4 Ways to Keep Your Massage Practice Sustainable During COVID-19

The Impact of the Coronavirus on Bodywork

Touch is a critical part of our wellbeing as it helps promote connectedness, boosts immunity, and releases the love hormone, oxytocin. As important as it is, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is making it harder than ever to receive these benefits and practitioners across the industry are feeling it’s effects. Some are seeing appointment cancellations, and some are temporarily closing their practices.

It’s crucially important to follow the recommendations from the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) and practice adequate hand washing, along with social distancing. 

While these actions are vital to our society, what are bodyworkers to do during this time when their whole business is based on touch? If you’re a massage therapist, there are a few steps you can take to help make sustainability a possibility during this time of outbreak.

1. Communicate!

Let them know that you have valued them as clients of your small business, and if they still want to support you during this challenging time, purchasing gift certificates for future use is a great way to do that!

2. Bring awareness to your sterilization process for future bookings once this has subsided

Rightfully so, people are on high-alert when it comes to sterilization. Let them know you’re following guidelines provided by the CDC, using hand sanitizer, washing your hands, and properly disinfecting your tables and supplies. When they are ready to come back after COVID has subsided, you are a safe place to be. 

3. Begin offering digital self-care classes 

As the Coronavirus continues to spread, there’s a good chance you will experience a lull in your services. If this happens, look at your digital options. Even if you can’t provide touch to your clients, you can still help them virtually. Through classes like Yomassage Self-Care, you can help your clients learn how to utilize self-massage balls, walk them through stretches, mindfulness, and provide an opportunity to connect with another person outside of their own four walls. This is an option in-person or via a video conference platform! You could also offer online guided meditations. 

Offering these touch points for your clients is a beautiful opportunity to connect virtually during this time of social distancing. There is no better time than now to see what your brand can offer to your clientele digitally. 

The Yomassage team will be offering free Yomassage Self-Care classes and Mindfulness sessions over FB live in our FB group throughout this time. You can join our group here: www.facebook.com/groups/yomassage

Read Next: How To Work Virtually With Your Massage Clients

4. Revamp your marketing plan and invest in distance learning

Once you have a clear read on what you can expect from your clientele, and have assessed your business plan - take some time to reflect. What can you do to come back with a bang? Revamp your marketing plan. How can you reach more people? After a long period of social distancing, we will need connection more than ever. How can you reach the people who need it the most? 

Create a vision board. What do you want your career to look like? How can you improve your business? How can you spend this time investing in yourself? 

As a massage therapist, CEUs are super important. Use this period of time to build up all the tools in your toolbox. What online options are available to continue your education? Yomassage offers several online training options that can help fulfill your education requirements. 

Hibernation Can Mean Reinvention 

While you’re looking at all the ways to keep your massage services fruitful during this time, keep checking-in with yourself, too. While you’re taking all of the precautionary measures, take self-care measures as well. Find time to meditate, relax, or watch a movie. Be gentle with yourself. 

As difficult as it is, try and look at this period of time like a reset, and a fresh start. When people come out of this hibernation period, there will be a big need for connection - through massage, through community gatherings, through safe touch. 

To stay up-to-date with the latest on COVID-19, follow the Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization, and trusted resources like National Public Radio. 

If you want to learn more, check out our step-by-step comprehensive course that will walk you through taking your practice online for only $69.99! Learn more here.