Business Building Ideas for Independent Masseuses

[Albertaman]

Assumption: Most of us who post on this board appreciate some type of actual massage.
Therefore, we are not primarily seeking escort services.

Background: Post-covid there has been many changes in the massage businesses in Edmonton and Calgary. Am starting this thread in Edmonton forum as there are more active conversations here. But will repost this thread in Calgary Forum later. There appears to be more dissatisfaction among clients, masseuses, and shop owners than ever before. Sharply rising costs and expenses, combined with no increases in clients' incomes or benefits (net decreases due to higher costs of everything else) is partly to blame, and changes in attitude towards work and client satisfaction are all part of it.

Bright Spot: The slight rise in the number of independent therapists, working from a home based shop (their own, or a group of ladies working together from a home, or in rare cases - a therapist renting a room in a home). IMHO, this is one way that the industry could evolve to provide better solutions for everyone involved. Happier clients, happier therapists. Just setting up the thread now, and will add points over time. and hopefully other members have meaningful points that emerging independent masseuses could use. Unfortunately, the Asian therapists don't read these chats but word of mouth is still a powerful thing.

 

[Albertaman]

Posting first idea for a masseuse (may be a RMT or am amateur working in another profession..). Build a business with a few loyal clients who are into body worship. You worship men's bodies and these men worship yours. It's about taking care of each other. Be creative. Be imaginative. Shared pleasures. NO MENUS. Intelligent men are turned off by menus. This is personal business. Tailor it for each interaction.

Building the business slowly and with care is essential. Each session should be "the best". Readers may laugh at my suggestions but I suggest the idea of $200 for 2 hours of mutual massage. I learned this from a masseuse for past two years through covid times. I consider myself a fairly demanding massage customer. And racked up 112 sessions in 23 months. . Never before in years of enjoying this hobby did I repeat as often with one therapist. Nothing to do with beauty or youth. All to do with ATTITUDE. She created a true "courtesan experience", with the idea of 2 hours, NOT 1 hour.

The idea behind this thread is not about mass markets. However, if in Edmonton and Calgary, we can help just 4 or 5 new independent masseuses develop their businesses built on Win-Win concepts, we would all win. Share your ideas and experiences.


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[Rubmegood]

112 x $200= over $22,000 You're a more serious (dare I say, "addicted"? ) pooner than ME! (Holy shit!!)

 

[Albertaman]

This was a new development during covid times and I found that it was more enjoyable to spend time with one therapist than being all over the map. So, even after covid I feel that for total therapy it is better to concentrate spend on just one or two. Except when traveling for work, it's time to experiment.

So I think new independents, especially part time masseuses with good business sense and a desire to provide courtesan experiences could do very well. Not thinking about the BS artists who post lots of photos and stories and then post silly prices.. yada yada, we've seen those types over past years. They are too lazy to give real massages. Didn't one of them move from Edmonton to Calgary? Let's exclude those ones.


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[Albertaman]

Continuing on the idea of the basics for an independent masseuse building her business:

Whatever your space is, create some ambience. Make it warm, make it cosy. Keep it immaculately clean. Same goes with the washroom. It doesn't have to be luxurious, but warm and clean goes a long way. If a shower is available, even better, but gotta apply sweat equity to keep it fresh after each client. If a client does not respect the space, no need to book that client again. Fresh towels without lint are welcome .

Grow the business slowly. This results in the best clients repeating. Make it a YMMV business, meaning the menu doesn't have to be identical for every client.

Allow for time between appointments. Let your clients know to arrive on time but not 10 minutes early.

Some of the best independents don't seem to have booking problems. The flaky and less disciplined ones never succeed because they are just flaky. Let clients know that if they don't respect your times and appointments, they will never get another booking.

Create some unique aspects to your services with input from favourite clients. More on this to follow in future posts. Clients need to feel there is some exceptional value in order to repeat, and pass over other therapists offering a bunch of vanilla experiences. From the client side, I know I am always seeking a mini vacation.


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[Eastcoastdan]

Thanks Albertaman. This is indeed thought provoking. I am open to new experiences, but I am loyal to those who treat me like an individual and are open to going off script a bit. I am not talking about pushing boundaries or giving unpaid extras, but customizing it a little to my desires. Some of the best sessions have been where the provider has adjusted to my responses, while others are the same moves time and time again.

I'm not sure about the model of $200 for 2 hours but, hey, more power to you. I guess I value the personal treatment as much. Like you said, to offer exceptional value. A couple of examples are one time, she let me sleep for 10mins after our time (I was exhausted because I didn't sleep the night before). On the days I choose not to finish, it can take me awhile to come down, so now she allots 10 mins or so at the end for a foot massage, which I love, and I do my breathing to get back to normal. I have one where we like to chat a bit afterwards and she stays in the room and changes linen and cleans up while I shower and get dressed. It's actually quite nice.

In any service oriented business, there are always things beyond the service that set some apart from others and offer that mini vacation you are talking about.

 

[Sun&SandMan]

Thanks Albertaman. This is indeed thought provoking. I am open to new experiences, but I am loyal to those who treat me like an individual and are open to going off script a bit. I am not talking about pushing boundaries or giving unpaid extras, but customizing it a little to my desires. Some of the best sessions have been where the provider has adjusted to my responses, while others are the same moves time and time again.

I'm not sure about the model of $200 for 2 hours but, hey, more power to you. I guess I value the personal treatment as much. Like you said, to offer exceptional value. A couple of examples are one time, she let me sleep for 10mins after our time (I was exhausted because I didn't sleep the night before). On the days I choose not to finish, it can take me awhile to come down, so now she allots 10 mins or so at the end for a foot massage, which I love, and I do my breathing to get back to normal. I have one where we like to chat a bit afterwards and she stays in the room and changes linen and cleans up while I shower and get dressed. It's actually quite nice.

In any service oriented business, there are always things beyond the service that set some apart from others and offer that mini vacation you are talking about.

I agree with you on the personal service and friendship that is developed. I see a very special lady that really looks after me and I look after her.....its nice!

 

[Rubmegood]

Great topic, Albertaman. A couple ladies come to mind and I hope they are following this forum/topic. The only issue is that I see the thread getting hijacked and totally derailed by somebody talking about "Oh- I remember sa-and-so she gave such a good massage! Whatever happened to her?"

 

[Sun&SandMan]

What is important to me is session variety, if a massage therapist has regular clients they should keep short notes on past sessions, build a tailored personal connection with him and keep the sparks going with different techniques or services so they retain that hard earned weekly or bi-weekly business.

 

[Albertaman]

Thanks Albertaman. This is indeed thought provoking. I am open to new experiences, but I am loyal to those who treat me like an individual and are open to going off script a bit. I am not talking about pushing boundaries or giving unpaid extras, but customizing it a little to my desires. Some of the best sessions have been where the provider has adjusted to my responses, while others are the same moves time and time again.

I'm not sure about the model of $200 for 2 hours but, hey, more power to you. I guess I value the personal treatment as much. Like you said, to offer exceptional value. A couple of examples are one time, she let me sleep for 10mins after our time (I was exhausted because I didn't sleep the night before). On the days I choose not to finish, it can take me awhile to come down, so now she allots 10 mins or so at the end for a foot massage, which I love, and I do my breathing to get back to normal. I have one where we like to chat a bit afterwards and she stays in the room and changes linen and cleans up while I shower and get dressed. It's actually quite nice.

In any service oriented business, there are always things beyond the service that set some apart from others and offer that mini vacation you are talking about.

Eastcoastdan, I agree with all of your points. I am not proposing only one approach of $200 for 2 hours. That was one therapist who clearly caught my attention. My goal was to have other committed hobbyists help provide ideas for new and existing independents who want to craft successful businesses. I don't expect tens or hundreds of new successful new independent therapists as a result but a handful new ones or existing ones going independent will be Win-Win for all of us. Perhaps Winky, or Emma (Breeze) or May ... or other ladies who have never been in the massage biz. It might be any woman shopping at T&T or at Costco that decides that she wants to create a new source of income on the side.


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[Albertaman]

What is important to me is session variety, if a massage therapist has regular clients they should keep short notes on past sessions, build a tailored personal connection with him and keep the sparks going with different techniques or services so they retain that hard earned weekly or bi-weekly business.

Great point. A therapist who wants to craft a business that stands out needs to use their intelligence to make things interesting. Or at least match the level of intelligence and curiosity of the client. I like to think of it as ongoing playfulness. A few new independent therapists would be very successful if they incorporated this theme into their business.


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[Albertaman]

Including reverse massage with some clients is useful for the therapist to get some rest and re-charge. Also improves the repeat ratios.


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[Albertaman]

Independent therapists who are not into FS may still choose an occasional client to enjoy the full deal with. No menus. Align it with their own hormonal cycles. Horny times, text your favourite men.


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[Albertaman]

And for a therapist who is a RMT that can write claimable receipts from most insurance companies, here is a naughty nugget.

Even if most of your work is at crusty legit shops, you can handpick a few clients that you may want to enjoy more time with. Clients who absolutely respect 2 way confidentiality and privacy (they don't post dumb stuff). This is where one of the original ideas of 2 hour massages fits in.

So you build just a few private clients for 2 hour sessions during early morning hours (no conflict with your regular serious massage shop hours). Creativity required to set up this private location. You decide on the "special services". You may still give a receipt for a one hour massage to your most loyal and trusted private clients. You figure this out and decide.

Sharing this as I've seen how well this has worked for a therapist or two. Surely a few more could do just as well. An extra 200 or 400 per day goes a very long way. And it's a win-win for client and therapist.


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[Albertaman]

Develop pricing that actually makes sense. For longer massages, the cost per minute should go down, not up. So many shops have dumb pricing. Here is a real world example:

With no receipt, cash price:

1 hour 80+GST
90 minutes 130+GST wtf?

And then with receipt the prices are $10 to $20 higher. Sheer stupidity, and they are crying about slow business. This is the nonsense that independents can avoid. Create pricing that makes sense. How about 75/hour and 110/90minutes? Or 70/hour and 100/90minutes for repeating customers? And then of course the deluxe 200/2 hours for YMMV clients.


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[Rubmegood]

Hey- Albertaman- *slapping face* wake up! wake up!! *shaking shoulders* You're dreaming again!!

 

[Sun&SandMan]

You also need to remember, .... exceptional work also needs to be paid appropriately for a high quality and extremely tough job.

 

[Albertaman]

Hey- Albertaman- *slapping face* wake up! wake up!! *shaking shoulders* You're dreaming again!!

You sound like a spa owner who doesn't appreciate the ideas of two or three more ladies setting up independent businesses in Edmonton or Calgary . Fortunately it's already happening. So more power to independents, even part time ones.


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[Albertaman]

You also need to remember, .... exceptional work also needs to be paid appropriately for a high quality and extremely tough job.

Exactly . This is why some of the ladies decided that getting $35 from $95 house fee for their hard work ain't worth it. Or at least adding some part time hours at their own place and collecting the entire fee (or slightly less) is Win Win for them and for the clients. It won't work for disorganized masseuses. But for a handful with pretty good business skills it's a pretty lucrative approach. Especially when they can add on "special services" for select clients in longer sessions. Personally I prefer a 2 hour session at 200 that includes great massage and the full deal, than some rushed one hour session with an even more rushed hj for a total of 140 to 150. Regular shops are ok when one is in other cities for work purposes without access to independents.


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[Rubmegood]

You sound like a spa owner who doesn't appreciate the ideas of two or three more ladies setting up independent businesses in Edmonton or Calgary . Fortunately it's already happening. So more power to independents, even part time ones.


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I meant no offense, Albertaman. It sounds like a great business model almost like dreaming. I have a feeling that too many girls a just don't have the "business sense" to think of this for themselves and feel they are stuck working for somebody else. Makes you wonder how many girls in places like XP or TT are actually indentured in some way?