Here is some of the information I recently shared in my September newsletter. Each newsletter has a specific focus.  This month is focused on business and ethics information. If you would be interested in receiving my newsletters, please head over to my contact page and sign up.

Tidbits, Updates and Resources:

1.The key to a successful interview is preparation. Review your research about the company, such as its history, mission and organizational structure. Be prepared to share how you feel that your education, experience, personality and ancillary skills will be an asset to the company. Several people with equally good qualifications could be interviewing for this position, and your knowledge of the employer’s mission, goals and business philosophy can go a long way to demonstrate your interest and work ethic. Details about interviews and preparations can be found in an article published in Massage Magazine titled HOW TO ACE YOUR MASSAGE INTERVIEW

2. "Shane Evans had a back injury that was helped by frequent massages. Problem was, she couldn’t always afford to pay spa prices. Frustrated, and inspired, she and her husband, Wayne, cashed in their investments and savings to start Massage Heights, a massage membership business that offers an upscale environment at affordable prices. Today the company has 147 franchisees in the U.S. and Canada and generated revenues of $110 million in 2017. “ Read her inspiring story "How I Built a Massage Empire” in Fortune Magazine.

3. 18 Massage Therapist resumé templates are available for free through Outra Radio.

4.  Player FM, a podcast site, offers a series of Massage Business focused podcasts with Tim Cooper, including “How to Build an 8 Figure Medical Massage Business”, How to Get the Most Out of your Continuing Education” and “Social Media Marketing Strategies.” More titles can be found at Player FM.

5.  Massage Magazine provided a list of helpful software apps for massage businesses:

6.  Massage Magazine has an article, “She Used to Barter Massage for CDs-Then Austin City Limits Said Yes”.  featuring our very own Austin Massage Therapist, Michelle Hittner. The article focuses on how she built her practice (Austin Massage Company) working with musicians and athletes. Congratulations to Michelle!

7.  Healthinomics—ready-made social media content for massage therapists. “Healthinomics was created to help health and wellness business owners market themselves better and more professionally on social media with little to no effort. We do that by providing beautiful bundles of ready-made social media images that save you tones of time.”

8.  Massage Business Blueprint offers a podcast by Michael Reynolds, titled “Quick Tips on Logo Design for Your Massage Business.”

  1. Don’t hire someone you know unless they do it for a living. Can you accept and give honest feedback with this person.
  2. Don’t hire an amateur.
  3. Know the process fully going in and have a contract for it. Know what the deliverables are.
  4. Know who you are going in—what is the name of your business, who is your target, etc.

I receive a weekly update on anything published anywhere on the internet that includes information about massage business and tips or hacks. If you have any problems with the links, please let me know, or if you come across any information that you think would be good to share, please also feel free to pass that information along: info@holistichealingarts.net

Regarding Licensing

For Continuing Education Providers: The renewal and application form has been changed. The form now includes the following instructions: 

Provide a brief description of your capability in development and instruction of continuing education courses along with a business plan with clearly defined purposes such as policies on inclement weather, cancellations, etc.

Ethics Situation for your consideration

Nikki’s clientele are athletes who have sports-related injuries. In most cases, she massages the targeted area while seated. Today is a busy day for Nikki. In addition to 5 half-hour sessions, Nikki’s sister hired her to provide relaxation massage to her three bridesmaids. Fifteen minutes into the first massage, Nikki noticed that she was having a difficult time controlling her pressure. This was causing discomfort in her upper back and neck. By the middle of the second session, Nikki’s lower back was hurting too.

Here is some of the information I recently shared in my February newsletter. Each newsletter has a specific focus.  This month is focused on business and ethics information. If you would be interested in receiving my newsletters, please head over to my contact page and sign up.

Tidbits, Updates and Resources:

1.Gael Wood is offering a “Done-for-You Social Media Marketing Content” opportunity through Massage Marketing Content Club. You can sign up for a free massage marketing content sample package.

2. SEO: what it is and how to do it effectively. For many of us, taking time to create and maintain a website is about all we have and SEO can seem so confusing. Yoast.com offers guidance in this guide: SEO copywriting: The ultimate guide. 

3. “Is this you? You know what you need to accomplish to make your massage business success. You know the steps to make it all happen. But when it comes to executing those steps..oh look! a squirrel…I should reorganize my closet today…another squirrel. Solution: a group of colleagues, holding you accountable, helping with obstacles, cheering you on."  Massage Business Blueprint accountability group 

4.  Are you doing Facebook ads? There are eight common advertising mistakes that can get your ad suspended. This video by Matthew Loop lists and discusses those 8 mistakes.

  1. No disclaimer or privacy policy statement on the page the ad is sending you to.
  2. Link baiting, fear mongering or overhyped headlines
  3. Can’t make any claims
  4. Too many disapproved ads in your ad manager
  5. Lots of negative feedback
  6. Second person point of view
  7. Ad targets someone’s non-ideal body type (i.e. before & after pictures, no “red points”)
  8. Trapping websites or landing pages, popups

5.  HubSpot offers a blog post: 20 SEO Myths You Should Leave Behind in 2018, a free download. 

6.  Matt Coffman offers free training session for practice owners: 3-step process for generating 5, 7 even 10 new therapy clients every single month with predictability. 

7.  Massage Magazine offers a free ebook: Build a Successful Massage Practice which includes wonderful information about using technology.

8.  For those looking to create a new webpage or upgrade a current webpage, currently one of the most recommended themes in the business is the Cherry Multipurpose WordPress Theme. It has great functionality for spas and massage practices. 

9.  Söhnen-Moe Associates, a leader in massage business education, offers three practice-building ebooks:  Build Your Business Plan, Marketing Communications for Massage Therapists, and Present Yourself Powerfully.

PRACTICE TIPS, LICENSING UPDATES, AND ETHICS DISCUSSION

I receive a weekly update on anything published anywhere on the internet that includes information about massage business and tips or hacks. If you have any problems with the links, please let me know, or if you come across any information that you think would be good to share, please also feel free to pass that information along: info@holistichealingarts.net

Regarding Licensing

You can download the new Massage complaint sign on the TDLR website.

Want to keep up with the latest rules, laws and procedures? Sign up for email updates from TDLR.

The Massage Therapy Advisory Board met on December 7, 2017. The meeting is archived and valuable on TDLR”s YouTube channel.

Ethics Situation for your consideration

Here is some of the information I recently shared in my August newsletter. Each newsletter has a specific focus.  This month is focused on business and ethics information. If you would be interested in receiving my newsletters, please head over to my contact page and sign up.

Tidbits, Updates and Resources:

1. “There are many things you can’t control about the job-seeking process…But there is one thing you can control: the amount of work you put in.” Some great tips for standing out when applying for a job can be found in the article Your Resume is a Waste of time: 8 Better Ways to Get Hired for the job You Want by Jeff Haden at Inc.com

2. Massage Magazine provides a free e-book, 10 Tips for Success You Won’t Learn in Massage School. “No matter what specialty you choose, many people await your skilled touch—and those potential clients need to know who you are, where you are, and what you offer. That’s why you need to have inside strategies for promoting and maintaining a successful massage practice.” You can download a copy on the Massage Magazine website.

3.  For those interested in working in a spa, there is a great article by a former spa director, Barry Eichner, found on Spa Standard: 10 Tips to Landing a Spa Job: Confessions From a Former Spa Director. “These are my inside tips to landing the spa job of your dreams. After a decade of working in spas, I’ve seen so many professionals launch successful careers. These 10 tips are what contributed to my selecting applicants to join my team!

  1. Network
  2. Stay Humble
  3. Be Professional
  4. Be Willing to Work Part-time
  5. Have a strong resume and cover letter
  6. Drop off resume and cover letter in person
  7. Brush up on your interview skills
  8. Do Your research
  9. Write follow up thank you notes

10. Be flexible

4. Elite Continuing Education offers 9 Tips to Get New Massage Therapy Clients.

  1. Identify your ideal clientele
  2. You have a stack, Now What? The Business card
  3. Be a Stalker (kidding-no really)
  4. High-end Salons
  5. The obvious (obviously) – Chiropractors
  6. Register with Google places, Google maps and Google+
  7. Offers that can’t be refused (carefully)
  8. Gift Certificates
  9. Reach out to past clients


5. Because finances can feel overwhelming and, for many, confusing, the following article offers ways to make finances work for you. 10 Simple Money Moves You Should Make this Week at The Penny Hoarder.

PRACTICE TIPS, LICENSING UPDATES, AND ETHICS DISCUSSION

I receive a weekly update on anything published anywhere on the internet that includes information about massage business and tips or hacks. If you have any problems with the links, please let me know, or if you come across any information that you think would be good to share, please also feel free to pass that information along: info@holistichealingarts.net

Regarding Licensing

The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards is asking for massage therapists to participate in the 2017 Job Task Analysis and Career Patterns Surveys. According to the Federation, “This snapshot of the practice will be used for ongoing development of a fair and appropriate national examination to ensure the ENTRY-LEVEL massage/bodywork practitioner is competent to safely practice.”

The survey takes approximately 20-30 minutes to complete and can be completed over several session. The survey is found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FSMTB_2017

Ethics Situation for your consideration

Practice Tip:

Here is some of the information I recently shared in my August newsletter. Each newsletter has a specific focus.  This month is focused on business and ethics information. If you would be interested in receiving my newsletters, please head over to my contact page and sign up.

Tidbits, Updates and Resources:

  1. 1. "What to say when you're asked to work for free. If you own a small business or are self-employed, sooner or later you will be asked to work for free. The more successful you become, the more requests you'll get. But with the right response, you can turn these freeloaders into something positive."  Helpful information by Rhonda Abrams.

    2. Some massage therapists have team members working for them, whether it be employees or independent contractors. So how do we help them market themselves? This 19-minute podcast, Helping Massage Therapists Market, (includes some promotional plugs for products and themselves) by Michael Reynolds gives some very helpful suggestions

    3. ComoSense is a cloud-based solution for customer engagement and loyalty. It helps manage loyalty programs, communication plans, and other tools.

    4.  Another Insurance option is available for Massage Therapists and multiple modality practitioners. Massage therapists pay $96 per year plus $15 for an additional insured. Included: General & Professional Liability, Products and Completed Operations, Personal & Advertising injury, Damage to premises rented to you, identity recovery coverage, inland marine business personal property. Check out their coverages and policies at insurebodywork.com

    5. Love doing hot stone or the idea of incorporating hot stone work into your sessions? Check out Synergy Stone Heat Wave tools. They are hand sculpted to provide powerful coverage during use and application. Learn more at Synergystone.com


    6.  
    What is the definition massage? The answer to this question can have a significant impact on a therapist’s practice and the public’s perception of whether to seek a massage session. The article: “Clarifying definitions for the Massage Therapy Profession: the results of the Best Practices Symposium" by Ann Kennedy, is a major step in helping to define what it is we do. The article, published in 2016, can be found in the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.

    7. Great article on Commit Action (if you ignore the promo hype) about motivation and self-motivation. “How to get massively motivated in less than 60 seconds”.  One of the skills the most elite entrepreneurs have mastered is what psychologists call Self-Regulation. Self-regulation and the ability to switch your motivation on—precisely when you want it—is a totally learnable skill.  Included: 2 powerful techniques to switch on motivation like electricity and 5 tactical hacks to rocket yourself out of lethargy and brain fuzz. 

    8.  Digital Marketer offers a free download “The 60 second Blog Plan”. How to create a blog content plan in 60 seconds or less by filling in 5 simple blanks (Yes, it's really that simple). You can sign up for the download at Digital Marketer.

    9. I found 2 books, written by and for massage therapists, to offer some wonderful help in building and running a business. Both of these books can be purchased at Holistic Healing Arts Products page or through direct Amazon links.

    1. Before You Leap: SIx Secrets to Making Your Passion a Real Business by Kelly Bowers (Kindle only)

    2. Creating Lifetime Clients: How to Wow Your Customers for Life by Felicia Brown

Regarding Licensing

Massage Therapy licensing and oversight functions will be transferred to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation on November 1, 2017 (target date). The initial focus of TDLR will be to get the management of licenses smoothly transitioned. They will then begin working with attorneys to rewrite the rules to remove duplication, redundancy, and confusion. TDLR plans to hire significantly more compliance officers to ensure a crackdown on prostitution and human trafficking. In a recent statement, TDLR did state they would not initially change how CE’s are reviewed.

Ethics Situation for your consideration

Practice Tip:

During the course of attending massage school at A New Beginning School of Massage, students are given a number of assignments that requiring research and writing. Some of these assignments result in very insightful and  well thought out information and  decision-making outcomes. I am happy to share some of their assignments for you to enjoy.

 

dT9kp7yT7As a person who always tries to have several hands in many baskets, and places enormous value on my free time, I was immediately drawn to the title of this article: Passive Income: 3 Ways to Set Yourself Up for Success, by Coach Cary Bayer from Massage Magazine, December 2015. Entering my 30's last November was a bit of a "wake-up call" for me, in terms of thinking of my financial future, and exploring ways to ensure my financial stability through retirement.

Though massage is typically thought of as a strictly hands-on, in-person profession, Bayer explores 3 models in which massage therapists can apply their skills to receive income without having to do any physical work. The first strategy the author offers is entitled Sessions other Massage Therapist Perform. This business strategy appears to work best once a therapist has established their own booming practice, to the point where there is a long waiting list for new clients to be accepted. Bayer suggests that instead of simply referring these "wanna-be" clients out, that the therapist instead hires other therapists to work for them, and splits the price of the session 60/40. The hired therapist would receive 60 percent, while the primary therapist would receive the remaining 40 percent for the providing the overhead and client.

The second suggestion for passive income Bayer shares with the reader is product sales. By establishing a relationship with a wholesale company selling wellness products, you can often receive a 40% discount from buying in bulk, and thus earn profits from sales. You are also helping your clients by providing them with a "one-stop shopping" experience. Of course, they recommend that you only buy and sell products that you already believe in or are recommending. Baylor concludes by encouraging the therapist to use a gentle marketing strategy, instead of pushing products on their clients.

The last possibility offered is entitled Affiliate Marketing. Baylor explains that this is an arrangement made between individuals and businesses loosely affiliating them to each other in some way. For example, a friend in a non-competitive, but relevant business, such as a yoga instructor or concierge can refer clients to you, while you simultaneously refer your clients to them. This can also include percentage fees for the referral, which are kept by the referring party. Personally, I think it would be more advantageous to work on a system of barter, unless of course, one party is getting more referrals than the other, which I suppose is possible and potentially complicated.

After reading this article, it seems like human capital and connections are at the root of passive income sourcing. The second two business options, which Baylor describes, seem most appealing to me. I have always enjoyed networking, and like the idea of bartering referrals to friends in supplemental lines of work for a win-win outcome. I plan to explore cross advertising with other service providers I meet.

Here is some of the information I recently shared in my August newsletter. Each newsletter has a specific focus.  This month is focused on business and ethics information. If you would be interested in receiving my newsletters, please head over to my contact page and sign up.

Tidbits, Updates and Resources:

Regarding Licensing

As rules, enforcement, and oversight changes, you can keep up by signing up for email updates from the Texas Department of State Health Services. You can sign up on the massage home page.

Ethics Situation for your consideration

Practice Tip:

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