As the owner of a spa or massage business, I don’t have to tell you that you are in a highly competitive market. News spas and massage centers open up all the time. Keeping current clients should always be a higher priority than getting new ones, but you need to be marketing your business all the time and looking for new ways to stand out from the crowd. While traditional forms of marketing – print ads, direct mail, and even storefront signs -- help, you can’t ignore the fact that we live in an online world. I expect the majority of your new clients find you online – and then check review sites to see what others are saying. Equally important are referrals from current clients.
Establish a Strong Online Presence
Your online presence begins with your website, which should be visually appealing and easy to navigate. It extends to the content you post on your blog if you have one (and you should seriously consider doing so) and social media channels. While search engines are as influenced by the Search Engine Optimized (SEO) terms you use throughout your content, traffic to your website from other sites weighs heavily in search, too.
Your website, traditional and mobile, need to include all the relevant information about your services and retail products if you have one optimized for smartphones and tablets. It also should be a resource for clients about issues of concern to the – health and wellness, skincare, ingredient pros and cons, proper use of at-home products, and more. You also want to be sure landing pages for specials and promotions have the appropriate call to action, so when you drive visitors there from your social media posts, clients – new and prospective ones – will take action.
Don’t limit your online presence to your own content. Consider other sites where you can provide commentary. For example, establish a co-marketing agreement with another business where you could potentially share clients – a gym or hair salon, for example – and ask if you can provide a guest post to their blog a few times a month. Also, follow blogs you like with an RSS feed and comment on posts where you have something to offer.
Maximize Word-of-mouth Marketing
You can never know too many people when you are looking for new clients. Current clients are a great source of referrals so build strong ties with them. In addition to providing excellent service, implement loyalty programs to reward clients for their business. Show you care about them in other ways, too, by remembering birthdays or anniversaries or passing on information you know would be of use for a particular health or beauty issue they have.
Getting active in your community is a great way to gain visibility and build new connections. Try to get aboard membership on a local not-for-profit cause you care deeply about. Find ways to lend a hand at community or nonprofit events by donating your services, with the proceeds going to help the cause. Also, get involved with other business owners by joining your local commerce or business networking groups.
You don’t need to do all of these things or do them all at once. Pick several at a time and stay with them until you get the stand-out results you want.
Community Outreach
You have lots of options when it comes to marketing your chair massage services. Explore events taking place in your community through your city’s websites and the local chamber of commerce. If you support a local charity, find out if you can add your chair massage to one of their events and offer to donate a portion of your fees.
Corporate Marketing
When it comes to corporations, consider direct mail or email marketing to companies' HR departments in your area. Ones with wellness programs are good candidates. You’ll also want to network with your own personal and professional contacts. Current clients may be able to introduce your chair massage services to companies they work for. Also, leverage your social media channels for outreach. Let your followers know you’ve added chair massage to your offering and point them to your new site.
If you’re already offering chair massage, do you have any other tips to share?