Our Advice From the Pros series of blog posts will highlight one of the leaders in the massage and bodywork field once a week. Felicia Brown is our featured expert this week. Brown, author of Creating Lifetime Clients (Spalutions, 2016) and Free & Easy Ways to Promote Your Massage, Spa & Wellness Business (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013), provides business and marketing coaching for massage professionals. A licensed massage therapist, she also owns a wellness spa in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The challenging experience that taught me the most valuable business lesson is …
Felicia Brown: Failure. Really, failure is just feedback that what you’re doing isn’t working. It’s also inevitable. I learned early on to pick myself up, figure out what went wrong, make adjustments or changes as needed, and keep going.
My most effective marketing strategy is …
Felicia Brown: Referrals. A referral promotion in 2012 that cost me $72.39 brought in more than $50,000 in revenue to my business (at last count). Careful planning combined with identifying ideal clients and asking them for referrals can yield amazing results!
To be a successful business owner you need to …
Felicia Brown: Remember your first role is to promote yourself. It doesn’t matter how many techniques you know; if you have an empty table and are unable to reach the people who need and want what you offer, you cannot succeed.
My financial advice for therapists is …
Felicia Brown: Know your value—from the prices you charge and discounts you offer to what you pay yourself or invest in your future. If you have money or prosperity hang-ups, get help.
This blog was created from Massage & Bodywork’s July/August 2017 Business Side column "Advice from the Pros."