History of Massage Therapy & the Benefits of it
Posted by on Mar 10, 2010
Massage has been an important part of medicine for over five
thousand years. It is also a major topic in the first medical
texts printed. The first medical texts were used by early
physicians who were primarily men. These men commonly practiced
the art of massage therapy when treating and caring for their
patients. I only mention this because I have spoke to many
people who find it surprising in today’s world, that there are
men who are professional Massage Therapists. Today Massage
therapy is primarily a career chosen by women. Whether your
therapist is male or female should not be of importance, unless
you have a specific reason that makes you uncomfortable getting
a massage from a female or male therapist. What is important is
that your therapist is licensed or certified in the type of
massage that will help you most.
The massage therapy profession has been severely abused by
prostitutes that use massage therapy as a cover up for illegal
sexual activities. The places where they work are often referred
to as “Massage Parlors”. That is why massage licensing and many
city ordinances were put into effect. Professional licensing
requires people who want to pursue a career as a massage
therapist to get a specified number training hours from a school
or college of massage. Most states also require that these
students pass a national certification exam that shows that that
person has the ability to identify specific pathologies and has
a good understanding of the human anatomy. This helps to make it
more difficult for illegal parlors to exist and helps to protect
you as a consumer. In recent history the profession has been
abused and still is in some places. If you are interested in
getting a professional, non-sexual massage you should not only
ask if that person is licensed or certified, but also be sure to
ask if they have had any specific training in the area you are
wanting massage for.
Hippocrates, who is considered “The Father of Medicine” was
highly respected in his findings. He is probably the most
respected man in medical history. That is why he is known as
“The Father of Medicine”. I have read many historical books that
stated that Hippocrates said, “The physician must be acquainted
with many things and assuredly with rubbing” (Massage Therapy).
Hippocrates had an oath for Medical Doctors to take. I
personally feel that this oath is ignored often when it comes to
the use of Massage Therapy and other fine sources of alternative
health. One version of the Hippocratic oath is printed below if
you are interested in reading it. The first few lines of the
oath seem to be conveniently avoided or forgotten by many of
todays Physicians. I have asked many of my clients if their
physician has ever recommended they get a massage without being
asked about it specifically. Very few of them have ever told me
yes. I have had a few clients that asked their physician
specifically about the benefits of getting a massage in order to
help them with their specific condition or problem. My
experiennce has been that less than half of these people report
that they were ever told by their Physician to pursue treatment
by a Professional Massage Therapist. On the other side of the
argument, I have several Physicians and Nurses that are clients
of mine and they have told me that they often refer patients to
get Massages. Most of these Physicians and Nurses have told me
they feel the reason that their patients do not always pursue
their recommendation is because massage is seldom covered by
medical insurance. Over the past years there have been many
studies providing an abundance of proof that certain kinds of
massage therapy are very effective for treating many conditions
when used as either a primary or secondary type of care. Many
insurance companies have put an end to paying for massage
therapy because of a few massage therapists that have billed the
insurance companies for massages that were not considered the
appropriate type of massage for that patient or clients
particular condition. Insurance companies expect hard evidence
from clinical studies that have shown that a particular massage
modality or technique has helped with a specific condition,
before they want to reimburse anyone for it. I can’t say that I
blame them for that because I would not want to pay for gasoline
if I was given a tank of water. Giving someone a simple
relaxation massage or Reiki treatment may be helpful, but isn’t
necessarily the best type of massage treatment for someone with
a specific condition such as low back pain, frozen shoulder,
carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, lymph drainage, migraines, sciatica
and many other conditions. Whereas a professional Massage
Therapist with proper training in one or more of these areas
would be much more effective in treating a specific condition
that they have been trained for.
Most of todays society has been conditioned to believe that
drugs are the fastest and best way to get better. Our society
today wants and expects a drug or procedure that can be
prescribed and can quickly cure whatever is bothering them. I am
not against the use of medical drugs or Physicians. In fact I
highly recommend that you find a Physician who is knowledgeable
about the use of certain drugs and when it is appropriate to use
them. Find a Physician that will take the time to really listen
to you and explain what is wrong, what drugs or other treatment
or procedures you may need, and why it will be of benefit to
you. I say this because I have had several clients that have
come to see me about muscular pain that they have been having.
Muscular pain that they have often seen more than one Physician
or other professional about. These clients tell me that they
still have no idea what is wrong with them or why they have the
pain. Many of them come to see me as a last resort, because they
have exhausted all of their other options. I often ask what they
were told or how they were treated for the pain that they are
having. I often hear them reply that they were given a
prescription for some type of pain reliever and told to rest.
Most of these pain relievers will either help to relax the
muscles because of the effect on the central nervous system or
help to reduce inflammation. These pain relievers often help to
reduce pain and that is about it. What I have found with these
clients is that they have been taking pain relievers for a long
time and have tried many different therapies, rest, heat, cold,
traction, ultra sound, etc… without any lasting results. Many
of those treatments can be helpful for many people but do not
always solve the problem. Massage doesn’t always solve the
problem either, but it has been my personal experience that many
of my clients have told me that it did do the trick for them and
that they are very thankful that they gave massage a try.
Sometimes, regardless of all they have tried, the pain continues
because the injury may have an excess of painful scar tissue or
keeps getting re-injured because of their daily activities. It
can even be because of swelling or tension in the muscle that
has caused a lack of blood flow to the area that causes it to
become ischemic (lack of blood flow). Blood flow is needed to
carry the cells that help to heal an area. Without good blood
flow it is unlikely to heal properly. Ischemic tissue may
collect toxins from the slow moving blood around it. Many of
those toxins cause trigger points to develop and cause pain in
the muscle.
So what can a professional Massage Therapist do that is
different for this type of muscular pain? The proper massage
given by a professional with knowledge of how to treat your
specific type of muscular pain may use friction and compression
to help reduce the amount of scar tissue in that area. Scar
tissue is not very flexible, but with massage it can be made to
be more flexible, thus reducing the amount of pain you may have
in that area. A good Massage therapist will be able to tell you
what muscle or muscles are likely to be causing your pain. They
should also be able to tell you what actions or movements these
muscles are responsible for making. This is important to know if
you need to rest the area, so that you do not re-injur it by
doing the same activities or movements that may have caused the
pain or aggravated an old injury. Massage will also help to
increase the blood flow in the affected area, allowing your own
blood to circulate better in the area of injury. This increase
in blood flow will carry cells that your body already uses to
heal injuries. These cells can then get to work on helping you
heal faster. The increase in blood flow will also help to carry
away any toxins from the affected area and help your body to
naturally dispose of them. In almost every case massage will
result in more flexibility, less formation of scar tissue, and
also help the area to heal properly.
So you see, pain relievers more often help to relieve the
symptoms and do not always treat the cause. Very few medical
drugs made will help your body to heal. They mostly cover up the
symptoms you are having. Although I have been told there are a
handful of drugs today that are used for specific conditions,
and I’m told that they can help the body to heal. Mostly they
are newer drugs and not commonly prescribed for everyday
conditions due to the expense and newness of them. Maybe in the
future we will have more medicines that will help the body heal
and can also be used on everyday conditions. But for now I
suggest that you have both a good Physician and a good Licensed
or Certified Massage Therapist on your side. Both that are
willing to work together to help you recover from whatever
conditions you may have. Your Massage Therapist as well as your
Physician should be willing to let you know if you have a
condition that requires someone else’s expertise or a
combination of therapies and treatment. Massage is not always
appropriate for all conditions and Massage Therapists do not
diagnose or treat disease. Massage Therapists do not heal you
because they simply use their skills to help facilitate your own
bodies ability to heal itself. Massage therapists are not
Doctors, but a good Licensed or Certified Massage Therapist will
have the training and skills to know when it may be necessary to
refer you to see someone else.
Article by Dwayne Crandall, LMT Visit [http://www.massagevillage.com] for more original content like this. Reprinting this article is permitted with this footer included.
Author: Dwayne Crandall
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Duty tariff
History of Massage Therapy & the Benefits of it
Posted by on Mar 8, 2010
Massage has been an important part of medicine for over five
thousand years. It is also a major topic in the first medical
texts printed. The first medical texts were used by early
physicians who were primarily men. These men commonly practiced
the art of massage therapy when treating and caring for their
patients. I only mention this because I have spoke to many
people who find it surprising in today’s world, that there are
men who are professional Massage Therapists. Today Massage
therapy is primarily a career chosen by women. Whether your
therapist is male or female should not be of importance, unless
you have a specific reason that makes you uncomfortable getting
a massage from a female or male therapist. What is important is
that your therapist is licensed or certified in the type of
massage that will help you most.
The massage therapy profession has been severely abused by
prostitutes that use massage therapy as a cover up for illegal
sexual activities. The places where they work are often referred
to as “Massage Parlors”. That is why massage licensing and many
city ordinances were put into effect. Professional licensing
requires people who want to pursue a career as a massage
therapist to get a specified number training hours from a school
or college of massage. Most states also require that these
students pass a national certification exam that shows that that
person has the ability to identify specific pathologies and has
a good understanding of the human anatomy. This helps to make it
more difficult for illegal parlors to exist and helps to protect
you as a consumer. In recent history the profession has been
abused and still is in some places. If you are interested in
getting a professional, non-sexual massage you should not only
ask if that person is licensed or certified, but also be sure to
ask if they have had any specific training in the area you are
wanting massage for.
Hippocrates, who is considered “The Father of Medicine” was
highly respected in his findings. He is probably the most
respected man in medical history. That is why he is known as
“The Father of Medicine”. I have read many historical books that
stated that Hippocrates said, “The physician must be acquainted
with many things and assuredly with rubbing” (Massage Therapy).
Hippocrates had an oath for Medical Doctors to take. I
personally feel that this oath is ignored often when it comes to
the use of Massage Therapy and other fine sources of alternative
health. One version of the Hippocratic oath is printed below if
you are interested in reading it. The first few lines of the
oath seem to be conveniently avoided or forgotten by many of
todays Physicians. I have asked many of my clients if their
physician has ever recommended they get a massage without being
asked about it specifically. Very few of them have ever told me
yes. I have had a few clients that asked their physician
specifically about the benefits of getting a massage in order to
help them with their specific condition or problem. My
experiennce has been that less than half of these people report
that they were ever told by their Physician to pursue treatment
by a Professional Massage Therapist. On the other side of the
argument, I have several Physicians and Nurses that are clients
of mine and they have told me that they often refer patients to
get Massages. Most of these Physicians and Nurses have told me
they feel the reason that their patients do not always pursue
their recommendation is because massage is seldom covered by
medical insurance. Over the past years there have been many
studies providing an abundance of proof that certain kinds of
massage therapy are very effective for treating many conditions
when used as either a primary or secondary type of care. Many
insurance companies have put an end to paying for massage
therapy because of a few massage therapists that have billed the
insurance companies for massages that were not considered the
appropriate type of massage for that patient or clients
particular condition. Insurance companies expect hard evidence
from clinical studies that have shown that a particular massage
modality or technique has helped with a specific condition,
before they want to reimburse anyone for it. I can’t say that I
blame them for that because I would not want to pay for gasoline
if I was given a tank of water. Giving someone a simple
relaxation massage or Reiki treatment may be helpful, but isn’t
necessarily the best type of massage treatment for someone with
a specific condition such as low back pain, frozen shoulder,
carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, lymph drainage, migraines, sciatica
and many other conditions. Whereas a professional Massage
Therapist with proper training in one or more of these areas
would be much more effective in treating a specific condition
that they have been trained for.
Most of todays society has been conditioned to believe that
drugs are the fastest and best way to get better. Our society
today wants and expects a drug or procedure that can be
prescribed and can quickly cure whatever is bothering them. I am
not against the use of medical drugs or Physicians. In fact I
highly recommend that you find a Physician who is knowledgeable
about the use of certain drugs and when it is appropriate to use
them. Find a Physician that will take the time to really listen
to you and explain what is wrong, what drugs or other treatment
or procedures you may need, and why it will be of benefit to
you. I say this because I have had several clients that have
come to see me about muscular pain that they have been having.
Muscular pain that they have often seen more than one Physician
or other professional about. These clients tell me that they
still have no idea what is wrong with them or why they have the
pain. Many of them come to see me as a last resort, because they
have exhausted all of their other options. I often ask what they
were told or how they were treated for the pain that they are
having. I often hear them reply that they were given a
prescription for some type of pain reliever and told to rest.
Most of these pain relievers will either help to relax the
muscles because of the effect on the central nervous system or
help to reduce inflammation. These pain relievers often help to
reduce pain and that is about it. What I have found with these
clients is that they have been taking pain relievers for a long
time and have tried many different therapies, rest, heat, cold,
traction, ultra sound, etc… without any lasting results. Many
of those treatments can be helpful for many people but do not
always solve the problem. Massage doesn’t always solve the
problem either, but it has been my personal experience that many
of my clients have told me that it did do the trick for them and
that they are very thankful that they gave massage a try.
Sometimes, regardless of all they have tried, the pain continues
because the injury may have an excess of painful scar tissue or
keeps getting re-injured because of their daily activities. It
can even be because of swelling or tension in the muscle that
has caused a lack of blood flow to the area that causes it to
become ischemic (lack of blood flow). Blood flow is needed to
carry the cells that help to heal an area. Without good blood
flow it is unlikely to heal properly. Ischemic tissue may
collect toxins from the slow moving blood around it. Many of
those toxins cause trigger points to develop and cause pain in
the muscle.
So what can a professional Massage Therapist do that is
different for this type of muscular pain? The proper massage
given by a professional with knowledge of how to treat your
specific type of muscular pain may use friction and compression
to help reduce the amount of scar tissue in that area. Scar
tissue is not very flexible, but with massage it can be made to
be more flexible, thus reducing the amount of pain you may have
in that area. A good Massage therapist will be able to tell you
what muscle or muscles are likely to be causing your pain. They
should also be able to tell you what actions or movements these
muscles are responsible for making. This is important to know if
you need to rest the area, so that you do not re-injur it by
doing the same activities or movements that may have caused the
pain or aggravated an old injury. Massage will also help to
increase the blood flow in the affected area, allowing your own
blood to circulate better in the area of injury. This increase
in blood flow will carry cells that your body already uses to
heal injuries. These cells can then get to work on helping you
heal faster. The increase in blood flow will also help to carry
away any toxins from the affected area and help your body to
naturally dispose of them. In almost every case massage will
result in more flexibility, less formation of scar tissue, and
also help the area to heal properly.
So you see, pain relievers more often help to relieve the
symptoms and do not always treat the cause. Very few medical
drugs made will help your body to heal. They mostly cover up the
symptoms you are having. Although I have been told there are a
handful of drugs today that are used for specific conditions,
and I’m told that they can help the body to heal. Mostly they
are newer drugs and not commonly prescribed for everyday
conditions due to the expense and newness of them. Maybe in the
future we will have more medicines that will help the body heal
and can also be used on everyday conditions. But for now I
suggest that you have both a good Physician and a good Licensed
or Certified Massage Therapist on your side. Both that are
willing to work together to help you recover from whatever
conditions you may have. Your Massage Therapist as well as your
Physician should be willing to let you know if you have a
condition that requires someone else’s expertise or a
combination of therapies and treatment. Massage is not always
appropriate for all conditions and Massage Therapists do not
diagnose or treat disease. Massage Therapists do not heal you
because they simply use their skills to help facilitate your own
bodies ability to heal itself. Massage therapists are not
Doctors, but a good Licensed or Certified Massage Therapist will
have the training and skills to know when it may be necessary to
refer you to see someone else.
Article by Dwayne Crandall, LMT Visit [http://www.massagevillage.com] for more original content like this. Reprinting this article is permitted with this footer included.
Author: Dwayne Crandall
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital TV, HDTV, Satellite TV
Massage Bill of Rights
Posted by on Mar 6, 2010
Massage is both an art and a science.
Let me begin with some general terms and facts to give you more of an idea about massage therapists that are certified and licensed. With this information you will probably surprise your therapist with how much you know and you’ll be able to ask the right questions when making your next appointment.
Licensing maybe by the city where the therapist works or a State License. California has NO state licensing, but has licensing by each city. Licensing is through the police department and has nothing to do with massage therapy. In other states massage therapists can get a license through the state. Massage therapist may be required to publish their license when advertising, similar to contractors and home remodelers.
CERTIFICATION and LICENSING
Certification or licensing may require 300 hours of training (basic) to 500 hours to 1000 hours of training. Certification of hours is usually with an accredited school. Some licensing may require a Certification plus hours of working with clients.
There is a lot of inconsistency with licensing (or non-licensing) state by state or city by city. For that reason, clients can find great massage therapists through several Massage Therapy Associations. These associations have their own standards and ethics that their members adhere to.
SCIENCE OF MASSAGE
A massage therapist can complete 300 hours of training in about three months. In general, a therapist will learn the SCIENCE of massage or the basic massage strokes, an introduction to the muscle and skeletal system and probably an introduction to deep tissue massage. A massage therapist with 300 hours of training can do a good massage.
ART OF MASSAGE
The next milestone is 500 hours of training. This is the ART of MASSAGE. The massage therapist will learn more about muscles and how to blend relaxing massage strokes with effective deep tissue work to get the knots out of your back.
ART and SCIENCE OF MASSAGE
A massage therapist with 1000 hours of training is very dedicated to their profession and is a specialist. This is the ART and SCIENCE of massage therapy. The therapist will have completed over two years of training and knows the finer points of massage therapy.
YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT
Massage therapy is like fine dining. You have the choice of dining at a local café if you’re on a budget or you can try fine dining. A massage appointment can be one hour or an hour & half.
If you want a massage to feel great and be relaxed, then a therapist with 300 to 500 of training would best fit your needs.
If you have a lot of body tension or your body feels all twisted and out place, then you’ll probably want to work with someone that has over 300 of training. If you are an athlete or workout, you probably want someone with 500 hours or more.
Before booking your appointment, tell the therapist what kind of massage you are looking for. If the massage therapist is too busy to talk to you on the phone or seems a little cold, then call someone else. By the time you finish talking with the massage therapist you should already have rapport or some kind of comfortabilty with the therapist.
MASSAGE BILL OF RIGHTS FOR THE CLIENT
As a new client visiting a massage therapist you do have rights. You have the right to say “No”. I know this sounds obvious, but I can not tell you how many clients I have talked to that have endured a massage because they felt they were obligated to go through with the appointment.
Within fifteen minutes of your appointment you should know if the massage therapist is there for you or just going through the motions. There is a bond, or a sense of energy, that you can feel and know that your therapist is connected with you.
If it doesn’t feel right, then say thank-you and leave. Or, ask the therapist to make whatever adjustments are necessary to make it feel more comfortable. A massage is NOT about pain. Yes you may experience a little of discomfort. As my teacher once said to me, “If the client sits up like a fish, then lighten your pressure.”
I remember I had a very well trained massage therapist working on me once and “he knew what was best for the client.” Yes he was trained and he knew what he was doing, but that was not what I wanted for a massage on that day. I thanked him and left. A few months later I booked another appointment with him when I needed a more “detailed” massage.
If you decide to leave you may be obligated to pay for the session. Personally, I would rather end a session and pay rather than stay and endure something that is not what I need or feels like a suit that doesn’t fit.
If you are not asked to pay for the session, you may tip$10 as a courtesy for the therapist who took the time to book the session. Hopefully this won’t happen.
MASSAGE BILL OF RIGHTS FOR THE MASSAGE THERAPIST
A massage therapist has the right to be treated like a person and professional. As a client you should always arrive on time and leave when the time ends.
A therapeutic massage by a licensed therapist is not erotic bodywork. If you did not ask for this before booking a session, then do not assume this is included with the massage. Some people think this is always included with a massage – don’t assume anything, ask!
The massage therapist can ask a client to leave for not respecting their boundaries or for any various reasons discussed.
Draping or covering a client during a massage is for both the client and the therapist. It defines the boundaries between therapist and the client. Personally, I prefer a massage without being covered. I always ask about draping before I book an appointment.
FINAL WORDS
As a massage therapist, it is a great joy to give a massage and to nurture another human being. It has many health benefits and is more than a luxury for the rich and famous. Our bodies need to be touched and nurtured. It is what makes us feel alive and makes us more loving and kind to others around us.
You can make two people happy today. Call a massage therapist today and relax into health.
Copyright 2005 Wayne McDonald
Wayne McDonald is a licensed massage therapist and the founder of 123relax Massage Directory. To find a Health Therapist near you visit us at http://www.123relax.com and http://www.HolisticWebDirectory.com
Author: Wayne McDonald
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera News
Massage Marketing – How to Build a Steady Stream of Clients!
Posted by on Mar 4, 2010
If you give really great massage treatments all the time it’s true that your clients may recommend you to their friends, which may generate more business for you, however when it comes down to it, just being a great therapist does not guarantee that you will be able to build a thriving and successful massage business.
In fact, a large majority of the massage therapists that I know, all say that they would like more clients.
So how does the career massage therapist get a steady stream of clients? Well they certainly don’t just sit and wait (and hope) for the phone to ring, that won’t pay the bills. No, what every massage therapist who has decided to go out on their own should be doing (when they are not massaging) is in fact ‘marketing massage’.
Now I know that the idea of ‘marketing’ may conjure up in your mind, corporate images of elaborate and expensive advertising campaigns and the like, but really all I’m talking about is consciously and effectively putting your business in front of the different kinds of people you would like to attract to your massage business as clients, and getting them to make contact with you and book in for a treatment. That’s all!
You could be the most knowledgeable, talented, highly trained massage therapist out there but unless people ‘know’ about you and how ‘your service’ can be of BENEFIT to them, you may never experience the kind of practice or income that you want or deserve!
The first thing that I feel is necessary to grasp is that a massage practice (no matter how big or small) is in fact a ‘business’, your business! The next most important thing is that there are two sides to your business and one cannot survive without the other.
One side of your massage business is the providing of excellent massage treatments. The other side of your massage business is the marketing side i.e. the strategies and systems you use to attract a continual stream of clients and to get them to book in for a massage with you.
The secret to building a thriving and successful massage business is to realize that you need to be a marketer of massage first (in order to get the clients), and a provider of massage second. These are the twin pillars of your business. Once you get the clients on the table your job is only half done, you then need to give them a first class treatment that is based around their needs, each and every time!
So now that you know that you need to be a massage marketer as well as a massage therapist, the next question to ask is, “How do you market your massage?” Well it all starts with the most important rule.
“Don’t try to be all things to all people all at once!”
The biggest mistake I see therapists who are trying to build up a list of clients make, is that they will do up a brochure or business card etc that has their name or business name and / or logo, a list of the services they offer, and maybe a little about who they are and their qualifications, and that’s it!
The thing is, every other therapist is doing exactly the same thing, so not only do they not stand out from the crowd, they are not speaking to the specific needs of the people that they are trying to attract as a massage clients. In fact many therapists are not even sure who it is they’re even trying to attract.
So before you even think about printing up another brochure, flyer, business card or doing another ad, you need to first ask yourself, “What type of clients do I want to attract to my massage business? Who are they? Where are they? How can I get them interested in my business?”
Some massage therapists like to work specifically with sports people, others with women only, or people with back pain, others with people who are rehabilitating from illness or injury and others primarily for relaxation and rejuvenation etc, OR you might be the kind of therapist who wants to attract and work with people from all types of backgrounds. There are really no limits!
However, in order to effectively attract specific types of people into your massage business, your marketing must be ‘tailored’ to reach these people directly and speak to ‘their’ individual needs!
The mistake that a lot of massage therapists are making is that they’ll do up a brochure or put an advertisement in a magazine or newspaper and they’ll try to promote to all of these types of people at the same time. They might list the different benefits of their massage treatment by saying that their massage is good for back pain, relaxation, sports injuries etc.
By doing this they are saying that their massage is good for everything and everyone and while this is probably true, they are not speaking directly to each individual type of person, and therefore the power of their message is diluted.
The key to getting a great response is to market to each style of person individually, and whether or not you use a flyer, brochure or paid advertisement, you need to come across as a specialist by listing only those benefits of your massage that will appeal to that style of person.
Let’s say that we work from home or out of a small clinic and there are a couple of gyms in our area. We know that many people who go to workout at the gym will be interested in receiving massage so we decide that we would like to attract some of these people as clients.
If we want to attract a particular style of person to our massage business, we first need to get into their head and find out what their ‘needs’ are.
This usually isn’t too difficult. In regards to people who go to the gym, just put yourself in their shoes.
“Why do they go to the gym?” People generally go the gym to workout because they are health conscious and they care about their physical appearance and their level of fitness.
Now think about what happens after you have a hard work out? Your muscles can become tight and tense and often there is soreness due to lactic acid build up. You often feel energized but your body now needs a period of rest to rejuvenate before the next workout.
Keeping this in mind, a great way to market to people who regularly workout at the gym would be to focus on all of the ‘physical’ benefits that these people would receive should they come to have a massage with you.
You could for example, focus on the BENEFITS of receiving massage treatments ‘in between’ workouts and list only those benefits that would most appeal to the style of person who works out on a regular basis.
Some benefits of receiving massage that would be effective in this example are that it:
- Quickly eliminates muscle soreness after your workout.
- Relieves muscular spasm quickly.
- Improves your flexibility and range of movement.
- Cuts your recovery time in half.
- Reduces the chance of injury by alleviating tension in the body.
- Increases your body’s ability to absorb nutrients and vitamins.
- Oxygenates your body’s cells giving you greater levels of energy.
- Can greatly improve your general health, well-being and appearance.
- Makes you feel relaxed, refreshed and ready to take on the world!
At the top of your flyer you could combine a few of these benefits into an attention grabbing headline for example, “Discover How To Quickly Eliminate Muscle Soreness After Your Next Workout!” followed by a subheading, …and feel completely relaxed, refreshed and ready to take on the world!
A benefit rich headline that captures the interest of your ‘target market’ should be at the top of every piece of marketing you do, whether it’s a flyer, an editorial or just a simple advertisement!
You could then follow up with the rest of the benefits above, so that you come across as a therapist who ’specializes’ in working with people who do intensive exercise on a regular basis.
If possible you would then throw in a testimonial or two from clients that fall into the same ‘target market’ that you have massaged previously, so that it gives you credibility and shows why they should have a massage with you.
Then give them a special offer of say 90 minutes for the price of an hour and mention that it’s for a limited time only, tell them to call A.S.A.P to make their appointment type and in your phone number so that it is big and bold. If possible, include a small photo of yourself and voila, you have a very targeted, inexpensive method of putting your business in front of a specific type of client that has a high probability of making contact with you.
Now this is just one example, and you could tailor different flyers for different styles of people and also different styles of massage. The main thing that I’m trying to get across here is that even though your massage itself may not change that much from person to person, you need to target your marketing so that you are speaking to each different style of person (target market) specifically and answer the question, “What’s in it for them?” by clearly listing those benefits that will be appealing to that style of person.
So to recap on what I covered so far today, think of your massage practice as a business that has two equally important sides – the ‘marketing of massage’ and the ‘providing of massage’.
Work out what types of people (target markets) you would like to have as clients and then market to each of those groups individually with benefit rich, ‘attention grabbing’ headlines. Then answer the question of “What’s in it for them?” by illustrating the specific benefits of your service.
Then, make sure you give yourself credibility by throwing in one or two testimonials from clients that are in the same target market and make them a ‘time sensitive’ offer that they can’t refuse. Last but not least, tell them ‘how’ to make contact with you. Make sure that these elements are included in ALL forms of marketing that you do, whether it be brochures, flyers, editorials or simple classified ads etc.
Then when clients show up for their massage treatment, give them 110% each and every time! This is a must!
If you can do just these simple things with your marketing, I have no doubt that you will be well on the way to building a very successful massage business with a steady stream of clients!
Jamie Thomas is a marketing mentor and motivator to hundreds of massage therapists around the world and is the creator of MassageMarketingMastery.com
A site loaded with FREE massage marketing and success tips for massage therapists. Visit now and get your FREE eBook on the ultimate massage marketing strategy!
Author: Jamie Thomas
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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