Who doesn’t like a nice relaxing massage? A lot of people do and yes, it’s a very lucrative business you should consider. First, let’s talk about the costs of starting this business and some of the things that you would need. To start a massage therapy center, you may need up to $7,000 and these are some of the things you would spend it on-:
Starting a Massage Therapy Business – How Much Does it Cost
a. Business Registration-: You would need about $150 to get a license to start your own massage therapy center and then you would also have to pay a massage center establishment fee which would cost you between $200 and $300. Also, you would need to register your business with the secretary of state and pay filing fees which may range from $10 – $200 depending on the state where you choose to start your business.
b. Training-: Many states are biased towards trained massage specialist. This is the most important ingredient for success in this business; so you should ensure that you enroll for training and obtain a license from the department of state health services.
c. Insurance-: You can choose any general insurance policy according to your specific business needs but it is important for you to obtain liability insurance to protect you from sexual harassment law suits and other similar lawsuits that may have to do with professional misconduct and negligence.
D. Location-: You would need to rent a commercial space and of course, equip it to standard. The rates would depend on the specific area that you choose to start your massage therapy center.
e. Promotion and Advertisement-: You would also need to spread the good news of your business to people so that they can patronize you. You can advertise your business in newspapers and healthcare magazines, distribute flyers, partner with hospitals and medical centers and also advertise your business on radio and television. Word of mouth advertisements and referrals are also very effective.
f. Equipment-: You would also need to purchase some equipment to run your business. Some of the equipment you would need include-:
- Massage Tables-: You would need at least one massage table which your clients would lay upon while you perform your massage miracle on them.
- Flannel Sheets-: This would be used to cover your clients during massage. Go for soothing, relaxing colors like white.
- Pillows-: You would also need pillows for positioning and maximum comfort.
- Music Players-: The magic of soft music during massage cannot be underestimated. You should buy an audio player and some CD’S with soft relaxing music to help to further calm your clients.
- Towels-: The towels would be used by your clients to cover their bodies after the massage. So you should also invest in quality towels. Also, white is a preferable color.
- Scented Candles-: Another thing you need to buy is scented candles with soft fragrance that are not too strong or offensive to your clients.
- Massage oils and lotions-: Another thing you would need is massage oil and lotions of varying scents and types to aid the massage.
- Brochure-: You should create a business brochure stating all the services you offer, your charges and how you can be reached, and then you should distribute them to as many people as you can as a form of advertisement.
- Client Cards-: You would also need to keep records of client’s appointments and information relating to each individual client. So, you should consider hiring a printer to design client information cards for your business.
- Business Cards-: This is yet another networking and business promotion tool. Ensure that you have a business card designed for you which you would carry around and hand out to people to encourage them to visit your massage therapy center.
- Washing Machine and Dryers-: Hygiene is very important in this business. Your towels, sheets and pillow cases have to be kept neat ad fresh at all times. It may be difficult to keep up with that without a washing machine and a dryer.
f. Throw an opening party-: When you are done finding a suitable location and buying equipment, you are ready to start your business. You should throw an opening party to enable friends, families and other potential clients visit your massage therapy center, get free massages enjoy the feeling and keep coming back for more; this time with cash in hand or a credit card in the wallet.
Least i forget, you will also need a business plan for your massage therapy center.
Starting a Massage Therapy Center – Tips for success
I wouldn’t tell you how to start a massage therapy center without telling you how to succeed at it-:
1. Understand the body and learn effective massage techniques-: In this business, your massage skills are what would earn you the money so, you have to keep improving your skills and learning new techniques and methods. You can attend training and continuing education programs to update your knowledge of the business.
2. Hygiene is important too-: You must pay special attention to cleanliness to succeed too. You would be working with people on a ‘contact level’ and if they feel that you are not a clean person, they may be hesitant about patronizing you. So you should ensure that you are always clean and tidy, your towels and other materials you use are squeaky clean, your staffs are clean and organized and your office is kept clean and tidy too. Endeavor to provide privacy for your clients too.
3. Keep to appointments-: Ensure that you stick to appointments and avoid lateness. You should also encourage your clients to do the same and have a strict policy for dealing with lateness to protect other clients in case on person’s lateness causes another client’s appointment to be delayed.
4. Develop a good working relationship with your clients so that they can feel comfortable around you and also refer other people to you.
5. Lastly, you should diversify your service strategies; provide home based services, partner with gyms and fitness centers, work as a consultant for clinics and hospitals and also work with hotels and spas for steady revenue and income generation.
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