Depending on the type of massage therapy or bodywork you tend to practice, as well as several other factors, you may find you see a certain type of client on a regular basis. For those touch therapists who would like to target clients who are committed to fitness, there are a few key considerations. Here, we explore various ways one might draw fitness enthusiasts to his or her practice—and keep them coming back for more.
To begin with, take some time to really focus on and think about the area in which you practice. Look around to see if there are one or two fitness pursuits or hobbies that are especially popular in your region. For example, if you live in or near the mountains, you may find many people prefer such activities as hiking, skiing and snowboarding when it comes to the realm of fitness. On the other hand, if you live in a town where the sun tends to shine on a regular basis, then golfing and tennis may be more popular forms of fitness.
Once you have honed in on the fitness method that seems to be most popular in your area, then you can begin to research common issues associated with these activities. For instance, if you take a look at golf, then you may find that golfers often experience a certain kind of back pain related to the way in which they twist their bodies as they swing the club. From here, you will want to find out how massage therapy or bodywork can help address and alleviate these common issues.
Finding out the various techniques of massage therapy or bodywork used to address issues specific to certain forms of fitness usually requires more than a bit of research and reading. If you truly want to become the go-to massage therapist for fitness enthusiasts in your area, then you will need to begin looking into quality continuing education courses geared specifically toward these topics. In the example of the massage therapist who may wish to bring more golfers to her practice, finding a continuing education class on massage therapy techniques to address common issues associated with golfing may be the next best step.
Once you feel confident that you possess the massage skills necessary to serve your fitness clients, then you can move on to marketing your services. Tapping into the portion of the population that is passionate about fitness may mean creating new marketing material for your massage practice. It might also mean reaching out to organizations that tend to attract these specific clients, such as a popular golf club or ski resort, and setting up a time to give a presentation on the benefits of massage for this form of fitness.
In fact, finding a way to actually offer your massage services at the golf club or ski resort may be a wonderful way to build the foundation of your fitness-oriented massage practice.