Running your own small business can be a rewarding yet often overwhelming endeavor. From marketing to bookkeeping to scheduling and communicating with clients, there are many factors that contribute to small-business success outside of your core service offering. Outlined below are some tips and best practices to help massage therapists nationwide build and operate successful, healthy businesses.
1. Automate your noncore business functions. Time spent balancing the books or scheduling client appointments is time that could be invested in generating new business or attending to client needs. Use online software for these time-consuming functions so that you can focus on delivering the best possible client service during business hours.
2. Use social media as a platform to market yourself. A professional Facebook page is an easy, effective means of communicating with current and potential clients. Choose your professional page name carefully, and stick to names that are adaptable in nature, such as “massage therapist.” Avoid names that are transitory in nature.
3. Invest in attractive, high-quality collateral. Professionally designed business cards and brochures send the message you are a credible, flourishing massage professional with a solid base of business. Business cards may seem outdated, but they remain a popular form of giving and receiving contact information and are a tangible reminder of your interaction with clients and prospects.
4. Vary your marketing approach. No single marketing effort works all the time for every business, so make sure you are using multiple tactics to reach the broadest possible audience. For example, some clients may prefer to receive updates via a monthly e-mail newsletter, while others prefer to stay connected via Facebook.
5. Give your clients peace of mind by ensuring your payment mechanisms are compliant with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS). In doing so, you and your clients can confidently execute transactions and exchange payment information in a safe, private and responsible manner.
Also read “Must-Have Social Media Tips for Massage Therapists,” by Jerry Nettuno.
Jerry Nettuno is founder and CEO of Schedulicity, a leading online-scheduling service for appointment-dependent small businesses. For more information, visit www.schedulicity.com.