How to Make Money With Massage Therapy
According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), 92 percent of massage therapists work as either sole proprietors or independent contractors. For this reason, it's important to understand the basic principles of starting and running a successful massage therapy business.
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Instructions
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The Education Process
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Research the required number of hours needed to be licensed in your state. Most states require at least 500 hours of training, but some states like New York require as many as 1,000 hours. Updated state licensing requirements are kept on the AMTA's Web site.
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Find out if you need a national certification to be licensed in your state. Specific classes need to be taken in order to take this test. If you know this ahead of time, you can take classes accordingly. As of 2009, a total of 500 hours were required to take the test, including 125 hours of anatomy and physiology, 40 hours of pathology and 10 hours of business of ethics. Current information is available in the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) handbook.
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Choose a school that offers the number of training hours and classes you need in order to take any required certification tests. Choose a school that is also flexible to your needs. Some schools have rigid schedules that require you to take specific classes in a certain order, whereas other schools give you more choices to take classes in your interest areas. Schedules vary at different schools as well, with some schools offering more evening and weekend courses for those attending school while working.
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Start to network while you're still in school. This is a perfect time to practice on friends and family members for free. They can offer feedback that will make you a better therapist and many of them may become clients or refer clients later once you're established.
The Business Process
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Once you have finished school, obtain all licenses and certifications you need in your area. Besides the massage license, you will most likely also need a business license if you choose to work for yourself.
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Get as much face time as you can in your community. Massage is personal for most people. If they can meet you in person, they may be more likely to become a client. Ask if you can give free massages at local gyms, sporting events or charity benefits. Make sure you have business cards or brochures available. Have an appointment book on hand as well so that potential clients can easily make appointments.
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Introduce yourself to chiropractors, physical therapists, acupuncturists and other practitioners in the complementary medicine field. If they are willing, leave them some business cards to hand out. They may often be too busy to offer massages to their clients and will refer them to you, especially if you return the favor and recommend business. Joining a social networking Web site such as Linkedin can help you meet others in the field, as well as provide free advertising for your business.
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Always show up on time, prepared and dressed professionally. Instead of thinking of this as working for yourself, treat every client as if he were your boss. The more impressed each client is, the more likely he will be to refer more clients to you. The more referrals you get, the less time you'll have to spend advertising yourself and looking for work.
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