Our best marketing tool is utilizing media relations to generate editorial coverage and radio promotions. Editorial coverage is garnered through development and maintenance of personal relationships with appropriate reporters and editors. These personal relationships allow us to break through the mass of unsolicited pitches reporters receive, so that our unique story is heard. In addition, we secure trade opportunities through the promotion departments of local radio stations, primarily providing gift certificates as prizes for listener promotions. As a tool, media relations has proven to be very effective with gift certificate sales and bookings during holiday seasons, promoting new service launches, and overall branding.
Daired Ogle
Arlington, Texas
My best marketing tool is definitely my clients. It’s a well-known fact that word-of-mouth advertising is the best. Not only does it secure for you an almost instant rapport, being that the recommendation is coming from a trusted source, but it also saves you time, effort, and money. Through my clients, I have gained new clients and new markets in which to share massage. I have been invited into homes for parties, to job sites, and to various trade marts all on client recommendation. I love working in this manner. With the old client having positively shared his or her experience, the initial meeting with the new client seems more like seeing an old friend after many years rather than a courtroom dance trying to convince a judge and jury. There’s an instant connection based on an “on-lease” trust factor shared between the old client and the new client. Less tension means both parties are more relaxed going into a session, and thus ensuring maximum therapeutic benefit, which means the circle of friendly referral will confidently and positively continue.
Corey Deyamport
Pearl, Mississippi
A new, free online scheduling tool, Genbook, has helped my orthopedic massage practice tremendously. It helps me book lots of new clients every week, and old clients are booking more frequently. I have more room to breathe and don’t have to play e-mail or phone tag anymore because its BookNow button is so easy to use. I also love that it lets me receive customer reviews.
Morgan Sutherland
Watertown, Massachusetts
Postcards are the best marketing tool available today. I mail them to all of my clients before their birthday month and offer $10 off the price of any session as a special birthday gift to them. My clients are grateful and the response has been amazing. After I sent them out, within the first month I paid for the printing and postage costs. Postcards are inexpensive and cost less to mail than regular envelopes. They are easy to customize to fit your specific business, can be very eye-catching, and have room for you to write a personal note to your client. I also have designed postcards for referral thank yous, new client follow-ups, and as reminders of my services. I would highly recommend this personal touch to all other therapists.
Dianna Lynn
Plainfield, Illinois
Hands down, the best marketing tool for my practice has been happy clients. This requires a large toolbox, but when they are satisfied and nurtured, they do the marketing for you. You can spend all the money in the world on flashy websites, large signs, commercials, and direct mail, but if your clients aren’t satisfied, you will have no retention.
Amanda Harper
Mobile, Alabama
Business cards everywhere I go. The fitness center where I work provides general business cards that I carry also, but through the nearly free business card websites, one can be creative and create a card that really reflects who you are. If you’re excited to hand out your card, your enthusiasm will be transferred. You just never know what situation you’ll be in when you meet your next client out in the community.
Alyson Swanson
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Our best marketing tool is video. Everywhere you turn there is video of something or someone. Massage therapists are kinesthetic by nature. Secondly, we are visual. It makes sense to combine these strengths and market ourselves with a video-based initiative.
The first step to creating dynamic video is to determine your needs. What’s your message? List everything you want someone to know about you and your practice/business. Most people think they can get in front of the camera and ad lib; it’s a little more difficult than what you think. Play it safe and write it out. The next step is the videography. We recommend you hire a professional. We shot our first DVD four years ago and bartered with a videographer. On shoot day be ready to go; time is money. Prior to shoot day, choose your location; no busy backgrounds. Take a video camera, look through the view finder. This will give you a general idea of how your video is going to look. Then comes editing. This can get pricey. Investigate video schools in the area; many times local colleges offer video production classes. The finished product should be in a format that you or your webmaster can upload to your site. Video isn’t just for websites. Create a DVD of services and looping video to be played in your waiting room. Short clips can be downloaded from your site to an iPod.
Jane Irving and Therese Jennings
Castine, Maine
When analyzing and reviewing the marketing I have done for my business over the years, word of mouth continues to be the primary way people find me. I, therefore, spend very little money on outside marketing, but instead invest in each client. Whether I see a client just once or once a week, I strive for each person to leave his or her massage session feeling valued, heard, and hopefully, less stressed.
Maryanne Gilbert
Golden, Colorado
I have found that word of mouth is by far the most effective way of gaining new clients. I think this is true for most industries and think it is especially true for us as bodyworkers, since what we provide is such a personal service. Beyond growing my practice through referrals, my best marketing tool has been cross-marketing with other professionals. We give each other gift certificates to give to each other’s clients. I offer my gift certificates in the form of complimentary 30-minute massages. Most people end up booking an hour and buy a massage package after the session is over. Then, they send me referrals. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
Katie Phillips
Novato, California
My best marketing tool has been working with the local chamber of commerce. It gives me an opportunity to meet the business people in my community. My website is connected with the chamber, so people in the community and people moving into the area can easily find information about me and my studio.
Lillian Quandt
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
A good website that actually shows up in the search engines is an invaluable tool for any therapist. If you can use some simple techniques to rank number one for “massage therapist in your town,” you’re way ahead of the game.
Jon Campbell
San Diego, California
My best marketing tool to date has been word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied clients. I also create quarterly newsletters and have Body Sense magazines to hand out. My clients love getting something to take home with them.
Kimberly Rogers
Waupaca, Wisconsin
My most successful marketing tool so far has been Business Networking International. It is a referral-based networking group devoted to the philosophy that “givers gain.” This appealed to me on many levels and since massage therapy thrives on referrals, it was a no-brainer. I have only been involved for five months and so far can attribute about 25 percent of my income to this group. I would recommend it to all bodyworkers.
Cassandra Haggert
Largo, Florida
My best marketing tool by far is my motto: “Results guaranteed or you pay nothing!” I stand by all of my work, meaning if my client doesn’t like me, the massage, the environment, my professionalism, or simply didn’t get the results he or she expected, the session is complimentary. This gains instant trust from clients and helps them realize they have nothing to lose by choosing my service. Most people are pleasantly surprised by my guarantee, and I have never had to give away a session as a result of it. A very simple, yet effective marketing tool.
Dawn Burks
Mary Esther, Florida
As a Pilates instructor and owner of a studio in Rhinebeck, New York, I can definitely say that my best marketing tool is word of mouth. When satisfied clients tell their friends about the studio or buy gift certificates for people who have never tried Pilates, I feel great knowing that they are spreading the word that they love Pilates and my studio. For me, its like free advertising, but more importantly, word of mouth is more meaningful than a newspaper ad.
Elaine Ewing
Rhinebeck, New York
My best marketing tool is getting out and networking face to face—educating groups of people all at once. I am a member of Business Networking International and it paid for itself in three months of my membership. It gives me a chance to do a 60-second commercial once a week for 30-plus people who go out and help me sell my business. I also get to do a 10-minute presentation about massage three times a year.
This has been a very profitable marketing tool and one I would highly recommend for others.
Tricia L’Abbe
Beverly, Massachusetts
My best marketing tool has become my embroidered scrubs. They are professional looking, comfortable to wear, and have my name and “Certified Massage Therapist” embroidered on them. No matter when or where I have them on, I keep business cards in the pocket, because someone will definitely ask me questions about my services. I’ve acquired many new clients who have become regulars this way. The cost was minimal and very effective compared to other options.
Toni Maurice-Milburn
Fairfax,Virginia
I have tried different marketing tools in the past to advertise what I offer as a massage therapist. I feel that word of mouth is the best way. When you talk to someone face to face and make a personal connection, it is by far most effective. First of all, I enjoy meeting new people and talking with them about what is going on with their body and life.
Joelle Arnold
Crested Butte, Colorado
The best marketing tool I’ve ever had has been my clients. From the very beginning, I realized that my clients were powerful salespeople, knowledgeable consultants, and discerning buyers who would help sell, promote, and improve my business if I would just ask. I asked them to suggest possible locations for my office, new services they wanted me to provide, and specific feedback on how I could make my technical and business skills better. I also asked them to help me grow my business by providing quality referrals for clients just like them. And you know what? They did!