Practice Management

How to Start a Massage Business: 10 Steps to Success

Kyle Cannon
October 15, 2024
- Practice management

Massage therapy is a great way for individuals to relax and receive medical treatment. Service-minded entrepreneurs can better meet the needs of these clients by starting a massage business dedicated to helping clients relax and reduce their pain. However, establishing a massage practice can be overwhelming and stressful in itself....

Creating Your Massage Therapy Business’ Mission, Vision, & Values

Kyle Cannon
August 09, 2024
- Practice management

You need plenty of ideas and equipment to start your massage therapy business—from the decorations in your room to the name of your practice itself. It’s easy to overlook your mission, vision, and values—after all, they aren’t strictly required to jumpstart your practice. So what makes them important? The best...

13 Best Massage Therapy Software Solutions for 2024 and 2025

Kyle Cannon
July 30, 2024
- Practice management

Although your job as a massage therapist is to help your clients relax, running a massage therapy business can be quite stressful. From managing your schedule to communicating with clients to keeping your data organized, your workflow can easily become messy. Luckily, massage therapy software can smooth away these obstacles,...

3 Easy Steps to Reduce No-Shows at Your Massage Practice

Kyle Cannon
June 09, 2024
- Practice management

When clients don’t show up for their appointments, it hurts your business. You probably already know that it results in lost revenue, but it can also be detrimental in other ways. It can disrupt your schedule, reduce efficiency, and lead to frustration and stress. The last thing you want is...

How to Simplify Your Massage Therapy Payment Process

Kyle Cannon
November 24, 2023
- Practice management

While your goal may be to provide relaxation to your clients, behind the scenes, you might be feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of payment processing. Plus, it can be difficult to provide great massage therapy if you’re feeling the strain of juggling cash, cards, apps, and more in your practice....

How to Write SOAP Notes for Massage: A Guide + Free Template

Kyle Cannon
September 12, 2023
- Resources , Practice management

Running a successful massage therapy practice requires more than just great technique. Being organized and efficient is also crucial to providing a great massage experience for your clients. To create that experience, you need thorough and well-organized records of your clients. A central part of these records should be the...

A Guide to Massage Billing: Insurance Codes for Therapists

Kyle Cannon
August 15, 2023
- Practice management

Although many people receive massages for relaxation, some individuals need massage therapy for medical reasons. If you’re interested in receiving these clients, then you’ll want to know more about massage billing, specifically about how medical insurance intersects with the massage therapy industry. In this guide, we’ll cover the following topics...

Why Every Massage Therapist Should Raise Their Prices and How to Do It Without Losing Clients

Mark Volkmann
March 08, 2023
- Practice management

As massage therapists, most of us cringe at the thought of telling our loyal clients, especially the ones we’ve been seeing and helping live better for a long time, that we’re increasing our prices. The fact remains though that you’ll need to (and should!) increase your prices over the years...

Tips to Help Massage Therapists Simplify Tax Season

Amber Ludeman
February 06, 2023
- Practice management

As a massage therapist, you’re an expert at helping others relieve stress, but tax season can bring on its own set of headaches. Filing taxes can be daunting. And that’s especially true if you’re just starting your massage practice and have never handled taxes for a business before. The good...

Knead to Succeed: The Most Important Thing

Mark Volkmann
January 13, 2023
- Practice management

Alright, let’s talk about how to set yourself up for success as a small business owner of a massage biz in 2023. First off, let’s acknowledge that we’re all works in progress, that we all have room for improvement, and that change takes self-discipline and a high level of commitment....

How to Refresh & Reset Your Massage Business in 2023

Kyle Cannon
January 05, 2023
- Practice management

Updated January 5th, 2023 A new year is here! As a massage therapist, you might wonder what you can do differently over the next 12 months to get your business on a path to greater success in 2023. The new year feels like a prime opportunity to hit the reset...

Why Your Massage Therapy Practice Needs Core Values

Mark Volkmann
October 11, 2022
- Practice management

Updated October 11th, 2022 The long-term success of any business is often built on a foundation that includes core values at the center. Your massage therapy practice is no different. Why? Because as a professional massage therapist, your commitment to helping your clients improve their quality of life starts with...

How Massage Therapists Can Avoid Professional Burnout

Zack Hanebrink
April 01, 2022
- Practice management

Professional burnout is a rising concern that affects millions every year. In a survey done by Deloitte, 77% of respondents said they’d experienced some type of burnout at their current job. Burnout can lead to mental and physical stress, fatigue, and depression. Massage therapists are especially prone to these feelings...

4 Ways a Client Intake Form Will Help Massage Therapists Improve Client Relations

Zack Hanebrink
March 24, 2022
- Practice management

One of the biggest obstacles massage therapists face with client retention is knowing client expectations, and many practitioners lack a system that can adequately capture this information. This is where a massage therapy client intake form comes in handy. A client intake form is a questionnaire professionals use to collect...

Tips to Help Massage Business Owners Practice Self-Care

Amber Ludeman
March 15, 2022
- Practice management , Education , Healthy living

As a massage therapist, you incline to help others. But as a small business owner, it can be challenging to make time for self-care, especially if you’re a one-person shop. If you don’t carve out time for yourself, your massage career and business could stall from burnout. What is burnout?...

How Memberships Will Change the Massage Industry

Amber Ludeman
May 10, 2021
- Practice management

Have you been curious about implementing a massage membership program for your clients but not sure if it’s worth the work to start and promote? Then this article is for you! How the Massage Industry is Growing Employment of massage therapists is estimated to grow 21% from 2019 to 2029,...

The Benefits of Creating a Massage Membership Program

Amber Ludeman
April 05, 2021
- Practice management

Updated August 4th, 2022 At MassageBook, our primary mission is to solve the everyday problems of running a small business that independent massage therapists face. One of these persistent and nagging issues is that of competition. We hear it all the time: “Big-box massage franchises like Massage Envy have national...

The Massage Therapist's Answer to Always Looking Like You're in High Demand

Kyle Cannon
July 24, 2020
- Practice management , Software releases

Limit your availability to give clients the impression that they better book with you now before it’s too late Make Me Look Busy — a shiny new addition to MassageBook’s online booking software for massage therapists — caps your online appointment times by only showing a percentage of what you...

How Massage Therapists Can Maximize Revenue by Minimizing Gaps in Their Days

Kyle Cannon
July 23, 2020
- Software releases , Practice management

Fit more appointments into your day and put more money into your pocket by eliminating wasted time on your schedule Minimize Gaps — a powerful new addition to MassageBook’s online booking software for massage therapists — presents your online availability in a way that ensures clients book appointment times near...

Smarter Client Intake Form Requests to Help Keep Your Massage Practice Safe

Kyle Cannon
July 22, 2020
- Practice management , Software releases

Accurate, up-to-date client health information is now more important than ever — so we’re just dropping by with a heads-up on a few improvements to Client Intake Forms that went into effect on Tuesday, July 21st. 1. Automated Client Reminder to Update Their Intake Form You can now automatically send...

5 Key Features You'll Want in a SOAP Notes App for Massage Therapists

Zack Hanebrink
May 22, 2020
- Practice management

Updated May 22nd, 2024 Paperwork is a necessary but tedious aspect of running a successful massage practice. But, if you’re like most massage therapists we know, you’d prefer to spend your time focused on clients, not organizing and searching through a filing cabinet full of records. Whether you like it...

New COVID-19 Features for Your Massage Practice Make It Easier to Pre-Screen Clients

Kyle Cannon
May 19, 2020
- Practice management

Client Intake Forms and Appointment Reminder emails are now COVID-19 ready. Watch the video below to learn more about what’s new at MassageBook! July 21st Update: Intake form email requests just got smarter to help keep you and your clients safer. To learn more about how these three improvements affect...

How MassageBook Can Help You Safely Reopen Your Massage Business When You Get Back to Practice

Kyle Cannon
May 05, 2020
- Practice management

Did you have to temporarily close your massage or bodywork business due to COVID-19? Are you planning to return to practice anytime soon? MassageBook’s customizable massage software can help you and your clients make a smoother, safer transition. Watch the video below to learn how you can adjust your availability...

COVID-19: A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Improving Your Business While Social Distancing

Amber Ludeman
March 31, 2020
- Practice management

As you tune into updated news reports during these unprecedented times, it can feel like nothing is within your control. But that is simply not true. Though we may not have control over everyone’s health and wellness or the economy’s ups and downs, there is plenty that we can do...

10 Essential Questions to Ask New Clients

Amber Ludeman
October 04, 2019
- Practice management

Intake forms are essential to every massage practice—especially digital ones that let you prep ahead of time. But, they don’t help you develop lasting relationships. It’s also important to really talk to your new clients—driving to the heart of why they’re there and putting them at ease. At MassageBook, we...

Watch How Simple It Is to Create and Sell Your First Massage Membership Plan

Kyle Cannon
September 27, 2019
- Practice management

Updated July 14th, 2020 Finding a simple way to enjoy reliable monthly income as a massage therapist isn’t always easy. And bringing more repeat clients through the door is no small task either! There’s great news though: a monthly membership program for your massage practice can increase the number of...

How Premium SOAP Notes Make You a More Efficient Massage Therapist

Amber Ludeman
August 16, 2019
- Massagebook features , Practice management

There’s nothing quite like having a full day of clients, feeling so accomplished and not having to sit down to do hours of paperwork. By the way, if you’re not sure what feeling to which we’re referring, it’s time you checked out MassageBook’s digital SOAP Notes. However, if you’re currently...

The Massage Membership Management Software Solution - Reliable Income and Increased Bookings

Kyle Cannon
July 03, 2019
- Practice management

Updated April 5th, 2021 Operating the independent massage practice of your dreams takes much more than just having great technique. You may very well be the most skilled and educated massage therapist in town, but building a successful massage, spa, or bodywork business doesn’t just happen with your hands. As...

Simple Secrets of the Successful Massage Practice

Mark Volkmann
May 01, 2018
- Practice management

I think it’s probably safe to say that we all have more things we need to do (and want to do) than we have time for. At MassageBook I WANT to please you and every one of our thousands of customers by adding to and tweaking our software to meet...

How to Make the Most out of Your Massage Therapy Intake Form

Sheree Evans
January 09, 2018
- Practice management

Let’s all admit it together: a massage therapy intake form is no fun. And can be seen as the obstacle to the path of relaxation. But as much as we dread all the initial paperwork, massage therapy intake forms have a serious side to every massage therapy business. In fact,...

MassageBook Vs FullSlate: Which is the Best Massage Software for you?

Sheree Evans
November 29, 2017
- Practice management

In the age of Uber and Facebook, most clients expect to be able to book and manage their massage appointments online. The global consulting firm, Accenture Consulting, even predicts that by 2019, 64% of clients will book their health appointments using digital tools. If you want to build or manage...

Massage Business Names: How to Come up with the Right One

Sheree Evans
November 16, 2017
- Practice management , Marketing , Massage therapists

Choosing what your massage practice business name is going to be can come across as being one of the easiest parts of starting a business. But in some cases, it can be quite the opposite. Recently I came across a spa business called Bodyworks in Philadelphia who had found the...

Massage Therapy Business Cards: How to Make Your Clients Love Them

Sheree Evans
November 01, 2017
- Practice management , Marketing , Massage therapists

10 years ago: Do you have a business card? Today: Do you have a Facebook account? Email? Online Booking? Massage therapy business cards were indispensable 10 years ago. Those rectangular pieces of paper containing contact info were even stored in leather-bound holders by some. Statistics say that nine out of...

Stay inspired in your bodywork massage career

Brenna Moore
October 23, 2017
- Practice management , Massage therapists , Marketing

Like any long-term relationship, your massage career is going to go through it’s ups and downs. If you’ve been in this profession long enough, you already know this. Some days you’re flying high, knowing you’ve chosen the perfect career, and nothing in the entire world could be more fulfilling than...

A Day In The Life Of A Massage Therapist

Allison Denney
October 17, 2017
- Practice management , Massage therapists , Marketing , Guest blog , Friday focus

It’s not what you might think. Maybe you think it starts by being woken up by butterflies and holding crystals over belly buttons in the sun. Or maybe you think it’s the blood, sweat and tears of working on client after client and only bringing home a small chunk of...

Does Your Website Answer these 5 Critical Questions?

Mark Volkmann
October 05, 2017
- Massagebook , Practice management , Marketing , Massage therapists

Nearly everyone gets their information from the internet these days. Most likely, you recognize this fact and probably have a website of your own to attract new clients. (STILL don’t have a website for your massage business?! You’re at a terrible disadvantage.) Your massage practice website is the most effective...

7 Ways Massage Scheduling Software drives Business Success

Sheree Evans
October 04, 2017
- Practice management , Massage therapists , Massagebook , Massagebook features , Marketing

The scenario: Two potential clients just texted you to schedule an appointment - They were referred by your existing clients. Yay! You couldn’t respond right away because you were in the middle of a session. After your session ends, you immediately answer. By the time you check out your client,...

Expert Secrets to Reducing No Show Massage Clients Effectively

Sheree Evans
September 27, 2017
- Practice management , Massage therapists

When clients don’t show up for their massage as promised, who do you blame? It doesn’t matter. Because just five no show appointments every week can cost you more than $12,000 a year. That is if you charge a minimum of $50 per hour for a massage therapy session. Consider...

6 Super Simple Ways to Increase your Online Massage Bookings

Sheree Evans
September 20, 2017
- Practice management , Marketing , Massage therapists

In this business, we are only as good as our bookings. A good massage therapist has a loyal following and a better one leverages this following to increase their appointments with online booking while still manages to spend quality time with the family. Take Rachel Beider. At 33, she owns...

Do THIS if you want more bookings from Facebook

Mark Volkmann
September 10, 2017
- Marketing , Practice management , Massage therapists

Getting any new clients from your practice’s Facebook page? It’s not as difficult as you may think. But when we look at what most practices are doing, we see the majority simply ignoring the opportunity Facebook offers to drive new (and existing) clients back onto your table. Here’s an example...

What's New & Coming Soon In MassageBook

Mark Volkmann
September 10, 2017
- Massagebook , Massagebook features , Software releases , Marketing , Practice management

What’s New: One-click posting of positive reviews to your Facebook page Drag and drop blocked time on all schedule views Business hours - “By appointment only” option added What we’re working on now: The new Promotions feature (coming soon!) Building a better, more effective Autopilot feature Improved appointment creation design...

Discover the magic in knowing when to get help

Mark Volkmann
September 06, 2017
- Marketing , Massage therapists , Practice management

What seems like not so many years ago, I was getting my massage practice in Atlanta off the ground. With a lot of hard work and consistent effort, I had grown my practice into a three room business and also had a corporate / event / mobile business that was...

The SEO Checklist: 5 Tips for Massage Therapists

August 30, 2017
- Massage therapists , Marketing , Practice management

So you have your massage practice ready to go. Your company is staffed with licensed therapists eager to roll up their sleeves. You’ve signed a lease to an office and invested in massage supplies, tables and oils. You’ve prepared business cards, launched a website, designed a logo and even rented...

Design a Massage Room That Inspires and Reflects Your Style

Sheree Evans
August 30, 2017
- Massage therapists , Marketing , Practice management

Updated June 22nd, 2020 Customers can become loyal clients for two reasons: your awesome massage skills and the experience you provide. This includes the design of your massage room and office space. Every small detail counts, so focus on the sights, smells and sounds a client encounters while enjoying a...

How To Turn Online Visits Into Booked Appointments Easily

Sheree Evans
August 30, 2017
- Massage therapists , Marketing , Practice management

Every massage website’s main goal should be: getting booked appointments Of course, it’s designed to stand out among all other goals. But to one purpose: to turn online visitors into booked appointments. Consider the study that approximately 96% of online visitors that come to your website are not ready to...

4 Ways to Provide Outstanding Customer Service

Mark Volkmann
February 22, 2017
- Massagebook , Practice management , Marketing , Massage therapists

Am I providing outstanding customer service? This is a question I ask myself often. It’s a question you should be asking yourself as well. Does your gut tell you that you’re coming up short? Providing outstanding customer service isn’t an option. In fact, customer service should be the foundation of...

MassageBook Adds Over a Dozen New Email Marketing Templates

Mark Volkmann
October 17, 2016
- Press , Practice management

MassageBook, the leading massage practice management and scheduling software solution for professional massage therapists and bodyworkers, adds over a dozen new email marketing templates for massage therapists to use in their email marketing campaigns. “Massage Therapists are busy. Time is money, and often it doesn’t make sense for therapists to...

MassageBook | Receive more tip income with new Android mobile app

Mark Volkmann
September 28, 2016
- Massagebook , Massage therapists , Practice management

Two weeks. More valuable improvements released. It’s become a habit. I’ve been reading some books on human behavior lately. It’s undeniable that we humans are creatures of habit. We have our morning routines, our evening routines, our work routines, our play routines. Even interpersonal routines. In addition to getting me...

Mobile Massage Practices: Considerations When Starting Out

Mark Volkmann
September 20, 2016
- Massagebook , Marketing , Massage therapists , Practice management

I just fielded a question today from someone who’s considering starting their own mobile massage practice. It was a good question, and as I was answering it, it occurred to me that it’s probably something a lot of you are asking yourselves. Is it a good idea to start an...

3 Free Website Builders for Massage Practices

Mark Volkmann
July 26, 2016
- Massagebook , Marketing , Practice management

Updated June 2nd, 2021 Having an online website for your massage practice has never been more important. Pre-COVID, online booking was already a staple for many individuals with busy lives and little free time to call “during business hours” for appointments. But now that so much of our world has...

How to Get Clients to Complete Massage Intake Forms Before They Show Up

Mark Volkmann
June 13, 2016
- Massagebook , Massage therapy , Practice management

Updated July 10, 2020 Since I retired as a massage therapist, I’ve gotten my fair share of massages. It’s research, of course! 😉 Being in the business of helping LMTs operate more successful practices, I can’t help but take mental notes during my experience of seeing a new therapist. One...

4 Things Pencil and Paper Can’t Do For Your Massage Practice

Mark Volkmann
February 03, 2016
- Massagebook , Practice management

You rely on your organized schedule and client records to keep your business running smoothly. If you’re looking to grow your practice, or would just like to simplify and streamline your day to day operations, you can’t afford to ignore what massage practice management software can do for you anymore....

6 Tips for Growing Your Massage Practice with Social Media

Mark Volkmann
August 31, 2015
- Massagebook , Practice management

After hours of client service, updating paperwork and SOAP notes, and all of the administrative duties that come with managing a massage business, the last thing on your mind may be social media marketing. Social media platforms like Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter are here to stay and can be a...

6 Steps To a Successful Massage Practice

Mark Volkmann
August 27, 2015
- Marketing , Practice management

Many books and articles have been written on how to build a successful massage practice. Unfortunately, the simplicity of the big picture gets lost in the many details. Today I’m going to boil it down to the basics every massage business owner needs to do to grow their practice in the modern...

Tips for Growing Your Bodywork Business with Online Tools

Mark Volkmann
May 15, 2015
- Marketing , Practice management

Traditionally, Chiropractors, Coaches, Physical Therapists and General Practitioners have been among the best referral sources for massage therapists and bodywork professionals. However, they may not always recommend a therapist by name. It is up to you to find clients on the channels they utilize most. How are customers researching massage...

MassageBook Announces New Mobile Software For Massage Therapists

Mark Volkmann
October 03, 2014
- Press , Practice management

MassageBook, the leading massage practice management software solution for professional bodyworkers, opens the Beta version of their Mobile App to all its customers. MassageBook Mobile enables individual service providers and business owners to easily manage their schedules and accept payments – all from their smartphones. “The team has worked extremely...

Share this blog post:

Grow and simplify your practice!

START MY FREE TRIAL

Scheduling

Website

Marketing

SOAP Notes

Memberships

MassageBook Blog Category

Grow and simplify your practice!

If you enjoyed this post, get more.

Top Massage Resources

13 Best Massage Therapy Software Solutions for 2024 and 2025

How to Start a Massage Business: A Step-by-Step Guide

Marketing Massage Therapy: 7 Effective Techniques to Explore

SOAP Notes for Massage: A Complete Guide + Free Template

A Guide to Massage Billing: Insurance Codes for Therapists

Categories

Get Set Up in Minutes and Start Scheduling on MassageBook Today

Bookings and Sales Roll in Even When Your Practice is Closed