How To Raise Your Rates
Learning how to raise your rates is one of the keys to a successful massage business or any other business for that matter. The best guidelines are to raise your rates once a year at the same time each year and also to raise your rates when your schedule is so full that you can't get anyone in for a few weeks or a month. That will usually weed out the people who are not serious about their health. Many massage therapists think that they need to cater to people on low income and have a hard time raising their rates each year or even ever. When I first started out in business an accountant of mine told me I should not raise my rates because I would lose clients. I did lose a few and each time I do raise my rates I lose a few, but I also always gain a few who are willing to pay my going rates. Most people will stay in your practice and will pay the extra fee very willingly. If people don't want to pay more, then they might not be the right client for you. Yes there may be some people who really are on a fixed income or single mothers or things like that who really can't pay more. You will have to decide if your practice can handle working for a lower amount and absorb the loss without hurting your business. It is common practice to raise your rates once a year. It is usually a good to set a time frame and raise your rates in the same month each year. If you are afraid of losing clients that would be a good topic for peer supervision. The fear of losing clients is real but it is also usually based on irrational fear. Many massage therapists take it personally when they lose a massage client thinking that they did not do enough or do a good enough massage or offer a low enough price. You don't have to do much really to announce your rate changes other than changing the fees on your website and putting a sign up in your office and telling people as they come in. You may want to write an announcement letter and mail it to your clients. Instead of focusing on the rate increase though, use it as an opportunity to market to people in another way such as making them an offer to buy a series of massages before your rate increase at the regular rate. You don't really need to explain why you are raising your rates or anything like that. You don't owe people an explanation. You deserve to make the money that you need to stay in business and succeed! There will always be someone who is offering massage at a lower rate. When you fall into competing on price your integrity is also compromised. When you de-value your work, you devalue yourself. || FAQ's || Career Guides || Websites || Supervision || About Me || |
