Idea for "sample massage." Opinions?

[tesalala]

Hi everybody ,

I met with a SCORE adviser Monday night who highly suggested the use of offering free samples of my massage to get more clients through my door.

I know this issue has been discussed and discussed on this board with most of the MTs here stating that giving free massage has not been an effective way to attract paying clientèle. However, I remember on one thread (can't find it now), it was suggested that I offer 5 minutes free (seated massage), but only do 1/2 of the body, left or right. This would make it actually a "sample" and not a "free massage." And the person, if they choose not to pay to have their other half done, would be educated by feeling the difference between their two sides when they go about their way.

Thinking back, this method, although used unintentionally, is what sold me on massage in the first place. My Kung Fu master was teaching a class on basic Chinese medicine and theory, and used me as the guinea pig for foot massage. He felt horrible about it but only had time to do one foot. The difference was huge when he finished.

I'm just curious what others think of this idea. On the one hand I think it's ingenious. On the other, I wonder if it will leave people feeling some negativity toward me, no matter how upfront I am about only working on one side when they sit in my chair. I also wonder about the physical and energetic effects this could have on a client. I hate to leave people "unbalanced." I know how that feels LOL!

So, what do you all think?

Emily

 

[Pompal 09.]

Like you, I am ambivalent about it. For the same reasons.

I know I am no help. Sorry. But I'm right there with you.

 

[Misfit_101]

Idea for "sample massage." Opinions?

Hi everybody ,

I met with a SCORE adviser Monday night who highly suggested the use of offering free samples of my massage to get more clients through my door.

I know this issue has been discussed and discussed on this board with most of the MTs here stating that giving free massage has not been an effective way to attract paying clientèle. However, I remember on one thread (can't find it now), it was suggested that I offer 5 minutes free (seated massage), but only do 1/2 of the body, left or right. This would make it actually a "sample" and not a "free massage." And the person, if they choose not to pay to have their other half done, would be educated by feeling the difference between their two sides when they go about their way.

Thinking back, this method, although used unintentionally, is what sold me on massage in the first place. My Kung Fu master was teaching a class on basic Chinese medicine and theory, and used me as the guinea pig for foot massage. He felt horrible about it but only had time to do one foot. The difference was huge when he finished.

I'm just curious what others think of this idea. On the one hand I think it's ingenious. On the other, I wonder if it will leave people feeling some negativity toward me, no matter how upfront I am about only working on one side when they sit in my chair. I also wonder about the physical and energetic effects this could have on a client. I hate to leave people "unbalanced." I know how that feels LOL!

So, what do you all think?

Emily

I always hated that feeling in school when we only had time to practice techniques on one half and I promised myself I'd never intentionally do that to a client. I have built my business by giving away free massages...30 min on table and 10 min chair massages. (not totally free but when you massage 32 teachers all day for $200 it's close) lol But I use the chair intake form as a drawing for a free 30 min massage as well. It worked for me. And now that I am holding at 50 to 60 clients a month, I don't have to do freebies any more, but I am still open to the idea because it works in this area. People here are very reluctant about massage as they don't know what to expect so it takes getting them on the table for them to realize the benefits and spread the word. I'm sure it would be different if I were in a place where massage was prominent and ppl just fished around for the 'free' massages because there are so many spas to choose from. We're breaking ground here though so that probably makes a difference.

 

[daa]

I occasionally give as gifts a few minutes (about 15) of a new modality to a regular client. It is added on to thier regular session. I do one side of the upper body, then tell them to get up, walk around and notice. I ask them to let me know if it feels this modality is right for them. Most can really feel the difference and I can add that to my toolchest for that client. I feel that if we have definitely discovered something that benefits them, it's a win/win. They haven't gambled to find out and I didn't give a shortened full-body version that may not have had the same effect of so clearly being a YES!

 

[Unpalalgarp]

I think that giving free massages can be a great way to start out and get your "touch" known. However, I see that you have been registered on here since 2006 so I am assuming that you have been in business at least that long.

So you presumably want to 'top up' your business rather than start from scratch. Unless you live in an area like Touch of Grace, I would consider networking instead - join the local chamber of commerce or a networking group. Talk to your clients and ask them to re-book, or contact previous clients with an offer of some sort. Offer a gift certificate or coupon that is good for the first half hour - when a minimum one hour session is booked.

Good luck!

 

[Becky]

. Offer a gift certificate or coupon that is good for the first half hour - when a minimum one hour session is booked.

Excellent suggestion MarionFM, and welcome back I've missed you!

t039

 

[michael b]

Thanks for all of the replies!

I have been in business since Sept 2007, just opened in a new location Feb '08 and went full time into massage as of April 4th. So I am still pretty new.

Last week I joined the chamber of commerce. I also took a business course at a local business incubator recently. That is where I was introduced to SCORE. I try to make it to as many of their events as I can.

Because of what I've read on this forum and learned in school, I've been very stingy about giving out free massages LOL. I tried it once and got taken advaneforum.xxxe of. Left a bad taste in my mouth, so I haven't tried it again. But, I think now that I will. Free 5 minute chair massage for first-time clients (I don't want the same folks to keep coming back for a free 5 minute massage every day LOL).

I love the idea for a free half hour when at least 1 hour is booked. I may use that a little further down the road.

An MT just opened a location down the street from me and he does free chair massage every Saturday. His practice is still too new to see if that's going to work for him. He's a former classmate of mine, so I do wish him the best.

Anyway, I'm glad I asked the question. I love this forum!

Emily

 

[yakevinhoo63]

Here's a rationale for giving a free 30 minute massage: How much money do you think you'll make over the average time that that client comes to see you? If your clients come to see you an average of 8 times a year, at $60 per visit, that's $480 per new client per year. Are you willing to spend $30 of your time to get $480 in cash?

How much do you spend on advertising, and does it equal what it costs you (per client) to do a free 30 minute massage? There's a reason "the first hit is free," (pardon the drug reference) and it's because you are totally confident that the person who is on your table for the first time is going to want more of what you have to offer. Think of it as hands-on advertising. Never do a free massage without getting their contact info so you can put them on your mailing/email list.

You aren't giving it away--you're investing.

Just my two cents.

 

[lovelylady]

I'm probably the person who suggested the single quadrant sample massage.

So if I understand correctly, your two concerns are:

- People might feel negatively toward you after only receiving massage on one side of their upper body.

- You feel bad thinking about leaving people "unbalanced" because you know how that feels.

It's so interesting to me that along with knowing how it feels, you also know how educational it is... you got to have the experience of feeling what your feet felt like both with and without massage... in the same time frame! You could compare back and forth and come to your own conclusion. And it led you to massage school?

Don't you see what a gift your teacher's "mistake" was? I'd say the only thing mistaken about it was that it wasn't done intentionally. Oh, and that your teacher wasted energy feeling bad about it!

This is how I finally reconciled myself with the technique, which was company policy at the time. I realized that we were offering these clients a true gift. Like all gifts, it had to be given without expectation--the giver can't control the receiver's reaction, feelings, or what s/he does with the gift after it has been given.

That is to say... they can treat it like a learning experience or not. They can pay attention or not. They can spend their time feeling entitled to free massage or not. Just like they could choose to receive the sample in the first place or not. And in this way, people self-sorted. We got exactly the clients that were ready for us, and few if any of the clients that weren't.

So once I was able to resolve my *own* internal conflicts (do you see how your concerns are more about you than your potential clients?) and became grounded in the truth that in offering the sample I was offering something of true value (at no charge), the "problems" that had been cropping up with receivers of the sample massage went away for me. I was now offering, delivering, and wrapping up the sample massage with confidence and clarity.

As for the whole unbalancing thing... I just don't empower that harmful reality, for a couple of different reasons. One is the idea that if you are doing enough to create serious imbalance in 5 minutes, you're doing too much for your sample ;-)

The second is that I don't buy that imbalanced work is necessarily harmful. Was it Feldenkrais who said, "Let the left side learn from the right side," as he sent people away after working on only half their body? Or do I have my droppable-names mixed up? ;-)

Anyway, please don't think I'm saying that you have to do single quadrant samples, or that you can't do full upper body samples. I am simply saying that the single quadrant sample is a valuable gift that you can give, should you choose, not with fear or guilt, but with love and joy.

Someone please translate that last sentence into non-hippie for me!

 

[8 In the corner]

Thank you Josh! You speak in exactly my language (Does that make me a hippie? Yay! ). I will re-read this many times, I'm sure, and digest slowly. I love what you said about winding up with the clients that were ready for your work, and very few of the ones who were not. What you said made perfect sense to me.

I may try it as a little experiment at my chair massage gig this evening and see how it goes over.

Thanks so much for your response.

As it is, I have a sign up for free sample massages today and have had no takers! Soon I'll go stand in the hall and pull people into my office LOL.

Emily

 

[Palindromic]

I think you should try it on your SCORE counselor.

 

[Clint]

You are quite welcome Glad my language worked for you!

BJB, I love your suggestion!

Oh, kemilyna... our experience was consistently that nothing kept away potential clients like an empty chair, and that nothing drew people to try it out like someone already receiving... I take that back: a line draws even more people, until it gets too long.

Grab anyone you can, even bring a friend in exchange for massaging them just to get the ball rolling.

 

[Marilyn]

Just a comment on working only one side: some conditions require it.

For example, I have a personal training client that suffers from "severe brain hemispherity", in other words one side of her brain doesn't function nearly so well as the other. If you worked equally on both sides of her, you'd overstimulate the strong side and this has resulted in some EXTREMELY unpleasant situations for her. She must have bodywork done on only one side, or at least much more on one side than the other, on a regular basis.

In my massage practice, I have occasionally had other reasons to work only one side of a client, primarily due to time available and nature of the presenting condition. These clients have never reported negative side effects attributable to having received work on only one side.

 

[smilebeth24]

Jason you see some of the most interesting cases.

 

[Anna I]

I've been lucky.

 

[Rick420~57]

OK, my big sign on an easel, just inside the main door to the building says:

Seated massage (with an arrow)
$5 per 5 Minutes
FREE SAMPLE!
etc.. etc... etc...

And NO ONE has taken me up on it, in three days LOL!

I've had a few more paying clients than usual, but no freebie-seekers.

I don't know why, but I find that pretty funny.

Emily

 

[Lawrie]

I think maybe your sign isn't entirely clear. It looks like the massage costs money, and then they could get a free sample of something else...like a little giveaway...tea or lotion or something sample sized.

Rewording may be in order....perhaps....

Seated Massage
First 5 minutes free!
after that $1/min up to 20 minutes

or something along those lines.

 

[chellithangam]

One of the best marketing things I do is setup at Chiropractic CEU weekends and work on them on break. They are a great referal base to get to know. They have to take CEUs just like us and might appreciate your presence at the workshop.

An ex girlfriend was a wiz marketing director.... she always said find where people are that want massage and go to them. Marketing (for LMTs) is about concentrating your client base and then market. For instance.... talking to a teachers union will reap more benifits than placing flyers on car windshields. Fibromyagia supports groups are already assembled for you. Professional womans business associations are the same. For the MALES....join the local professional business womans organization and talk to them. GO WHERE YOUR CLIENT BASE HAS ALREADY ASSEMBELED.

 

[Gareth Moore]

I think maybe your sign isn't entirely clear. It looks like the massage costs money, and then they could get a free sample of something else...like a little giveaway...tea or lotion or something sample sized.

Rewording may be in order....perhaps....

Seated Massage
First 5 minutes free!
after that $1/min up to 20 minutes

or something along those lines.

OK I finally had someone ask about it with the original wording, but she didn't have time to stop. She said she will be back!

I just changed the wording. It now says:

Seated Massage
FREE sample!
then my pricing, etc

My SCORE guy emphasized the use of the word "Sample" so that's why I'm using it.

We'll see what happens now.

Emily

 

[Intern Jessica]

One of the best marketing things I do is setup at Chiropractic CEU weekends and work on them on break. They are a great referal base to get to know. They have to take CEUs just like us and might appreciate your presence at the workshop.

An ex girlfriend was a wiz marketing director.... she always said find where people are that want massage and go to them. Marketing (for LMTs) is about concentrating your client base and then market. For instance.... talking to a teachers union will reap more benifits than placing flyers on car windshields. Fibromyagia supports groups are already assembled for you. Professional womans business associations are the same. For the MALES....join the local professional business womans organization and talk to them. GO WHERE YOUR CLIENT BASE HAS ALREADY ASSEMBELED.

That's a great tip!

I currently do a weekly seated massage gig at a local health food store. It started REALLY slow there, but has gotten much better over the past few weeks. There are a lot of folks there who love massage and I've picked up a table client or two from doing it.

I'll keep my eye out for meetings of organizations that may be open to receiving massage too.

This is actually a great building, with an injury lawyer, a bank, an upscale hair salon, and a restaurant, so I usually get a lot of interest from passers-by.

Thanks,
Emily