Tips for Creating the Right Massage Environment
By Brian Acton
If you’re a qualified massage therapist, you have the training and experience necessary to deliver impeccable service that positively impacts the lives of your clients. But attracting and retaining clients is more than just delivering a great massage. You should keep your clients’ entire experience in mind, and that includes their physical surroundings when they come visit you. The right environment can help to put your clients at ease, make them feel comfortable and relaxed, and create positive impressions as soon as they enter your business. Whether you work at home or in an office building, you can use these tips to create a relaxing, positive massage environment.
Choose a Décor Theme - Instead of buying random items for your wall and office, you’ll want to start with a theme. Think hard about who your clients are, as well as the message you wish to send. Is your client base primarily made up of young professionals or retired people? Is your practice focused on helping with injuries or promoting relaxation? You’ll want to pick your décor with an eye for both the experience you wish to provide and the preferences of your client base.
Lighting - Lighting is important. Fluorescent lighting is prominent in offices and retail stores, and doesn’t have a reputation for positively influencing our health. Natural lighting, on the other hand, is a fantastic alternative to fluorescent lights or glaring light bulbs. Skylights and windows let in natural light that you can control using curtains. Of course, many massage clients prefer a dim room to help them relax, so lamps with dimmer switches are great for creating a low lighting effect.
Artwork - You want your clients to feel relaxed and comfortable, and your artwork should reflect that. Choosing images of nature with some depth - such as rolling meadows, forests, or other landscapes - can help to promote this feeling. You’ll want to avoid busy or abstract artwork or images of buildings or traffic, which can remind us of stress.
Nature - Speaking of nature, incorporating some natural elements into your massage space is a great way to bring beauty indoors. Rocks, plants, crystals, or a burbling decorative water fountain can help your clients envision a calm outdoor space. Even a nice bouquet of fresh flowers in your waiting room can add a nice visual and aromatic effect.
Spacing - You and your clients should be able to move freely about your workspace and massage room. You need to be able to navigate your workspace to do your job, and you want your clients to feel comfortable in a free-flowing environment. Make sure there are no obstacles - shelving, boxes, etc. - blocking your client’s path to the massage table.
Random Tips - Let’s close out with a few miscellaneous tips, shall we?
- Keep it Clean: whether your office is at home or in a commercial building, your space should be kept clean and clutter-free. Having a dirty or cluttered workspace can damage your credibility.
- Sell Yourself: Have your certifications and credentials up on display in a prominent place. Your clients will appreciate knowing you’re a licensed professional.
- Temperature: Your clients will be in some form of undress – make sure the temperature in your office isn’t too cold.