You are creating packages and pricing for your massage therapy practice. You have services and products to sell in several prices ranges and you aren?t sure where to start.

Should you present the least expensive service first, the mid-priced product second ending with the most expensive? Or start with the mid-priced product? It seems like starting with the least expensive service first makes sense, because you don?t scare the prospect away with a high-ticket item.

But that?s NOT what you should do.

What you should do may go against what seems like common sense, but is proven to not only sell more products, but in the long-run results in clients spending more money overall.

The key to making more money overall and selling more massage therapy products and services is to sell the most expensive item first. Robert Cialdini gives an example in his book The Psychology of Persuasion of men?s clothing salesmen. If a man walks in and asks to look at suits, sweaters and other accessories you should always present him with the suit first. After deciding on a $500 suit, a $200 sweater or a $150 belt seems inexpensive and he is more likely to buy all of them.

And because he just decided on a nice suit he realizes he should have high quality accessories to go with it and is more likely to spend more.

Another example Cialdini gives is a strategy used by car salespeople. They first sell you on the price and style of the car. They make the car easy and affordable to buy. After you?ve agreed on the price and type of car, they then offer you smaller items to add on. Upgraded seats, a nice stereo system, etc. What?s a couple hundred more dollars to the $25,000 you are spending on your new car? All those accessories add to a nice chunk of profits in the end.

Offering the most expensive product first is called ?the contrast principle? and automatically triggers certain responses in humans. It?s psychology.

Failing to use the contrast principle and selling the inexpensive items first will not only make the more expensive items seem and feeeeeel more expensive, but it actually causes the contrast principle to work against you ? it causes the more expensive item to seem even more expensive that it actually is.

This principle works so effectively because of the mood or atmosphere created in the beginning. When used effectively the mood you create is leveraged on the secondary sales items.

Let?s take a closer look at why this principle really works so well. You can try this experiment yourself. Get three buckets and fill them with water. Fill one with hot water, one with very cold water and one with lukewarm water. Put your left hand in the hot water and your right in the cold water. After a minute or so take both hands out and place both hands in the lukewarm water at the same time.

When you feel is truly amazing! Logically you know the lukewarm water is one temperature, but both hands are experiencing something very different. The hand in the hot water feels like the water is very cold, while the other hand is feeling warmth.  Because of what they experienced before they were merged into the cold water.

What?s important to take away for your sales copy is to know what impression you want to make with your reader. Whether you want your product to seem expensive or inexpensive ? the perception is influenced by what you present first.

About the author

Founder of A Marketing Connection and The Copywriting Institute, Kelly Robbins, MA, is an award winning author, copywriter and healthcare marketing coach/consultant. Kelly is a blogger for both ChiroEco and MassageMagazine and is the author of Marketing 101: Why Successful Alternative Healthcare Practitioners Specialize as well as co-author of The Practice Evolution Success Kit. She also publishes The Healthcare Marketing Connection, a free e-zine on healthcare marketing tips. Contact Kelly to receive her free report, ?5 Critical Mistakes Healthcare Marketers Make that Lose Sales

A recent article in The New York Times highlighted how cinnamon oil can kill common & hospital acquired infections like streptococcus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.  MRSA has received a lot of press attention because it is resistant to known antibiotics as the bacteria is constantly changing and antibiotic research cannot keep up. Flu virus is also constantly changing - hence the need to create new vaccines every year that may or may not be the exact match to the virus that is circulating at the moment.

In nature nothing is stagnant – it is constantly evolving and perfecting itself. The constituents of the essential oil that give it the cherished antiseptic/antiviral propeties are also evolving making it easy to see how an essential oil would be able to kill these mutating bacteria & viruses. 

What wonderful tools we have in essential oils that through daily application and use we may be able to protect our health.  I personally use a blend called Thieves (also mentioned in the NYT article) that contains: Clove, Cinnamon, Lemon, Eucalyptus Radiata & Rosemary. This recipe (with lemon added) goes back to the Middle Ages where thieves would rob plauge riddled dead bodies and not get sick by protecting themselves with aromatics.   

So my choices are:  I can be injected with a  vaccine that has known side effects and unknown results;  hope I don’t get sick from those around me;  or use essential oils everyday which have the ability to protect my health naturally and safely.

My choice?  I guess you alreday know what it is.  What is your choice going to be?

Warmly,

Maria G. Turchi, NCTMB,
Certified Raindrop Practitioner
Certified CARE (Center For Aromatherapy & Reseach & Education) Instructor

As human beings we are faced with alot of challenges in life. Some of these challenges are tolerable and easy to handle, but sometimes life can surprise us with more personal, intense battles. In a world so demanding of our time and energy, how do we carry on as though everything is fine, when inside we are falling apart? When you work in a field such as massage therapy, where its so intimate and with the exchange of energies, how do we cope and not let our feelings get in the way? Now what if you are the boss as well? How do we do it, how do we face the day when we are dealing with such emotional personal burdens?

I personally just went through what would be the hardest challenge I have had in life so far. It was hard because I was dealing with the emotional trauma as well as trying to maintain a business and my responsabilities as a health food store worker, girlfriend, business owner and friend. I feel when we work as  massage therapist its easy to give advice and know what is right for our clients, but when its comes to us we neglect to nurture and comfort ourselves. In a time of suffering I think its ok to be a little selfish and take time for you to heal. Go through the emotions, feel alive from them. If you are are angry, feel angry and let it out, if you are sad, feel sad and let it out!!!!Sometimes its ok to take a day off from the business. I know this is hard for alot of people, but just take a day to sleep in, go for a long walk, take a bath, like I said nurture yourself as if you would a client or a good friend. The sun will rise again and clients will call. We are always taking care of others and we must take care of ourselves!

Massage therapy is also a business, I feel, where people are more understanding, and willing to be flexible when it comes to their therapist’s well being. We take time to build relationships with clients so we can be honest with them. No one has to know details, but explain there has been a death in the family, or a terrible tragedy has struck you, and they will understand, they will most likely feel happy that you told them, rather than act as though nothing happened and go on to give a bad treatment. Massage is such an energy connection practice that you would be doing them a favor by not giving them your negative energy.

For some of us, and maybe all of us at some point can use massage therapy as our art, our creative outlet. When this is the case we may be having the worst day ever, but when the client arrives and is settled into your table waiting for your gentle touch to treat their issues, all of our “baggage” can disappear and we direct our focus on the client. This is the best scenario of course! We can all understand when this is not the case and your focus is on your challenge. I can not express enough to bee patient and take time for yourself, so you will be ready to take care of others. As massage therapist our main goal is for balance with health and happiness.  As we go through life things are going to surface that we don’t want to deal with, or that stresses us out, or lessons in life that really take alot out of us, we are human just like everybody else, and need what every other human would need. When in a time of sorrow, we must bee patient for our well-beeing as well as those around us!

Bee healthy. Bee happy. Bee well

Melissa

Full Body Presence is here – the books are in and ready to go! One reason I self-published is that I wanted to have this book and its wisdom in the hands of as many people as possible as we go into the last month of this election process. Please help me do this. It is more important than ever before in our lives that each one of us make an intelligent choice, informed by our full body wisdom in the next election. It is not only vital for us as individual citizens here in the United States, it has become clear that our choice will affect the rest of the world. If you are not registered to vote and you still can do so in your state ? do it now. We are long beyond the point of saying, ?My vote does not matter.? Everyone?s vote matters. (See chapter 10 of the book.)

In the growing turbulence and divisiveness in our country it is easy to sink into fear and hopelessness. When our leaders or leaders-to-be are caught in blame and personal attack rather than rising to finding the solutions we need to grow and return to prosperity, it can be disheartening. However, after an initial period of complete frustration with the deception I was seeing on the political scene, I have realized that those of us who have refined our capacity for clear discernment, who are not swayed by glib answers and personal attack ads, have a responsibility to step fully into our integrity, into our power, into our full body presence and be a source of clarity and strength for those around us.

The major issue when we hit those places of fear in ourselves is to remember to connect to our deepest wisdom, and ground ourselves. Use whatever spiritual practices you know to fill up with life-giving energy so that you can change the resonance of fear in your body, to a resonance of life-giving sensation – of fullness – which always helps you choose more wisely in any given crisis situation such as the time of unknown outcomes that we all face right now. When we are full, we can experience the present moment with clarity and determination.

This is vitally important. The outcome of this election will affect many generations to come ? our children and our children?s children?reflect on how your choice will affect everyone – from the economic situation to our moral authority in the world; from women?s freedom and equality, to better healthcare and every child?s right to a full education; all the way to honoring the heart of the Constitution ? look under the charisma and personalities of each candidate and see what each one stands for and whether their record reflects their current position. Does it spell integrity?

Listen and look at each of the candidates from your full body presence. Use your discernment. What does your heart tell you? Does your head agree with your heart? What does your gut tell you? When you walk in your world and watch how the candidates are conducting themselves, think of how you want your president and vice president to represent you in the world. That?s how you can expect to be treated by them. Notice, do they talk down to people? Do they try to sway you with fear tactics? Or do they speak to you and call for your intelligence and courage, to correct the inequities we are currently experiencing in our nation? Do they honor and support each person?s right to their own views and truths which is fundamental to our Constitutional rights as Americans? Do they make personal attacks on their opponents in order to derail the more important issues at hand? Or, do they address these issues cleanly and directly so we can make intelligent choices based on what we see/hear/feel/sense in their presence? We know that when someone hides behind personal attack what is left is the shell of a bully, not a clear message we can hear and make a decision from.

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, it is vital that you search out the truth as you read the paper, the internet, and watch the debates. As I look at this election, gathering data from all sides, I am struck by the twisting of the facts and mis-information being billed as the truth. Seek out multiple sources. Listen to the news stations on all sides of the issues, not just the ones on the far right or left. Those on both the far right and the far left throw out stuff that is pure hogwash at times.

In my opinion one of the best places to ferret out the real issues, and where the candidates stand on them, is the nationally televised debates. Make time to watch them. They are geared to be neutral ground for our citizens to be able to see and hear the truth from each candidate. And as you watch and listen, ground yourself and stay full energetically, so that your entire body?s navigational system for wisdom is operational.

And, vote. You can make a difference. If you need help getting the skills to be able to listen to your deepest wisdom in this way, Full Body Presence can help you gain these skills quickly and easily. I have worked tirelessly for the last year to have this book available at this time. Help me get it out there to those who need it. These are exciting times ? the ability to be fully in your body and able to clearly discern what is for the highest good is what makes these times exciting rather than scary. And, enjoy!

P.S. I have done a short video clip on how to drop quickly into your body for clear discernment of the candidates. It will be coming up in the next few blogs – watch for it!

Instead of relying on whole foods for vitamins, some health conscious consumers are acting as chemists for their bodies with isolated vitamins and supplements. Unfortunately, this often creates other health challenges as chemicals replace whole foods.  When too much of one nutrient is consumed it alters the delicate vitamin and mineral balance necessary for the five main systems of the body to function at peak efficiency.

The body?s 5 systems:

1. Respiratory (Breath)
2. Circulatory (Blood)
3. Digestive (Nutrition)
4. Endocrine (Hormones)
5. Immune System (Defense)

Dr. Tei-Fu Chen, world renowned herbalist and founder of Sunrider, the largest herbal whole food company in the world, talks about the importance of maintaining balance throughout these 5 systems,  “The body’s five systems are like 5 horses pulling a chariot. If one horse runs too fast or too slow, the chariot cannot run smoothly.  The systems must be in balance.”

Dr. Chen encourages people to obtain vitamins and minerals from whole foods, saying that whole foods naturally contain the perfect structure for our bodies to assimilate nutrients appropriately.

Isolated vitamins are chemicals that the body does not recognize. Whole foods contain the nutrients necessary for balance.  Studies have shown that 90% of the vitamins in the world today are flushed right into the sewer system.  Workers at water treatment plants report that their collection pools are constantly filled with undigested vitamins.  Because there are no live enzymes associated with isolated vitamins they are not easily absorbed.  All that money on vitamins is being flushed right down the toilet.  Have you ever known anyone who improved their health by taking isolated vitamins? Trying to create good health by consuming isolated vitamins is a mistake many people make.  Instead, it is better to absorb nutrients from whole foods.

Unlike isolated vitamins, concentrated whole foods and drinks are designed to nourish, cleanse, and balance internal organs, so that the cells of the 5 systems regenerate at a higher level.  Then, new cells are created with more sophisticated nutrients and the body performs with greater  efficiency.

Hello all,

It seems the issue of providing massage for caregivers in hospice organizations is a bit of a sticking point for many organizations.  The points raised by Jennifer and Ann are well-taken and deserve some consideration.  I’m sure we can all agree that any caregiver in hospice or long term care give much of themselves physically, emotionally, and energetically.  Certainly massage would be an effective way to help them manage the stress and toll of taking care of others.  I’ve actually heard from several massage therapists about hospice organizations preventing them from working with staff because of organizational liability issues.  I’m prompted to explore this issue.  One thought comes to mind.  All long term care and hospice organization have a medical director.  I’m wondering if that might not be one solution to this issue.  I bring it up because one skilled nursing facilitly where I provide Compassionate Touch sessions had their medical director approve my services.  I understand that some organizations are more “guarded” than others.  But it might be worth exploring the idea of asking the hospice organization about having the medical director approve non-invasive, seated massage for stress management for staff. 

Have any of you tried this approach? I’d like to hear from you about this issue– what’s working, what’s not.  We have so much to offer those caregivers to help prevent burnout and compassion fatigue. 

Peace and blessings to you,

Ann

An exceptionally significant postural issue begging for a logical explanation is the ?short right leg syndrome?. Although an inferred awareness of right-sided limb length shortness has existed for thousands of years with decades of published research available, no one has yet to produce a universally acceptable answer to these two basic questions:
1. Why the unusual frequency of short right legs seen in clinic?
2. How does this common limb length discrepancy relate to chronic pain and somatic dysfunction?

How do you measure leg length…supine or prone and what’s the difference?

Social Networking is the latest craze as many of you are well aware of.  Figuring out what is the best use of your time is important when considering participating in these networks.  How will you find the best opportunities to get new and repeat clients?

Twitter is one of the easiest to use and get results with.   If you don’t know what twitter is yet, it is an online network that you sign up with for free.  Create a twitter account to just be used with your business.  Twitter is unique in that it only allows you a few sentences of space to use to communicate with people.   But who are you communicating with?   People can sign up to ‘follow’ your postings.  But where do you get people?   The best place is to put a twitter feed on your website.  You can get the code to put a twitter badge on your website by going to the Settings page.  In about the middle of that section there is a place for you to put your website address but right under that is a link that says:

(You can also add Twitter to your site here)

Click on that and click on the other tab (or one of the others if you are using one of those systems for your website.)  Click to create a badge.  You can add what you want it to say on the top or whether or not you want to create a flash badge or a html badge.  The flash badge will be interactive and show people’s reply ( I think!) So just copy and paste the code into your webpage where you want it.  I have mine on my homepage above the fold (near the top) where it is the highest profile and also on my services pages.  I also just created a twitter page that people can go to directly.  You can see how I am using it at www.massageseattle.net  I actually just started using it last week and have already gotten 3 new clients.  I also have quite a few visitors to my website and it already gets me a lot of calls but I think it will help even more by making this info of my schedule availability more public.  I am also sending a series of posts based using “you know you need a massage when you ….” and then will do a top ten reasons for getting a massage or something like that and see how that goes.

Facebook – Facebook is fairly time consuming.  It is really important to set up a business only listing.  What facebook is better for is finding your old high school buddies and long lost loves.  You are supposedly not allowed to set up more than one facebook profile.  They do have a way to make a business page and have it connected to your personal page but to me it is not private enough.  I personally don’t mix clients and friends.  You can use facebook to create more messages and even use it like a mini website if you don’t already have your own.  You can search facebook members to find businesses and doctors or other people who you want in your referral network and ask them to be your friend.  You can write a small newsletter like posts.  People can post on your wall or you can opt to not allow people to do that.  The thing I don’t like about Facebook is that people who become your friends will also have access to see each others profiles which may not be a good thing for your clients who want their privacy.  I did find a facebook group for my office building when they were having an open house that I could become a fan of and post my message about being the massage therapist in the building.

Linkedin in works sort of the same way as facebook but it doesn’t connect you with all of your old friends.  Linkedin is more of a professional networking site.  They also have a section where people ask questions like yahooanswers but it is much more professional than answers is.  You may possibly find someone looking for a massage but it is more like looking for a needle in the haystack.

I am not a big fan of social networking because of the time it takes to put into it all.  I would rather be writing a new article for my website to educate people who are already interested in getting a massage.  My website is found for the keywords that I have chosen – downtown seattle massage and it comes up first on Google and most of the other major search engines so writing there is more targeted advertising.  Also writing more content and educating people about massage and muscles and how the body and massage work together is a way of building trust with people.  When they read a website full of information and research they will get the feeling that you know what you are doing and trust you enough to make the call.

So if you are using one of these or other social networking sites successfully I would love to know what you are doing!

Some new developments concerning structural differences may also add fuel to the gender phenomena fire. Several biomedical journals have published articles implicating inherited anatomical factors. Studies indicate that, as a group, women have forty percent less neck musculature than men, yet the female head still represents approximately eight percent of a woman?s total body weight which is the same percentage as in males. These conclusions could help explain why many more women, on average, suffer from migraines, osteoporosis, degenerative disc disease, and forward head postures than men. 

Manual therapists are keenly aware that pain does not afflict the two genders equally. Most medical literature points to consistent findings that women report more musculoskeletal pain than men, and additionally?the females? experience seems to differ significantly from that of their male counterpart. Some researchers believe this discrepancy is due to biological issues since female activities are typically comprised of a different set of risk factors for injury and pain. Others blame genetics such as inherited limbic system (emotional) overactivity and physical structural differences. My wife says I don’t listen to her…your thoughts?

 

According to a Robert Sandos? article in the European Journal of Pain, ?While education and unemployment seemed to be primarily associated with pain among men, economic worries, half-time work, and being married were the most commonly reported pain-generators among women?.

Welcome to my first Blog entry.

With the Holidays in full-swing, do you see an increase of stressed clients in pain? I seem to have more clients complaining of low back pain during the Holidays. Sacral torsions from prolonged standing with weight-bearing on one leg (Mall Back) is common. Do you think the sacroiliac ligaments are getting strained or possibly piriformis syndrome from increased walking, stooping and bending? Thoughts?