So you know who the ideal clients are for your sports massage practice, and the specific problems they would pay to have solved. But why should they choose you?

If you have done a good job of answering the previous two questions (see past two posts), you are already well on your way, because:

1. By focusing on a clearly defined segment of the sports massage market you will be setting yourself up as an expert in that area.
2. By addressing a prospective client's biggest challenges, it shows that you really understand them. Then, naturally, they will want to know if you have a solution that works.

In your marketing materials you can also increase the chance that they will choose you by telling them:

• How you would address their problems.
• The experience you have working with other athletes in that market.
• Specific results some of your clients have achieved.
• The kind of clients you've been able to help who have similar problems.
• Any rewards or recognition you've received.
• How your services will affect the quality of their sport and their life.

By mastering these things you will be well on your way to creating success in the exciting field of sports massage.

What specifically are your ideal sports massage clients looking for? What problems do they have that you could help them with?

Let's delve a little deeper here. Let's say you work with runners who want the competitive edge. It may be true, but not too exciting to put on a business card or brochure.

But what if you overheard one of your clients say to another, "I'm so tired of always coming in second... I'd so love to cross the finish line first for once."

Now, do you think that is something that they want and will pay for? Absolutely! So try to get past the obvious clichés and get inside the head of your ideal prospective massage clients. Find out what they really want.

And if you don't know, do some research and ask them. Then use this in all your promotional materials to attract more perfect clients.

So in this, and in upcoming posts, I'll be sharing with you three things you need to know to be successful in this growing field.

1. Who do you work with?

You might think this is a bit obvious. But saying that your target market is athletes is not specific enough to help you attract an abundance of your ideal clients.

You need to delve a little deeper and ask yourself what type of sports massage practice you would like to build, and who would be the most rewarding athletes for you to work with.

For example, is there a specific sport that you feel connected to? Are you a runner, a skier, a golfer? Do you love dance or practice yoga? Have you always been fascinated by sculling or rock climbing?

Or have you considered working with a specific segment of the population? As the baby boomers age there's a growing demand for therapists who really understand the unique challenges that "mature" athletes face. Perhaps your passion is working with athletes with disabilities, or weekend warriors, or with elite athletes?

Is there a particular injury that you have expertise in working with? Maybe you really like working with athletes who have knee injuries, or carpal tunnel, or back problems.

Of course, if you have a big enough population to draw from, you could narrow your market even further, for example, swimmers with shoulder issues, or skiers with ankle injuries.

And don't worry about getting stuck in a narrowly defined field. When I lived in Kona, Hawaii I focused my practice on working with triathletes training for the Ironman. When the word got out about my massage successes, I began getting calls from NFL football players who were coming to Hawaii in their off season to recover from injuries. So don't worry about getting bored!

These tables are heavy, (as you can see it took two guys and a trolley to move it) and so the shipping costs can be considerable. There was one vendor that I was considering buying my table from as they had it listed for a little bit less than competing sites.

But their web site said that after I placed my order I would be contacted by a representative and told the shipping method and cost.

That seemed a little dodgy to me so instead I called the company before I ordered. Good thing too - the amount they wanted to add for shipping was very high.

I did a bit more research and found my table at another site where the actual table was a little more expensive, but they were running a special and the shipping was FREE!

That saved me a couple hundred dollars! So if you are looking for an electric massage table do shop around and look for special packages.

By the way, my dog JJ wasn't too excited about the new table, but he LOVED the box.

But others have the additional flexibility of moving in sections, so that you can position the client even more precisely.

Our last electric table had three sections that moved independently, which was really nice.

But the massage table that we really liked this time around (as it matched all of our other criteria) only came with two options. We could get it flat, or with a tilt option.

We didn't know if we would use the tilt feature that much, but as the difference in price was minimal (all things considered) we chose the tilt option as it allowed us to position the client anywhere from slightly elevated to a full seated position.

As it turns out, I'm so glad we made that choice because we use the tilt feature quite a lot. It's especially great for when a client is congested, or is uncomfortable for any reason lying flat.

I'd highly recommend that you consider a similar option if you are going to invest in an electric table too.

However, unlike portable massage tables, hydraulic or electric lift tables sometimes have the motor boxed in under the table in a way that reduces leg room considerably. We knew this would not work for us.

Other electric tables have legs that cross in a way that could also restrict your choice of positions when working on a client. For example, sitting at the side of the table could be a challenge.

So if leg room is a factor for you too, do choose your new electric table carefully.

When I was researching tables I didn't think I would use hand controls, so in the end I chose a table that shipped with one set of foot pedals. My last electric table had two sets of foot pedals, one for each end of the table (or each side if you prefer).

I decided to try it with just the one set, but I made sure before I bought my table that I could add an extra set later if I wanted to.

What I found was that I really missed the second set. The pedals somehow always ended on the other side of the table when I needed them.

So I ordered an extra set of foot controls (if you do this, don't forget the "splitter" that lets you plug both sets into the motor unit) and I am so glad I did.

I do recommend you get two sets of controls. When you are spending this much money anyway, it's well worth a bit extra to make your life so much easier.

I have found that "silent" is a subjective term when it comes to a company describing its table. Of course, if you can try out a table before you buy it that is ideal.

If not, you can always go online and read some reviews of the table you are thinking about. I'm happy to say that our new table is virtually silent, which is really nice. Our old one sounded a bit like a locomotive was in the room.

Also check out how smoothly the table glides up and down, and how quickly or slowly it moves. Again, this may be something you have to do via online reviews.

With a good table you can hardly even tell (if at all) when the table is moving. My husband (also a massage therapist) and I had fun with this. We took turns lying on the table with our eyes closed while the other person adjusted the height. We found that neither of us could accurately determine when the table started moving, but there was a slight "settling" sensation when it came to rest. Not bad!

We also liked that our table moves very slowly and the control pedals are very precise.

However, there are additional considerations that are unique to buying an electric lift table. One of the first things you'll have to decide upon is how low to the ground and how high up you would like the table to go.

For my husband and I, it was more important for the type of work that we do that the table went as low to the floor as possible. It mattered less how high, as long as it had about a 12 inch height range (which is the difference between the lowest and the highest setting).

I found that some tables had more range of movement and some less, but 12 inches seems to be about average.

So think about your clients (do they need a lot of help getting on and off the table, in which case one that goes lower to the floor may be better) and the type of massage that you do (for example, if you do a lot of work standing, make sure you choose a table that lifts up high enough).

So be sure to look for a hydraulic table that meets your height requirements.

But that's just the first thing... more to come.

It was not the most comfortable table in the world, that's for sure. And it was clunky and noisy.

But my oh my... the convenience of being able to adjust the height and position with a touch of a button were well worth it.

One of its biggest drawbacks was its weight - it was HEAVY. So when I left the islands I sadly left it behind (much to the delight of the therapist who inherited it).

My somewhat mobile lifestyle made it impractical to replace it right away, but I missed it so much. Once you have experienced the delights of using an electric table, it's hard to go back.

When I finally went to replace my hydraulic table a couple of months ago, I was blown away with the selection now available. They've come a long way baby! They now come in a huge range of both price and features.

More about that later....

Meanwhile, if you have any comments about the pros and cons (yes there are a few) of using an electric table versus a portable one, do let me know. You can reach me at elizabeth @ massagebusinesscenter.com.

There are endless possibilities for great partnerships. However it's a lot easier to pick those key referral partners when you're crystal clear about who your target market is, and how you serve that market in a unique way.

Your ideal partner will have the same target market as you, but offer different but complimentary services or products to your own.

However, if you haven't defined your niche yet, don't let that stop you. My first alliance was with a chiropractor when I was straight out of massage school. It worked because he liked my work, he knew I had great training, our services were complimentary, and he was the kind of guy that when he suggested something, his patients really listened.

In exchange for use of a treatment room in his clinic and as many referrals as I could handle, I worked for him a few hours a week, massaging patients prior to adjustments. In addition to having a thriving practice in no time at all, he became my mentor, and I learned a lot from him about how to run a successful business.

So don't let lack of experience stop you. But do approach the potential partners in your community in a professional manner. I will be writing more about how to do that in upcoming posts, so do pop back!

But why would a potential partner want to send you referrals in the first place? What's in it for them?

The obvious answer is that you could refer your clients back to them. But what if you currently don't have a large client base or are just getting started in your business?

Well, there are many other benefits that you could offer your potential partner. Here are just some of them:

• They are seen as holistic for referring to massage.
• It helps them build good rapport with their clients.
• You can offer them and their staff (or family) massage.
• You can make their work easier (in the case of, for example, a chiropractor or dentist).

If you have thought of others, hit the "comments" link below and please let us know.

What part does Passion and Purpose play in your massage business? Hit the comment link below and let me know.

In the coming weeks I hope to interview the other convention speakers for this blog. Meanwhile, I'm off to give one of my presentations...

I can tell I am in Seattle because, whereas hotels in most cities offer robes in the room, in Seattle you get..... an umbrella!

More convention updates to come.

P stands for Promoting. In other words, they are currently engaged in promotional activities in their own business. This lets you know they are looking to grow their business and makes it easier to create win-win-win relationships.

So now you have the 4 key qualities to look for when choosing referral partners. To recap, they are:

P = Purposeful
E = Enthusiastic
R = Respectful
P = Promoting

PERP!

And remember, the more the potential referral partner knows you, trusts you and believes in you, the better. It may take some time, but you can literally fill your practice with one great alliance.