Massage Practice Builder

There has been an interesting discussion going on in my Yahoo Discussion Group
on discounting massage services.  Many people feel like they need to
provide discounted fees for their service in order to get new clients
in, to get clients to come back and to also provide low cost massage
for low income people or people who are unemployed.  Many massage
therapists think they need to offer a sliding scale to their low income
clients to provide a way for them to get massage regularly.  Clients
who have issues with money often becomes a massage therapist who has
issues with money.

There is so much involved in this concept of discounting massage services.  Everything we do is based on  a need we have.

Why do you feel a need to discount your services?

• You think you need to to get the client in the door and keep them coming back
• The client just lost their job and you want to ‘help’ them out
• You think that you are the only one that can ‘help’ them
• You think that at least having a client coming in at a lower rate is better than no client at all

Inexpensive has become associated with ‘cheap’ which also means not
valuable.  Discounting your service assumes that the reason people are
not coming in is because of the extra $5-$10 dollars. Lowering your
rates also indicates that you may be new to the profession.  There will
always be someone, somewhere that is willing to reduce their rates
lower than yours.  Working for less than you need to make also creates
a substantial drain on your energy.  Not having enough money to pay the
bills, market your practice,  save for kids college, save for
retirement and take nice vacations every year says that you are not
worth having those things.

There is a big difference between discounting your service to get
new clients in and to offer discounts to thank them for their continued
use of your service.  Does providing a discounted fee actually help the
client more or  does it support their money issues?  Taking a deeper
look at why you want to help will
help clarify your deeper needs underneath wanting to help.  When you
can do that and see what your needs are and learn to get them met
outside your practice it will allow you to stay more present with your
clients which is the source of healing.

I have had many clients in the low income bracket – a single mother
who worked in a daycare, elderly people on social security and many
others.  These people valued massage and my service and they planned
accordingly financially to be able to come in regularly.  Money wasn’t
stopping them from fulfilling their need for massage.

Sure there are extreme circumstances happening right now but most of
it has to do with people who have overextended themselves financially
and haven’t saved enough money to live in challenging times.  There are
other ways to support these people and provide massage services.   You
can offer classes to the women in the family to teach them basic
massage skills, offer classes for couples, teach massage at a church group,
set up a low income massage clinic or do something besides discount
your massage services (unless you are already set for life
financially!)  You can start a non-profit group that offers massage to
low income people.

Charging what you need to make to be successful in business is just good self care.