Building Your Ideal Massage Practice 2007
Now that all the holiday festivities are over, it is time to start planning for whatever you need to be doing for your practice.
If you are just starting out or even if you have an established practice knowing who your ideal client is will help you to plan the rest of the things you need to do. You may not be sure who your ideal client is or what your ideal massage business looks like. One of the best ways is to start looking at and finding out what you don’t want. It is one of the best ways of finding what you do want.
I for one am tired of the low pay from the insurance companies and until I can figure out what to do to get them to pay more, I am phasing out my insurance work. I also wanting to charge more and have people who are more serious about their health. I may have to turn people away but it is a decision I must make. I am just trying to follow the feeling I get when I work with certain people. I once had an instructor tell me to work only on nurturing clients. I didn’t always do that because I needed the money. Now I am paying for it in the long run. I also worked with the idea that I had to work on everyone or else I would starve and would take clients that just weren’t compatible with my philosophies on health and healing thinking that they would change. But just like in relationships, expecting people to change just doesn’t work. I now know I don’t have to work on everyone and the clearer I get about who I do want to work on , the easier they find me.
I actually am in the process of doing this for myself as I restructure my business and move it closer to home.
My ideal client understands alternative health and is working with a naturopath or other alternative medical professional.
My ideal client is one who is working on becoming more conscious and aware and is willing to look at their thoughts and feelings in the process.
My ideal client pays me $100 per hour of work and comes at least every other week or once every three weeks or once a month.
My ideal client is willing to engage in the session to get the most they can out of the process. Massage is not something I just do to them.
I also am planning on taking a few classes - one in particular that uses focusing to help clients become more aware of their bodies. I haven’t taken any technique classes in over 10 years for various reasons and am also going to be studying up and learning more.
Who is your ideal client?
What do they value?
What solution do your provide for them?
What is your vision for your practice in 2007?
January 3rd, 2007 at 9:24 am
Your site is outstanding! I want to require all students that enroll at Natural Health Institute to read you site….such great iformation and guidance for the everyday “stuff” of massage therapy
January 4th, 2007 at 9:21 am
Hey Julie:
I have rarely seen someone who can communicate their feelings like you can. You are so on target with what you say. I know also that having the guts and the freedom to pick the ideal client most likley comes from years of getting knocked around, getting back up and fighting on. I can not tell you how much I appreciate what you do and what you share. You are a God send to someone like me.
Confidence is a real issue. I am in my early 40’s was in the corp world and could do the corp BS dance with the best of them. When I decided to make the change and try to lead a bit more fufilling life and chose this field I was not counting on the whole confidence thing starting anew. I guess when one is protected by the corp bubble gives one a bit more freedom not to dig in. Yet in my muscle business I feel I have to prove myself at every session. No matter how many times I hear from people that I have a talent and I will do well it has yet to sink in. I know that is insecurity on my part, but honestly it is just where I am at the current time.
Fear is a horrible thing. So many times I want to go running back where it is safe and a world of which I am familiar. Yet I am trying so hard to stick with the plan I have laid out or myself. Perhaps that is courage I have yet to recognize in myself.
Here is what I am confident about right now. I love people I love what makes people tick. I always wanted to be a physical therapist, but due to family and schooling it just was not in the cards. Yet as I get one full year of massage therapy biz under my belt I am so glad I did not invest all the schooling and money in that field as it appears to be so mechanical like the rest of the healthcare industry. I don’t want to be someone who holds a clip board and watches someone walk up steps or watches someone stretch . I do not mean any disrespect to the PT field I just want to be more involved.
The other thing that I am confident about is that I have three children that I love beyond words could ever do justice. If ever I leave them with anything the least would be life is full of change and no matter what their predicament they are never stuck. I want them to know that they get out of life what they give. They give life the their very best they will do well.
In serving myself and trying to blaze this path I know I am serving them just as well. Keep up the good work. Paul