So, you want to learn how to become a Massage therapist? We are so incredibly happy to hear this because it’s a fantastic thing to be able to work with people and to help them increase their health and their wellbeing.
To help you on the run to not only become a Massage Therapist but also to become a FANTASTICLY skilled massage therapist, we now also give you our 12 best tips that really make you stand out from the crowd among all competing masseurs and massage therapists.
1. Study at a great Massage School
Most important of all in how to become a massage therapist is to get a good education in the subject. Although of course we prefer that you attend your massage education with us at the Massage & Spa School, there are also other talented massage schools that also always put you as a student in focus. Do your research carefully and review what previous students say about the massage school that you are interested in via their reviews on, for example, Facebook, Google and Trustpilot. In addition to the things mentioned above, it is also good to review:
- If the massage school’s layout suits you and your personal schedule.
- Compare prices between the massage schools on the market. The most expensive massage school does not necessarily mean that it is the best and if a school seems far too cheap, it is also good to review this in advance.
- Whether you choose massage classes for beginners or if you further your education in the subject, check with the school how big the physical classes are and how many teachers will teach in each class. Large classes with only 1-2 teachers can mean that you as a student receive less support from the teachers, which can also be negative for learning.
2. Become a massage therapist that never stops learning
There are lots of manual therapists who are good at what they do but who still choose not to develop further in their profession or in related professions. Do not settle down but try to develop your knowledge in your profession as a massage therapist but also in related professions such as personal trainer, spa & beauty therapist, dietician, etc. Being able to combine your profession as a massage therapist means that you get a more fun and varied profession that is good for both body and soul, while you can also increase your income by also being able to offer several additional services.
3. Become a good promotor
To learn how to become a massage therapist is easy if you are willing to learn, if you have some patience and if you like working with people. However, today you also need to be just as good at promoting your services as you are at being good at performing massage treatments for your clients.
You can be a fantastic massage therapist without the potential clients even knowing about it because they have not yet been to a treatment with you. Learn how to market your services in the best possible way to get more customers and thus increase your revenue. In our book “Build your own Wellness Empire” you get over 189 tips on how to become a successful self-employed person as a massage therapist, the book is a must for you who want to increase your clientele and who want to grow as a company.
One of our absolute best tips you get here at once; once you have your clients with you, make sure you do a great job EVERY TIME. Satisfied clients are the best marketing you can get as your clients will talk about their fantastic treatments with you to others as well, which usually results in these also becoming your clients.
Just remember not to relax in your profession and offer a “half-assed” treatment even once. Dissatisfied clients are the last thing you want because dissatisfied clients tend to be even more vocal with others, which is also the absolute worst advertising you can get.
4. Invest in a good massage table
A really good massage table should be seen as a great investment and not as an unnecessary cost. Today, there are lots of different massage benches and brands on the market that far from everyone measure up.
With a growing market, it can also be difficult as a new massage therapist to know which one to choose. At our school and at our various clinics, we ourselves have worked with Tarsus massage benches from Sweden for almost 15 years and where all of these (16 pieces) work as well today as they did when they were new.
Investing in a good massage table makes you as a massage therapist able to work in as good an ergonomic way as possible and which also means that you spare your body from prolonged errors that can be negative for your health.
5. Learn how to become a licensed massage therapist
Even if in several different countries and states, it is not required to learn how to become a licensed massage therapist, this is still a hallmark of your professionalism. In our online courses and in our on-site courses at our school, you can choose our education in classic massage, which gives you a diploma after completing the course.
As different regulations apply in different countries and states, it is always recommended to check in advance what applies before attending an education with us or with another educator in the industry.
6. Listen to your clients
In how to become a massage therapist, it is also incredibly important to listen to your clients before and during the massage treatment itself. To begin with, the professional way to work with your massage clients is to always revise their medical history before the treatment begins. Have the client tell you about their possible ailments and injury concerns and the reason why the client comes to you for help. During the anamnesis, making accurate notes is also important in order to be able to make follow-ups and to see results after the treatments that are performed.
Has the client, during the anamnesis, expressed that he or she has problems with a stiff right shoulder and wishes to get a focus on this during his treatment, well then it is also incredibly important that you, as a massage therapist, remember this and perform what the client wanted. Not giving the client what the client has so carefully expressed will only lead to the client feeling cheated on the confectionery and that you as a massage therapist have not listened to what has been said.
Asking the client 1-2 times during a 30-minute treatment and 2-3 times during a 60-minute treatment how the treatment feels is also a professional way to go as a massage therapist. Here the client gets the opportunity to give feedback with their experiences and if he / she wishes to receive a harder or less harsh treatment or alternatively if the pressure in the treatment is good. It is then, as usual, your job as a massage therapist to deliver what the client wants.
7. During work, always be that professional massage therapist that you are
To be a professional massage therapist also means that you should have a professional approach to your clients before, during and after their massage treatment. As a massage therapist, you always set your own limits in what you think is okay and not, but it is always recommended not to be the leader in the conversations that may take place. If the client is silent during their treatment, the client has also shown that they want to enjoy the treatment in silence, and it is not your job as a massage therapist to talk about the client’s treatment that they have paid for.
8. Learn massage courses you're truly interested in
Today, there are lots of massage classes for beginners in various massage methods and massage techniques. Be sure to do your research on which or which massage methods you want to learn before you start an education. For example, there are big differences between learning sports massage or spa & relaxation massage (which you can both learn from us at the Massage & Spa School).
Good massage classes for beginners and which is an exceptionally good foundation to start from is our education in Swedish classical massage. The Swedish classic massage is extra good as massage classes for beginners because it is the world’s most famous form of treatment for massage while it focuses on giving the client both relaxation and pain relief.
The Swedish classic massage is also something in between sports massage and relaxation massage and is perfect for the large mass of clients who want a massage that is “painfully-good” and that feels like about 5-6 on a pain scale that extends up to 10. Another important detail in learning a massage method that you are interested in is also that you will find your work more fun and rewarding.
9. Become a massage therapist that is an expert in your area
As we have already mentioned, it is important to learn massage courses that you are interested in and to constantly develop your knowledge in the subject. It is also good to be able to specialize in a particular area, such as sports massage or in the treatment of bad backs, to name just a few examples.
Develop both your theoretical and practical knowledge within your area of expertise and you will be well known for this within your client base and where your expertise will also spread to your new clients.
10. Keep it simple
On your treatment menu, it is good to stick to the max. 5-10 different options for the treatments that are offered. Do not make the mistake that many massage therapists make, believing that several pages of treatment options increase your income opportunities. In most cases this means the complete opposite as many clients do not even have the energy and patience to read through a treatment menu that offers 15 variants of back treatments, 12 different types of foot treatments and 10 types of hand massages etc.
As an example, you can compare your massage practice with that of a really good restaurant and a decently good restaurant. If you want to go to a restaurant that is the best in the city for pasta, it is highly likely that you know that it is best that you focus on checking out a good Italian restaurant that specializes in offering world-class pasta dishes instead of that you choose the decent and general restaurant that keeps its concept extremely broad without specializing in anything special and where they offer everything from pasta and pizza to meat, fish, seafood, Mexican, vegetarian dishes etc.
So, back to you who want to be a great massage therapist. Keep it simple and make sure that you do not focus on being generally good at 30 different things in your treatments, but where you instead focus on being absolutely fantastic on a smaller selection of what you want to offer.
11. Take care of yourself
An incredibly important part of how to become a massage therapist is to also take care of your own physical and mental health in the best way. Working as a massage therapist is a fantastic, fun and rewarding job at the same time as it is also often physically strenuous. To work ergonomically correct (you will learn this in your training with us), to keep your body in good physical condition with functional training and to also recover in your free time is incredibly important.
Also make sure to take time between your clients for a break, stretching muscles and eating and drinking properly. Here it is always important to go to yourself and do the things that you feel good about to recharge your batteries, physically and mentally, after a hard day’s work. No matter how cliché it may sound, it is still important that you take care of yourself first and foremost before you can spend time helping and treating others.
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