I’ve just begun researching an article on how social networking can help massage therapists (market, reach clients, connect with colleagues). If you would like to be included in the article, please send me an email at kmenehan@massagemag.com and we can set up an interview.
Whether you’re already a social networker or not, be sure to check out MASSAGE Magazine’s Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/#/MassageMagazine?ref=search&sid=795283418.1015148408..1
November 20th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
I have recently started using Facebook and find it has tremendos potential for massage therapists. I also am a yoga practitioner and many yogis from my class and others,including my yoga teacher who comes regularly for massage with me. He has hundreds of connections on Facebook. Now I ask clients, esp younger new clients if they have Facebook and to tell their friends about my massage. I have connected with experts like Eric Dalton who is always posting, ect. Having just gotton started with Facebook, I can see that there is great potential as a tool for increasing client base and staying connected with clients, and all kinds of other positive things.
I have been a busy practitioner for 18 years and sites such as Facebook bring a breath of fresh air and excitement to one’s practice.
November 25th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
Yes, I use facebook and 50% of my clients are from facebook or other social media. I keep building my facebook friend by selecting people in my niche or target area. It allows me to get people more familiar with my day spa. Once they see Believe Unisex Day Spa, they can start searching more about us. As a new Massage Therapist, you are completely invisible to the world unless you make a move. They won’t know about you unless you put yourself out there and communicate with them. Don’t try to sell them anything. Once in a while it’s okay to let them know about a promotion that you have going on. It is very annoying if they notice that you are just trying to sell them things. Go on their page place a comment on how nice their picture is. Try to build a relationship and from there you have a client.
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Facebook is one of the sleaziest ways to market your business I think. It has too many spammers and people adding all your relatives to their friends list so that they can sell something to them too.
Having all your clients be friends on facebook also challenge confidentiality issues. I for one don’t want all my clients subject to the spammers on facebook either. I value them too much.
It is much better to have your own website that gets found for the keywords ‘massage, your city’. You can build relationships through your websites by providing information and educating potential clients about what you do and what massage can do for them and find your “Ideal Massage Clients”
If you sit on facebook for an afternoon (which I have done just to see for myself) and watch all of the stuff that people put on their profiles – I don’t want to know that much about my clients lives – the stuff like the problems they are having with their kids or spouses or relatives. They make offhand comments that can really be taken out of context. It is also too voyeuristic for me.
Julie
http://www.massage-career-guides.com
January 6th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
It is much better to have your own website that gets found for the keywords ‘massage, your city’. You can build relationships through your websites by providing information and educating potential clients about what you do and what massage can do for them and find your “Ideal Massage Clients”
If you sit on uggs outlet
uggs outlet store facebook for an afternoon (which I have done just to see for myself) and watch all of the stuff that people put on their profiles – I don’t want to know that much about my clients lives – the stuff like the problems they are having with their kids or spouses or relatives. They make offhand comments that can really be taken out of context. It is also too voyeuristic for me.
January 7th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
It’s important to remember that social networking is “a” tool to use for marketing.
I just finished writing an article on social networking for our March issue’s Practice Building column, and as “vllen” says, I do note there that’s it’s important to have your own standalone website too.