Massage Services

To do it the right way, you have to have charts and printed materials. 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.

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 (877) 905-2700.

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. "Always be sure that there is liability insurance, and 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. 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.

"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.

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.

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," says another salon operator. "You bring yourself up a notch in professionalism. You’ve gone from a tanning salon to a spa."