Prices

[AlissaPie]

What does everyone charge is someone comes every week?
Once every two weeks?
Once every three weeks?

Thank you for your help. I live in North Carolina and I need help with pricing.

 

[AznBoii]

I charge the same price, no matter how often clients receive massage. However, when I first started my practice, I had a reward for regulars: after 10 massages, receive the 11th one free. This wasn't a prepaid package. It was simply a "thank you" for my regulars. I kept track in their charts and let them know when they had earned a "freebie." Monthly clients received one free massage per year. Weekly clients received 5 free massages per year. Intermittent clients didn't earn freebies.

I discontinued this program when my practice became full with regular clients. Although I enjoyed giving the free massages away for the first few years, I reached a point where I was giving away 2-3 massages per week, and I began to resent it. That's when I knew it was time to discontinue the program.

You don't need to give clients a huge discount. Any discount is an incentive. The larger the discount, the more money you'll be losing as your schedule fills with regulars, and the more difficult it is to raise your rates later. I think it's a good idea to plan for the future, when you first set up your client incentives. Good luck!

 

[Jeski]

Blisss is right

At this time, we do give discounts for "frequent flyers". We have certain things we'd like our clients to do (schedule their next appointment on their way out, keep their appointments without postponing them, come in often so that they STAY loose, and pay cash instead of check or credit card). When they commit to doing these things, we reward that. Like Blisss said, it doesn't have to be a big discount. Nor should it be. They already agreed to pay your full price, so why cut it drastically? A simple $5 or $10 should do. Our discount varies by length of appt and frequency of visits. It ranges from $5 on the low end (a 1-hour session every 2 weeks) to $15 (a 2-hour session every 1-2 weeks).

We continue to offer this after 3 years in practice, but this is mostly due to the fact that I'd like to say thanks to those who do what we'd like them to, and also to sort of make up for the fact that we're now going through some very intense schooling that takes a lot of our time and energy and we just can't spend the extra time with our clients (chatting before or after the session, or sometimes slightly extending the session on the house) like we used to when we had much more time.

Good luck You'll find the pricing structure that resonates with you! Even though sometimes it is a little bit of trial and error

Hugs,
~Jyoti

 

[WilliamAspeplyHili]

HeatherMassages, not sure if you're starting out, or needing help with existing clientele. Particularly when you are starting out, you have more time than money. Giving regulars a money discount can be the difference between being able to pay a bill or not. So don't offer them financial incentives, give them bonus time, you have the time available, you don't even have to promote it as an incentive, just gift them with some extra time every so often. Don't do it EVERY time, they will come to expect it, and as you try to stop gifting it they will feel short changed. When you do do it, make sure you check in with them first that going over time is OK for them today, you think they deserve a bit extra. That way you have the flexibility not to do it if you get another client, or you can choose to do it when it suits you.

Once you become busier, you will have more money, less time, and you can reassess what you do then.

 

[TeenageBoy]

Not to hijack but was wondering what people charge for sports massage and amount of time given? I am thinking 10 minutes pre and post for $10.

 

[This is insanity!]

Melb, that is an *awesome* point you make I second it!

Massagechick, I know in our area sports massage can go for anywhere between $60-65/hr (the same as average market price of a regular massage from a private practitioner) to around $80/hr. Usually not more than that, though. I do some sports and I charge my normal rate ($70) no matter what the massage style, since mine's a blend of techniques anyway, tailored to client needs/preference

Hope that helps!
Hugs,
~Jyoti

 

[Angelique]

Sounds like you give a full massage 30 or 60 minutes? I was taught a 10-15 pre event massage and post event. Does everyone give session massage or do you do the fast 1-2 minute in each area massage?

Maybe I should transfer my post to a new thread because I don't really want to pull attention away from Heather's post.

 

[melouofs]

Hi Shirl

We give full 60, 90, and 120 minutes. We personally don't do much genuine sports massage, where you differentiate between pre- and post-event, though. We do work with clients who have aches or pains due to playing sports (usually soccer, tennis, golf), but we take more of a clinical protocol-rich Neuromuscular approach. In NMT, each area can take at LEAST 7 minutes, on up to 40 min depending on the problem and the work necessary to take care of that problem.

Hope this helps!
Hugs,
~Jyoti

 

[tyslove]

Sounds great, I will be right over. lol I was wanting do the shorter versions and adapt them to the gym. I wouldn't even attempt to say I know how to do what you do.

 

[goddesskieryn]

I was wanting do the shorter versions and adapt them to the gym. I wouldn't even attempt to say I know how to do what you do.

Hehe I'm sure you DO! Give yourself credit

I'm sure anything I do can be adapted to a gym. NMT & Sports massage could probably make a nice combo

 

[wishnuwelltoo]

I charge my regular rate no matter how often they come in (I have some weekly clients). When I started off I would offer a free massage once they had 6 at my regular price but like previous posters I started to resent it when my practice got full and I discontinued the program. I had enough paying clients.

 

[Zidane]

Exactly Pete! Thank you for the pricing, I hadn't thought about that. I won't be using the lotion, but will have to wash the sheets.