Corporate Massage...huh??

[Hammy]

Been reading lots of posts here and this question keeps coming to mind when I read some things here...

What is corporate massage? They book your appointments? How do I get corporate jobs?

I think this is what I might be looking for 1-2 days per week, but I need more info....

Thank you so much!

Jen

 

[Tanya]

Hi Jen

What is corporate massage?

Corporate massage is basically when a therapist brings their chair (or sometimes their table, but almost always the chair) to a company and does on-site massage of its employees.

They book your appointments? How do I get corporate jobs?

That all depends. These gigs run the gamut. Personally, I was once contacted by the manager of the admin office of an apartment complex. She was planning an employee meeting and as a gesture of appreciation, she wanted to book half-hour clothed table massages for her office staff and herself (for a total of 8 half-hour massages). (Personally, when I get a call for that much consecutive business, I cut them a pricing break. Created a lot of goodwill and I still did quite well that day.) For that gig, it was just me, acting independently.

This last week I was contacted by a company that goes around to corporations in our metro area and advertises chair massage to them. The companies sign up through the chair massage company and pay the chair massage company, which in turn contracts with MTs (on an IC basis) and pays them directly for each hour of massage (something like $35/hr). (Personally, I haven't taken them up on this yet, because I would rather put my energy into my own clients who come to my home office, and make twice the money for my time.) But, these companies are GREAT if they're a step up or if business is slow, or if you're getting started building your business, because they do the marketing for you and they contract with you, sometimes sporadically and other times on a regular basis.

So it just depends. You can go it alone and approach companies yourself if you have your own chair, good personal/negotiating/marketing skills, and the willpower to do it, OR you can contract with one of these companies. Another option you could pursue is to start your own little chair massage group with a couple of VERY trusted friends who would also be interested in a similar arrangement. If you choose to act independently or with friends (i.e. outside of a chair massage company), it is a MUST to cover all your bases. Have a good tax preparer so you can take full advaneforum.xxxe of deductions without risking any trouble, set policies--even if you're acting as a sole practitioner--regarding cancellation of a gig, pricing (make sure you get what you're worth!), travel radius, etc. It's also good to come up with a short little chair massage intake form...yes, you'll only be seeing these ppl for 15 mins or so, but you do want SOME form of documentation of the fact that you worked on them and that they consented to be worked on, along with a short list of the main common contraindications, etc. You can never be too careful in our sue-happy society

Hope this helps
Cheers,
~Jyoti

 

[Keegzz]

Jyoti,

Thanks very much for all your time explaining that to me. I think this is what I'd like to do a couple days per week, since I am brand spanking new building my own business. How do I get in touch with one of these companies who would use me as their contractor? What are they called? Thanks again for all your info. I really appreciate it.

Jen

 

[Pompal 09.]

I can see myself bringing a massage chair to a random corporate business park asking for massage like a dope. The receptionist would be like, "Can I help you?" And I would then tell her I am soliciting for massage at their office. Before calling security, she'd tell me I'd be better off holding a cardboard sign at street corners looking for handouts. Seems like a weird way to get business. Also once you are in this office complex how do you massage privately in one of those cubicles? I can see myself working on some person and then their co-workers would keep coming by asking said person for help but not realizing he /she was getting a massage. Awkward to say the least.

 

[My Golden Jewel <3]

It does work! I have done chair massage in conference rooms, in the person's office, and tucked into a lunch room or between cubicles.

With chair massage, the people relax no matter what is going on around them. Table massage or reflexology needs peace and quiet to be effective.

Getting in to the companies is the hardest challenge - the staff love it, but many bosses think this is just a waste of (their) time, not realizing that the staff will be more productive after a massage. It's a matter of convincing the boss (or HR person), whether they are paying for it or the employee is paying for it. Offer them a free trial massage and see how they change their mind.

 

[Anna S]

I can see myself bringing a massage chair to a random corporate business park asking for massage like a dope. The receptionist would be like, "Can I help you?" And I would then tell her I am soliciting for massage at their office. Before calling security, she'd tell me I'd be better off holding a cardboard sign at street corners looking for handouts. Seems like a weird way to get business. Also once you are in this office complex how do you massage privately in one of those cubicles? I can see myself working on some person and then their co-workers would keep coming by asking said person for help but not realizing he /she was getting a massage. Awkward to say the least.

t102

Usually you contact these companies through HR (Human Resources) and not the receptionist. It is a business proposal, usually to a corporate company, and so it is handled like a legitimate business proposal and not a walk-in with your chair, while hoping someone will let you work.

 

[Eloise]

Scizzors - Are there any companies in your area, large or small, with which you are familiar? That would be a good place to start. Write them a brief letter, addressed to Human Resources, offering chair massage as a means for the company to reward employees for work well done, compensation for long hours spent on a project, etc. Explain how the massage work is done w/ the individuals clothed, etc., the length of each massage, etc. If you have any brochures or other literature regarding chair massage, throw that in as well. State that you will call the company in a week to ten days to discuss with the HR folks the information that you have sent, and then follow through with that. You never can tell unless you try............


Best wishes for your new endeavor.....
J

 

[:pms:]

Hi Jen,

Corporate massages take place in business offices where employees sign up for massages. There will usually be a a sign -in sheet with a time slot. Duration is usually 1-2 hrs when employees are on lunch break. So you go there with your chair and do 10min or 15min massages at a rate of $1/minute. I hope this helps.

Christy M.T

 

[georgemaddenbarcelona]

I refuse to do any "buck a minute" massage anymore. I don't charge a "buck a minute" for my office work, so why should I shortchange myself at a client site, where I have to factor in drive-time, set-up, significant cumulative time between clients, tear down, etc.

I charge $80/hour for corporate accounts where I bring my chair, and $95/first hour-80 each add'l hour for any corporate account where I have to bring a table. And yes, they pay.