Monthly Massage Marketing Tip
By Michael Humphreys, N.C.T.M.B.

This month, I'm going to focus on a target market that is very stressed out and needs your help relaxing. Since Mother's Day recently passed and my wife and I just welcoming our first child within the last week, this month’s massage marketing tip will focus on one of the most stressed out groups out there...expectant mothers.

Now, I realize that not everyone reading this newsletter has received prenatal massage training or certification. If that is the case for you, I definitely recommend getting some prenatal training.

Here is a link to a fr*ee informational site that I had built called Pregnancy Facts, where you can learn a lot of useful information about health issues during pregnancy: http://www.pregnancyfactssite.com

Besides opening a new target market for clients for your massage practice (pregnant women), it's a wonderful skill to help any friend or family member who is also an expectant mother.

Getting the training is considerably better than the first prenatal massage training I received:

I got some really fast pointers and tips from a certified prenatal specialist while my new 8 1/2 month pregnant client sat in the waiting room! The receptionist forgot to tell me beforehand that the new client mentioned on the phone that she wanted a prenatal massage with a male therapist. She didn't realize that I didn't KNOW prenatal massage at that time and just scheduled the client with me because I am a male therapist.

Since then, I've done a lot more training and it has helped my massage practice immensely.

3 Reasons Why You Should Offer Your Clients Prenatal Massage

First, many clients quickly realize that receiving prenatal massage can be extremely beneficial to an unborn child. There have been a number of scientific studies done, including the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami, which have confirmed this.

Second, many women experience high levels of stress during their pregnancy. As they progress through their pregnancy, they are experiencing a lot of dramatic changes in their own body.

Old clothing doesn't fit right. Hands and feet become swollen. Minor aches and pains start becoming more frequent and intense. It's extremely common for women to develop lower back pain, later in their pregnancy. My wife doesn't normally suffer from low back pain, but she did during the last 3 months of her pregnancy.

Finally, you experience far less client objections about your prices or how often to schedule massage appointments. Your client is rightfully focused on how prenatal care will benefit the expectant mother and the unborn child.

I've seen countless clients who hesitate to get a weekly massage for themselves, gladly pay for a loved one to receive weekly prenatal massage.

Remember, prenatal massage is for the benefit of unborn baby and expectant mother.

I remember one Christmas season, where a gentleman came into my massage therapy center and bought 12 one-hour gift certificates. The certificates were for his expectant wife to receive a prenatal massage every week for the last 12 weeks of her pregnancy.

He had never come into the center before, but his wife asked him for "a few" massage gift certificates for Christmas. As one of my staff rang up the sale, he told me the following which I thought was priceless marketing information and I've never forgotten:

"You know I wouldn't spend $70 to get a massage for myself because I think that it's just too expensive. But since this is for my wife and our future child, I don't mind spending the money for them."

The Number One Easiest and Cheapest Way
To Get Prenatal Massage Clients

It can be significantly easier to attract new prenatal massage clients through your existing clients. For starters, you have already established great rapport with them. Your clients already know you, how skillful you are and already trust you. You are a "welcome guest" in their lives, not a "bothersome pest" who wants their business.

If you haven't done so already, you need to tell your existing clients that you are trained in prenatal massage.

Here are 3 ways you can easily tell them without sounding like you doing a sales pitch:

Use a free handout or report on prenatal massage where they can be easily picked up by your clients in your office or massage room.

Offer to answer any questions that your client or their spouse has about prenatal massage.

Write an article on prenatal massage for your client newsletter.

The Second Easiest Way To Get Prenatal Massage Clients

Another great way to attract new prenatal massage clients is through business alliances with other health care professionals. By becoming a trusted ally, these fellow health care pros will gladly send you their clients whenever it is appropriate.

Networking is definitely a learnable skill and most business professionals do it ineffectively. Help Your Practice co-founder Eric Mitchell has used networking so effectively in his personal training business, that he has never had to run a single ad to generate new business! In Help Your MASSAGE Practice, Eric and I discuss networking in great detail, including the best ways to network with other health care professionals.

Using networking I've partnered with health care professionals like physical therapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, nutritionist, doctors, and even nurses. That's just a short list that I whipped off from the top of my head. If I sat down and really racked my memory, I'm sure I could find countless other health care professionals that I've allied with in the past or will ally with in the future.

In next month's issue, I'll share with you another target market with similar needs to pregnant women...that you won't need any additional massage technique training to attract.

That’s all for this month. On behalf of Eric, we'll look forward to talking with you next month.

Seize The Day,

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