the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

[Dilligas]

Did anyone pursue the listing by globalbodyworks.com listed in Employers Looking for Therapists?They are offering a whopping $28 per hour, and claim it is more than half of what they are getting from the client company.When are people going to stop charging $1/minute - or LESS!!

 

[Jonty]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

R&R,I hate to say this but I think it all has to depend on the metro area you're working in. Cost of living varies so greatly city to city/state to state. Charging $1/minute for chair massage if perfectly fine in a LOT of areas and is actually the going/expected rate. I notice throughout your various posts since having found this site that you really wish EVERYONE would charge more for chair massage but you really can't get frustrated for folks charging "the norm" for their area. Not sure why it upsets you so...Be well,Jen

 

[spaghetti arms]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

$28/hr for chair? Eww.I charge $1/minute ($60/hr) which is still $20 more per hour than table massage in my area. Most people drop their jaw at $5 for 5 minutes, saying I charge too much. They don't bat an eye at paying $30 for a full set of nails and polish. :

 

[blueegg90]

i actually agree with relax. i think it undervalues what we do. i've been a therapist for almost 9 years now, & the going rate when i was in school was a dollar a minute. at what point do we deserve a 'raise' as a group? and furthermore, what other profession out there has been working for the same money for the last 9 years?as for the company, not for me  ;D thanks anyway آ 

 

[Michael M]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

The "norm" is set by the therapists, and too many of them sell themselves short. Why would I not be upset by this? it limits my ability to make a living. Everyone gripes about WalMart driving the Mom & Pops out of business with their lower prices - it should not be OK for mom & pops to give it away and affect the ability of others to thrive.Seforum.xxxg lives in a very affordable part of the country and charges $1/minute, which is MORE that the situation I was referring to (which happens to be a corporate paying event in South Florida and Atlanta).This forum is to help therapists thrive, and 90% of the struggles are driven by low rates. Want your spa to pay you more, they have to charge more, but if sole practitioners give it away, spas have to price accordingly.

 

[SweetasanAngel]

I think this issue has more to do with the public's perception of massage than therapists selling themselves short.  There are plenty of good therapists struggling just to teach their communities about the benefits of massage, and not making much money.  Some people are happy to do this - they feel a calling to educate people about a way to enhance their lives!  If we all lived in progressive locations, maybe we'd all be making more money, and people would flock to us, and we'd all be wealthy, but that's just not the way it is.  America has been too conservative for too long, and doctors have become gods in this country.  My own family doctor has said to my own grandmother that I'm not qualified to touch his patients!Also, our country is not in its best state right now.  We are fighting two wars, and millions of people are out of work, and these aren't just lower-class citizens.  I'm content being thankful that my brother made it out of Afghanistan alive after 13 months of combat, and that I have a nice apartment, and I'm not going hungry.What we do is very important, but I don't think (no offense) arguing over how much we charge per minute is the issue.  I think our intentions and our credibility are far more important issues to getting us where we would like to be financially.  We can't get financial recognition until we acheive credibility.

 

[fast eddy]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

The price you charge has a lot to do with your credibility.Low prices - particularly in a field like massage - connote lack of licensure, working under the table or worse, something not worth charging for.once upon a time, Made in Japan = cheap, shoddy. These days, low prices = cheap, shoddy

 

[Pompal 09.]

The cost of living only keeps going up, and it impacts all of us as MTs, and our clients.  The fact is that Americans want value!  Charge what you like, but you really have no right to blame anyone.I received a very good eduaction, and I'm charging $50/hour for table massage, and I plan to charge $1/minute for chair.  My table rate is slightly less than the going rate in the area for the big spas for one reason, the local economy is suffering.  I want to bring in those who need massage, but have a difficult time affording extras, which is precisely what a lot of people think massage is!  This goes right back to credibility...we need to be more worried about educating the public about the true benefits of massage, that it should be part of their healthcare, over what everyone is charging!I became a massage therapist becuase I believe in its power to heal, not because I want to make $100,000/year.

 

[drgnrdr451]

R&R, what would be the appropriate amount for me to charge in my town for chair massage? A lot of the time, seems like I can't get anyone on the chair even when it is FREE!  While we're on a subject, maybe not the same subject, how do you get the people that are on the chair to make the trip to the home office to hop onto the table?  And, what would be the appropriate amount to charge?  I'm in Rochester, MN

 

[Lewis]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

We don't! Chair massage does not = table massage.We don't believe chair massage has anything to do with any other spa or therapeutic service. We offer chair massage to corporate accounts, only. We don't do it at spa parties. We don't do it for free ANYWHERE - someone is always paying us to be there because it is NOT going to turn into referrals.If you think of it in restaurant terms, chair massage is chips and salsa. Table massage is a nice entree. Giving one away does not sell the other. They usually take the free food and go somewhere else to get the entree they want.Your chair massage rates should be at least as much as your office rates, if not higher. Why? To make up for downtown/no shows. Because you are going to them. Because you may have to find someone to work with you to handle a large group/client and that has to be worth at least $30/hour pain and suffering for you. Because you are either dealing with the company - which means you have to wait to get paid, or you are collecting multiple payments which is a hassle and more costly.Seforum.xxxg charges $40/hour when you come to his spa, but $60 for chair. Those rates may be appropriate for his part of TX, but the important thing is the spread between the two.I am always astounded at how chair massage companies - not just sole practitioners - do major tradeshow events and charge clients $1/minute (magicians at tradeshows get $100 per hour and more). These companies spend up to a million dollars to create a tradeshow booth, transport it, staff it and hand out goodies. Do you think they care if they spend $8,000 or $12,000 for chair massage out of that budget? Not a chance! But because Infinite Massage and their ilk are too timid to charge what is it worth, Fortune 500 companies think it should be $1/minute everywhere by every practitioner.

 

[Rossonero NorCal SFECU]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

We don't believe chair massage has anything to do with any other spa or therapeutic service.

If you believe chair massage has no therapeutic benefits, then why do it?  

 

[Kyra]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

If you believe chair massage has no therapeutic benefits, then why do it?  

You are exactly right, Breathe. I said there is no linkage between the two, so there is no reason to discount one in hopes of getting the other to happen.

As for pricing, even in Portland $1/minute is too low. Most day spas charge $80 - $90 an hour and most sole practioners are in the $60 - 65 range. So why do you charge the same or less to TRAVEL to your client, where you are likely to have NO SHOWS you can't collect on and scheduling takes 4x the effort?

Would you charge your office rate to do a one hour housecall? You charge MORE for the same drive, less set up/change over time, less scheduling hassle, less payment hassle and always recoup a NO SHOW. And what if you chair client needs a second therapist? You have to find the, coordinate their schedule, handle their payments, hope they show up on time, pay them for no shows and for what? Maybe $20 an hour because you are only charging $60 and have to pay at least $35 to make it worth anyone's time.

It just does not make sense not to charge more for chair massage. It is more work in every sense of the word!

 

[Miss Ryder]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

i have done a corporate party, paid by them every year for 5 years. this is a major cable company that serves my area.i have yet to receive one table massage from any of the participants (approx. 30-40 people)~ even though they love it, look forward to it every year, and pick up biz cards and service menus.i can cite pretty much every single corporate account i have done, and just once got a table massage out of it.chair does not turn to table.

 

[spirit]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

I like the idea of charging $5 to get on the chair and a $1 a minute thereafter.As for seated massage not having any therapeutic benefits...hogwash! As soon as you put your hands on a person, you effect their metabolic balance, changing it. Granted, effect is more limited because we've only a few minutes to work, but I've relieved plenty of people with neck strain, headaches, and other pains with a a 15-minute tune-up.As for chair massage being a guarantee of future table business, nothing is a guarantee. But, at least with a chair session, the client is able to feel the quality and energy of your touch (including those hard to reach, ewww!-another-guy-touching-me guys).

 

[cupidgirl]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

You might want to consider doing your block pricing on overall usage.Our clients do a 40 - 100 hour contract for the year or half year, all hours at the one rate. It makes it easier for people to budget, small depts don't feel like they are being punished for being small and it creates an incentive for the company to find ways to use your service.

 

[oden13]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

I received a very good eduaction,

I'm not trying to sound rude, and I know it was just a simple typo, and that it happens to me all the time, but I thought the above quote was ironically funny.

 

[fenix]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

Ah, yes...I am not in it for the money. When I hear that, I show them the door. The first thing they will do is nickel and dime you - "Reimburse my parking", "pay me for the one 10 minute chair massage no show".Nothing gives credibility more than success. If you are busy you are good. May not be true, but try to convince others of that! If you are always available, jump through hoops to get a one off client, and cut your rates when it is slow your clients will treat you accordingly.I could not agree more. Charge to the hilt, then give away your money. You even get a tax write off so you have more money to give away!As for the non-philosophical question - block pricing. We do it several ways. Company subsidized - they pay upfront their share of the hours in the contract and employees pay their "co pay" at time of service. So we collected $1500 before starting but only $80 for 8x 15 mins. sessions at time of service.For 100% company sponsored events - after each event, the organizer (be it HR, a department head or team manager) gets sent an invoice for X hours x Y contract rate. They pay in 30 days or we accept a CC. Each month the HR manager who signed the contract gets an account status of hours used / hours remaining.

 

[DanP]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

I'm not trying to sound rude, and I know it was just a simple typo, and that it happens to me all the time, but I thought the above quote was ironically funny.

lol

 

[Asche]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

I only transposed two letters.

 

[delouse]

the Massage Envy of Chair Massage?

R&R, I am a new therapist thats trying to start up a chair massage business. The problem that I am having is that many companies see it as a one time "thank you" or some other special event for the employees. Not a wellness program/benifit that should be on going. How can I bridge that gap?