Step 8: Your First Steps in Private Practice

In previous Student Life newsletters, we explored your options and helped you write a career plan. If private practice fits into your plan, we want to help. Try this fun activity as a way to jump-start your new career!

Your Circles

All of us interact in a variety of social circles. Some are very close, such as family circles, and some are more distant, such as the barista you see every day at your local coffee shop but only know by sight. People in your circles, even in your distant circles, are more likely to get a massage from you without a lot of marketing effort than people who are not in your circles. Let’s see how many people exist in your current circles, and then discuss how to turn your circles into clients. 

• Take out a sheet of paper or start a new document on your computer.
• List any family members that live in a 50-mile radius, along with their email addresses.
• List any friends that live in a 50-mile radius, along with their email addresses.
• Next, write down every business you frequent each month. Your list might include the grocery store, coffee shop, cleaners, a particular restaurant where you like to eat, your hair salon, and other local businesses. Are there people you know on a first-name basis at these businesses? List their names in association to the business name. For example, if you go to the same coffee shop every day, it is likely you know the barista or cashier by name. List these people.
• Finally, think about social groups you interact with regularly. These groups might include the people you know from your spin class, yoga class, a book club, quilting group, cooking class, hiking group, or people you see at the rock-climbing gym. They might include parents of people who have children who play with your children, Brownie or Boy Scout parents, or parents who participate with you on a school committee or volunteer group. Write down all of the people you know on a first-name basis in these circles. If you have email addresses, include them.
• You now have a total number of people who frequent your circles. From this total, eliminate anyone you have listed twice, even if they belong to more than one of your social groups.

Jump-Start Your Practice with a Special Offer

You are now going to offer everyone in your circle a special offer. Invite them to your office or home office (or you can take your table to them) to receive a 30-minute massage session absolutely free. Give them the option to upgrade this massage to a full hour for $30, or to a 90-minute session for $60.

Yes. You are giving away massage for free, but you are also getting someone to overcome his or her obstacles to visit your office and get to know your massage work. In many instances, people will upgrade their session to 60 or 90 minutes, thereby increasing your income. This is likely more income than you would make working for an hour as an employee, and it is definitely more than you will make if you don’t have any clients at all. Ask clients for feedback, and then ask them to book another session (now, at your regular rates). Your goal is to get as many rebooked sessions at your regular rates as possible from your special offer.

Repeat this practice and the special offer every two to three months until your return clientele ensures your schedule is full. This is an easy, inexpensive marketing campaign to get your practice off to a great start!

Get Started

In the Picked Fresh section of this newsletter, you can download special gift certificates to hand out to people you meet face-to-face on a regular basis. Print your name, phone number, email, and website in the space provided. Provide details of your location during the booking phone call. Carry these gift certificates with you everywhere you go and pass them out to every acquaintance you see as you move through your circles. Make sure your circles know that this offer is nontransferable and comes with a short expiration date (one month is sufficient).

If you have contact details for friends and family, simply send them an email explaining the special offer. We’ve included a sample below to get you started.

Dear Contact,

I recently passed my national massage boards and obtained my license to practice massage! I’m excited to begin my new career, and want to share with you this special offer to launch my private practice. 

Please call me to set up an appointment for a complimentary 30-minute massage session. I want you to experience the amazing wellness benefits of massage therapy firsthand. Massage reduces muscle tension, eases pain, and supports relaxation to help your body naturally rest and recover from the stresses of everyday life. If you would like more than 30 minutes of massage therapy, you can upgrade your appointment to a 60-minute session for $30, or to a 90-minute session for $60. I’m only offering this introductory massage to friends and family members during the month of (fill in the month), so please don’t forward this message. Call me right away if you’re interested.

I look forward to sharing my new career with you soon!
Warmly,
Your name

More ABMP Resources

When you upgrade to professional membership at ABMP, you’ll have access to a wide array of business resources to help you continue to grow and develop your practice. If you want to find out more, give us a call at 800-458-2267. We’re here to help!