Do you avoid this because you don’t like ‘bothering’ people?
Do you avoid this because you actually don’t know what to say?
Do you avoid this because you just don’t know the how, the set up, tech, how often?
It’s time to take action as this marketing tool is one of the best ways to get yourself booked up.
It can be fun, it gets clients and money coming in.
Whatever you do, don't put this off any longer! The best time to start an email list was yesterday. There’s no denying it. All of the experts agree, email marketing is the single one most effective way to reach your audience. 61% of consumers enjoy receiving emails from companies they frequent. As business owners, we cannot ignore these staggering statics and must harness the power of email! Customers are 58% more likely to open an email, and it has a 6% conversion rate where social Media is 1.9%. Although using both is a winning combination, in the hierarchy of priorities, it makes more sense to utilise your email marketing first and social media second. You own your email list so if social media was to be taken down, you still have a trusted way to reach your audience.
The ultimate goals of all your marketing efforts are to fill your massage therapy appointment book with loyal, repeat clients, who are paying the right prices. This will give you a sustainable and successful business. Your marketing campaign should focus on two areas: attracting new clients and getting existing clients to reschedule. Newsletters can be used effectively to achieve both of these goals. Email marketing is often overlooked.
The benefits of building an email list are too great to ignore. An email list can have a mind-blowing impact on your website’s traffic and revenue. Implementing a massage email marketing plan is an extremely effective way to boost client retention and frequency of visits per customer.
Here are the top 10 tips to create an effective email marketing campaign for your massage therapy business:
1. Build a Quality Email List
Start by collecting emails from your current clients, website visitors, and social media followers. Offer an incentive, such as a discount on their next session, in exchange for their email address. Ensure you have their consent to receive emails to comply with privacy laws.
2. Segment Your Audience
Not all clients are the same. Segment your email list based on factors like client history, preferences, and demographics. This allows you to tailor your messages to meet the specific needs of different groups, making your emails more relevant, personal and engaging.
3. Craft Compelling Subject Lines
Your subject line is the first thing recipients see, so make it count. Keep it short, intriguing, and relevant to the content of your email. A compelling subject line can significantly increase your open rates.
4. Personalise Your Emails
Use the recipient's name (this is automatic from the mail list) and personalise the content based on their preferences and past interactions with your business. Personalised emails can create a more intimate connection and show clients that you value them individually.
5. Provide Valuable Content
Your emails should offer more than just promotions. Include tips on health and wellness, benefits of massage therapy, and self-care advice. Providing valuable content helps establish you as an expert and keeps your audience engaged.
6. Include Clear Calls to Action
Every email should have a clear call to action (CTA). Whether it's booking an
appointment, reading a blog post, or taking advantage of a special offer, make sure your CTA stands out and is easy to follow.
7. Optimise for Mobile
A large portion of your audience will likely open your emails on their mobile devices. Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly by using responsive design, keeping text concise, and making buttons large and easy to tap.
8. Test and Analyse
Regularly test different aspects of your email campaigns, such as subject lines, content, and send times. Use analytics to track open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. This data will help you understand what works best and refine your strategy.
9. Maintain a Consistent Schedule
Consistency is key to keeping your audience engaged. Decide on a schedule that works for you, whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, and stick to it. Regular communication helps keep your business top of mind for clients.
10. Comply with Email Regulations
GDPR must be complied with. Massage therapists who use an automated booking system must make sure that new clients at the time of booking OPT-IN to receive their newsletter. You cannot automatically assume that somebody booking a massage with you, also wants to receive your newsletter. There must be a separate opt-in box for it. Most email marketing platforms will give you help with this if you have doubts. It is also highly recommended joining the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). This is the UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.
By following these tips, you can create a successful email marketing campaign that not only attracts new clients but also retains and engages your current ones. With a little effort and consistency, email marketing can be a game-changer for your massage therapy business.
With the right massage email marketing plan, you can reach practically all your clients at once which is much better than trying to beat the algorithms of social media. In fact, very few of your followers on Facebook and Instagram will actually see your social media posts, as mentioned before and the daily requirements for SM is very time consuming to keep up your visibility. Emails have a good opening rate so you can grow your massage therapy business well using this method. It keeps your business in their minds regularly. People who have signed up are already interested in what you do so it shouldn’t take too much encouragement to book in with you.
Plus, if they are already accustomed to receiving appointment confirmations and reminders from you via email, they are already looking for emails with your name on it. Your email list will become your most valuable business asset and can fit in well with your other methods of marketing, inc. word of mouth, social media, google ads networking, printed material etc. It’s a great way to help you stay connected with your clients between appointments and keep fresh in your clients minds.
There are many platforms with Mailchimp and Mailerlite being most common and are FREE for email lists up to 1000 people. Your booking platform may also have this option. They are easy to learn how to create and design your emails and can give valuable data on open-rates and numbers unsubscribing.
How to put it together?
Your message should be clear and to the point, because you don’t have much time to get a client’s attention. For example, people spend about three seconds scanning an e-mail before they decide to keep or delete the message. You need to be sure you make those three second’s count.
Worth noting
1. Include a catchy email header that encourages people to open the email
2. Don’t get too technical. Remember that most people don’t have much knowledge in anatomy and physiology, so refrain from using confusing terminology.
3. Stay positive. Have your newsletters match the direction of your practice—to improve your clients’ lives physically, mentally and spiritually. Carry that message forward in your writing.
4. Try not to use long sentences and complicated words. Avoid long wordy paragraphs and try using bullet points and images sometimes.
How Often?
There’s no rule here but once a fortnight or month is the norm. How many e-mails or spam messages do you get in your inbox each day? Don’t be the one to keep adding to the clutter in everyone’s inboxes. One thing is certain: You don’t want people to become annoyed or frustrated when they see you or your company’s name. Find what works for you but consistency, like with anything is vital. If you send emails too sporadically, the people on your email list might not remember you and won’t bother to open it!
You can plan ahead and schedule email so even when you are away you can keep in their minds. Some months where there are special occasions you can tie it in with your services and offers e.g. father’s day, mother’s day.
How to make a list and grow it
If you have a website, you can add an opt-in form or pop-up for any website visitors to sign up to receive your newsletter. Add an option to your electronic booking system, so that clients can OPT-IN to receive your newsletter. Alternatively, you can tell them they are automatically opting in to receive your newsletter but give them the chance to opt out. Mention your newsletter in your social media posts.
Don't forget to tell clients HOW they can sign up!
- Add the link to sign up for your newsletter to your bio on your SM platforms
- Pin a post about your newsletter (with the link to sign up) to the top of your Facebook page so visitors to your page are more likely to see it.
- Make special offers (such as a discount), especially for your email list subscribers and mention them in your other marketing such as social media posts.
- Create a page on your website where your past newsletters are available to read. If someone likes them, they can sign up
I receive positive feedback from my weekly newsletter as my clients tell me that they truly look forward to receiving them. It’s another level of professionalism, while showing my clients that I care about their health outside of my clinic. So it’s well worth the effort.
Give it a go.
About the Author
Business mentor for sports massage therapists in particular start ups and year 1, Katie has been a therapist for over 32 years, experiencing many avenues of the industry and now successfully running her own home clinic in a garden cabin. Katie wants to bridge the gap from classroom to business ownership taking the overwhelm away when starting out. Katie will take you from clueless to clued up in business. Katie lives in Cornwall with her partner and teenage boys where she enjoys anything outdoors and a good sea dip all year round. Find out more about her mentoring at KE Sport Massage Mentoring.
