If you have ever desired the flexibility of having time for yourself and a turnkey business that lets you sit back and simply count the profits, you are in for a treat. Although it may seem hard to believe, owning a successful turnkey business is easier than you think. Consider opening a massage business that caters to some special niche or fills a void in the community.
Massage therapy is in constant demand with people being under more stress than ever. And massage therapy can be the perfect escape. Improving their posture, relieving their pain, and making them feel comfortable in their own bodies again. Let’s consider the steps to starting your own massage therapy business below.
#1: Find a Location
Before you can launch into the massage parlor trade, you have to find a premier location. It can take time for a business to establish itself by word of mouth. And massage parlors are often a personal luxury that many may wish to keep private even if they received the best massage in their lives. A quality location will have the right atmosphere for the clientele that you want to attract.
If there are hair salons, manicurists, acupuncturists, and even chiropractors in the same vicinity, you may be able to cash in on their marketing to build up your own foot traffic. In essence, you want to find a business location that has anchor businesses that draw in a steady traffic of people who may be interested in your services as well.
This isn’t easy because commercial property can be quite limited. You may have to take out a business loan to invest in a building or to share a storefront with an established shop. Strip malls are a popular location because they have the parking capacity to handle the volume of traffic that the group of businesses can potentially generate.
#2: Find Massage Therapists
When it comes to finding a quality masseuse, you may want to remain flexible. Massage therapy comes in all different forms. Therefore, hiring the masseuse with the most experience and training may not generate any more profits than an amateur who customers simply like for their personality, appearance, or overall marketing appeal.
People don’t want to get manhandled when they go in for a massage. They simply want to enjoy themselves and relax. Hiring young women is usually the safest way to go because they have a low likelihood of being accused of improperly touching other women and are generally preferred by men. Men can feel emasculated if they have an awkward experience with a man. In addition, ensure that your massage therapists have the necessary certifications required in your region.
#3: Obtain Liability Insurance
You should form a corporation first to protect your assets in the event that your business is sued for any reason. In addition, however, you will need to obtain professional liability insurance to comply with local and state laws in most jurisdictions. There are kinds of insurances available for small businesses such as errors and omissions insurance, professional indemnity insurance etc. In some places, you need general liability, in other places, professional liability may be required. You may also be required to obtain a business license for tax purposes even if you wish to operate as a sole proprietor. Just be sure that you read the massage liability details of the policy before signing anything. Like most insurance, not all coverage options are the same.
#4: Market Your Business
Create an online website to generate leads. Put ads in all the regional flyers and newspapers to announce that you are officially opened for business. Make some special promotional offers to attract interest among people who may be receiving massages elsewhere.
If you have experience in digital marketing, you should also start a Google Adwords campaign and maximize your webpages for search engine optimization (SEO) to generate local traffic when anyone in the area types in your targeted search terms.
