moblie massage business slow starting up

[Nan Chen]

I have recently started up trying to start up a mobile massage business after taking a year break from massage. I have another part time job which is very stressful but much needed for its good benefits etc. I just really missed doing Massage therapy too much!!! I have started up a couple of months ago to contact my old clients though a letter to let them know I am back. I have only had a few customers call back and book an out call. I feel like my prices are pretty fair. I wonder if some of my clients dont want me to come to their home but they would rather escape to a nice spa or go to an actual place. I have hosted a few spa parties which went pretty well though. Does anyone have any good tips to try to market to my old clients. I have thought of maybe offering half off price coupons to them also. I may just start to call some of them to let them know that I am available still. Any ideas?

 

[Elisabeth C]

moblie massage business slow starting up

In general, demand for mobile services are much lower than for fixed locations

When you consider how often (or infrequently is probably the better word) individuals get massage, you are lucky if they would do 1/2 their services at home.

 

[Meshuggah]

moblie massage business slow starting up

I would send a postcard to everyone on my client list and offer a "lets get re-aquinted" offer.
Make it a relly good offer, like the 50% off if you can, you want to make it very hard to resist.

Then after the massage, give them a few business cards and tell them you will give the same offer to their friends but only if they mention her/his name when they call you. That will get them to talk about you to their friends, because they want their friend to get a great deal too. And it's better if you put a time limit on it too, like 30 days or so, this will get them to take action.

Better yet, give them four cards (or whatever) and tell them you well offer the same deal to only four of their fiends, with a 30 day expiration on it. This will really get them to take action.

Word of mouth is the very best way to grow your business, encourage it in every way you can.

 

[Amani]

moblie massage business slow starting up

Thank you all!!! This is helpful. I do need to get a little more motivated. I have considered picking up some hours at a spa instead of this although I know that may be slow going at first. I just need to make some decisions and think about the pros and cons. Thanks again!!!!

 

[June V]

moblie massage business slow starting up

If you're in a major metro area, you might want to swing into Whole Foods and pick up one of their free networker-type magazines. I know Natural Awakenings is a natural/holistic health practitioner networker magazine, and has franchises all over the US and their advertising rates are NOT expensive, especially if you do it for more than a month. Often, they'll include the design of your ad with the price. They also have calendars of events and whatnot, so you can get another mention without having to pay for a second ad (although depending on your city they might have a small fee for these - ours was all-inclusive).

The cool part about the free magazines/directories (especially the ones specifically at places like Whole Foods) is that they successfully target the exact demographic you're looking for: females (initially pick them up and then pass them to their families, so that they get read equally by males and females) with household incomes above 50K, already natural health-minded (that's why they shop where they do), etc etc. Those people can afford your services, even in the shape the economy is in. If you charge $100/hr for an outcall (the average going rate in both major metro areas I've lived in recently), it'll take you just a few massages to make up the cost of the ad. That kind of thing was the first advertising we've EVER paid for, and we're already fielding phone calls responding to the first printing, which came out less than a week ago.

Good luck!! Things will pick up.
Hugs,
~Jyoti

 

[Ruth velasquez]

moblie massage business slow starting up

I own a mobile massage business too. I'm very slow and I have done some large prints ads in very popular Houston magazines and I haven't gotten squat. I have wondered about natural awakenings. I think that may be a good option for us. I am also looking at "group coupon" type deals like groupon.com