If you went out and spoke to 10 massage therapists or business owners it would be a safe bet to assume that at least 9 out of them would say they could do with some more clients, so becoming great at marketing to attract those clients when you need them is a critical area to focus on if you want a long term successful career in the industry…
But with so many paid and free massage marketing strategies out there, which ‘road’ should you go down?
A lot of people would immediately assume that there are no downsides to going for free massage marketing strategies, which is naïve.
In this post I’m going to share my take on the pros and cons of using free marketing methods, based on my own experience of trying nearly every marketing method out there to grow my 10-therapist massage salon and other local and online businesses I’ve built over the last 8 years.
Before we get going, let’s define what we are talking about here with some examples of organic or free massage marketing strategies.
We’re talking things like:
- Posting on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok etc)
- Blogging and optimising business listings for ranking high on Google (Search Engine Optimisation)
- Getting referrals from existing clients
- Setting up joint ventures with other businesses to refer clients to each other
- Going to events and networking meetups to hand out business cards
- Letterbox flier drops
And many more similar strategies where you’re not paying to show your add anywhere.
By the way if you want a list of the top 10 free massage marketing strategies that actually work, I’ve written an article about it here.
Ok let’s get into it.
First Up: The ‘Pros’ of Free Massage Marketing Methods:
Cost-Effective:
Organic/free marketing is, by its name, free or very low-cost, which makes it within reach for businesses of all sizes, especially solo massage therapists with small marketing budgets. Unlike paid advertising, you don’t need to spend money to reach your target audience. This can be a big advantage for small businesses or businesses just starting out with more spare time and less to spend on marketing.
Increased Trust:
Organic content can be perceived as more trustworthy and credible than paid advertisements, as it is not influenced by money or incentives. Consumers can be more likely to trust and engage with content that they find organically, rather than content that is paid for and pushed in front of them.
Long-Term Results:
Organic marketing can provide long-term results that continue to drive traffic and engagement over time, even after the initial effort has been made. This is because organic content, in some instances, can remain visible on the internet longer than some paid ads, and can continue to rank in search engine results, even after the initial effort to create it, or a massage marketing campaign has ended.
Increased Engagement:
When done right, organic marketing methods, such as content marketing or social media, can provide a higher level of engagement and interaction with your target audience. By creating valuable content and participating in social media conversations, you can build relationships with your target audience and keep them engaged with your brand.
Control:
Organic marketing methods give you more control over the message and content you present to your audience, allowing you to create a consistent brand image and voice. You are in charge of the messaging and can ensure that it aligns with your brand and resonates with your target market.
Ok, you might be reading those pros and think, “That sounds great! What possible downsides could there be to free marketing?” Well there are a few which we’ll cover next.
Now: TheCons of Organic, or Free Massage Marketing Methods:
Time-Intensive:
Organic marketing requires a significant investment of time and effort, as it may take months or even years to see any significant results for that time investment. Creating valuable content, building an online presence, and engaging with your target audience all takes a lot of time and effort compared to paid ads. Some people want results fast. If this is the case, organic marketing might not be the best idea.
Limited Reach:
Organic marketing methods may not reach as large of an audience as paid methods, as they rely on organic visibility and discovery. This is especially true with a lot of mature social media platforms and placements such as Facebook and Instagram feeds, Google search results and Youtube. While it is possible to reach a large audience with organic methods, it is not guaranteed and may take longer than paid methods.
Lack of Measurable Results:
Organic marketing results may not be as measurable or trackable as paid methods, making it difficult to assess the impact of your efforts and see which of your pieces of marketing is delivering the best results. This can be a challenge for businesses who are looking to measure the success of their marketing efforts and improve their marketing strategy going forward.
High Competition:
With so many businesses competing for visibility through organic methods, due to no barrier to entry, it can be very challenging to stand out and get noticed, unless you have a unique, new or completely different marketing message or service and are great at getting that message across. If you’ve tried free marketing, or are thinking of doing more of it, you may need to put in more time and effort to create unique and valuable content that will stand out from the other massage businesses also saying similar things.
No Guaranteed Results:
Organic marketing methods do not come with a guarantee of results, so it’s possible you could waste months of your time on methods that could have been tested out in a week with paid marketing.
Success in organic or free massage marketing methods depends on a variety of factors such as:
- the quality of your content,
- the size of your audience,
- the competition in your area and industry
- the volume of content output and effort
- and the time you’re willing to put in in the short and long term.
In conclusion…
As you can see, when it comes to marketing your massage business, there are both pros AND cons to going down the path of focusing on free massage marketing methods.
In comparison to free marketing, paid marketing methods can offer quick results, reach a wider audience, and provide measurable outcomes, but they can also be expensive and perceived as less trustworthy.
On the other hand, organic, or free massage marketing methods are cost-effective, can increase trust with your target audience, and provide long-term results, but they can also be time-intensive, have limited reach, and not guarantee results.
In my opinion, based on my experience in business I think free massage marketing methods do have a place in a good overall strategy, but don’t think enough therapists take advantage of paid marketing and ads which, when done right, basically shortcut the time to filling your schedule.
In our busy salon we went from zero to more than 200 appointments per week in 2 and half years by focusing nearly exclusively on paid marketing methods, while these days we have a more holistic approach, incorporating some free massage marketing methods as well.
If you want to learn more about what free marketing methods are actually working…
I’ve got an article HERE, and if you want to know more about shortcutting your massage business growth with social media ads, you can check out my ‘7 New massage clients In 7 Days’ challenge, (which is part of my Massage therapist Success Academy) HERE: https://www.moremassagebookings.com/7-new-clients-in-7-days .
When making a decision when going down the path of either paid or free massage marketing methods, ultimately, the best marketing strategy for your massage business will depend on your specific goals, timeframe, budget, competition, and target audience. By weighing the pros and cons of both methods and considering your unique circumstances, you can make an informed decision on the approach that will work best for you.
Whether you choose paid or organic marketing, it’s important to remember that focusing on getting better at each strategy and doing them to a high quality (which will happen over time) are really the keys to success in getting good at marketing your massage business.
Best regards,
– Kurt