The Massage Business Mama

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Work with Me
  • Massage Techniques
  • Fresh Out Of School
  • Running A Practice
  • Kids and Careers
  • A Village of Resources
    • Mama Interviews
    • Book Reviews
    • Product Reviews
  • Podcast
    • Podcast

When to Increase Massage Rates – 5 Signs It’s Time

Running A Massage Therapy Practice

As an Affiliate for Amazon and other companies, I earn from qualified purchases.

In this Post: Learn when to increase massage rates. If you have been practicing massage for awhile you may be feeling it is time to increase your rates. While this can be a scary step, it can also be a very necessary one. Learn how.

When to Increase Massage Rates

In the ten years I have been in practice massage, I have raised my rates twice. Neither time was it an easy decision. I agonized over whether or not I might lose clients. Because I loved my clients, I didn’t want them to be angry with me, or worse yet, stop coming to me.

I think far too often as massage therapist we come from a place of compassion and empathy towards our clients. We got into massage to fix the world. Which is all well and good, but you can’t fix anything when you are neglecting your own well-being. Struggling to pay the bills is no way to mend anything. It is important to look at massage and the work we do, as a business, and run it as such!

When To Increase Your Massage Rates

5 Signs It’s Time to Hike Your Prices

  1. When you are priced under market value. To determine where you fall in the spectrum you must do a little market research. And while sometimes you can gather all of the information you need simply by calling and asking for the price, sometimes a visit to your competitor might be warranted. Often you can learn immeasurable insight into another business by scheduling an appointment, going in, receiving work, and observing their follow-up practice. See how you compare, where you excel and where you fall short. If you are a solo practitioner, you may not want to charge the higher spa prices. On the flip side, if you have been practicing for many years and religiously stay up on your continuing education, don’t undervalue your work either.
  2. When you have increased your skills. After you have completed continuing education courses, attending a conference, or done a home study intensive, might be the perfect opportunity to make that much-desired price hike. You worked hard for your new skills. You deserve a pay raise!
  3. When you want to reduce your hours. Simple concept here, the more you make per hour, the fewer hours you have to work to make the same amount of money. Sound awesome? Well, it is!
  4. When you are turning people away because your schedule is so full. Um hello! If you are turning people away, you can afford to lose a client or two with a price increase. You are a hot commodity, monopolize on this. And don’t feel bad about taking this attitude. Your biggest asset in the massage business is your body. Just like an athlete, you won’t be strong and young forever. And the sooner you can learn not to overtax your body, the longer you will be able to remain in the field.
  5. When the economy can handle an increase. With a healthy economy, your cost of living goes up. This signals a good time to up your rates.

Raising Rates Give You Freedom

Raising your rates actually gives you more empathetic freedom. I think most of us got into the massage field to help people, not to become rich, and often herein lies the mental roadblock when considering a price increase. However, when you increase your prices, you are actually able to give back in a more sustainable, meaningful way.

Increasing your rates gives you the freedom to pick and choose without hurting your bottom line. When you don’t have to worry about your finances, you can graciously give massages to the cancer patient without concern you might not be able to cover your electric. Other lines of work receive regular pay raises, why shouldn’t massage therapists?

Now that you have determined that it is indeed time to raise your rates, check out: How To Raise Your Massage Rates for tips and tools on effectively implementing this change.

Author Profile

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
  • Episode 003: To Niche or Not to Niche Your Massage PracticeFresh Out Of Massage SchoolPodcast Episode 050: Show Up & Shine on Social Media with Stacey Hagen
  • Fresh Out Of Massage SchoolNegotiating A Massage Lease
  • Fresh Out Of Massage SchoolInsurance Billing For Massage Therapists
  • Episode 003: To Niche or Not to Niche Your Massage PracticeFresh Out Of Massage SchoolPodcast Episode 049: Diversifying Your Income with Soul Care Coaching with Christine Boye

Sharing is caring!

109 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
« 10 Ways To Protect Your Family From Technology
The Massage Mom Series: Meet Kaitlyn Cole »

The Massage Business Mama Shop

Rebooking 101: How to Retain Clients and Fill Your Schedule for Massage Therapists

Digital Resources

Find Out What Type of a Massage Practice You Should Work In

Quiz for Massage Therapists

Quiz




Let’s Get Connected

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Hi I'm Ali. A Massage Therapist - Business Owner - & Mama. Read More…

Categories

Content Protection by DMCA.com

Recent Posts

  • Podcast Episode 050: Show Up & Shine on Social Media with Stacey Hagen
  • Negotiating A Massage Lease
  • Insurance Billing For Massage Therapists
  • Podcast Episode 049: Diversifying Your Income with Soul Care Coaching with Christine Boye
  • Podcast Episode 048: Taking Care of Your Mental Health is Cool

the.massage.business.mama

the.massage.business.mama
My son is becoming quite the portrait photographer My son is becoming quite the portrait photographer. Don't you think? 

Today is moving day for my business, and I'm finding myself quite sad! 

I've been in my current location for a little over three years. It was a COVID move that brought me to my current location. For FOREVER I was month to month, not fully committing to the space. 

And here we are 3+ years later, finally moving to a space that feels more like home, more aligned with my goals, more appropriate. 

Yet I'm sad!

I'll miss my neighbors and my current routine. I've helped so many people in this space. I've spent some life here! 

So today, I'm just going to feel the feels:)

#themassagebusinessmama #massagestudent #massagelife #massagetherapist #massagetherapistlife #massagebusinessowner
A few years ago, when I still had therapists worki A few years ago, when I still had therapists working for me, we had an unfortunate occurrence.

A young woman who had recently been sexually assaulted came in to receive massage. She was trying to regroup and recover from her negative touch experience through massage. 

Her therapist insisted that she remove her bra.

Under "normal" circumstances, this wouldn't have been a huge deal. Not appropriate, but not a huge deal. But in this situation, it was catastrophic.

The young woman was extremely sensitive. The recent assault left her jumpy, nervous, and unable to stand up for herself.

She didn't feel comfortable speaking up and spent an hour feeling further violated. 

I was heartbroken a few days later when the situation was brought to my attention! 

Our job as therapists is to make clients feel comfortable. We have a responsibility to tap into our intuitive sense to see when our client's unspoken needs are not being met.

WE ARE NEVER TO TELL SOMEONE THEY MUST TAKE OFF MORE CLOTHING THAN THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE!

Chances are good we are working on people with turbulent touch histories. We need to be sensitive!

We must be vigilant in our observations. Sensitive in our approach. And avoid getting stuck in ruts. Each client has a complexity of emotions and past histories that they bring to the table, and it is our job to be aware of this range of experiences.

Our job is to develop tools that allow us to give fabulous treatments regardless of whether or not a client is fully clothed because healthy touch is an essential healing tool! 

#massagetherapist #massagestudent #themassagebusinessmama #massagetherapyproblems #massageentrepreneur #massagepreneur
How do you know you are a “Massagepreneur?” # How do you know you are a “Massagepreneur?”

#massagepreneur #themassagebusinessmama #massagepodcast #massagetherapist #massagelife #massagelifestyle #massagestudent #massagecoach #massagegoddess #massage
Setting your massage rates is one of the most diff Setting your massage rates is one of the most difficult things to determine in the beginning of your massagepreneur journey.

If you have yet to determine your rates, I know this might feel daunting and that you have undoubtedly spent much time lamenting over it, but now is the time to set your prices once and for all! 

However, before you arbitrarily pick a number out of thin air, I want you to do a little research/homework/reflection. 

Setting rates is a tricky thing.

Charge too little, and you will be in the poor house. Charge too much, and you risk pricing yourself out of the market. 

BUT it is important to note that often people perceive those with lesser prices as less than therapists. Charging a higher price might actually make you more appealing. 

Oh, they charge a lot, they must be good! 

Food for thought.

#massagepreneur #massagetherapist #themassagebusinessmama #massagebusiness #massagerates #massagestudent
Have you ever heard, "No publicity is bad publicit Have you ever heard, "No publicity is bad publicity?" While it isn't entirely true, there is something to this notion!

Lately, I have been encouraging therapists to contact their local publications with press releases to get featured in their local news sources. 

While promoting yourself in this way can be intimidating, it IS your job as a business owner to put yourself out there and ensure you are being seen! 

Let's first talk briefly about what a press release is. A press release is a tool you write to a news outlet to announce something newsworthy that you want them to cover in their publication. The purpose of a press release is to get coverage and get noticed by a target audience.

Some Ideas for Press Releases Include:

🖤Opening Your Business
🖤Adding Unique Modalities
🖤Classes or Events You Are Hosting
🖤Touch Deprivation and Massage Benefits

Steps Involved: 

1) Identify who to address your press release to. 
2) Properly format your release. 
3) Include useful and timely statistics. 
4) Make your hook obvious.
5) Supply high-quality images. 

When you successfully follow these steps, you will be amazed as your name and image gets shared all over town! 

If you choose to reach out to your local news sources through a press release, I would LOVE to hear how it goes for you or has gone for you in the past! Please share!!! 

#massagetherapist #themassagebusinessmama #massagepreneur #massagestudent #massagenews #massagebusiness
Load More Follow on Instagram



Copyright © 2023 · Refined theme by Restored 316

This site uses cookies. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
109 shares