Massage tools will not only save your hands, they’ll help you build a unique practice and differentiate yourself from the competition. This is my quick tutorial for building a massage business with massage tools.
Massage Tool Guy Not
First, you may think that I’m known as “the massage tool” massage therapist, but I’m not. Okay, some of my clients know I use massage tools and connect massage tools to my massage, but most don’t. Instead, they connect me with focus work—as in, I have the ability to deliver precise pressure. From a marketing standpoint, that really works for me.
Imagine you’re designing a Facebook ad. What sounds better: “massage tool massage” or “massage with focus work”? Most people don’t have an experience to connect with massage tools and it’s hard to imagine what that experience might be. Is the massage tool going to be electric? Will it be relaxing?
Not to mention “massage tool” sounds intimidating to some. So there’s no need to scare them away by advertising you might be using massage tools. And there’s no need to hire a marketing person to sell your “massage tool” massage. The marketing beauty of massage tools is that your marketing is simply you using massage tools in a massage.
What clients feel on the table will be what sells your “massage tool” massage. Clients will feel very precise focus work. More precise than a thumb? Yes. Your thumb comes in one size. But massage tool tips come in many different sizes, some smaller than a thumb.
The preciseness is one of things that makes “massage tool” massage unique and will give you an automatic advantage over a massage therapist who is using a thumb or another body part instead of a massage tool.
Here are other advantages massage tools will give you: You’ll be able to sustain pressure a long time without fatiguing or injuring yourself. And you’ll be more durable than a traditional massage therapist because you won’t overuse thumbs and fingers, and compromise joints. That means you’ll be able to do more massages and increase your income.
Overcoming Perceived Barriers
What’s stopping you from becoming a “massage tool” massage therapist? You might be afraid that you’re going to lose sensitivity when using a massage tool.
There’s a solution for that: Why You’re Not Using Your Massage Tool.
Maybe you tried a massage tool and it saved your thumb but hurt your hand. That happened to me early on in my massage career. I spent many years figuring out how to hold a massage tool so that it wouldn’t stress my hand. This is what I came up with: Save Your Thumbs: The Mighty T-Bar.
That’s basically it. To build a “massage tool” massage business, (1) practice with a massage tool to deliver focused pressure, (2) advertise massage tools as focus work, detail work, precise pressure or focused pressure, and (3) let your clients sell your work.
How to Get it Done
One last thing: Simply identifying a barrier won’t get you across the finish line and make you a “massage tool” massage therapist. You have to experiment and practice with massage tools.
I have two massage tools, online (home-study) classes that will guide you through experimenting and practicing. You can view them here along with the Pain-Free Massage Therapist online classes package.
Also, anytime you need help, I’m here. Just shoot me an email. 🙂
