Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/82405
THERA-SSAGE 431 Main St. Rutherfordton, NC 28139 Dr. Stanley Fishman Alpine Family Practice 101 Home Drive Rutherfordton, NC 28139 July 2, 2011 Dear Dr. Fishman, I'm Laura Allen, the owner of THERA-SSAGE, and I would like to let you know about the massage and bodywork services we off er. Our staff members are all nationally certifi ed, licensed, and insured. As a physician, you know how many conditions are caused or contributed to by stress. Massage is an excellent stress-reliever. Massage can also bring relief from muscular aches and pains, help restore fl exibility, increase range of motion, and contribute to general well-being. Some of the conditions we successfully work with include back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, fi bromyalgia, headaches, sciatica, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and many more. We have a focus on evidence- based practice. Our group of professionals also includes a licensed acupuncturist, a chiropractor, and a registered nurse. I invite you to come tour our offi ce, experience a session, and meet the staff . Please feel free to drop in at any time; we're open Monday–Saturday from 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. You can be assured we will follow up diligently with any referrals you might send us. Regards, Laura Allen BUSINESS SIDE Any services related to weddings are also good sources of referrals: bridal shops, caterers, fl orists, photographers, and rental companies. I have their cards and they have mine. PHYSICIAN REFERRALS Many of us covet referrals from medical doctors. They're easier to get than you might think. When I fi rst started my business, I spent a few days creating a database of all the physicians and dentists in town (my staff members are trained in temporomandibular joint massage.) My database allows me to do a mail merge with the click of the mouse. Each year, when the new telephone directory arrives, I go through it and delete the contacts who are no longer listed and add the new ones. Hospitals usually have an education department that offers free talks from Connecting with Medical Doctors Once a year, I send out a letter like this one to all the physicians and dentists in my area. doctors about various conditions. You'll see it in the paper all the time: "Dr. Rodriguez is offering a free lecture on fi bromyalgia at 4:00 p.m. Friday." You can also call and ask to be put on their mailing list. Make it a point to attend those whenever it's a condition for which massage is benefi cial. Go to PubMed (www.pubmed.gov) or the Massage Therapy Foundation website (www.massagetherapyfoundation. org), print out research on the related benefi ts of massage, and take it along. After the presentation, introduce yourself to the physician, share the benefi ts of massage, the research, and your business card. Remember, even if the physician specializes in something that the medical benefi ts of massage may not be immediately obvious for, stress is a culprit that either causes or accompanies many illnesses, and almost anyone can benefi t from a stress-relieving massage. In addition to physicians, there are a lot of health-care providers, both holistic and allopathic, to network with. These include: • Acupuncturists. • Chiropractors. • Midwives and doulas. • Naturopaths and homeopaths. • Nurse practitioners. • Occupational therapists. • Osteopaths. • Physical therapists. • Psychologists. OTHER MASSAGE THERAPISTS Too many massage therapists tend to view other therapists only in the light of competition, and that's sad. We're all a family of hands, and we all want the best for our clients. Sure, I have competitors, but I prefer collaborative competition. Boost your practice with ABMP's Website Builder—free for members on ABMP.com 23