supporting you in your massage career – every step of the way
Massage Therapy Business Skills
"But I'm a massage therapist ... not a business person"
Some therapists don't seem to like the word "business" very much
at all. To them it has strong associations with things like being greedy
or unethical, taking advantage of people, selling out .... to name but a few.
However, we can be honest, caring, compassionate and ethical therapists
- and be business minded too; these things are not mutually exclusive.
In fact, having a business mindset is crucial to the long term success of
your massage practice.
Do you:
- Think that the word "business" doesn't apply to you - you're a self-employed therapist,
not a company? - Want to charge more, but feel afraid to increase your fees?
- Avoid doing your paperwork and accounts on a regular basis?
- Never quite know how much money you're making, or how much you're spending
on your business?
If so, then it's time to improve your Business Skills.
Why good business skills are essential to your success
Have you ever considered that having a business mindset could make you a better therapist?
That it would mean you were doing better quality treatments, resulting not only in more satisfied
clients, but in increased job satisfaction and peace of mind for you? When we are not constantly
worrying about money, or anxious about how we are going to get more clients, our energy and focus
is freed up to concentrate on our clients and our massage work.
Some key Business Skills to master are:
Adopting a business mindset: firstly, believing that "business" is not necessarily "bad", and that
we can apply our values, beliefs and ethical/moral standards to the business side of our practice,
as well as in the treatment room.
Secondly, realising that being a "one-man band" doesn't mean not having to be business-like.
If we love doing massage, it often doesn't feel like "work" - but that doesn't mean we should treat
it like a hobby. Many therapists often appear casual, vague or even embarrassed about the business
side of their practices, and blame their lack of success on everything and everybody else.
Successful therapists, on the other hand, take a very active approach to building their practice,
and take real responsibility for the success - or failure - of their business.
A healthy attitude towards money: this is often a HUGE issue for therapists.... the thorny
problem of charging fees that enable us to earn a good living. However, we have to develop a
genuine belief in our own worth and value - if we don't believe in the value of what we do, then
how will our clients? Ironically, the therapists who have the healthiest attitudes towards money,
are also often the busiest; it is so true that our fears often create exactly what we are trying to
avoid... and when we are operating from a 'scarcity' mindset, then that is often the very result
that this attitude creates. What are your blocks and resistances to charging the fees that would
give you the income you want?
Basic business principles: we don't need to become business experts, but basic knowledge of
business principles and theories, plus motivational strategies for HOW to get things done, will
contribute significantly to how successful or not our massage practice will be. Things like the
difference between turnover and profit; calculating profit and loss; the lifetime value of a client (LVC);
calculating your ideal hourly rate; how to work effectively rather than efficiently; the 80/20 law...
all these things will help you build your massage business faster.
Good record keeping: gosh, how boring is that?... paperwork, accounts, admin... yawn, yawn, yawn.
Trying to find the time, energy and inclination for record keeping is not always easy - but it can be key
to you growing and maintaining a healthy practice. This is not paperwork just for the sake of it; accurate, up-to-date client and financial records provide you with vital information about what is working and what isn't in your business - whether or not you're meeting targets, how profitable (or not) your various activities are, and what action is needed to get better results.
Record keeping doesn't have to be high-tech or complicated - a pen and paper and a calculator will
do the job adequately (although knowing how to use spreadsheets, for example, makes things a lot
quicker and easier). Do your records give you the information you need to grow your massage
practice effectively?
Would you like to improve your skills for success?
Book your mentoring session today!