The first and most important step, before you even think about getting new clients, is having a clear, stand-out message for your marketing.
Just saying, "Hi, I’m a massage therapist, come to me," won’t make people notice you. Instead, you need to be specific about who your treatments are for and why they should choose you over anyone else. Without this clarity, you risk blending in with every other therapist in your area.(This is why, in my mentoring programme, we spend a lot of time refining messaging—it’s the foundation for everything else.)
Know your ideal client and create a compelling message that will resonate with them. Once you have that, it doesn’t matter if you move, you just take your message with you!
Before you get your first clients in your new treatment room, you need to perfect the “client journey”. This is the experience your client has from the moment they step into your space until the moment they leave. Every time you work from a new place, you need to re-think this journey.
Take some time to walk through the space as if you were a client, paying attention to every detail—from the entrance to the treatment room setup. Think about everything they will experience when they come for a treatment. Is their journey going to be seamless, welcoming, and high-quality?
There will be some aspects you can't change, but it's important to make sure that every element you can control adds to an exceptional experience. When a new client comes for a treatment, you want to be confident that they’ll enjoy it.
Once you’re clear on your message and have your client journey sorted, the next step is to make sure new clients can find you easily. I recommend doing this through your website and Google Business profile.
Both need to be updated to show your new area. So make sure you update search terms, keywords, and any mentions of your location. Ensure to update your map on your Google Business and website. This also helps your SEO.
Google will probably ask you to re-validate your profile. This can take a while, so do this as soon as possible.
The next job is to get visible locally. One of the first things I do when I move to a new place is join local Facebook groups. These are ready-made local communities that could be full of your ideal clients – so make the most of them!
Don’t jump in immediately with the hard sell, focus on making connections as a person first. When I arrive in a new area, I join a local group and ask for good places to walk my dog. This sparks conversations, and can even lead to invitations for walks. (So it’s a great way to start making friends too!), over time it naturally comes up that I’m a massage therapist.
I also set up what I call "breadcrumbs." These are little details on my Facebook profile that lead people to my massage business, like links to my website or information about my services. That way, even when I’m not talking about massage in the group, people can easily find out what I do just by clicking on my profile.
I recommend you do the same. Join the groups and lay out your “breadcrumbs.” Take your time posting casually and in a few weeks you can start mentioning your massage services in a subtle, non-pushy way.
Once you've laid the groundwork online, it's time to come out from behind your computer and meet your ideal client in real life.
To do this, you need to be strategic. Think about where your ideal client hangs ou —for example they might be at yoga classes, book clubs, down the gym, or in running groups.
I know my ideal clients often attend yoga classes, so I’ll look at what’s available in my area and start attending. As in the facebook group, the goal isn’t to immediately sell your services but to be present, make connections, and get to know people.
This is about showing up consistently and naturally introducing what you do. Getting involved in these local groups will help you both socially and professionally. So it’s worth doing!
It’s great to get new clients through the door, but the real key to a successful business is turning those clients into regulars. Once they’re in, you want to encourage them to return and become long-term clients.
You’ve created your fabulous client journey, so they should have enjoyed the treatment - but you also need a robust rebooking process. The more clients return, the less you’ll need to spend on constantly finding new ones. So get good at having that rebooking conversation!
You want clients who keep coming back, but you also want them to refer their friends and family. Ideally, your clients should become ambassadors for your business, spreading the word to people who would benefit from your treatments. A simple way to encourage this is by having a ‘Recommend a Friend’ offer.
I recommend a strategic approach to this. I don’t like blanket marketing that brings in just anyone. I prefer targeted marketing to attract ideal clients—people who understand the value of your work and are willing to pay for it. My referral strategy revolves around asking each client to nominate someone they believe would genuinely appreciate my services. I then send that person a small gift certificate or discount to encourage them to book.
When you focus on quality over quantity, this not only brings in new clients but also makes sure that they are the right fit for your business, making it more likely they’ll return.
Those are the 7 steps I follow to grow my business whenever I move. I’ve already got many of these pieces in place, which is why starting again in a new location has become much easier over time.
Let’s recap those steps again:
Start with your message—know your ideal client really well. Then, make sure your client journey is as amazing as your massage skills. Once that’s sorted, focus on attracting new clients by optimising your website and Google Business profile with keywords specific to your niche and location.
Become active in local Facebook groups, making sure people can easily find your business from your comments.
From there, get out into your local community and connect with people in real life. Be visible where your ideal clients are, whether it’s in classes, cafés, or other local businesses.
Once you have clients coming in, turn them into loyal, long-term customers. Lastly, encourage them to recommend friends and family, helping your business grow through word-of-mouth referrals.
Moving and starting over can feel difficult, but follow these steps and you can set up a thriving massage business in your new area, very quickly.
It’s really straightforward once you know how to do it!
About the Author
Business mentor for massage therapists, Nikki Wolf has over 20 years in the industry; including teaching, owning a massage school, and managing spas. Nikki is on a mission to demystify marketing for therapists and empower them to build their own thriving businesses. When she isn't massaging or mentoring, she’ll be walking on the beach with her dog, Storm. Find out more about mentoring at Orchid Massage Academy.
