Hi,
Im Angel, new here:D
Can someone tell me where to start in the massage therapy business. Is it better to work from home, rent a room or visit clients at home?
God, its such a gamble.
What do you think?
What about prices? I Wouldn't want o go over the top.
About advertising in the local papers....Well, we all know what the ''massage'' section means, why do they mistake massage for sex....I Wish I Knew.
Please give me all you thoughts & views.
Love
Angel x
😉
RE: Deal or no Deal...
Hi Angel
Welcome to the forum. Most of these issues have been discussed on earlier threads, but as a brief summary:
1) It is definitely safer to rent a room than to work from home or visit clients. This was discussed on the thread “attracting new clients”. I agree with one of the comments which 'Barbarellaboy' made on that thread:
"I personally feel more comfortable and safer working from a salon/clinic environment rather than from home (which I used to do), and I always have someone else on site regardless of the treatment I am providing. This isn't possible for everyone, however, and in these instances I do think we have a responsibility to ourselves and the profession as a whole to think more about what, how and where we advertise"
Working from home has also been discussed on the thread “[link= http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=290929 ]Massages at home to earn money - please help! [/link]“; and visiting clients has been discussed on the thread entitled “[link= http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=282275 ]Is it sexist to specify ladies only for mobile massage? [/link]“.
2) Prices seem to differ widely depending on where you work. There was some discussion on the thread “attracting new clients” and there has been a recent discussion on the thread “full body massage”, where I wrote:
“For the benefit of any new therapists who may be uncertain how much to charge, it may be worth mentioning that in 2000 the magazine Runner’s World advised its readers:
“Cost of treatment You’ll find sports masseurs cheaper than other specialists. Most will charge around £30 for an hour-long first consultation, with £15 for further 30-minute visits.“
(I assume that by ‘other specialists’, Runner’s World was referring to physios, osteopaths, etc., rather than to other types of massage. And according to the Retail Prices Index, £30 at January 2000 prices equates to £35 at current prices.) ”
As a new therapist, unless you are in a wealthy area, I would suggest £30 per hour as a ‘benchmark’ figure. Obviously you should charge more if you visit clients (where you will need to take account of your travelling time and travel costs).
3) I definitely wouldn’t advertise in the local papers. My impression is that most women who advertise ‘massage’ in local newspapers are actually offering sexual services. There was some discussion of advertising on the thread “attracting new clients”, where I expressed my view:
"My personal advice would be that the word 'massage' is so frequently used by women who are actually offering sexual services that it is unwise for any legitimate therapist who works from home to simply advertise 'massage'. If your interest is in deep tissue and remedial massage, then go on a sports massage course and advertise yourself as 'sports massage'. If your interest is in gentle relaxing massage, then go on an aromatherapy course and advertise yourself as 'aromatherapy/massage'. But to simply