Being a Seller when you've been born a nonpusher

[Lily<33]

HiI am a bit worried because I want to promote my business when I get out of school but I have never been a "seller". In other lives I have been a telemarketer and such and was really bad at it. Is it possible to sell your massages without being or feeling like a used car salesman?

 

[mesquiteskeetr]

Being a Seller when you've been born a nonpush

If you love to massage that's what you'll be telling everyone you know or meet. And hopefully they will see/hear the love and excitement in your face and voice as you tell them where you will be located and your hours, etc. That is what marketing is about. It's allowing your potential customer to see/hear your excitement and joy about massage and why you love it. There is a difference between selling massage and generating excitement about massage so the client can't wait to book an appointment!  

 

[Keia]

Being a Seller when you've been born a nonpush

It does help to be able to "close the deal" though.  You need to be sure to have your business cards and/or brochures with you wherever you go.  You need to be able to make an appointment in the middle of WalMart.  When you meet someone you haven't seen in a while or a friend of a friend or whatever and you get to chatting and you tell them what you're doing and you sense excitement.  They will inevitably tell you "Oh, I'll have to call you."  or "I woke up with a kink in my neck the other day."  If you just say "call me" and leave it up to them, you will most likely not hear from these people.  If you take out your appointment book and say something like "Is Tuesday good for you?", then you will more often than not get an appointment booked.  Most people like the idea of massage.  If you have a chance to chat with them and let them know some of the benefits that maybe they didn't know about, you will most likely have someone excited about massage.  There is a certain amount of "sales" involved though.  But, don't worry, you don't have to be super good at it to have success.  The better you are the quicker your success will come.  I think the key is to find something you are comfortable doing and find a way to "sell" massage that way.  Let's say you like public speaking, then maybe you could find a group that needs a speaker and speak to them about "Stress Relief".  Of course, you explain what stress does to their body over the short term and then the long term.  You explain the importance of managing stress.  Then, you offer lots of ways for them to manage their stress, including massage in the list of course.  You then close the talk by telling them about this exclusive special offered only to this group, but only if they book an appointment that evening.  You get the idea.  You have to find out what you are comfortable with. Find ways to let people know about the benefits of massage.  Offer people incentives to book their appointments, refer their friends and to keep coming back to you.  Once it all begins to build, it will be easier.