What do you really need to do to build a massage business?
Before you invest in branding and more advanced massage certifications, invest in understanding what: 1. motivates you, 2. keeps you focused, 3. scares you to death and, 4. compels you to finish a task.
The Problem With Not Knowing Yourself
Here’s a question that I still ask myself: Why did it take me so long to build a cranking massage business?
The answer?
I didn’t understand me.
More specifically, I didn’t understand what prevented me from accomplishing my goals.
For example, once when my wife, Lisa, and I opened up a new office, it took me a year to get the sign up. We lost hundreds if not thousands of dollars because I had moved so slowly.
It was failures to act, like my sign fiasco, that added up and netted me a massage business that was so-so.
Time to Build a Massage Business
The story of change started about 5 years ago.
At the time, I was on the verge of quitting my so-so massage business because in addition to making just okay money, my elbow ached, my hand was numb and my shoulder felt like it was going to snap off.
I didn’t quit because my dad had driven home how important it was to work efficiently and effectively both physically and mentally.
Maybe there was a way I could do massage with less effort and less pain to my body.
So, I started to experiment and over the course of a year, I was good.
How good?
Damn good.
In fact, I could do more massages without being in pain at 49 than I could do at 29.
Talk about a shot in the arm. My body was ready to go. Now I just needed more clients.
So, I really started to think about why I had accomplished some goals while I completely struck out with others.
And I found 4 things that were holding me back from building a massage business that exceeded my expectations.
Going After a Goal Must Do(s)
1. Find the right motivation to get started.
Not all motivation is equal. For me, effective motivation has a sense of urgency, like: If I don’t bring in more clients, I won’t be able to pay for _______ or do _______.
Urgency doesn’t have to come out of a dire situation. It can come from the realization that everything has a shelf life.
At 54 I’m less likely to stop everything and travel the world than I was at 24. If you don’t start your massage practice now, chances are that you won’t start it later.
Feel the adrenaline kicking in?
2. Focus on the goal, not the details.
Once you’re motivated (got the adrenaline going), it’s time to fight off everything that’s going to derail you. Your punch list could be one of them.
For example, if you want to open a massage practice, but your To-Do list to open your practice is the length of your arm—you’re set up for failure.
Instead of trying to get every detail done, just pick the key ones that are essential to opening your practice.
3. Acknowledge Fears
There will be times when you find yourself dragging your feet about a key task you need to do to accomplish a goal. These are the times when you need to ask yourself some serious questions, like “Why am I dragging my feet?”
Look closely. Nine times out of ten, I’m dragging my feet because of fear.
Remember the sign that took me a year to put up? Here’s why. The person that I hired to do our signs was a disaster. It took him 3 months to get our banner sign done.
He was supposed to do our marquee signs, but after the banner debacle I couldn’t trust him. The other sign companies that gave us proposals for our marquee signs were too expensive. So I decided to make the signs myself.
But I was so nervous that I was going to mess them up and have to redo them (costing us money) that I kept putting the job off.
Eventually, I made the signs and got them right the first time. However, at the end of the day, my feet dragging probably cost us more money (lost revenue because the signs weren’t up) than if I had paid a sign company who would have gotten the job done in a timely manner.
The project that took me a year, ugh.
Here’s a common fear for MTs striking out on their own: fear of being exposed as a fraud. I can’t tell you how many times in the beginning of my career that I waited for the client to get off my table and say, “Well, that really sucked.”
When you’re in this fear-based mindset you may find yourself not following through with advertising. That way your name doesn’t get out there (just in case you really do suck).
This should help you with some of that pesky fear: How to Succeed When You’re Afraid.
4. Stay connected to what compels you to accomplish a goal.
To resolve the feet dragging, reconnect with what is compelling for you to complete your goal. It could be a stick or a carrot.
A stick would be: if I don’t accomplish this goal, I will never have a house. A carrot would be: if I accomplish this goal, then I will have my dream job.
One more thing about the compelling part, it is the emotional fodder that will get you through the tough times. This is where knowing what moves you is important.
When I started this website, I had no idea of the challenges that I would face, like learning WordPress. And when my due date for my website revamp was rapidly approaching, I balked at the thought of only getting a few hours of sleep for the next couple of nights to get the job done.
But I had trained my brain to go back to the most emotionally compelling reason for me to do the website.
Here’s my compelling reason: I had written for magazines and developed CE courses for quite a few years. And I loved having my work out there through these businesses and professional organizations. However, the final product was always filtered through their screens.
I wanted the freedom to say what I thought needed to be said without their filters. Hence, the website. This was waaaay compelling to me.
Build a Massage Business Recap
Okay, are you ready to get this party started?
Let’s build a massage business.
First, grab that goal by its ears. Look it in the eye and find the strongest, biggest and baddest motivation for getting the job done. The motivation could be a dream or it could be a negative consequence that results from not following through. Lock it in your brain.
Then don’t get bogged down in the details. Focus on what is essential.
You’ll have to face your fears. And if you find yourself in mission creep, latch onto the motivation that is so compelling you have to stay on track.
Need more help?
Email (mark@makethemostofmassage.com) me or sign up for my email group.
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