Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/68178
BUSINESS SIDE Consider the cost-per-person formula. Say an ad on a calendar that will be distributed to 1,000 people is $200. If you spend $200 on a newspaper ad that reaches 40,000 people, a radio spot that will reach 100,000 people, or a Web promotion that can potentially be seen by everyone who has Internet access, it's obvious which choices will give you better exposure for the money. Niche publications are what the Yellow Pages Yellow Pages are remiss in separating the legitimate massage therapists from the "adult entertainers." My own state board has contacted the Yellow Pages and insisted that they create a category labeled "Therapeutic Massage." Ask your board to do the same. Ask fellow therapists to contact the phone company and insist on it. There's power in numbers, and if enough people complain, they'll finally get the message. Conundrum Some people view the Yellow Pages as obsolete, but my experience has been that people still turn to the Yellow Pages when looking for goods and services, especially newcomers, people passing through town, and the elderly or others on a fixed income who may not have Internet access. It's a problem in many areas that the name implies—they reach a certain segment of the population. Advertising in a sports publication targets athletes; if you specialize in sports massage that may be a good place to spend money, but it may not be the best way to reach other segments of the population. Again, advertise wherever it makes you feel good, but keep in mind how many people are going to see the ad compared to the money you are spending for it. DEVELOP A SCHEDULE Creating an advertising schedule that can coexist with your budget requires advance planning. For instance, there are times of the year when you want to give gift certificate sales a big push, including Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduation time, and Christmas. Most newspapers plan certain issues well in advance. For example, my local paper publishes magazine inserts throughout the year: a Health and Fitness supplement, a Best of the County magazine, and so forth. People tend to save those issues and extra issues are distributed through the chamber of commerce and tourist centers to newcomers. Develop a good relationship with your advertising sales representative so he or she can let you know at the first of each year when such issues are going to be published. Your local chamber likely plans events on an annual basis that you'll want to participate in or help sponsor in exchange for the publicity—like Founder's Day, Octoberfest, and the Christmas parade. Scheduling in advance gives you the time to budget the money for participation and allows you to have a realistic idea of how much is left for necessities, like signage, business cards, and brochures. BE CONSISTENT When it comes to advertising, consistency is important. Develop a few ads that you can use all the time with minor wording changes; for example, by changing Mother's Day to Father's Day. Use fonts that are easy to read, and use the same one every time so it's instantly recognizable. If your business name does not explain what services you provide, be sure that's mentioned. A pregnancy massage therapist might use the name "MommyCare." There's nothing wrong with that, but it doesn't convey the services offered. The crucial elements of a good advertisement are your business name, phone number, website URL, e-mail address, and location. Other options include pricing, discounts, or special offers. One caveat: listing your prices in places where your ad can't be changed for a long period of time, such as the phone book, locks you into a position where you can't raise your fees; it may put you at risk of making customers irate because you're charging more than your ad states. I've heard therapists complain, "I placed an ad six weeks ago and didn't get anything from it." Expecting that kind of return on investment is unrealistic. Market research shows that individuals need to see an ad 6–10 times before acting on it, so placing one ad is no more effective than placing none. If you're choosing print ad venues, choose the ones you think will reach your intended audience. For example, my local paper runs a "Pamper Me" page every Friday. That's a good, steady place for my ad. Many papers run a connect with your colleagues on massageprofessionals.com 25