Are you looking for how to become a massage therapist and run your own business? Now would be a great time, as demand has risen and the global massage therapy market has risen by 8.8% in recent years as many have come to understand the health benefits of professional massage techniques to brighten body, mind, and soul. Starting with a general massage therapy course can help you gain a broad understanding of the field before specialising.
But how do you become a business-owning massage therapist? In this article, we will outline the requirements, training, and other steps any prospective entrepreneur can follow to achieve your goal.
Table of Contents
The Legal Requirements
A professional massage therapist requires certain qualifications to operate, due to the nature of the business being direct and physical, and also the fact that it has a proven impact on a client’s health. To become a massage therapist, take a look at the following. Additionally, maintaining physical fitness is crucial for massage therapists due to the physical movement and long hours of standing required.
Necessary Qualifications:
Level 3 qualifications are equivalent to A-levels (college qualifications):
- Level 3 anatomy and physiology – This is a foundational qualification that provides an understanding of human body structure and function.
- Specialised Level 3 Massage Diploma –
- Level 3 Diploma in Massage – Covers various massage techniques, including Swedish massage and Thai massage, a good starting point for therapists. This qualification can also lead to specialising in deep tissue massages, which focus on alleviating specific physical ailments.
- Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapist – This specialises in the treatment of sports injuries, as well as enhancing performance.
- Level 3 diploma in complementary therapies – This broad qualification may include massage along with other therapists like aromatherapy/reflexology.
Advanced Qualifications:
The following are optional, higher-level qualifications:
- Level 4 or 5 Qualifications – These higher level qualifications are university level, and they pursue more specialised forms of massage therapist roles.
How To Attain Massage Therapist Qualifications
To get these qualifications, there are three routes:
- College courses – Plenty of in-person courses run in the structured environment of a classroom, allowing you time with experienced instructors.
- Online courses – Modern and accessible, online courses promote flexibility, and study at your pace settings.
- Privatised massage therapist schools – These are more expensive but will offer the most specialised and thorough lessons.
Whatever you do, ensure that your course is accredited by reputable organisations such as VTCT, CIBTAC or ITEC. This guarantees recognition in the field.
Entrepreneur Training For Massage Therapy Business
A massage therapist can acquire these qualifications and work right away, but those who are looking to acquire their own massage therapy business would be well-served to pursue business-related qualifications to ensure they have the know-how to run their organisation. Being a self-employed massage therapist, after all, includes some level of digital marketing requirements to promote yourself.
Some qualifications we believe are worthwhile are listed below for you or your staff:
- Business Management – Level 2 or 3 diploma covers essential business principles, like marketing, finance, operations management etc.
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Chartered Accountant (CA) – These certifications can be valuable for managing your finances and ensuring compliance with tax regulations.
- Google Ads Certification – Learning to market yourself through advertising campaigns is an essential skill.
- Social media marketing certification – Social media is how many people communicate ideas and share experiences.
Furthermore, applying for more, higher qualified massage courses will no doubt improve the services available, or at least gather staff who have these qualifications.
Registering Your Business’s Name
You can operate under your name as a massage therapist, not requiring a business at all. This is simple, cost-effective and allows you to build a name for yourself rather than your business, but bear in mind the following:
- You must operate under your name
- You must register if you want to form a limited company or partnership
- You must register as an employer with HMRC if you employ staff
- Some local authorities require you to obtain a license or permit
- Annual turnover exceeding £85,000 will require registration of VAT.
Register Your Business With Companies House
You can register your own business by following steps:
- Register your business with HMRC, inform them you’re self-employed, and supply them with easy details.
It’s that simple. Some tips:
- Choose a simple and short name
- Include keywords that capture the business that you provide
- Choose words that are easy to understand
- Create a name that is easy to say and write
Licences And Insurance
After registering the name of your business, it’s time to apply for a licence with your local council or authority. Check that you are registering for the appropriate one. For instance, hot stone massages require a specific licence granted by the Local Authority Health and Safety Executive.
Also consider applying for insurance, such as the following:
- Professional Indemnity Insurance – This is critical for massage therapists, as it covers you against claims of professional negligence, errors or omission during treatment. This covers legal costs, compensation and any financial losses resulting.
- Public liability insurance – This protects you if a client is injured on your premises, whether by a person or equipment. Since a health spa involves direct contact, this can help cover you should accidents occur.
Budgeting
Budgeting is your next consideration. You need to have an accurate estimation of startup costs so you can keep tabs on your expenditures.
Budgetary considerations include training costs, rental payments or property purchases. You also need to factor in the cost of equipment and furnishing costs. This includes the purchase of chairs and massage tables. The cost of promotion (advertising and marketing expenses) must be included in the budget. Staff hires (wage and benefits) must also be listed on the budget.
You have to be prepared for significant amounts of spending at the start of your investment. You may have to wait a couple of months up to a couple of years before profits start coming in. A return on investment is unlikely to happen quickly.
Writing A Business Plan
A business plan must be concise and clear. It’s important to set goals for several years ahead, not just the first year. This establishes the focus and direction, which makes it easier for you to attract and assure potential investors of the worth and promise of your business.
Here’s how to create your business plan:
- Provide an executive summary – List your business goals and their corresponding action steps.
- Provide a product/service description – List your products and services. Include the unique selling points of each varying type of massage therapy on offer.
- List the various massage services offered, emphasising the business aspect of providing these services, including opportunities for self-employment and owning a massage facility.
- Identify the target market – Know and focus on your target market. List out their needs and match those out with the products and services you have on offer.
- Mark your competitors – Discover and list your surrounding competitors along with their strengths and weaknesses.
- Provide a marketing plan – List action steps that promote the business along with ways to attract the attention of customers.
- Targeted income and expenses – Identify your targeted business income, costs, and sales. List your income sources and business costs. Establish your targeted sales.
After completing the business plan, remember to conduct regular reviews and updates.
Conducting Market And Competitor Research
The first essential step in acquiring customers is understanding your competitors in the massage therapy industry. Through this, you get to see their strengths as well as their weaknesses. This allows you to identify gaps in your own business so you can make necessary adjustments. Furthermore, in understanding the weaknesses of your competitors, you gain an advantage over them as you make their weaknesses your strengths.
When conducting market research, you must include the following:
- A Target Market Analysis which sets forth a detailed description of your target customers.
- A Competitor SWOT Analysis identifies competitor strengths and weaknesses, opportunities, and, finally, threats to your business.
- A Market Trend Analysis details changes and movements in the business industry that can affect your business.
Writing And Executing A Marketing Plan
It’s most beneficial if you write your marketing plan only after completing your market research. Based on the outcome of your research, you can better strategise the promotion of your business to attract targeted customers. Many massage therapists are competing for the same clients, so having a strong marketing strategy is crucial.
A good marketing plan must have the following:
- A Target Market Description which identifies your ideal customers.
- A List of Unique Selling Points which helps you properly focus your marketing strategies.
- A Marketing Strategy that details your business promotion methods and ways to attract customers.
- A Marketing Budget that sets your allocated marketing expense per month.
Choosing The Best Location
One crucial decision point is choosing the place where you will conduct your business. In determining the best business location, you must decide on your location after conducting your market research. Results should have indicated where your target customers reside or visit often. In doing this, you ensure that you’ll have people coming into your shop.
You must also confirm whether the desired business location suits your massage therapy business. If you have a multi-bed clinic, naturally, you’d have to acquire a large space. However, if it’s a mobile shop, then the requirement would understandably be smaller.
Most important of all, you should check with local zoning and ascertain that the area allows commercial business. Otherwise, you would have to secure permission from your local council.
Working Out Your Prices
Pricing your products and services is a serious task. You must ensure that every set retail price will be able to cover your costs, and there should be a markup for profit.
Cost of Goods Sold or COGS is calculated as the sum of all material costs, rent, overhead costs (utilities), insurance costs and other direct costs. After factoring in all these costs, add the desired profit percentage or amount to determine your retail price.
Prices must be regularly reviewed in keeping with rising costs of production and related cost factors. It is also important to stay aware of competitor prices to ensure that your massage therapy clinic is offering products and services at attractive prices.
Final Thoughts
In this guide, you’ve learned all the primary and essential considerations when starting a massage therapy business. Now, it’s time to apply the principles you’ve learned about budgeting, marketing, legal research and more. Follow this guide and you’ll be off to a great start!
Becoming an excellent massage therapist requires in-depth knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, and an understanding of the body’s reaction to pain, stress, and illness, as well as developing your business instincts to ensure continued success.
