Why do men get massage?
Since I’m not one, I decided to ask some men why they get massage. Here’s what they said.
A civil engineer: “I get massage if I get injured or something gets really tight and I can’t work it out myself.”
A captain in the armed services: “I got my first massage after a particularly difficult field exercise. I was sore in places I didn’t know I could be sore in! Although I don’t have facts to back this up, I think it could curb symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder many service members get when they return home.”
A small-business owner: “I get regular massage because when I take care of any aches and pains right away, they don’t usually turn into something bigger.”
An attorney: “Number one, I get massage because it’s a great way to deal with stress, and number two, it helps me recover from injuries.”
Do men have special concerns?
Two of my interviewees said they were concerned about not knowing what to expect. New clients need to know they will be draped, whether they can keep any clothes on and what they should do during the session.
How can massage therapists get more males into their practice?
It was the wives or partners of these men that convinced them to try massage. These partners experienced the benefits of massage and wanted their men to try it, too.
Massage therapists can help female clients reach out to men by educating them about how massage helps them feel better. They can then pass that information on when a family member is suffering from stress, injury or any other condition massage can address. Many massage therapists have found they also reach men with discounts on gift certificates and other promotional offers.
What are some other ways to reach men?
- Chair massage offers a safe way for men to try massage. Give away free samples at places men go.
- Offer couples massage. If your business can accommodate it, schedule time for side-by-side treatments, or sell packages that include half-hour massages plus a Jacuzzi or other treatment each partner can enjoy unattended.
- Target your message to men’s concerns. For example, emphasize in your marketing materials that you can help active, middle-aged people prevent injuries and maintain their bodies. Or if you focus on relaxation, emphasize the corresponding benefits of fewer headaches, reduced tension and better sleep.
Let men know what you can offer them through your education and marketing. Once they come in for massage, experience great results and find they feel safe with you, men may become your most loyal clients.
Diana Moore was a massage therapist for 14 years and is the writer for Natural Touch Marketing for the Healing Arts (www.NaturalTouchMarketing.com). Natural Touch Marketing offers the most complete and varied set of professional tools to reach out to clients and community—not by being a salesperson, but by showing you care. Visit www.NaturalTouchMarketing.com to read other articles by Moore and to find many more resources for marketing your massage business.