Why do you do massage?
One of the first steps in creating your marketing plan for your massage business is figuring out why you do massage? For what purpose?
In the book “The Answer” by John Assaraf and Murray Smith they ask the following questions:
- What does success look like to me?
- What is it I love to do that lies at the heart of my dream business/job?
- What feelings do I want to experience as a result of my dream business? Because of my dream business I get to feel _____________________
- Because of my dream business, I arrive at the end of the day feeling________________________
Why did you become a massage therapist? Some come into the field wanting to help others because massage has helped them in some way. Or people want to help others because it feels good to help others. Some may be drawn to massage because it is a much more meaningful type of work. Whatever your reasons for becoming a massage therapist - there are always deeper reasons for becoming a massage therapist that you may or may not be conscious of. Some may come to the field just for the prospect of making a lot of money.
Helping in particular is one of those things that usually has a much deeper reason for wanting to help others. Knowing your motivations and needs can be helpful in creating your marketing plan as well as helping you to be a more effective massage therapist.
In “Becoming a Helper” by Gerald Corey there is a long list of possible reasons why people may think they want to help. Some of those are:
- the need to make an impact- wanting to make the world a better place, may want to know that they are important.
- the need to care for others - When people are busy caring for others they don’t have anyone attending to their needs and they never learn to ask for what they do need.
- the need to be needed - it becomes rewarding to have clients say they feel better because of the help you have given them. It isn’t wrong to be needed but when you must feel needed by your clients it can influence your work negatively.
- the need to provide answers - to be looked up to as an expert and know the answers to people’s problems
While having these needs is normal and a part of being human, knowing more about what feeling you are wanting to create to fulfill these needs can help you make business decisions and personal life decisions based on those needs.
So back to the question asked in the book “The Answer” - What feelings do you want to experience as a result of being in business or working as a massage therapist?
What meaning does doing massage have for you? What do you want to get out of it? What will it provide for you?
What most people want is of course some form of love, attention and appreciation.
Another of the things is of course a nice living. We do need money to live on. It can provide security and money for you to pursue your dreams.
When you know that and honor that need the relief you can get from knowing that can free up more energy to help you create that exact thing for yourself. It can also help to show you just what your limited beliefs are that keep you from having what you do want.
Why are you in business? Why are you doing what you are doing?
Resources:
The Answer: Grow Any Business, Achieve Financial Freedom, and Live an Extraordinary Life
August 9th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Ha! Good questions and ideas to think about. I know why I became a Massage Therapist. Soft tissue work was the only treatment that got me out of 18 mo. of neck pain after an auto accident.
Not muscle relaxers, anti-inflammation medication or anything else.
I enjoy applying my knowledge and personal experiences to helping others in similiar situations. I love to work with people with chronic pain and help them find the relief they need.