When thinking of community outreach we often limit ourselves to thinking of donating our massage services to a worthy cause we believe in.
But any activity that raises the public’s awareness of the benefits of massage therapy in general, and our services in particular would be considered community outreach, so don’t be afraid to think outside the box.
Remember, as massage therapists we are in a unique position in that we have the ability to transform individuals, families and entire communities through both education and compassionate, healing touch. Let us begin a new trend to make America the most cared-for, connected, loved society. And your massage practice will flourish.
It all begins with you….
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Another benefit of getting involved in community service projects is that in many outreach situations (for example, offering your services at the cancer ward of your local hospital) you get to interact with other professionals such as chiropractors, nurses and doctors, physical and occupational therapists, acupuncturists, nutritionists, psychologists etc.
Over the years I have seen a great many long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships develop as a result of reaching out and filling a need in the community.
What need would you enjoy filling and how might it help you build your massage business?
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If you aren’t already doing so, remember to put information about your community service on your massage website. People will go out of their way to support a professional who is doing good things, especially if it is something that they too believe in. But first they need to know!
Our community projects are also a great chance to educate the public about the benefits of massage in general, which will of course have a positive impact on your practice.
What community projects are you involved with?
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I wrote in a recent post about the Law of Reciprocity, but I think it is important enough to mention it again. When we give, it comes back to us even greater!
There are many practice building benefits of Community Outreach, one of the most impactful being public awareness of your massage services. This will happen organically, but do think about sending a short paragraph or two to your local newspaper about your work in the community.
As a profession, massage therapists tend to be altruistic to begin with. However, unlike many other businesses, we often have a hard time taking credit for the good we do.
So don’t be shy about having at least your business cards handy when out serving in your community. Even though your primary motivation is to be of service, you also want to build your practice (and there is nothing wrong with that!).
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This is the third and final installment of the article, How to Market Your Massage Business as a Green Company By Lori Hill
5. Practice What You Preach and Boast Whenever You Can
To avoid being accused of “green washing”, your actions need to match your mission. Don’t engage in wasteful practices that will make others question your sincerity.
On the other hand, if your business cards and company stationery are printed on recycled paper with soy based ink, be sure to indicate this on those documents. Not only will this raise awareness about what your company believes in, but it may also inspire others to go green the next time they have a print job.
6. Educate Your Fellow Professionals and Other Local Business Owners
Volunteer to speak to fellow professionals and local business owners about how you have gone green in your business. This will help educate your colleagues and associates and give you more credibility and visibility as an expert in this area.
7. Give Back to Mother Earth
Donate 1% of Your Sales to 1% for the Planet - www.onepercentfortheplanet.org This is an alliance of 1,079 companies worldwide that donate 1% of their sales to a network of 1,717 environmental organizations worldwide.
Become an Activist/Volunteer in the Community
March to the White House or your state capitol, attend environmental rallies, clean up a stream, plant trees or send letters to your legislators and then write about it in your blog and e-Zine. This will raise awareness about an issue you care about and let your clients know that you are sincere about your mission to be green.
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Here is the second part of the article by my friend Lori Hill (www.lorihillevents.com). Enjoy!
How to Market Your Massage Business as a Green Company Part 2
2. List Your Green Initiatives on Your Web Site
Outline your green office procedures as well as other green practices you engage in during the course of business. A potential client may pick you over the competition because you share their values.
3. Announce Your Green Initiatives and Services in Your e-Zine or Blog
Let your clients know that you have gone green and how you’ve gone green. It may increase their loyalty to you and give them a reason to spread the word that you are a sustainable massage business. You may also inspire them to act on green initiatives they hadn’t thought of.
4. Say It In Your Tag Line
Incorporate your sustainability beliefs into your tag line. For example, BP uses Beyond Petroleum. Incorporate this into your logo, business cards, invoices and the greeting in your voice mail. This will let your clients and potential clients know that you are serious about sustainability.
Be sure to check back for the third and final part of this article.
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Another secret is that the massage therapists who are currently thriving understand the law of reciprocity and exchange. Simply put, when you do something good for someone, they naturally want to do something good for you.
In fact, the Law of Psychological Reciprocity states that when we give, not only do we get back, but the return is exponentially greater than our initial investment.
So what if, instead of dwelling on scarcity, we got out into our communities to see what we could do for others. Remember, business building and relationship building are one and the same.
Your business success depends not only on enough people liking you and your services so that they return over and over again, but also on them telling other people how much they like you over and over again, too.
As massage practitioners we tend to have an altruistic streak in us to begin with, but what if we were a little more strategic about our giving? In other words, what individuals or organizations in your neighborhood could help you if you did something nice for them?
For example, I once volunteered to help build a house (think Habitat for Humanity) with a bunch of other well-meaning folks, most of whom were not used to physical work. When the word got out that I was a massage therapist, guess who they came to when their muscles were aching? I also got TONS of referrals. Folks like to help those who help others.
And it doesn’t necessarily mean giving away massage. Think of the other resources you have that may be valuable to someone else. You might have a connection, or information that could really benefit another professional. It could be as simple as sending an article to someone, or letting them know of a book you read that would interest them.
So these are some things that you can do to build your business in a down economy. And the best part is…they cost nothing!
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Many massage practitioners are concerned about their client base dwindling as a result of the current economic situation. Are you one of them?
Other therapists are as busy, or busier, than they’ve ever been. And it’s not that they are necessarily better therapists. But they have learned a secret or two that I’d like to share with you today.
It all begins with attitude. As the saying goes, “Whether you think you can build and maintain a thriving business in the current economy or whether you think you can’t - you are right!”
The renowned psychologist Martin Seligman, Ph.D discovered that agents at a major life insurance company who expected a positive outcome outsold agents who had a negative perspective by a whopping 37%. And even agents who failed the industry entrance exam but were optimistic about selling insurance policies outsold the average agent by 10-15%!
What can we learn from this? What I’ve found is that the massage therapists that are client magnets aren’t spending a lot of time worrying about the economy. In fact, they understand that their services are needed now more than ever before.
Instead of agreeing with their clients about how bad things are, they have an infectious sense of optimism - a deep well that their clients can drink from so that they leave refreshed and ready to face the world anew.
And right now people find that very attractive.
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Attending a massage conference (or other type of educational conference) is a big commitment of time, energy and money and yet it can be extremely rewarding. голова болит секс
Massage conferences can be a fantastic place to get fresh ideas for your massage business, meet therapists from other areas, and get renewed and re-energized.
Here are some things that you can do before, during and after a conference to maximize your investment and make sure you get the most out of it.
Before the Conference: голова болит секс
1. Make a list of the things you want to accomplish in the next year. For example, you could decide to increase your massage income by 25% by getting and keeping more clients. Then go through the list of available workshops, with your specific goals for the upcoming year in mind, and choose the ones that best fit your needs.
2. Create a list of questions or specific things you want to learn from each speaker.
3. Find a buddy to attend the conference with. In addition to keeping you accountable (more on that later), they may also help you save on travel costs.
4. Decide ahead of time what your budget will be so you can take advantage of the vendors’ conference specials without breaking the bank.
5. Make sure you have a good supply of business cards that clearly state the type of massage you do and your target market if you have one.
Next post I’ll give you some ideas on things to do at the conference.
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If you are thinking about buying an electric massage table, do remember that some tables are flat, just like a traditional massage table, where the whole table lifts up in one piece.
But others have the additional flexibility of moving in sections, so that you can position the client even more precisely.
Our last electric table had three sections that moved independently, which was really nice.
But the massage table that we really liked this time around (as it matched all of our other criteria) only came with two options. We could get it flat, or with a tilt option.
We didn’t know if we would use the tilt feature that much, but as the difference in price was minimal (all things considered) we chose the tilt option as it allowed us to position the client anywhere from slightly elevated to a full seated position.
As it turns out, I’m so glad we made that choice because we use the tilt feature quite a lot. It’s especially great for when a client is congested, or is uncomfortable for any reason lying flat.
I’d highly recommend that you consider a similar option if you are going to invest in an electric table too.
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