Massage Services

Adding massage therapy to a tanning salon could be beneficial to the client and the salon owner; the client receives a massage with the feel of a spa experience, and the owner can profit from the increased business. Start-up costs to add massage therapy can vary from salon to salon; however, utilizing good marketing techniques and servicing clients’ needs may stretch far beyond the initial investment.

"It takes the tanning salon from a seasonal business and turns it into year-round," says one successful salon owner. "You’ll get new people in. The reason for adding massage is the fact that you want to bring in a different client."

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.

"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; experts suggests a $4,000 investment is needed to start. This figure also includes other administrative materials the massage therapists will need for record keeping.