How do massage therapists go from taking professional courses to managing clients to running successful practices? We’ve got you covered. This is a comprehensive article. Check out our table of contents and pick the starting point that best describes you.
Prefer to watch your content? PocketSuite has a dedicated video playlist just for massage therapists. It’s called the Bonus Pack for Massage Therapists. You can access it here!
- I want to learn everything I can about the industry and become a pro.
- Certifications and courses
- Books and podcasts
- I’m ready to set up my business offers and start taking clients.
- Automate your business processes
- Sell products
- Get reports on business performance
- I’m an experienced massage therapist looking for new tools to help manage my workflow.
- Tools and software to manage your massage practice
- I’m a seasoned professional and ready to grow my business.
- Marketing
- Team and staffing
- Networking
Is it worth it to start an esthetician business?
Absolutely. The massage therapy profession lets independent professionals make great money while connecting to a passion for wellness, healing, and helping others. There are many exciting specializations in this field as well, from modalities like shiatsu massage, Swedish massage, and sports massage with specialized training and benefits. People who practice massage often specialize in specialized care communities as well, from sports injuries to recovery from serious health issues and senior care.
According to the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP), 59% of massage professionals are independent and run their own businesses. That’s over 197,000 independent massage professionals in the USA running their own practice. If that describes you, keep reading. This post is about making a goal income in the massage industry.
The average massage therapist using PocketSuite is making about $22,968 per year. However, the top 10% of massage therapists using PocketSuite are making over $100,000 per year or more.
[Read more about How To Make Six-Figures as a Massage Therapist]
Become a pro
Certifications and Courses
Becoming licensed takes time and effort, so ideally, you want to be certain you’re allocating your time and resources to get the best bang for your buck in terms of investing in your massage therapy business and yourself as a business owner.
Instead of being the dime-store huckster who’s constantly selling themselves to everyone, why not prove your worth by putting in the time and effort to earn a certificate that binds a trusted seal of approval to your name and your brand?
In general, to get a massage therapy license, you need to:
- Complete a training program at a massage therapy school that will qualify you to practice in your location.
- Upon graduation, meet the requirements of your state or municipality (such as obtaining a license or other credential, if you practice in an area where massage therapy is regulated). This will most likely require passing the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLEx).
[Read more about Massage Therapy Licensing]
Learn from experts
As a massage therapist, it’s important to stay up to date on the latest trends and research studies. But it can be tough to find the time. We have a number of podcast interviews for pros who prefer to listen as they learn. We have talked to Massage Professionals across the industry. Here are some of our favorite episodes for massage therapists:
- Allison Denney, Founder of RebelMassage
- Massage Business Blueprint
- Gentle Heaven Massage
- Joy Brusetti
Set up your business
Business Automation
It takes a lot to start a small business, especially when you’re juggling clients, your team, and your personal life. The good news is that there’s a way to make it easier: automation.
More often than not, businesses use automation to build stronger client relationships. They turn to CRM tools, like PocketSuite, to streamline communication, track client history, and manage leads. By automating routine tasks like client record keeping and follow-up reminders, business owners can stay engaged with clients and keep them coming back.
[Read more about becoming a Fully Automated Business]
Online Products
Are you looking to boost your income as a massage therapist? The good news is that you don’t have to take on a new side hustle to make more money. You can expand your massage business by offering retail products to your clients.
If you think selling products to your clients will be a burden, think again. It’s easy to set up an online store with PocketSuite. With just a few clicks, you can have a fully automated e-commerce site without any additional fees or tools.
Some massage therapists pay for additional e-commerce apps to sell retail. However, these apps can’t provide the all-in-one support that client-based business owners. You can avoid the hassle and extra cost with PocketSuite. You only need one platform to schedule appointments, accept payments, and sell products.
You may be tempted to use e-commerce giants like Etsy or Shopify to sell your spa products. But these platforms don’t offer solutions specifically for service-based business owners. And as a massage therapist, your online store has to work double duty. PocketSuite is an all-in-one platform. You book clients for services and sell products in one app.
[Read more about Online Products for Massage Therapists]
Reports
Making important decisions about your business is easier when you have good data about what’s working and what’s not. How should I spend my marketing budget? Should I change my business hours? Is my pricing right? I am overbooked, is it time to hire an employee? How much can I afford to pay for this commercial space?
PocketSuite’s Smart Reports go beyond the basics and help you answer important business questions so that you can make data-driven decisions about your clients, income, and the future.
[Read more about Smart Reports]
Manage your workflow
Software
ABMP has partnered with PocketSuite to bring you a customized, easy-to-use online massage booking app that lets you focus on what matters most—your clients.
Businesses on PocketSuite see an average 30% increase in earnings, and you can get set up in 15 minutes by choosing from curated pre-loaded settings or customizing the app for your practice.
The ABMP Edition of PocketSuite gives you:
- A free online scheduling tool, so your clients are empowered to book a session through your website or booking link.
- HIPAA-compliant intake forms and contracts are automatically sent to clients and safely stored for easy management.
- Credit card payment invoicing and point-of-sale charging, with suggested gratuity (which clients actually appreciate!).
- Automatic appointment and rebooking reminders.
- Cancellation policy enforcement for those last-minute no-shows.
- Easy-to-use tools to help you run your business more simply and efficiently.
[Read more about The ABMP Edition of PocketSuite]
Grow Your Business
Marketing
Are you ready to level up your massage therapy game?
You can get creative with marketing channels to attract new clients. In general, you can:
- Create an online presence, like a professional website, where clients can easily find and book you. Then list your business on Google.
- Curate dedicated social media pages for your business. Customize a Facebook page, launch an Instagram, or hop on Threads to increase your visibility quickly. Social media marketing doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Create posts that show off your expertise and service results.
- Use email and text marketing to reach clients and activate leads
- Ask for referrals to land high-quality clients from people who can vouch for the quality of your services. You can get referrals from current clients or other pros in the health and wellness industry.
[Read more about Growing as a Massage Therapist]
The world has gone global, but as a client-based business owner, local leads are the bread and butter of your business. In fact, trying lead generation strategies from large-scale companies can actually hurt your business and your wallet. If you’re a small business owner looking for an influx of clients in your community, local lead generation is key.
Local lead generation involves identifying and attracting potential clients in the area your business serves. Targeted leads tend to have “higher intent,” i.e., they’re more likely to book you because they have a proven need or interest in your services. And once you’ve gained on those local leads, it’s easier to turn them into repeat clients.
Both new business owners and seasoned pros can benefit from prioritizing their local lead generation strategy. Local lead generation adds a personal touch to the sometimes cold face of sales and marketing. So it’s more effective and rewarding for you and your clients. Plus, you get the satisfaction of building a thriving business in your backyard.
[Read more about Lead Generation]
Team staffing
Efficient staffing and scheduling is crucial for small business success. The best staffing and scheduling practices will improve productivity, boost employee and customer satisfaction, and help you earn more money!
Make it easy for employees to access schedules, request time off, and communicate availability changes. Your best bet is to use a centralized scheduling platform with a chat feature to ensure that all staff members are informed and up-to-date on scheduling matters.
You can create a group chat with all your team members in the PocketSuite app.
[Read more about Staffing and Scheduling]
Networking
When you’re a massage therapist looking to elevate your career, joining a professional association can offer valuable resources and support. For example, Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals is a national membership association that offers much more than great liability insurance to make it simpler for massage and bodywork practitioners and students to succeed. Membership starts at $199 per year. ABMP has distinguished itself for two main reasons.
[Read more about Professional Groups To Join as a Massage Therapist]
