8 Must-Have Business Skills Every Massage Therapist Needs to Master

Becoming a sought-after massage therapist requires a knowledge of physiology and anatomy; and gaining certification takes around twelve months - but here’s the rub. Getting your shiny new certificate is only part of the process if you want to make an impact; you also need to tuck a bundle of business nouse under your belt. Just like any other type of commerce, massage therapy is a business and is therefore all about balancing the books and keeping up with trends and so, in this article, we’re sharing 8 must-have business skills every massage therapist needs to master.

Understand Financial Management

Getting to grips with the financial bit of your business is, quite literally, the bottom line when it comes to success. Before opening your doors to a single client, you need to put together a comprehensive business plan which should include:

• Initial investments - All of the equipment, tools and premises that you’ll need to get your company off the ground and onto the table
• Regular costs - Rent of premises or property and replenishment of products
• Pricing schedules - How much you’ll be asking clients to fork over for your services
• Insurance - A necessary evil for any massage therapist
• Funding - How you plan to pay for all of the above investments and costs

While you may be champing at the bit to get started, this plan is essential for figuring out viability - i.e, are you actually going to make any money?

You’ll also need to familiarise yourself with business taxes and rates to make sure that you don’t end up on the wrong side of the taxman. Finally, as a sole trader, you’ll want to arm yourself with a great piece of kit in terms of accounting software to keep your finances organised.

Develop Marketing Knowledge

So, you’re a marvel on the massage table - good for you; but it won’t get you very far if nobody knows about you. Because of this, you need to create a cracking marketing plan which will lay out the different ways in which you will get your message across to your potential clients. This can - and should - include digital methods like social media and email, which are both easy and cost-effective communication tools. You’ll also want to put together a website which will, essentially, be the shop window for your business.



When you’re gathering all of this stuff together, it’s essential to focus on your branding, because you need to make sure that logos, fonts, colours - and more - are consistent across all of your messaging if you want to engender trust.

Once you’re up and running, you’ll also use your new marketing skills to stay connected to your existing clients as well as scouting for new ones.

Build Communication and Client Relations

Speaking of those clients - literally - communication is key. As a massage therapist, your world should revolve around your customers and this means listening to requirements and concerns and encouraging feedback. This is vital for tweaking and improving your services as you go along and encourages customer loyalty.

And while we’re on the subject, let’s talk about your own communication style - while you want to appear friendly, it’s equally important to come across as professional and to manage client expectations from the get-go. Communication is, and always will be, a two way street and so it’s important to nail this right from the beginning.

Master Time Management

Picture the scene - the doorbell dings and there stands Tina, your ten o’clock client; problem ? Behind her is Tanya who also has a booking. Nothing will corrode your reputation faster than an inability to stay on top of your appointments and so you’ll need to invest in a great tool or software to help you to do just that. As well as keeping your ducks in a row by keeping clients happy, this will also flag up those customers who have a habit of showing up late or not at all - in which case you may want to levy charges.

When you first get underway, it can be tempting to cram in as many appointments as possible however this is rarely a good idea. Don’t forget to factor in downtime as well as time needed to complete all of your admin and to perhaps learn more about your craft.

Understand Legal and Ethical Responsibilities

So, you’re looking forward to going it alone and taking control of your future. Not so fast. Don’t forget that with great power comes great responsibility. When you hang out your shingle as a massage therapist, you will automatically shoulder a bunch of responsibilities including:

• Providing a safe and hygienic environment
• Obtaining the correct insurance
• Client confidentiality including GDPR
• Business best practices
• Legal requirements

All of these things should be front and centre throughout all of your business dealings to ensure that you don’t make the news for all the wrong reasons.

Improve Networking and Collaboration Skills

They say that no masseuse is an island (or something like that) - and for good reason. Times are tough these days and so building a network is a really good way of ensuring that your business thrives. Reach out to industry-adjacent businesses in your area such as personal trainers, chiropractors and acupuncturists to see if there are opportunities for either collaboration or referrals (you scratch my back and all that). This can also be a great way of saving money through joint promotions and marketing and so is well worth your time and effort.

Adapt to Technology and Innovation

The use of technology has an increasing impact on how massage therapists operate and develop their practices. Digital payment systems and online booking platforms combine with scheduling software to make operations more efficient and more accessible. What’s more, these tools reduce the admin workload and offer a hassle-free experience to clients. Technology is also used to monitor customer preferences, manage loyalty programs, and automate reminders to maximize client retention.

Technology provides a great opportunity to develop professionally. Webinars, online courses and virtual training programs enable therapists to widen their skills and keep in touch with industry trends at the same time. And massage school programs are beginning to deliver more business and technology training so their students are able to tackle and adapt to challenges after they graduate.

Build Emotional Intelligence and Self-Management

We talked earlier about professionalism and, although this is super-important, it doesn’t mean that you should do away with empathy and sympathy. Just like in the hairdresser’s chair, massage clients will often see their therapist as, well, a therapist; sharing (and sometimes over-sharing) their problems. While you can certainly show empathy here, it’s important not to go too far in offering advice. Similarly, self-care is also vital as you work hard to balance your new business and your personal life.

Conclusion

Creating a successful massage therapy business takes a whole bunch of soft and hard skills - all of which are vital for providing the best possible service to your clients. As we’ve shown in this article, you can give yourself a head (and shoulders and neck) start by grabbing some business skills which will allow your business to run smoothly - allowing you to focus on the most important thing; your customers.

ADDLINKS|Links to useful articles:|ARTICLE:top-5-massage-therapy-colleges-with-medical-focused-training#ARTICLE:7-tips-for-starting-a-successful-business#ARTICLE:6-management-skills-that-will-supercharge-your-productivity#ARTICLE:7-top-tips-for-new-business-entrepreneurs}