The demand for massage therapy services is growing. According to the May 2006, “Massage Therapy Fast Facts” provided by the Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP), highlights the following facts:
* Consumers receive approximately 120 million to 135 million massage sessions annually, making massage therapy a $7 billion to $10 billion industry.
The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) highlights in its “2006 Consumer Survey” dated October 23, 2006 states that “Massage therapy has been a growing trend in American culture, which 39 million American adults - more than one out of every 6 - getting a massage annually.”
Why is there a significant demand for massage therapy services?
According to the same AMTA survey, “While relaxation (26 percent) is still a motive for Americans integrating massage into their routines, using massage therapy for medical purposes (30 percent) such as injury recovery, pain reduction, headache control, and for their overall health and wellness, is even more prevalent.”
Does massage therapy provide a chance to satisfy? A need or want?
Both physiologically and physically, massage therapy satisfies the needs and wants of the customer. Some areas that massage therapy addresses are listed below:
Physiological:
* Need to feel secure
* Need for love
* Need for esteem & status
* Need to be yourself; “to be your own person”
Physical:
* Freedom from fear
* Acceptance & a sense of belonging
* Respect, to be somebody, recognized place in society
* To recognize and accept yourself as you are
Identifying what makes your product human will aid you in developing the emotional feeling that will make your product (and everything that surrounds it) memorable . This is what will make your brand have staying power in the minds of your customer.
Focus on emotions, not intellect. Emotions are the gateway to making a buying decision. Zig Ziglar, a world-renowned sales trainer, explains, “People usually buy on emotion and then they justify it with logic.” Therefore, appeal to their emotions first and foremost.
Benefits are the language of emotion. Features are the language of logic. Even people who insist they buy logically or based on features do so because that’s what makes them feel better.
If you are excellent in helping to relieve a specific element, you should advertise this benefit and then describe the features of your therapeutic massage. Advertising in this manner will help you to reach those that are specifically seeking your services; avoids confusion of what you offer; and increases your clientele.
From providing therapeutic massage and spa treatments to building a massage therapy brand to a local massage therapy chapter, Cherisa Chapa, LMT provides multiple services to the industry of massage therapy through her web site, http://www.chapaenterprises.com Join her discussion forum at http://letstalk.brandmassage.com
Tags: massage business, massage marketing, Massage therapy, massage therapy business
