Rack Cards - Need Opinion... Want to get these ordered

[Meep Zorp]

I am getting ready to order some Rack Cards (1 sided brochure basically), and I will have my name across the top, and like my business cards I put Therapeutic and Relaxation Massage. Well, now I have a certificate in Oncology Massage. So I would like to take away the word "Relaxation" and put Oncology in it's place.

So it would read....... Therapeutic and Oncology Massage.

Does that sound alright to you?? Or does it sound like I only do that, and if you just want to come in for Stress Relief, or Low Back Pain, then I'm not the one for you??

I need help with this, I am stuck and can't think of another way...

 

[bandittt x3]

Rack Cards - Need Opinion... Want to get these ordered

OR... I could write up...

Name
Therapeutic & Relaxation Massage
also specializing in Oncology Massage

 

[Scary Halloween Mask]

Rack Cards - Need Opinion... Want to get these ordered

Well, my first question is, do you actually DO relaxation massage? Enough to want to advertise/promote it? We don't- so we took it off of our marketing materials.

I don't think there's anything wrong with saying "Therapeutic and Oncology Massage". It says "and" between the words- indicating that "oncology massage" is in addition to "therapeutic massage", and letting people know that it is a separate specialty of its own. If you don't wish to DO a wholelotta "relaxation massage", then don't put it on your cards. If you're wanting to reach out to a specific market niche, then make your materials relate to them. There are enough folks out there looking specifically for "relaxation massage" that you'd likely get a lot of calls from people you're not necessarily marketing to. If you put "Oncology massage" on your cards, not as an "after thought" but as one of the two primary focal points of your practice, *I* think you'll be more likely to have fewer calls from folks you're NOT so interested in marketing to, and more calls (thought probably not proportinately so) from folks who know and want *exactly* what *you are offering*.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Rack Cards - Need Opinion... Want to get these ordered

Thank you Time! That makes sense, I definitely prefer promoting the Oncology and Therapeutic side of things, over just a general Relaxation massage. So, maybe I should just leave that out, and try to target those with specific needs. I just hate in the beginning to rule "anyone" out, since I am just starting out with my own practice - you know?

Your post gives me a lot to think about.

Thank you!!

 

[ClassicManalo]

Rack Cards - Need Opinion... Want to get these ordered

We're not allowed to use the word 'therapeutic' in our state, if we're a CMT LMTs can, even if they do absolutely nothing different than we do and have no more training than us.

 

[THE]

Rack Cards - Need Opinion... Want to get these ordered

Why are CMT's not allowed to use the word "Therapeutic", but a LMT can?? t017

I am an LMT, because my state requires that.

 

[Jem]

Rack Cards - Need Opinion... Want to get these ordered

We're not allowed to use the word 'therapeutic' in our state, if we're a CMT LMTs can, even if they do absolutely nothing different than we do and have no more training than us.

I understand, and 12paws, it would do you well to research what limitations your own state would place on you regarding advertising. Here in Texas, we MAY use the term "therapeutic massage", but there are many other words/terms/ideas we may NOT use, as well as required info we *must* include. And as DH and I found out in December from a "random visit" from the State guy, they DO check up on us- it may take a while for them to get around to any single individual, but it's always a possibility. It creates quite a challenge to ensure that we are saying what we *want* to say, while keeping within the State's required boundaries. But since we wouldn't have this livelihood without the State's "generous" licensing program, we deem it worthwhile to stay on their good side. Of course, since we are not only two licensed MT's, but also run a licensed massage establishment, we have a few extra challenges on our advertising obstacle course that we wouldn't have if we were each working solo. Since we *like* working together (how many husband/wife couples can honestly say that? We are so blessed! :mrgreen: ), we are willing to jump through the few extra hoops to ensure our survivability AFA the State is concerned.

And, 12Paws, I do understand not wanting to "rule anyone out", since you are just trying to survive at this point. We've been there done that, and still are there doing that to a great extent (we celebrate our first anniversary April 1st!... for the business, not as a couple. Personally, we're going on #21!). But we have also had to field so many disappointed callers asking for services we not only don't provide, but have absolutely no interest in providing (for example, spa-type services).

We work on horses, people in pain, and pregnant women (DH the former two, and myself the latter). There are many various techniques we can "play with" among those three target groups. There are enough horses, hurting people, and pregnant women in the world that should keep us *quite* busy, without having to "settle" for doing mediocre work that we *aren't* so interested in doing- and thusly risking our "wow" reputation.

 

[rarehuntress]

Rack Cards - Need Opinion... Want to get these ordered

As a side thought:

You are making a Rack Card, so why not just use the name of your business and the comment of "Therapeutic and Relaxation Massage" --- and then, in the mid-portion of the card write a blurb for therapeutic massage (which would include the oncology work) and a blurb about the relaxation work.

That may be a bit more info for the client to read and fill up you rack card nicely.

 

[goo_head_83]

Rack Cards - Need Opinion... Want to get these ordered

It's kinda crazymaking sometimes. We can't call ourselves 'therapists', we can't use the word 'therapeutic' in any adverts or brochures or tell anyone we can relieve pain. We do any and all modalities (with training, obviously), advertise them, but we can't claim we can do anything but 'relaxation' massage. Thankfully, the general public doesn't realize and they still come to use for back/neck/whatever pain and we can do whatever we can to help them.

A local high-profile hair salon hired a CMT I knew somewhat and put a notice out on their sign "We have a Massage Therapist on staff!" and dang if someone didn't call the board that day to report that 'Jane' was not an LMT but a CMT (I suspect an LMT in the area did it). They weren't trying to promote 'therapy' per se but just that massage was now offered and the notice was put up by the owner's son, he didn't know the difference. It caused the CMT in question some headaches until she got it straight with the board that she was *not* calling herself a therapist.

I've thought about taking the National so I can be an LMT. I more than meet the requirements in my state to be one. The only real difference here is that besides the 'therapeutic' issue, LMTs can take prescriptions and bill insurance companies. But I don't want to deal with ins. & billing, I am very happy with the niche I've found for myself (and I worked for a Dr for 2 years and have no desire to go back to that). Plus, we had an LMT who did so and several of his clients skipped out on paying the bill when the insurance wouldn't pay, so he did thousands of $$ of work that he never got paid for. If I became an LMT, it would increase my CEU requirements, licensing fees and insurance but it wouldn't make a hill of beans difference in what I do every day.

The board is, however, talking about requiring everyone to be an LMT and just grandfathering us CMTs in.