Are you currently working with pregnant women as part of your spa and massage practice clientele? The American Pregnancy Association writes on its site that “Modern investigation and research has shown that prenatal massage therapy can be an instrumental ingredient in women’s prenatal care and should be given careful consideration.” Research conducted by Tiffany Field of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine found that “Women who received massage therapy reported decreased depression, anxiety, and leg and back pain.”
If you are not currently serving the needs of expectant moms and would like to add this group to your client roster, Rick Morgan, C.M.T., advises in “4 Tips for Marketing Prenatal Massage,” in Massage Magazine that you invest in training and credentials to show you have the right expertise and also to limit your menu of services. Prospective clients will be looking for someone who is dedicated to pregnancy massage and may be less confident about someone who looks like “they do it all.”
Once you have the credentials to win the trust of a pregnant woman and her family, here are some other things to keep in mind as you begin to offer your services.
Be supportive
Support comes from addressing any concerns clients may have about the massage and empathy, especially regarding body image issues. DaySpa in “Spa Marketing: The Pregnancy Market” recommends matching a client with the right therapist – if there are more than one - addressing privacy issues by offering private changing areas and ensuring clients they will be covered throughout the massage. Also, be prepared to adapt the session and services to each client's particular needs, who will have different needs and experiences during their pregnancy.
Showcase your expertise
Don’t depend strictly on word of mouth marketing, although referrals are still one of the best ways to get new clients. Consider hosting a special open house for pregnant women and their families to talk about massage benefits and answer any questions. Continue to spread the word about prenatal massage and your expertise through blog posts– whether on your own blog if you have one or by contributing an article to a blog geared to pregnant women – and posts on Facebook and Twitter.
Update your website
Make sure that your website reflects your knowledge and expertise in prenatal massage. You can add a Frequently Asked Questions section or post a few articles (especially those you’ve written) to the site.
Referrals from other professionals
Get to know some of the ob-gyms in your area. Introduce your services and see if they will be interested in letting you put brochures about your spa or massage practice in their waiting rooms. Another channel for co-marketing will be fitness specialists who cater to pregnant moms.
Networking
Look for mom’s groups in your area and offer to give a talk on prenatal massage. Be sure to have plenty of business cards and other informational handouts with you to distribute.
There’s a significant opportunity in offering pregnant women massage services with over 16,000 pregnant moms entering the market each day, according to Stacy Denney, author, columnist, and founder of the country’s first prenatal spa Barefoot & Pregnant. Start with a plan as you expand your services to this group.