Want to start a massage practice business? Here’s a comprehensive list of everything you need to know about starting one.
The demand for massage therapy is increasing in recent years. Most individuals choose massage therapy for medical or general health reasons. It includes pain relief, injury recovery, or overall wellness.
Professionals expect the number of employed massage therapists will grow by 24 percent through 2026. According to BLS data, the average annual salary for a massage therapy professional in 2020 was $43,620 and $20.97 an hour.
10 Steps to Start Massage Therapy Business
There are some basic things that one needs to consider when starting up a massage therapy service. These include the following:
1. Get Trained
A course in Massages is an absolute necessity if one wants to earn his/her living as a masseur. It will legally empower him/her to work professionally. There are various types of massages. They include acupressure, heat treatment, deep tissue, Thai, shiatsu, Swedish, sports, and so forth.
The minimum number of hours needed to obtain a license varies according to the state. Generally speaking, it can range between 300 and 1000 hours.
Working for an established massagétery clinic is highly recommended before opening your own practice. Not only does it provide you with valuable experience, but it also helps you understand clients’ needs and behavior.
2. Do Some Market Research
With any other type of business, conducting thorough research into the local marketplace is essential for success. Conduct extensive research and collect as much information as possible about local competitors, their offers, prices, marketing strategies, the gap between them and yours, etc.
3. Name Your Massage Therapy Business
It may seem unimportant, but if you look at it from another angle, most successful massage therapists usually have names that relate to their practices. So take some time and come up with a good and catchy company or product/service name which customers can relate to.
Moreover, one must find a related website that has already been created before trying to create his/her own. To learn more about finding an available.com website, check out our website availability report.
4. Write a Massage Therapy Business Plan
You can start a massage therapy practice at any stage in life. Most successful massage therapists start off working part-time before they decide to quit their day job to focus solely on their massage therapy practice.
A good idea would be to get some advice from experienced massage practitioners who might offer tips on how to set up a profitable massage therapy practice.
If you want to start a successful massage therapy business, you need to create an in-depth and detailed massage therapy business plan. You will need to include these essentials in your plan documents:
- Executive summary
- Company description
- Industry Analysis
- Target Market
- Competitive Analysis
- Products/ Services Offered
- Manpower Plan
- Operational Plan
- Marketing Plan
- Financial Plan
When you start out, some of the basics include planning documents that address the following topics:
- Initial and recurring costs
- Target customers
- Pricing plan
- What marketing strategy do you plan to use to promote massage therapy services?
5. Form a Company
You need to choose the right legal structure for your massage business. Each type of company has its own advantages and disadvantages. Deciding on the best one for you depends on your personal situation.
Choosing an LLC is a good way to keep your personal assets separate from your business assets.
6. Get Licenses & Permits
Check with your state’s department of health or the city hall to make sure you have all the proper permits and licenses before starting any type of business. Make sure you know what you’re doing and hire an experienced lawyer if needed.
You may be required to pay some licensing fee of around $350 to 500 if you want to open up a massage business in Florida.
If you own a small or medium-sized company, then you must consider buying commercial general liability (CGL) coverage.
7. Choose the Right Location & Setting Up
If you’re planning to start a new business, then you should consider the best place where you can get started. You may choose any area within your city or town.
However, it is important to select an appropriate spot so that you can attract potential buyers. In addition, make sure that the selected area is easy to access and not too far from your desired destination.
8. Hire Professionals
To be successful in this business, you need to hire highly trained and experienced masseuses who know exactly how to treat clients. You can advertise for them through local employment agencies or by posting an ad in newspapers or online websites.
9. Cost of Starting a Massage Therapy Business
To start a successful massage therapy practice, you need an initial startup fee plus ongoing monthly costs for rent, utilities, marketing materials, supplies, etc.
One can set up a business for around $6,000 by investing in equipment and hiring staff.
A masseuse in the U.S. makes between $18-$35 an hour for a one-hour session.
10. Promote Your Massage Therapy Clinic
Regardless of whether you’re sending out postcards or massages, it’s important to reach the right audience. Posting flyers at local businesses work best for massage parlors, but not so well for restaurants.
You should create a website where customers can book their own appointment online. Try to explore social media and post your business activity as frequently as possible. Include benefits like customer loyalty packages, and offer package deals in your advertising strategy.
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