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Starting a mobile massage practice? Follow these best practices

Taking your massage practice on the road is certainly a good way to expand your service offerings and find potential clients. It can seem overwhelming thinking about how to set up an efficient, profitable mobile or chair massage business and how best to pack everything up and take it with you. Once you’re armed with information and products and you’ve gotten a few events under your belt, you’ll soon be a pro at onsite massage. This blog touches on some of the best practices for setting up a mobile massage business.

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Taking your massage practice on the road is certainly a good way to expand your service offerings and find potential clients. It can seem overwhelming thinking about how to set up an efficient, profitable mobile or chair massage business and how best to pack everything up and take it with you. Once you’re armed with information and products and you’ve gotten a few events under your belt, you’ll soon be a pro at onsite massage. This blog touches on some of the best practices for setting up a mobile massage business.

This blog was written by Massamio and was originally published on blog.sohnen-moe.com. The original article can be found here.

Appearances matter! Look like a pro

Invest in equipment that will make you look like the pro that you are! First impressions are critical, and part of going out to do corporate events is to garner new clients who will become powerful referral sources for your business. Keep your equipment clean, replace worn or torn padding, be meticulous with your appearance and hygiene, and always use professionally printed business cards.

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Think about how you want to pack up the tools of your trade. Oils, lotions, sound machine or cd player, towels, and more will need to be traveling with you, as well as your heaviest items like the portable massage chair or table. What can you do to minimize the weight and make everything more portable? Pour oils and lotions into small, plastic squeeze bottles to cut down on size and weight. Use disposable items when you can, like paper or face cradle covers to cover surfaces, instead of towels and sheets.

Check the forecast and prepare for weather

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via RyanHoyme.com

Outdoor events like marathons, walk/runs, health fairs, and even Saturday farmers markets, are good places to get out in front of a lot of people and offer a soothing massage. Make sure to be prepared for inclement weather, heat, cold, sunshine, wind or rain. If the event or venue doesn’t provide a tent or pop-up shelter, you might think about borrowing one or investing in a nice, portable shade. Ask the event coordinators if you can have access to water, an electrical outlet, and food.

Keep an eye on costs

Of course, before you begin a mobile massage practice or corporate chair massage business, think about your investment costs, time, travel costs including gas and mileage. Even if you have an established practice, it’s good to return to these exercises on a regular basis. How many massage events do you need to do a week to cover your costs? How many hours a day? How far are you willing to travel. Plan and look at the numbers first, in the light of day. Interview other massage therapists who have started a chair massage business and ask them lots of questions. Information is power!

Understand your audience/client and venue

What amenities are onsite? What are you and your clients allowed to use while you’re there? Your needs will be different when you’re at a marathon doing sports massage than when you’re at a corporate setting doing 15 minute chair massage. Make sure you ask plenty of questions when setting up the gig so that you are fully aware of what you need to bring.

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via shutterstock.com

Keep growing

You are doing this to get new clients, after all! Hand out your business cards and brochures with your service offerings, location, and contact information. If someone is particularly interested in seeing you again, get them started with an intake form and possibly committed to scheduling an appointment to see you. Also, leave your business card with the event coordinator and ask them to pass it along to anyone who asks about you later.

Whether you're "going mobile" to gain new clients, increase revenue, or just for a change of pace, it is important you keep the points above in mind to be successful!

 

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