5 Things I Wish I Had Invested In For My Massage Studio - From Day One
Welcome back to another Monday with the Mavens. We created the Massage Mavens blog to connect with and educate self-employed massage therapists working to grow as business owners.
It can be lonely working for yourself – and we’re here to remind you that while you’re in business for yourself, you don’t have to be in business by yourself.
While we cater our content to independent MTs, all massage therapists are welcome here; whether you run your own independent massage therapy studio, you contract in a clinic, work in spa, or you are still in school.
5 Things I Wish I Had Invested In Sooner For My Massage Therapy Studio.
1.An Optimized Website
This one might be controversial to some.
“Why would we need a 5-star website as a solopreneur? We mostly operate on word-of-mouth anyway!” (And I used to agree with you on this, which is why I didn’t invest in one in the beginning).
The truth is, though, that even if we only accept clients who find us through friends, and not cold leads, if our website is clunky, slow, frustrating, or just downright doesn’t work correctly; we will quickly lose the opportunity to convert that prospect into a client.
Beyond that, an optimized, professional website performs better on search engines – so if you are interested in showing up when someone googles for massage in your area, the first thing you’ll need to fix is your site.
2. Outlet Timers
Buy 5 of them, and plug all of your lamps / hot stones / towel cabinets / etc into them. Then set the timers to go on and off an hour outside of your business hours. I’m telling you, it’s a game changer. Your office will be safe and well-lit when you walk in in the mornings, the hot stones will never be a fire hazard again, the benefits go on and on.
3. A Red Light Device
They’re gaining popularity in self-care crowds, so they’re an easy sell. But they’re also incredibly low-maintenance to use, so they’re an easy and convenient in-session upgrade. Beyond that, red light is known to improve circulation into and lymphatic flow out of the area it’s working; which means your sessions will impact your clients that much more, without your even doing anything. (Plus, they’re a phenomenal self-care tool for your own hands between clients)
4. Alllll The Cups and Hot Stones I Had Room For
Personally, I hate washing cups and stones between clients. I’d rather deal with one big mess at the end of the day, instead of continuously cleaning up small messes all day long. I finally invested in owning enough cups and hot stones that I could get through an entire shift without needing to wash anything between clients: and it was a game changer.
5. Neurofeedback
Ok so this one isn’t specifically an investment in the studio. It’s more an investment in me. But as I am my studio, it’s kind of the same thing. Neurofeedback is a form of operant conditioning therapy that helps the brain retrain itself to manage stress, anxiety, depression, and all kinds of other things more efficiently. If you are struggling with the stress of running a business, I cannot recommend Neuro highly enough.
What are some investments you have made in yourself and your studio that you wish you’d made sooner?
Thanks for stopping by!
As always, we’d love to hear how our content has helped you improve either your studio, your mindset, or your revenue as a self-employed massage therapist.
Rachel Martin, LMT, is an independent massage therapist living in Denver Colorado. Having built her solo massage studio to capacity, she now spends her free time helping other massage therapists do the same. Check out Six Figure Studios, Queen Street Marketplace, and The Techy MT to learn more.
