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In this Post: Choosing a name for your massage practice can really slow things down! Here we hear about one business owner and her journey to find the perfect name.
One of the most difficult things, when you are first getting started as a massagepreneur, is the important task of naming your business. Coming up with a unique, memorable, enticing name that excites you can be challenging! And finding one that isn’t already taken can often be extremely difficult.
A Odd to the Past
Years ago, when I was establishing a photography business (a different lifetime ago), I brainstormed names in my grandfather’s sun-baked Georgia home. I will never forget sitting next to him as he bestowed advice on me about how to choose the perfect name for my business. As a former business owner himself, I trusted his insight.
A few months ago, in an effort to declutter my life, I came upon a yellow sheet of paper. In my grandfathers’ handwriting was a list of potential names for my photography business.
It warmed my heart to stumble upon this long-forgotten treasure. Having lost my grandfather years ago, it was nice to be reminded of him and his classic wit.
One pearl that stuck with me when I reflect on our brainstorming session was his advice to pick a name that started with “a.” Because “a” was at the beginning of the alphabet, my business would then be listed first in the phonebook amongst all the other photographers out there.
Now, this was all before the digital age became what it is today. I mean, my photography business started with film. And who uses a phonebook anymore? I digress as I age myself.
My point is that this advice is not as pertinent now as it was back then. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t strategies for coming up with the best possible name for your business now.
One of my Massage in The Real World students struggled hard with this one! Tara Kukla started my 12-week long program desperate to come up with the perfect name – it was the one decision that haunted her – she simply couldn’t move on until she got it just right!
Tara’s Story
First, it was “Tara’s Holistic Massage and Skincare.”
But Tara had a revelation, “I thought it was original, had a ring to it, and I felt an emotional connection to it. What I didn’t know was your business name should not be based on emotional connection. It is not about you. It is about your clients.”
And she’s right. We want to make sure that we speak to our clients and potential clients when we pick a name or write any marketing material! Something that draws them in and clearly shares what we do and who we serve.
Then she changed her name to “ReAlign Massage and Body.”
But when her brother, an SEO expert asked, “Well, are your clients googling realignment massage?”.
She realized that no, they were not. Nobody knows what realignment massage is or what it means, and it might even sound a bit intimidating to potential clients.
East Valley Therapeutic Massage
So finally, she settled on “East Valley Therapeutic Massage.”
Her rationale was sound for landing on this name. “East Valley” covers multiple cities in a close proximity. This means she isn’t limiting herself to one single area. And “Therapeutic Massage” states exactly what she does in a non-intimidating or unknown way. Both of these not only help potential clients know exactly what she does and who she serves, they also are great for bumping up her search engine optimization (SEO).
I am thrilled that Tara finally landed on a name she could feel proud of, one that reflected her work and helped her rank higher in a google search, and I’d love to help you do the same!
Tips for Choosing a Name for Your Massage Practice
Listen to Podcast Episode 020: Naming Your Massage Biz for all the great tips for helping you land on the perfect name for your massage business. Here Beca and I discuss 10 tips for getting it right from the get go.
My cautionary tale. The Massage Business Mama was initially The Working Massage Mama. Until one day, when I was trying to gather some feedback on issues unrelated to the name of my blog, it was brought to my attention that I had a problem.
While asking for feedback, several people informed me that they could not find my site. That they were being directed to pornographic sites, the horror! After researching the issue, I decided the best course of action was to rethink my name. I don’t want you to have to rethink your name. I wasn’t too far into the business-building process when I realized this mistake, but I was far enough in that there were consequences, heartbreak, and lost money.
Good luck with the naming process!!!
Author Profile
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Ali Boehm
- Boulder College of Massage Therapy Graduate
- Nationally Certified through NCBTMB
- Colorado Licensed Massage Therapist
- Certified CranialSacral Level 1 through Upledger
- Certified Herbal Therapist through Nutrition Therapy Institute
- Certified Fujian Massage through Barefoot Masters
- Fort Lewis College - Majored in Art, Minored in Business Administration
- 6 Year Winner of Best Massage Therapist for "Best of The Boat" Competition
- Massage Business Owner Since 2008
