Make the Most of Massage

Category: Accelerate Massage Business (30K – 60K+)

  • How to Make Pressure Work For You

    How to Make Pressure Work For You

    I’m 100% on my own when it comes to making money in my massage practice or any other business that I have.

    That means I have to sell, produce and deliver to eat.

    No one gives me sick days or vacation days.

    No one pays for my insurance.

    Without me it all falls down.

    And, yes, I wear Depends.

    Okay, so I don’t where Depends, but the pressure of working for myself sometimes makes me feel like I need them.

    But there’s a good side to pressure, too.

    Pressure forces me to figure things out.

    Here’s what I mean.

    Pressure and Having a Massage Practice

    Say you take the leap and go out on your own.

    Okay, now you have the cost of rent, equipment and supplies.

    Someone (you) just lit a Bunsen burner under your butt.

    And there’s a good side here to pressure, Mark?

    Maybe not at first, but as you start to figure things out, the bad pressure stops feeling bad.

    “Figuring things out” is not a metaphor.

    It’s the constructive things you do to help you accomplish a goal or succeed.

    “Figuring things out” is not magic.

    It’s accomplished through trial and error.

    And I’ve done my share of error.

    The business my wife, Lisa, and I started a few years ago, PressurePerfect, had a rough start.

    I had completely miscalculated how I was going to bring in new clients. And we weren’t making enough money.

    You could say my butt was getting well-done and I was about to turn off the gas to the Bunsen burner (close shop) until I finally threw myself into something I hated—marketing.

    Eventually, I discovered a way to market that was cheap and fit my personality.

    The Bunsen burner was not on high anymore.

    And the pressure was good (manageable).

    Pressure = Massage Practice Success

    Was the stress from the pressure of a failing business worth it?

    Yep.

    Here’s why. That pressure drove me to grow PressurePerfect at that one location.

    Now, the pressure of having to do all the administrative, facilities and marketing jobs myself is now driving me to grow PressurePerfect in a different way where Mark has less to do.

    Bad and Good Pressure Come Together

    I wish I could just kick bad pressure to the curb.

    But it doesn’t work like that for me.

    Let’s say I want something.

    Like more money.

    So, then I do something to get more money, like demo massages.

    Demo massages trash my schedule and create bad pressure.

    I run around like crazy for a few months—and fight with our cats.

    But I know how to use demo massage as a marketing tool and in a few months, my weekly income bumps up.

    And the pressure feels less sucky.

    But being over-committed is still excessive pressure. So then I figure out how to put my demo massages on maintenance mode without losing any referrals.

    Bad pressure is now good.

    So to me, getting to good is a process.

    Without the sucky pressure part, I wouldn’t be motivated to figure things out.

    Make Pressure Work for Starting Your Massage Practice

    If you’re thinking about starting a massage practice and have done your homework (like you have a plan to get clients), don’t let pressure scare you away.

    Let the Bunsen burner do it’s job and embrace the bad feeling of pressure.

    But know it will turn to good pressure once you make adjustments to lessen the intensity of the pressure as you achieve or after you achieve your goal.

    Need help with paying that rent? Here’s how I bring in more clients: Massage Marketing Tips: How to Pick the Winners.

    P.S. I have an email group.

    It’s free and I send you my latest info about making more money, building a massage practice and staying out of pain.

    Sign up below:-)

  • Hit Your Massage Number

    This post was going to be called How to Hit Your Massage Number.

    But I didn’t go with that title because before the how there needs to be a why.

    And that why needs to be compelling for one simple reason: If you stay connected with the why (the need to hit your number) then, more than likely, you’re going to hit your number.

    Let me explain.

    Hitting Your Massage Number

    First, by hitting your number I mean that you achieve the weekly number of massages you set as a goal.

    If you were in sales hitting your number would be straightforward.

    Your sales goal number would be put on a board or entered in a spreadsheet and you’d work to accomplish that goal.

    Pressure’s on.

    But you’re not a salesperson.

    There’s no sales board.

    There’s no spreadsheet.

    There’s no one there telling you to hit your number besides you—which makes it easy to lose sight of the need to hit your number.

    I get that.

    For a chunk of my massage career I wasn’t hitting my number.

    And I addressed the problem by lowering my number.

    That’s one way to hit your number, right?

    But not a good way because as I adjusted my number down, my income went down, too. And I struggled to make it as a massage therapist.

    Eventually, I became determined to hit my original number.

    And I did.

    Then I raised my number

    And I hit that number, too.

    Motivation Behind Determination

    So, just get determined and everything will work out, Mark?

    No.

    You have to be determined, but we all know determination is not as simple as flipping on a switch.

    Here’s what made me persistent in working towards hitting my number: Utter desperation.

    At the lowest point in my massage career I either needed to hit my number and climb out of a financial hole or find another career.

    That was a significant fire under my butt.

    What’s your fire?

    If you’ve been at massage for a few years and are barely making it, I’m going to give you some preemptive desperation (motivation) by telling you what’s ahead: More floundering until you quit.

    I’m such a nice guy…

    Seriously, I’m not trying to upset you.

    I’m just trying to light a controlled burn under your butt so that you don’t end up as desperate as I was.

    My How to Hit Your Massage Number Formula

    So, embrace the reality that you have to hit your number.

    Then define that number.

    How much do you need to make each work week this year? The following year?

    Next, implement basic marketing strategies, like the ones you can find in my free Jumpstart course.

    Stick with the plan for 6 months.

    Tweak it if you need to.

    Hit your number.

    Enjoy the success:-)

    P.S. Want my latest info? (It’s free.) Sign up here:

  • Massage Practice 101: How to “Just Do It”

    Massage Practice 101: How to “Just Do It”

    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.

    pressureperfect-sign-pic

    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.

    Email Group Sign-Up

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  • You Have to Sell (Sorry…)

    You Have to Sell (Sorry…)

    You have to sell—especially if you’re going to work for yourself.  But, if you’re like me, selling is a gigantic mountain to climb. For one, I hate, hate, hate sales scripts, strategies and formulas.

    Sales, to me, is not a game where the customer is prey. A customer is a human being who deserves honesty and respect. That said, I finally found a way to sell where I don’t feel like I need to take a shower afterwards.

    To Sell Is Human

    I don’t think selling is simple. Throughout my life, I’ve failed a bazillion-ish or so times to be comfortable with selling.

    Then, after reading To Sell is Human, I finally got that practically everything we do in life has some sales in it. We sell, even if we don’t think we’re sales people.

    When I want my wife, Lisa, to go to out dinner with me, I start off by telling her about the lousy meal I’m planning to make because I’m tired and not willing to put a lot of (any) effort into it.

    That’s pretty persuasive.

    A problem arises when persuasion moves into manipulation or outward lying. Far too many sales scripts and marketing tactics fall into these categories.

    The good news is that you don’t have to trick, wear down, or lie to somebody to make a sale. Instead, you can use gentle persuasion. Some people call this soft selling.

    Here are 3 musts (for me) to soft sell effectively:

    1. Believe in what you’re selling.

    I can’t sell something that I don’t believe in. Period. Oh, I’ve tried and it’s always been a huge disaster. For instance, in my twenties a naturopath wanted me to sell an herbal drink that he sold. Worse, he wanted me to sell it to my family and friends.

    One day in his office, he was going to “help” me sell. He asked me to pick up the phone and call someone that I thought could benefit from using the product. I literally stared at the phone for 5 minutes—and then never made a call.

    Here’s why I stared at the phone: Though the naturopath was convinced the product worked, I wasn’t. The evidence was purely anecdotal, and the supplement was expensive.

    Here’s another example. Once I worked as a director at a massage spa. The job was actually about sales, not management. The owner wanted me to memorize their product line so that I could sell the products. This one particular pain relief ointment had zero science behind it and she wanted me to sell it as if it were proven to be effective.

    I never memorized the sales script, never sold the product and soon after tendered my resignation.

    Do yourself a favor, if you’re have a soft-sell personality, don’t try to talk yourself into selling something you question, don’t believe in, or don’t use. For example, don’t sell essential oils to clients if you don’t use them yourself. It’s a waste of time and will cause you a lot of anxiety.

    2. Show them why they want to buy from you.

    Selling doesn’t have to be direct, like: “Would you like to come back for a massage?” In fact, some of the most powerful persuasion comes from action, not words.

    With massage, you can take action by showing that you care.

    Doing a wrap-up after the massage demonstrates care. Grab an anatomy text book or pull up pics of muscles on your cell and let the client know which muscles you’ve worked and how you worked them. Tell her what you plan on working next time and then touch base with her in a couple of days to see how she’s doing.

    Also, if you’re treating your client for a particular condition and she is seeing another health practitioner, like a chiropractor, physical therapist or acupuncturist, for the same condition, ask the client if you can coordinate care with the other health practitioner. Not only will this enhance your treatment plan it will further demonstrate to the client that you care. By the way, coordinating can lead to referrals—a lot of them.

    That’s a whole lot of persuasion that you’re providing without every saying “When would you like me to schedule your next appointment?”

    3. Give yourself a break.

    You’re not going to love your work all the time. That’s just the way life is so don’t beat yourself up if on a bad day you feel disingenuous because you’ve depleted your reserve of empathy.

    Remember, your sales system is built around care. And that is 100% congruent with who you are. So plug into that system even if you feel like you’re going through the motions. Do the post-massage wrap-up or whatever it is that shows that you care about your client.

    In other words, FAKE IT! The love will come back at some point and in your heart you know that you do care, just not right now so much.

    Soft Sell Your Way to a Dream Business

    If you hate hard selling, soft selling is a legitimate and effective way to sell. Start by only selling what you can get behind. Then show the customer why they want to buy from you.

    Providing above-and-beyond care is a great way to show the client you’re going the extra mile. And demonstrating care is a natural for a lot of MTs.

    Make care a process in your practice. One way to make it a process is to have wrap-up time after the massage. Let the care flow. Report findings. Talk about what you did and what you think might be helpful in the future (massage or not-massage related). Follow up in a few days.

    Don’t forget to coordinate care with other health practitioners whenever possible. It’s good for your client and good for your business to connect with other health practitioners who could turn into referral sources.

    If you’re not feeling the passion for the job, give yourself a break. You’ll feel it again soon, especially if you’ve built your practice (and your sales system) around the concept of caring for your client.

    I Can Help You Build Your Massage Business

    Creating the massage business that you want is less complicated when you understand who you are and how “who you are” fits into how you sell.

    If you’re a soft-seller, like me, and are just starting out or are not making 30K on your own, I have a free program for you: Jumpstart.

    If you are ready to take your business to the next level (60K+) and click here Accelerator.

    You can also email me at mark@makethemostofmassage.com if you would like to talk about coaching.