Are you trying to figure out how to start a massage business? Here are some important steps you need to take in order to get started. Whether you’re looking for a side-hustle or want to be self-employed, running a home massage business can be very rewarding. The best part is that there are no employees! You set the hours and how much time you want to spend with clients.
This article will cover how to go from getting started with your business all the way until you’ve made it and are running a successful company. We’ll talk about how to find startup capital, how to form your company, how to get massage liability insurance and marketing and advertising your new business.
Finally we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions related-to starting up a massage therapy business at home. If you’re ready for success in this competitive field then read on!
Starting A Business As A Massage Therapist from Home
Let’s talk about what is needed to start a business as a massage therapist from home. It’s going to be a little bit different from starting one from a retail location or commercial property. Starting one from home will allow you to begin with very little funds compared to the alternatives.
Set Up Your Business
There are several requirements and steps to setting up your massage business from home. Some are the same as if you were launching a new business from a retail location. Yet there are also other considerations to keep in mind that should be given extra attention since you are now working from home.
As expected, you should create a business plan whether you plan to take out a small business loan or not. Even if that plan is simply written down on some paper for your reference, have a plan. Your plan should include everything about your massage business from what type of clientele you plan to serve, all resources you’ll require to be successful and your marketing plans.
Start Up Capital
The initial investment for a massage therapy business is relatively low especially when starting from home. All in all, some of the things you will need when starting your new business include:
- Massage oils, creams, lotions, towels, linens and robes that can be used to provide a massage.
- Equipment like massage tables and massage chairs are really good, especially portable ones in case you want to also be a mobile massage therapist.
- Licenses and certification
- Ongoing education and training
Come Up With A Name For Your Massage Business
Consider how you want to be perceived by clients. If your name is “Dave’s Massage” it might make more sense for some people than if your business was called “Jane Doe, LMT” for added credibility.
Think about how easy the name will be to spell and how memorable it will be. You don’t want a name that is difficult to spell or remember.
Anther thing to consider is that even though you are working out of your home, doesn’t mean your business name has to reflect that you are a sole proprietor. So rather than use your personal name for your business, think about using a name that reflects the type of business you are in.
For example, if your massage services will be more therapeutic than spa like, consider using a name along the lines of “Healing Hands Massage” or something similar to this. This way clients know how you plan on working with them and how their experience is going to feel before they even make an appointment.
Form a Business Entity
There are a few different ways to form your own business. Your business structure can be either an LLC, S Corp or even become a Sole Proprietorship with no entity at all.
If you do not know how to set up one of these types of entities and how they work it is highly recommended that you read this article on business formation services and the different types of business you can start.
Establish Your Goals
It is important to figure out how you want your business to grow. Do you plan on hiring employees in the future or do you just hope that word of mouth helps keep the momentum going? If it’s a goal of yours to have several people working for you, then how much will this cost and what types of things can be expected when running a business with employees?
Whatever your goals are, it is important to think about how you want things to go in the future. This will help give you an idea of what type of price point makes sense for how many clients per month etc… so that when setting prices and hourly rates this can be accounted for.
Your Home Office Set Up
You have your business entity established and you know how much money it will cost to run. Now what? Well, now is time to set up a home office for all of this hard work that has been done!
When you’re setting up the area in which you’ll offer massage services at home, there are a few things to bear in mind:
What kind of how would you like the space to feel? Is it going to be comfortable and inviting or is this a strictly business type deal where clients know they are coming for massage therapy but not much else.
The size of the room matters too! You don’t want your office set up in such a way that you feel cramped and uncomfortable while providing your clients with the best possible services.
Lighting is also something to keep in mind when setting up how you will see yourself for work! If there are windows, what kind of natural light is allowed into this space? You don’t want to set appointments during an overcast day or at night.
How easy will it be for clients to travel to your home massage office? Do you live in a place where there is no public transportation or can they get here easily by car? This matters because you don’t want someone who lives 30 miles away from the closest bus stop sitting at their house and scheduling an appointment only to find out how difficult it is for them to get here.
Requirements To Work From Home
Working from home mostly has the same requirements when setting up a business as you would if you were working from a retail location. You still need a business license and business insurance for example.
Determine Your Rates
When determining your rates you may find that you can be extra competitive in your market since you won’t have as much overhead in your business expenses as you would if you were renting a commercial space.
Dress For Success
Often times, people working from home have to take in consideration how they will dress. It’s tempting to always want to dress down and be super casual. However, should dress how you would if you were actually at work. This means clean clothes, hair done up and of course make sure your nails are taken care of! You don’t have to wear a suit or anything too fancy but just be mindful that how you look on the outside is reflective of how clients will feel about how they’re treated on the inside.
Get A Business License
To set up how you will do your business legally, a required step is to get a business license. You can apply for one through your city or county office.
You should also be sure to have the recommended certifications required for performing massage therapy. See this site for more information on acquiring proper massage therapy certifications: NCBTMB | National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork
Get Liability Insurance
There are a few different insurance requirements. In reading the descriptions of each, you should be able to determine what types of commercial insurance are appropriate for your business model.
Types of insurance include:
- Workers Compensation Insurance – Any company that employs people must have worker’s compensation insurance. This insurance covers lost wages and medical expenses if a worker is hurt on the job.
- Commercial Property Insurance – This covers the building on which a massage therapist rents or owns, such as in the case of a fire. Some coverage also includes damage to the facility’s equipment.
- General Liability Insurance – This protects a massage therapist against costly legal fees and possible financial expenses in the event of an injury during a massage or as a result of using the company’s services.
Marketing & Advertising
Using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, as well as print and radio advertising, are popular methods to market your business. Local networking with other businesses and handing out company cards are also effective strategies.
Even though you will be working from home, it’s still important to create a website and optimize it for organic search, especially local SEO or local search engine optimization.
People geographically close to you will search the internet for a provider that is conveniently nearby. You will want to be found when that search happens so that you have a shot at acquiring a new client.
In addition to online marketing, you’ll want to create some brochures and business cards that can be used for when you schedule in time for networking with other small business owners.
