Kneading A Plan

by Wendy Craft

Getting Started

A tanning salon owner must first designate an area for massage therapy.

“A massage room should roughly be a 10-by- 10-foot space,” says Melinda Minton, president of Minton Business Solutions and executive director of The Spa Association. The area needs to be large enough to give therapists space to move around.

“You would need some additional area because massage tables are six feet long,” explains Brenda L. Griffith, The American Massage Therapy Association’s immediate past president.

Facility layout can play a key role in keeping clients from going elsewhere to have a massage. “You don’t want to have a room so cramped that if feels claustrophobic,” she says, adding that if possible, the massage area should be placed away from heavy foot traffic and where the lighting, temperature and noise can be controlled. “The more you can do to make it a welcoming environment—that really helps to keep people there.”

There are several different types of tables to consider for purchase. “I would suggest getting a height-adjustable table,” Griffith says. “You want a table that therapists who are different heights could still use and not hurt themselves.”

Purchasing different types of equipment also needs to be considered, including heating pads, bolsters, hot stones, certain pillows and wedges used for pregnancy massages.

“There are wonderful companies to buy wholesale from,” Rosenberg says.

“Look for a reputable source that has been around for awhile,” Minton says. “For massage tables that are basic, look for gently used. For very advanced equipment like lasers, consider leasing.”

Going online may be a good place to begin looking for massage equipment. There are many places to find equipment manufacturers, Minton says. Another good resource for equipment is spa or massage industry publications. Griffith suggests the American Massage Therapy Association’s (AMTA) quarterly Massage Therapy Journal. “It’s available off the rack and has a lot of advertising by a lot of different manufacturers and companies of tables and spa products,” she says.

The initial cost for equipment will depend on many factors; Rosenberg suggests a $4,000 investment is needed to start. This figure also includes other administrative materials the massage therapists will need for record keeping.

“To do it the right way, you have to have charts and printed materials,” she says. “It’s very important to make sure it’s all done very professionally, and that files are kept on everyone.” For instance, good records of client interviews and follow-up calls can be important for all parties involved. Printed musculoskeletal charts can be a helpful tool for the therapist because the client can better communicate his or her needs.

Hiring Therapists

Including the right massage therapist also is essential to the success of the venture. One of the best sources for licensed massage therapists is the AMTA locator service, Griffith says. AMTA member therapists have the option to be listed. The locator service is available to the public and can be accessed via the Internet at www.amtamassage.org or by calling (888) 843-2682.

Not all states require licensed massage therapists, however. But those states that don’t require a license often have locality ordinances, Griffith says. Tanning salon owners should check with their cities or counties to find out what kinds of ordinances are in existence.

It is suggested to hire licensed practitioners, perform background checks, and investigate how many hours they have completed, what their techniques are and if they carry insurance. “I would always be sure that there is liability insurance,” Griffith says. “All you need to do is ask the massage therapist to give you a certificate of insurance.”

The number of massage therapists available at a tanning salon depends on several factors such as traffic within the salon and the size of the business. When starting out, it’s advisable to looking at having several part-time therapists, Griffith says. The idea here is no therapist can afford to cover a huge block of time in a week not knowing if there is going to be income or not.

“Two part-time on-call therapists would be sufficient for a non-massage regular-sized place to get going,” Minton says. For large establishments, three to five are recommended, she says.

Rosenberg’s business began with one massage therapist but more were added over time. “If you’re looking to exceed your customers’ expectations, you want to be able to give them what they ask for,” she says.

Regardless of how many massage therapists work at the salon, they still reflect upon the salon. “First and foremost, you need to offer competent therapists,” Griffith says.

Rosenberg agrees that clients’ satisfaction is a factor. “Positive and professional is what it is all about,” she says. “It has to be result-oriented. You have to be very careful to hire very professional, well-trained people so the clients get the results that they want.”

Marketing Massage

There are several places a tanning salon owner can put the word out about his or her new massage-therapy business. “Multimedia is the way it has to be,” Rosenberg says. “You bring yourself up a notch in professionalism. You’ve gone from a tanning salon to a spa.”

Rosenberg utilizes several outlets, including television, local papers, travel guides and various Web sites, as well as cross-promoting with bed-and-breakfasts, hotels and motels, festivals, conferences and conventions, and at local convention centers. According to Griffith, representation at local health fairs or smaller malls and sidewalk sales is a way to market services.

To cater to existing tanning customers, Rosenberg suggests beginning with chair massages and table massages. “We put out the chair first in the front area and we were giving out eight-minute free chair massages,” she says.

The best way to bridge the gap from tanning to massage is to offer both in one package. “You have to give a benefit so they’ll at least try it,” she says. “That’s the ultimate of what you want to do.”

Classics such as Swedish, sports, deep-tissue and stone massages are ideal, Minton says. “The average national cost for massage is $65-70 per hour. That includes prices as low as $25 in the Midwest to prices as high as $120 in Manhattan,” she adds.

Suggestive and consultative selling educates the client on the salon’s services and allows him or her to make a decision. “It’s very important to ask the tanning clients when they call for an appointment if they also want a massage,” Rosenberg says. “If employees suggest to the person that he or she tan first, then they’re going to be able to incorporate both.”

Minton suggests a frequent-buyer program and pre-booking. “Try to promote an esthetic add-on to the massage like a buff and self-tanning, paraffin dip or mini facial.”

Customer survey cards can provide additional information about the clients’ wants and needs. “When people leave, you want to ask clients if everything is OK, but you want to ask them what kind of services they would like,” Rosenberg says.

Massage Money

Tanning salon owners need to decide whether to hire massage therapists as salon employees or keep them as independent contractors.

According to Minton, it’s all about pay, because massage therapy is labor-intensive and doesn’t usually lend to retail-sales opportunities. Thirty-seven percent commission is about as high as one can go and make money.

Rosenberg offers her therapists a commission on product they sell, and she also offers them free tanning.

Before deciding on a pay split with massage therapists, Griffith suggests considering if incentives should be offered to massage therapists bringing in new or existing business of their own. “In any business situation, the more defined the parameters, the better everybody’s going to be able to service their clientele—the happier the place is going to be,” she says.

There are many facets a tanning salon owner must take into account when deciding to add massage therapy to his or her business. Providing well-trained therapists who can help market tanning packages may be a good place to start. Marketing massage therapy to existing clientele also may extend their loyalty, in addition to increasing the tanning salon’s bottom line.