Online referrals
Online marketing doesn’t begin and end with your own Web site. In fact, experts say that it is very important to not depend on a Web site for all your online marketing.

"Regardless of whether an individual Web site is cost-effective for your business, you still need to look at other ways to market your services online," says online-marketing expert Sandra Beckwith, author of Streetwise Complete Publicity Plans.

Marcia Layton Turner, author of The Unofficial Guide to Starting a Small Business and How to Think Like the World's Greatest Marketing Minds, agrees. "When selling personal services, such as therapeutic massage or other bodywork, most clients will use some sort of referral method to find you, not a general Web search."

Layton Turner suggests taking advantage of membership in professional organizations and adding your listing to their Web sites.

"Your membership may come with a free or very inexpensive space in the association’s referral network," she says. "These types of sites are fantastic ways to attract clients who are looking for therapeutic services, while at the same time allowing for adequate screening of new customers."

"I get a lot of e-mails and phone calls from both the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) site as well as the Desert Institute site," says Michelle Norush, a massage therapist and graduate of the Desert Institute of the Healing Arts in Tucson, Arizona. "I split my time between resort work and private practice, so it’s nice to get those clients without having to aggressively market myself."

Norush adds that she lists both a business phone and e-mail address online to make contact convenient for clients who might prefer one method to the other.

Massage therapist Jan Phibbons says she also has her information listed on the AMTA site, as well as a few smaller sites with referral services. The Web site of Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals, as well as several independent sites, also offers online therapist-locator services.

Phibbons, who is also a graduate of the Desert Institute and has used the school’s Web-site referral for approximately two years, says, "I find that my referrals from these sites are people who are looking for therapeutic services, sometimes friends or relatives who want to give my services as a gift. I also get a lot of people who will be moving to the area and want to set up a relationship with a new therapist before they arrive."

Web-site savvy
Some bodyworkers do find that personal Web sites pay off with new clients and more exposure in the community. Massage therapist Jennica Brownell says that she started her Web site because she wanted to post the massage menu for the country club where she works, making it available to the general public.

"The club has their own Web site, which is available only to members, but I felt that I should have information about our department accessible to non-members," she says, "especially since I was interested in expanding our clientele to include both members and non-members."

Brownell adds that she is not yet using the site for direct advertising. But already it receives a consistent number of hits and draws visitors from around the world. She says that her goal for the site is to keep it very simple until she is able to take on more clients, but she does include the site’s address on her business cards and refers to the site often in her dealings with the community-at-large.

To expand the appeal of her site, Brownell will be adding information about the country club, including discount packages and information on the childcare center. "I think that a recognizable name will reassure potential clients shopping the Internet for a professional therapist, as well as increase the clarity of the therapeutic focus of my work," she says.

"Working at the country club allows me to post more information on my site than I might otherwise feel comfortable with," she adds. "I have the protection of a public establishment. But even local phone listings come with risks in this profession, so we have to be cautious either way."

Plan for the future
Brownell says that her site has also been set up to accommodate any future changes to her career, including her dream of offering on-site spa services at parties, special occasions and holiday events.

"I would like to offer more than just massage treatments on site," she says. "But there is always the possibility that I could go into business with someone else or move in the future, and this Web site could easily help to promote those changes."

She is also planning to post massage-related articles to a special area on her site and possibly incorporate a guest book, where visitors would sign in with their e-mail addresses.

Brownell currently forwards massage-related articles to clients via e-mail, and informs them about workshops at a local herbal and aromatherapy store that they might be interested in.

"I guess I assume that most people are like me and don’t have the patience to look at 20 different links and pages," she laughs. "I want it all right there, quick, to the point, and at a glance."

Accordingly, Brownell went through magazines and books to show her Web site designer what kind of look she wanted, and worked with the designer to choose a font and color theme that would complement her professional image. She also had the designer make her site easy to navigate, even for beginning Internet users, and avoid flashy additions.

Brownell’s site, which was designed by a client in exchange for massage services, is a graphical example of her belief that you only have one chance to make a good first impression. "When I was deciding how I wanted my site to represent me, I looked at other sites and figured out what I didn’t like," she explains. "Backgrounds that were too busy, colors that didn’t complement the overall appearance, pages that were inconsistent or hard to read, misspellings, inaccuracies and load time were all factors that [would] discourage people from continuing through my pages once they get here.

"Instead, I wanted it to be warm and inviting, and actually feel like a massage room," says Brownell.

"My advice to other therapists would be to first decide exactly what you want for your practice - not only from the standpoint of a therapist, but also from the standpoint of a business person and a client," she adds. "Then, take a detailed plan to an experienced Web designer. Ask for referrals from therapists who have sites, and look at lots of sites by the designers you’re considering. Also, don’t be afraid to ask to barter services. Someone who sits at a computer all day is a perfect candidate for regular massages."

Brownell cautions that a hastily built Web site could do your business more harm than good, and says that it is important to remember that people all over the world are looking at your site.

"It may create opportunities that might not have otherwise existed," she says. "It is a chance to educate others on the benefits of massage therapy and a means of supporting your clients and the community. But it is also a reflection of your services and your attention to detail. Have fun and be creative - but don’t forget to proofread."

You’ve got mail
Another online marketing option is the e-mail newsletter. Sending a newsletter via e-mail has at least one big advantage over print communiqués: much lower cost, because you don’t have to pay for postage or paper. But e-mail newsletters do take a considerable amount of time, says Karyn Zoldan, niche-marketing specialist and owner of Bridge Marketing in Tucson.

"You also need to carefully consider what results you are hoping to achieve, before you send your first issue," she says. "Since people already get a lot of e-mail, there has to be a good reason for them to want yours. Make it benefit-rich with information they can use. Occasionally offer a special to entice them to book a treatment, or even a series of treatments, but don’t be predictable with your offers. Otherwise, some of your clientele may wait for these discounts to book an appointment."

How do you collect e-mail addresses for your e-newsletter? First, ask all your clients if they would like to receive the newsletter, and then ask for their e-mail address. "Including instructions on how to sign up for your newsletter on your business cards, e-mail auto-signature, and other correspondence encourages clients to sign up," says Zoldan.

Beckwith adds, “If you exhibit at health fairs or other events, offer a door prize. Require that entries include the name, address, phone number and e-mail address. If you have a Web site, ask visitors to register for your newsletter.

"Also, collect business cards at networking events and include a line at the end of your newsletter that asks, ‘Do you have a friend who would enjoy this newsletter?’" she adds.

Beckwith also suggests including links in your e-newsletter to other sites with articles on appropriate topics, such as stress management.

"While you can’t copy all or part of these articles in your own newsletter without permission, you can link to their sites without permission," she says, adding that many sites, however, would probably be willing to give permission for you to use their articles, as long as you give them credit and a link back to the original site.

"Since your target market is extremely local, I suggest collaborating with other businesses in your area who are not competitors, but share the same audience," says Zoldan. "Hair salons, yoga studios, personal trainers, chiropractors, acupuncturists and nutritionists make natural partners for your e-mail newsletter. Ask them to combine their e-mail list with yours, and each of you write a column."

Some of these businesses might be willing to sponsor your newsletter, or exchange their e-mail list for an ad in your newsletter, Zoldan says.

E-mail postcards
E-mail messaging is also a cost-effective way to stay in better touch with your clients. If a regular client would like an e-mail reminder the day before her monthly session, or you haven’t scheduled an appointment recently for an intermittent client, using e-mail is a virtually cost-free way to increase steady business.

"Ask your clients if they’d like to be reminded to schedule their next treatment," Beckwith says, "then just send a reminder e-mail message - not a newsletter - in the same way that you might get one from your auto dealership to change the oil in your car or have a tune-up."

Layton Turner cautions that sending too much e-mail to clients who already receive too much spam (unsolicited e-mail sales messages) can easily backfire, and suggests that you limit your e-mails to only those that are absolutely necessary.

"While an e-mail here and there can be very helpful and even keep a client coming back on a regular basis, too many e-mails can send them running for another bodyworker," she says. "Judicious use of e-mail marketing can be a very effective marketing practice, but too much of a good thing is never great."

For Brownell, e-mail is more useful as an administrative assistant as opposed to a direct marketing tool.

"I encourage my clients to e-mail appointment requests or cancellations," she says, "and eventually I would love to do Internet bookings so that my clients could view my availability and book their appointments online. All I would have to do is check each day and see who is coming in."

Whether you develop a Web site, write an e-newsletter, or simply send e-mail appointment reminders, the Internet offers unlimited potential to deepen your relationship with clients - and expand the reach of your healing hands.