Deciding to be an entrepreneur is probably one of the biggest decisions you will ever make throughout your lifetime. Opting for a career in a field that interests you, such as massage therapy, is one of the keys to success. In today’s article, we’re going to share with you the steps you’ll need to take to start your very own massage company in the near future.
Find A Franchise To Follow
Starting your own massage business comes along with many factors to consider. How will your finances be handled? How many employees will you have? What types of services will you offer clients? What will set your business apart from competitors? And there’s so many more that it will make your head spin. Trying to figure out the answers to all these questions can be a long journey made up mostly of researching alongside trial and error.
To make things much smoother along your entrepreneurial journey, you should look into a massage franchise. These franchises come with the basic blueprint for starting your own massage company. From choosing the prime location to training staff members, the franchise will be your main resource for information regarding your business. Think of a franchise as a paint by numbers system. All you have to do are the specific steps they show you in the order they present it to you. They will show you how to provide first-class customer experience to dominate your local market.
Pick A Prime Business Location
The market is competitive and identifying your location is one of the most crucial decisions of your business. Being able to find prime real estate and negotiate a deal that is sustainable for the business are critical components to your Therapeutic Massage Center’s success. You want a place that is affordable and easy for your clients to access.
When people want to relax, help heal/fix their body, and get a massage, they don’t want to worry about the dog barking when a car drives by, or welcoming some stranger in their home, or making sure the kids stay occupied. Visiting a massage center is an escape from the everyday stressors of life. It should be a place for people to unwind and invest in themselves, and improve their overall well being. Being in a prime location will ensure all of your clients get the VIP treatment that they desire.
Legally Form Your Business
If you really want to learn how to start a massage business, it is very important that you legally form a business entity. There are many different entities out there to choose from, including a sole proprietorship, limited liability company, partnership, and corporation. You should talk with your attorney ahead of time to learn the pros and cons of each entity type. They will be able to explain what entity type you can apply for and what the tax implications are.
A massive part of legally forming your business is choosing a business name, if the franchise allows you to choose. You want to take a few things into account when doing this. These include:
- It is easy to spell and say
- It is not too close to competitor names
- It represents your services
- It has not already taken by another company
It’s worth it to take some time to figure out what your business name is going to be. You’ll be using this business name for a long time and you want to enjoy having it. Before you decide on one specific business name, you should check with your franchise to see what sort of restrictions they have, if any, on what your name may be.
When you’re ready to officially register your business, you’ll need to jump online. Go to your state’s official website and look for the new business area. This will allow you to search to ensure no other businesses have the same name. Now, it’s time to apply for a business license through your state. You can do this on the online portal of your state’s website. It typically takes a couple of weeks before you get your license, depending on where you live.
Hire And Train Your Staff
One of the benefits of starting a business through a franchise is that you can opt for training sessions from the Franchisor. They have standard operating procedures, from when you walk in the door to when you leave. This allows you and your employees to learn the tactics that are working successfully for other franchise locations. All you have to do is follow the established processes that they have in place that allow you to excel at providing the best massage experience in the industry.
Each franchisor receives an all-in-compassing Operations Manual that covers everything from paint color, computers systems, scheduling appointments, and everything else to run your Center efficiently and effectively. There’s no guessing on how your practice should run. When you get hands-on training sessions from the franchisor, you can follow a repeatable system that works.
Pick Your Services
As you probably know, there are many different types of massages out there to choose from. A few examples are Swedish, Aromatherapy, Hot Stone, Sport, Trigger Point, and Deep Tissue. While you may want to offer a variety of services for your customers, you should be clear about what those services are. Some clients may only want to go to a therapeutic massage center that offers deep tissue massage while another may only go to one that offers aromatherapy.
When picking out the services that your massage center will offer, there are a few things you need to consider. You should be sure that your center offers 100% customized massages to fit the client’s needs. You need to keep a well-rounded staff, with therapists that specialize in multiple modalities to meet the needs of every client that walks in the door. Knowing which modalities to offer and what add-ons to incorporate are very important.
Purchase Liability Insurance
It is vital that your massage therapy center is protected with liability insurance. This type of insurance can be purchased from most major insurance companies. It will protect you and your practice if you are sued by a client or have damage claims that need to be handled. However, even though it’s a requirement for this type of business, it is much more important to know how to run your business to avoid these situations. You want to present yourself in your local market as a respected and professional business. Work with your franchisor to ensure you are doing everything right.
Marketing Correctly
When it comes to getting new clients, word of mouth and location don’t do it all. You’ll need to actively market to your targeted customers around the clock to keep your massage center full all day long. There are various types of marketing that you can do. These include online marketing, promotional marketing products, television advertisements, and many more.
Your franchisor is the marketing expert when it comes to getting a head start on the competition. Follow their training and do as they say; they have had years of experience and know what works and what doesn’t. There is no need to look at third-party sources for marketing techniques when your franchisor already has all of the tools you need to be successful. That’s the advantage of franchising with a reputable business.
Deciding to start your very own therapeutic massage center can be an exhilarating experience. Ensuring that your business is a success from the ground up is another story. The above template should be a great resource for you to use along the way that will help to point you in the right direction for massive success. Remember to take it one step at a time and do your best to exceed the minimum requirements of each step.
