Massaging Your Marketing Messages

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I've had more than one massage therapist reach out to me seeking some thoughts on marketing their practice, so I thought I would address it here.

Massage therapists, like other service professionals, need to identify their unique marketplace advantage to help them stand out among the competition in their local area.

The general public may have limited knowledge about the differences in massage therapists’ practices. 

Such lack of information in the marketplace can force potential clients -- those seeking massage therapy -- to seek a practitioner primarily on the basis of how much they cost.  Price is certainly important, but it's not the only measure of value.

In the scenario just mentioned a potential client’s decision to choose one massage therapist over another becomes about what the they can afford versus finding and receiving truly quality service at a price that is reasonably in line with the value of the service (which often includes more than just the massage itself -- professionalism, bed-side manner, pre- and post-appointment communication, etc.).

This is why it’s important for massage therapists to educate their target audience in their marketing messages. 

If you’re a massage therapist, help your audience learn what quality massage therapy is, why that’s important and what they should look for when seeking such a professional.  These are all ways of communicating your unique marketplace advantage to differentiate you from your competition.

Take OBX Bodyworker for example.  I recently found the North Carolina-based massage therapist online along with other similar massage therapists.  

However, OBX Bodyworker’s website educated me on the various types of massages available and their individual benefits.  Others did not.

Furthermore, I found out that OBX Bodyworker’s ‘hour-long’ sessions are 65 minutes in length compared to the 50 minute ‘hour-long’ sessions you would typically find at a spa.

Online, I recently interacted with Ashli Marshall, the owner of OBX Bodyworker and a 15 year veteran massage therapist.  Marshall informed me that she primarily targets female clientele as well as tourists visiting the Outer Banks area of North Carolina.  

In researching and writing this post I wanted to offer Marshall and others some marketing suggestions.

Specifically for OBX Bodyworker, look into opportunities to market with the local tourism office as folks planning vacations to the area often go online and/or pick up tourist guides once in town to plan out their stay in the area.  Getting in front of those folks is crucial.

Likewise, reaching out to local women’s groups or publications could also be another potential marketing opportunity.  Partnering with local personal trainers may be another opportunity for referral business.

Finally, I would encourage writing a regular blog on your website geared toward women and tourists about the benefits of massage and weave in your unique value to those two market segments (women and tourists).  Plus, having a blog with regular, original entries helps your website come up more often in search engine results when someone searches for your type of service.

Beyond that, if you're feeling tense in the Outer Banks area of North Carolina, check out OBX Bodyworker.

Posted by: Nick Venturella

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