Stop Trying to Book More Massage Clients. Here’s Why.
If you want to make more money as a massage therapist, the obvious answer might seem to be: book more massages.
But there’s a limit to how far that strategy can take you.
There are only so many hours in your day and only so many services you can comfortably perform. And if your schedule is already full, squeezing in another client may mean asking even more from your body and energy.
There’s another option: make the appointments you’re already doing more valuable with thoughtful add-ons.
Done well, add-ons can create a more personalized experience for your clients, increase what they spend per visit, and help you grow revenue without simply adding another massage to your day.
First, Look at What Your Clients Are Already Telling You
You don’t necessarily need to brainstorm a long list of trendy add-ons. Start with your clients.
During consultation, pay attention to the little details they share:
- “I’ve been running a lot, and my feet are sore.”
- “My shoulder has really been bothering me.”
- “I’ve been getting headaches.”
Those comments are clues. They can help you identify where a client may appreciate more focused attention and whether you already have an add-on that fits what they’re asking for.
Try this: Keep a simple running list of the needs you hear most often during consultations. If feet, scalp, back, or another area keeps coming up, you may have just found your next add-on idea.
Choose Add-Ons That Don't Create More Work Than They're Worth
Not every add-on belongs on your menu.
Before introducing one, look at three practical things:
1. Cost per treatment
How much product or equipment does it require compared with what you can reasonably charge?
2. Simplicity
Can you easily incorporate it into the existing massage, or does it involve a long, complicated protocol?
3. Cleanup
How many towels, tools, products, bowls, or other supplies will need to be cleaned and reset afterward?
A full stone massage involves stones, water, towels, setup, cleanup, and specialized technique. A smaller stone add-on focused only on the back can use fewer stones and require less cleanup while still giving the client something beyond the standard service.
Simple can be a business advantage. A seven-step foot treatment may sound impressive, but if therapists dislike performing it and the protocol burns through products and towels, it may not make much sense as an add-on.
Turn What You Already Know Into Something Valuable
Your next add-on may already be hiding in your skill set.
Think about techniques you enjoy performing or specialized training you have that isn't part of every massage. Could one of those skills become its own service option?
Some possibilities include:
- Scalp treatments
- Focused foot work
- Reflexology
- Massage devices
- Dry brushing
- Focused stone work
- Cupping
The point isn't to put every option on your menu. It's to recognize that your education, experience, and specialized techniques have value.
Take a look at your standard massage, too. Are you automatically including cupping, stones, or other specialized techniques without charging for them?
You can still take great care of your clients without including everything in one base price. Consider creating clear choices: a standard massage, a specialty service, or a massage with a specific add-on.
Recommending an Add-On Doesn't Have to Feel Salesy
This may be the hardest part for some LMTs.
Massage therapists are trained heavily around anatomy, physiology, and caring for clients. Selling may not feel nearly as natural.
So don't start with “How can I upsell this client?”
Start with: “What did this client tell me they need?”
If someone mentions tired feet and you offer reflexology or more focused foot work, you're connecting an available option with something they already told you matters to them.
And you don't have to wait until the client is on the table. There are several natural places to introduce add-ons:
- When the client books
- At the front desk
- During consultation
- On the consultation form
One particularly useful idea is to include a question on the form asking whether the client would like their therapist to discuss available add-ons. That gives the client a choice before the conversation even begins.
Build a Smarter Menu, Not a Busier Schedule
If you’re already doing five or six treatments a day, adding another massage isn't your only path to more revenue.
Look at what your clients repeatedly request. Look at the skills you already have. Then identify a few simple, low-cost additions that fit naturally into your existing services.
Most importantly, don't underestimate the value of what you know how to do.
Your time, training, technique, and experience are part of what clients are paying for. Instead of automatically giving every specialized technique away inside your standard service, give clients thoughtful choices and let them decide what fits their visit.
You may not need more clients on your schedule.
You may just need to make more of the appointments you already have.
FROM THE VIDEO: If you watched the video and are curious about the massage tool our LMT recommended that works well for reflexology, you can find it here.
For more tips on how to make add-on recommendations feel natural, not salesy, watch the video or read the blog post "LMTs, We Need to Talk About Massage Add-Ons"
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