Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/72103
ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR CLASSES IN ABMP.COM'S ONLINE EDUCATION CENTER IS CHAIR MASSAGE. COST FOR THE 2 CE-HOUR CLASS IS $55 FOR NONMEMBERS, $35 FOR MEMBERS. therapists serve tea before clients are seen. Stocking teas for resale is a no-brainer for many. Organic India, a Colorado-based tea company, caters to massage therapists, providing them with initial free samples to give to clients, and setting up wholesale accounts for them. Organic India national sales manager Heather Henning explains, "Our minimum order for massage therapists is just $40, which will get you about 20 boxes of tea." The company also carries herbal supplements based on ayurvedic medicine. The supplements cost $10 wholesale and retail for $20. "Herbs are becoming more and more common, like turmeric to help support a healthy inflammatory response, so it is a great one to take in conjunction with getting a massage," Henning says. "It helps decrease inflammation and pain and it's full of antioxidants." Of course, make sure you stay within your scope of practice while educating clients about these options, and be careful not to prescribe products. OVER THE INTERNET If you don't have the space to store inventory, sell retail online. Organic India, for example, has an affiliate program for massage therapists. The company will provide you with newsletters and other promotional materials in exchange for you promoting their tea on your website. Starting with a link on the therapist's website, customers can place tea orders directly with the company, and the therapist gets 10 percent of the retail price. "It's a way to make a profit 7. that doesn't involve having stock on hand at all, so it requires no investment," Henning says. SELL PRODUCTS Zazzle (www.zazzle.com), an on-demand manufacturing site for custom-generated products, takes it one step further. They allow massage therapists—or anyone, for that matter—to create custom- designed art or logos and put them on everything from t-shirts to paper products to skateboards. Then they'll create a virtual storefront for you, so customers can visit your online shop—hosted on their website—and purchase direct from them. Therapists get 10 percent of the profit. "The trick for Zazzle is that we're not just a traditional promotional products company," says Michael Karns, director of marketing. "You don't have to place a minimum order. You can order just one item. There's no reason a massage therapist can't have his or her own line of merchandise available—not for giving away for free, but for fans to come to your online store and buy your t-shirt." CLIENTS TO BUY MORE To give clients the opportunity to purchase your retail products or make other impulse purchases, invest in a credit card machine. "Clients will be more inclined to charge packages on their card or have a massage, even if cash flow is low," Scalogna-Watkinson says. Don't forget that ABMP members 8. can process credit cards on the go using only their cell phones. Visit ABMP.com for providers who offer member discounts. 9. OFFER SPA PARTY PACKAGES Product manufacturers can help you with this. Suppliers, such as Universal Companies, offer ready- made spa kits, recipes, and marketing suggestions. Pitch the idea at bridal shows, sports leagues, or sorority earn CE hours at your convenience: abmp's online education center, www.abmp.com 87 MAKE IT EASY FOR and fraternity gatherings—anywhere a group of friends or colleagues might gather in celebration. Scalogna-Watkinson, who specializes in corporate spa parties, offers her advice: "Always work with a contract and deposits," she says. "If someone is stalling to give you a deposit, take that as a warning sign. Even clients with the best intentions can and will cancel on you, leaving you with a gap in your schedule and wasted energy and resources." 10. SAVVY MARKETING Form partnerships that will get your name out there at little or no cost to you. Take steps to get education brochures into your clients' hands. Biofreeze, for example, will supply as many free brochures as you would like, each with a sample of product, and each with your name and contact info on it. "It's designed for the consumer, and it talks about pain and how you would use the product, so it's a great thing for a massage therapist to give out," Solien-Wolfe says. "If you're doing a health fair or a sports run, people like to give others something. So they give out a client education brochure, and it gets business for Biofreeze and it gets business for the massage therapist." Remember that ABMP members also have access to online client brochures on ABMP.com. You can customize them with your contact information and print out as many as you need to circulate. based freelance writer. Contact her at killarneyrose@comcast.net. Rebecca Jones is a Denver-