Hot stone massage is a great skill to add to your massage repertoire, so whether you already have a home treatment room or you are in the early stages of creating one, here are some handy hints and tips to get you started with your newly learned skill.
- Create your space
You want the space you’re working in to offer a safe and welcoming atmosphere. To recreate this in your working space, the massage couch, lighting, aroma and music all play an important role so should be thought through carefully. It goes without saying that the space should have high levels of cleanliness and ventilation. You may choose to display your qualification certificates. After all, you worked hard for them and showing your clients how highly skilled you are is no bad thing.
Uniforms make for a fully professional service, you wouldn’t want someone massaging you in their worn lounging clothes, however comfortable it might be! Remember, it’s all in the details!
- WWW
Get online! hot stone massage won’t be at the top of the list for people looking for relief from tension and pain, so it is really important to make people aware of the benefits of hot stone massage. An online presence has become so important and your information can be easily accessible to people.
It may seem quite daunting having to build a website but there are a number of easy-to-use, professional looking and affordable website platforms available.
Social media plays a huge part in spreading the word of what you do. Create beautiful eye-catching Instagram and Facebook posts with free apps, I really like Canva. You’re probably already familiar with at least one social media platform, so make sure to start building your business brand on a platform you feel comfortable using!
You can add yourself to online directories and get involved with communities for complementary health therapists.
- Give a gift!
Personal recommendations, positive and word of mouth from your existing clients are almost twice as effective as adverts for generating clients and in a very cost effective way. You could offer to add hot stones to your regular clients treatments so that they experience the benefits of the treatments and spread the word.
- Be Mobile
Being able to visit someone who is less mobile will open up so many more opportunities than staying in one place. Having a portable heater and massage couch that you can take to someones home could make all the difference. This strategy is especially true of hot stone massage which traditionally is limited to spas and complimentary health centres. When I worked as a mobile therapist, I was able to visit the elderly in care homes, mums that couldn’t get childcare for a much needed treatment and of course hen parties, birthday parties and so much more.
- Be efficient
Hot stones are the tools of your trade, they take time to heat and need cleaning thoroughly after each massage.
There is a huge variety of equipment options available to you, so it is wise to invest in equipment that can give you as many options as possible. Look for equipment that is quick to set-up and use, can be used for a variety of therapies and that can be carried to other locations, in and out of the home. For example, Vulsini offer a fantastic heated bag for stones, which will save lots of work, particularly if you offer mobile treatments.
A massage could be anywhere from one hour to 90 minutes, so your clients will not expect to be waiting an extra 20/30 minutes for their treatment to begin. Time is money, so the more you are able to save on your preparation time, the better it will be for you long term.
I hope that you have found these hints and tips useful and The Well School wish you luck with your new venture! If you would like to know more about our aromatic hot stone massage training please look at our CPD Courses here