1/2 hour table massage at your office, with the option to upgrade to an hour for an additional cost.  It costs the firm nothing to have you there and they are adding value to their employees by having the service on site.   If a local gym doesn't already have massage, see if there is a space you can provide chair massage in and if enough customer's like you, you can consider renting space for table massage.  After working a year or two in different places, you will also learn to hone your customer service skills which can only help your own business succeed.  People return to the same therapist time and again not only because they like the treatment, but because the "clique" with the therapist and feel comfortable with them. Talk to your clients and ask them about themselves, then follow up the next time you see them.  Good luck and stick with it!

Comment by Stephanie Keffer on April 2, 2011 at 7:02pm

Hi Jessica,

I work for a chiropractor and they are very interesting people to work for. At first she seemed to think I was a joke but once I started getting more clients on the books then her, the attitude switched. Here is what worked for me and you can try it or not but they are just mere suggestions. I joined a networking group because a lot of MT's don't network. Also in networking look outside of massage to see what others are doing successfully. I have applied different practices that others in sales are doing to my business. Use Vistaprint like they are your BFF. I hand out thank you cards with a refferal card in them to clients. You refer me five people or five opportunities to where I can get my smiling face in front of people and I reward them. After 10 massages I reward them. During Christmas I did 1/2 packages of five massages. I sold 7 packs of five massages each to a floor of nurses my mom works with. But back to the networking thing getting your face in front of a refferal based group has increased my income by at least 300%. I belong to four networking groups and every month I get told of a new opportunity to use massage. Look for other people you can work with. Two months is not enough time to even get your feet wet. Also I did a copycat of groupon and I am there most requested spa service provider. Just have faith and lots of kleenex for those nights of crying asking yourself is it worth it, because it is.

Comment by mary saunders on April 2, 2011 at 6:24pm

Stay away from the hotel they can give out the wrong message. Chiro are hard people to work with it has to be a bond where they will refer their patients to you and you to them. Depending on your area I agree with one of the other comments if you want to get ideas on building your clientel a spa or even an excersise gym. As the weather gets better look for local charity events like marathons and cancer walks. Even check with the local high schools and colleges the kids always have someone working on them during the game and some guys don't like to do the massage if its just muscle work. one you find your unique nitch word with spread quickly and you will have more clients then you can handle. We are just now coming out of the winter, people are watching their money.

Comment by Dawn Lewis on April 2, 2011 at 3:55pm

Don't get discouraged.  It took me several months to build up a clientele when i first got out of school.  Just keeping doing what you are doing, and advertise everywhere.  Always consider a booth at any of the local events, and after a while word of mouth travels

Comment by Gordon J. Wallis on April 1, 2011 at 1:09pm

Well two months is nothing...It takes a long time to build  up a regular clientele.  And its not easy. Guess what? People that get massages regularly or semi regularly already have a massage therapist. So that means it can be difficult...That Chiropractor you are working with is a joke. A lot of them are. Is there a Spa or DaySpa in your area? If so, that may be a better option...The Spa I work in.  When they hire a new therapist.  That therapist gets all the non-request call in massages for the first couple months. That helps them build up a clientele.  I personally dont like working with Chiropractors sense I can heal and help the patient at a much more efficient level then any Chiropractor by a long ways( that creates problems)...Id try a spa or hotel setting if possible...Its not an easy profession. Dont give up..be creative...If you have too..Get a job doing something else..And make sure the people your work with know that you are a massage therapist.. Start doing massage as a part time thing on the side...And slowly build up...Hang in there - Gordon

Comment by Irene Diamond, RT on March 30, 2011 at 12:59pm

Hi Jessica-

All good advice from the others.
Don't give up!! 2 months is not a long time - but I agree, you should be seeing some results by now.

Good for you- giving out cards at the businesses near you, you are planting seeds and it should start to turn around. But, one of the variables that you need to look at, if it isn't working, it might be the effectiveness of your approach or the effectiveness of your business cards, your words, your image, etc. The message / positioning and presentation is so key!

If you want a whole lot of good practice- growth ideas after you've checked out Julie, Nicole and the other's resources, I invite you to go to http://www.MassageSuccess.org (This is my biz that I created just for therapists like you.)

and here is another resource I refer people to often: http://bit.ly/hnvla1  it talks about providing free sessions that sell. The program is expensive - but oh so worth it.

Remember, Success IS Possible!

~Irene Diamond
"Your Tour Guide to Success"
http://www.SuccessfulMassageTherapist.org

Comment by Julie Onofrio on March 29, 2011 at 10:01pm

Hi Jessica,

 

From the little bit you posted it sounds like you are just randomly trying to get people to notice your business.  You have to figure out who your ideal client is and then figure out how to get them on your table.  You have to be doing something everyday. 

 

what is your agreement with the chiro?  Why isn't he referring you clients?  That should be the place you start.  Can you do free chair massage at the office for his clients?  Can you do a mailing to his list?  Did you work on all of the staff and especially the receptionist if there is one? 

 

It is too soon to be discouraged but it is good that you reached out.  I have a website www.massagepracticebuilder.com and a Facebook fan page where you can ask more questions.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Massage-Practice-Builder/60800917270

 

Keep connected to other MT!

 

Julie

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