Massage Therapy - Saturated Market?

[VisualEcho]

I keep seeing people talk about massage therapy being a saturated market.

I am in the fourth largest city in the US. I see many MT's around, but I sure don't feel ike it's a saturated market. Plenty of MT's come and go. And, I feel like the MT's on our forums here, are not the normal MT's. I do believe we have a higher than average MT here.

So, let's start a topic.

Is the market really saturated? Want to elaborate on that?

Go for it!

 

[smilez]

I've been thinking about this topic, and waffling on it. In my area alone there are 5 massage therapy schools pumping out graduates every year. One would think that the obvious answer is if not immediately, then very shortly, yes it is/will become saturated.

However, unlike other professions where it is more black and white, than what we do, not all massage therapists work for all clients. I think this is to our advaneforum.xxxe. I also think that with the lifespan of an average massage therapist being 5-7 years, give or take (and I have no numbers to back up this stat, more hearsay) the turn over can be quite high.

A lot of MT's don't cut the mustard, decide early on this isn't for them, or, with this being a predominantly female profession, get pregnant, and work part time while the children are growing up. A lot also find actually making ends meet in the first 3-5 years or so is difficult, and they are forced to find other jobs.

Now this isn't true of everyone, I know many RMT's who have been in the profession 10+ years (I was priveledged to meet one gentleman who had worked for 50 years!!). Are there a lot of therapists being pumped out yearly? Absolutely. However where I am, the medical system is pretty much broken , and more and more people are turning to complimentary therapies to deal with their health issues, with Chiro, massage, accupuncture, and naturopathy being among the most used for aches and pains, people used to go to their dr for.

Is it saturated, I think it will take many many years for the market to be truely saturated. High turn over of therapists, growing need from the public are I think all working in sync right now.

Just my opinion, your milage may vary 8) :?

 

[Ben O]

Pueppi, too funny! I was going to post the same topic, because I read an article recently with some interesting statistics. In a nutshell, market saturation depends on where you live & work. Here are some statistics from the article:

As might be expected, the most populous state in the United States, California, also has the most massage therapists, with 33,658. Wyoming, the least populous state, also claims the fewest massage therapists at 459. Hawaii reports the greatest concentration of massage therapists, with one therapist for every 250 residents. The state with least concentration is Alabama, with one massage therapist for every 3,876 residents.

As far as consumer interest in massage. People in the West were more likely to have received a massage in 2004 — 18 percent of them did. That compares to 13 percent in the Midwest, 11 percent in the Northeast and 8 percent in the South. Also, massage has more quickly gained acceptance in metropolitan areas. Last year 13 percent of both urban and suburban residents received at least one massage, compared to just 8 percent of adults living in rural areas.

To read the full text, click here:
http://www.massagetherapy.com/media/metricsgrowth.php

So, there's some validity to people's conerns about market saturation (especially in Hawaii apparently). But that article also raises the issue of consumer open-ness to massage. Someone might be the only MT in their rural community, but their challenge is educating people to be open to massage therapy.

I also agree with Myrrha that individual personality, skill level & lifestyle greatly affect each person's success in the field. As for my experience, I live in the south (where people apparently are least likely to get a massage) and in my town, there's approximatly one MT for every 700 people (which is considered pretty saturated). However, I have a strong business here, and I definitely think there's plenty of clients to go around. When I started my practice, other successful MT's referred overflow clients to me, and I do the same now that I'm successful. So, in my personal experience, the statistics haven't affected my ability to succeed at all.

 

[Hjgfkjf]

As someone who is just finishing their education in 2 weeks (YAY!) that was also one of my concerns early on. However several of my teachers have told me just about the same thing: "out of my graduating class of (insert # here) only 3 of us are actually practicing". These comments come from a range of people in age and years in the field.

As for my class, we have 16 people graduating...5 of us I know are going to be going into the field full-time as therapists....4 as part-time or for extra money while they continue their careers/family stuff....and the rest I have no idea why they even went through the program. So that's a little over half our class I guess is planning on entering the market to work. How many of them will still be in the market in 3-5 years, who knows.

I still worry a little about competition because there are SEVERAL programs here locally pumping out students every 6-8 months or so. But I do run into a lot of people who have the education and just don't use it. It also seems, at least with my class, that a lot of the students go work for someone else be it massage envy, an upscale spa, or a chiropractor...so there aren't that many doing out calls, or competing directly with other therapists.

Just my $.02

 

[Rum&Coke]

I don't have numbers to back me up, but it seems like a lot of massage therapists go on to get other training as well and become chiropractors, acupuncturists, naturopaths, somatic psychologists, etc. So that's another way turnover happens.

Perhaps the current market is saturated, but I can't help but think of the vast majority of folks who don't get massage, often who have never received professional massage... there's still room to grow!

 

[lalala]

Not Saturated, but heading that way

The problem facing therapists at the moment is not necessarily saturation, but seforum.xxxnation.

Sounds like a funny word to use when the spa industry is growing by leaps and bounds.

Here is the problem - growth in demand for services = growth in supply of therapists. Therefore, it is difficult for anyone to grow their practice when all the newcomers (therapists, spas, MEs etc) can soak up all of the new customers.

When supply = demand pricing tend to seforum.xxxnate as well. Sure, you may be able to jack your rates, but ME balance you out. The average price of a massage does not budge much.

 

[Sasafras]

Thanks for that perspective. I was struck by one part:

Therefore, it is difficult for anyone to grow their practice when all the newcomers (therapists, spas, MEs etc) can soak up all of the new customers.

I guess that's where the human factor comes in for private therapists. Networking, meeting potential clients, getting yourself in front of people, and most importantly, making the personal connections that help facilitate someone who's never received professional bodywork in making an appointment.

 

[Starkissed]

Exactly.

But that happens one of two ways.

Capture more than your share of the growing market -- which means someone somewhere is losing a client and will eventually continue to lose clients until they leave the profession, which further turns things in your favor. Look what Walmart did to KMart

or

Add so many clients that you are increasing the growth rate beyond that of the increase in therapists (clearly you can't do this alone). but in essence, others are standing still while you grow.

Nothing breeds success like success. The busier you are, the fewer openings you have, the more in demand you will be. Then you can raise your rates and still be booked.

 

[Nate]

in essence, others are standing still while you grow.

That's what I pictured when I read the word "seforum.xxxnant"... I think I've been there in my practice before, basically "standing still", not taking the right actions, sometimes not taking action at all.

And then the opposite of seforum.xxxnant... dynamic, outgoing, active...

Both grow, creating more of themselves, just in different directions from each other ;-)

 

[selena luvz you x]

Saturated?? If you go by the numbers, no it isnt. However, I do think massage schools are pumping out to many students to keep up with the number of people who want massage. The numbers of the general public who want massage on a regular basis just isnt enough to keep the growing number of MT's in a good steady business.


I agree with what Myrrha said about MT's predominantly being female, young, and in child bearing age. I would not have been able to grow my business as I have if I were 15 years younger and had or was having babies. Currently I have a nearly 16 year old and a 13 year old and it is tough enough with getting home late. I cant imagine trying to juggle little babies and doing this business, at least not the way I currently am.