Bartering For Space?

[Red Hott]

Hello Everyone,    I wanted to know what you all thought of this idea and maybe any suggestions you might have.  Background:  Im in a rural town with a population of 1900.  I am the only massage therapist in town and one of 16 in the entire county.  The town where I live is the county seat, and a lot of people know me both by name and by face.  I am a member of a very public family (political).  Anyway...There is a house that have been turned into small offices.  From what I was told by someone who used to rent there that they charge $400/month.  What I was thinking of offering was this.  2 one hour massage per week ($40/session = $320/month), and for every one hour apt I book I give them $10.00 and for every 30min apt I book I give them $5.00.  In exchange I want a place where I can leave my table and use as my office.  With the understanding that I will stay there a year and as my client base grows I somehow convert from the massage to paying regular rent. So what do you all think?Morgan

 

[Dick Tator]

Bartering For Space?

I like this idea of bartering for space. However, I don't think you should offer them $5-10.00 more for every massage you do unless they (the owners) are the ones who referred the client to you (like a referral fee). Just my dos centavos ~Jenny

 

[Claire]

Bartering For Space?

That sounds great, but do you really think they'll go for it?

 

[GERSON]

Seforum.xxxgnant,   I dont know but I live in such a small town that we dont have much use for rented offices like that.  For example there is one building on the main drag of town right across from the courthouse that has been empty and for rent/sale for over a year.  So I would think that the owner would be happy to have something and someone use the space then nothing at all.  

 

[John T]

Bartering For Space?

Hands,Do you have a client base that you can at least start from? I can understand your position as it is basically the same for me at least in the small town part. Since you are fairly well known and live in the county seat I think is in your favor too. Have you connected with some other therapists in the county? Maybe they are looking to hook up with some one or they are looking for space to rent too. Where I am working out of the MT that owns the business lets me use the room and I pay her $10 per half hour and $15 for an hour use. Now and then we also work on each other. It's been hard to find clients for me being new, but I know that persistance pays! Good luck and let us know what happens!

 

[Zahra]

Bartering For Space?

Hands, you never know... you can certainly ask them and see if they will go for it.I live in a small city of less than 10,000 people... and have been looking for some appropriate office space myself.I had an interesting experience in the last couple months, where a friend told me about some office space that they had looked at to rent this past summer. It was downstairs in the back of a real estate office building located near a medical complex, with no windows... but really, fairly ideal for doing massage... Anyway, my friend told me they'd been offered it for $100/mo and when they didn't take it (it was to small for them) they promised the owner of the building they'd help him find someone to rent it. *Enter maestra*I told them I was referred by said friend, and they even let me make an appointment to see the space. Then when I was there, they told me they wanted $450/mo. I just about died. (BTW, the owner's sister-in-law always gets a 2 hr session with me when she comes to town and adores me. So, he knows I've got a good reputation about town.)Currently the sole occupant of the space is a picnic table... bet it's not paying $450/mo!So is something better than nothing? *shrugs* I would think so, but apparently others don't.I hope the people in your area are a little more "enlightened."

 

[Lotamel]

I'm actually not very up on the idea of batering - I think it's much easier to pay someone for something and they pay you, even if you pay them $50 and they pay you $50 10 seconds later, everyone KNOWS they've just been paid $50.  It also makes it much easier with swaps - how often do people actually do the swap on the same day?  If not, trying to organise the swap just seems to drag out. But that's getting a bit off topic...Is the owner a regular client already? (Doesn't sound like the owner would be going to get massage form another therapist already as there aren't many of you) If not, you're going to have to sell the idea of the benefits of massage and why 8 massages per month would be a good idea.  Maybe they can be given away to friends and family for a while, but that's like giving the room away to freinds and family - so it's more targetting the owner.  How are they meant to declare income of 8 massages per month?  How can they get tax breaks with no financial income from the room? They've just converted the building, there is probably some loan that needs to be paid.  Would you expect the bank to accept 2 massages per week as part loan re-payment?Unless the owner is an existing client that already gets 2 massages per week I think you're unlikely to get the interest.I'd just think of your first 2 clients each week as rent, doesn't matter if they are regulars or the owner of the building.

 

[ZsaZsa Galore]

I am curious to know how this panned out.

 

[Tarra]

Its going great! Its been 5 months and absolutly no problems! We are still traiding. I get my space and she gets her massage every week! I have been very lucky because no only has this worked out but she has been promoting me to her clients as well!