Marketing your business is something you should be doing on a on-going basis – it’s always better to have too many clients (offer to put new clients on a waiting list if you can’t fit them in) than too few. Here are a few low (or no) cost ideas for how you might let people know about you and your business:
- Talk to local veterinarians and ask if they are willing to refer people to you. Your best bet for this is probably a veterinarian with a more holistic outlook on health care. Go to the American Holistic Veterinary Association’s website to find a veterinarian in your area.
- Ask your local animal shelter if you may come in and massage some of their animals on a regular basis. Not only will this help you learn and become a better massage therapist, you will also be providing a wonderful service to the animals while they’re waiting for their forever family. And since massage can be a powerful tool to help shy animals and animals afraid of people to trust us, you might even be able to help an unadoptable animal become adoptable. Several of the featured practitioners on this site have used this approach successfully.
- Visit pet stores and doggie daycare centers in your area. Ask if they think that their clients would be interested in having their dog get a massage while at daycare. Or if you may put up your business cards and/or other marketing materials in their store.
- Think about the possibility of doing workshops where you teach dog owners how to massage their own pets. Good places for this would be local pet businesses, dog daycare centers, or your local adult education center.
- Call the hotels and Bed & Breakfasts in your area and ask if they allow pets. If they do, send a letter to the concierge (or the owner at the B&Bs) letting them know that you are available to come to the hotel and massage their guests’ pets. Include a few brochures and/or business cards that they can display or hand out to their guests.
- Contact local rescue and dog owner groups. Ask if they have any upcoming events where you might be able to offer animal massage.
- Marketing your business online: consider having a blog instead of a website. Sure, it takes a bit more work to write posts and publish them on a regular basis, but people (and the search engines) will find you easier that way. Having to write something on a regular basis might also help you define and develop your business further.
- Contact animal (or any local) publications. Ask if they would be interested in you providing them with a column about animal massage/animal health on a regular basis in exchange for free advertising. This will give your business great exposure and also help establish you as an authority on the subject.
- Send a letter/call pet walking services in your area and let them know you exist and what services you offer. They might have clients that would be perfect for you.
- Find places online where you can post a little blurb about your business (with a link to your blog/website).
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We also have a “land” massage business … http://www.twohands4paws.com … and often end up switching off the hydrotherapy dogs to “land” or alternating land and water. It seems to me that the more you know the vets in the area, the better, although it can be difficult to get a chance to speak with them. The vets around here (the general Seattle area) are more into rehabilitation and actually hire licensed animal massage practitioners to help with the rehab.