I have vacillated over selling retail merchandise in my Batesville massage office since I first opened….and I have received differing opinions on the decision.
My massage instructor was a “purist” and saw no reason to be a sales person. She was strictly massage and only worked with clients who had a doctor’s prescription for massage. To her, tipping and retail sales were an insult to our work as health professionals. – (I’m not getting into the tipping discussion here. That’s another topic in itself!) – She was a huge influence on me as a student because I really valued her experience and knowledge.
Okay, here come the marketing and retail experts telling me that I can make more money in my business without the physical effort of doing massages. Some of these experts I know personally and they are very successful business people. All I need to do is stock product and promote it. Sounds easy and it produces profit.
What to do….what to do???
I use some products that I really believe in and would like my clients to have access to at home. Of course, they’re not available at your local drug store.
So this is how I’m handling my indecision. I’m asking my clients if they like the products I might stock and would they buy them given the opportunity. I’ve also been giving out samples for home use. The feedback has been positive so far.
Here’s a link to a Facebook page for massage therapists, Retail Mastery, that I’ll be keeping an eye on for retail advice and ideas as I make my decision and put a plan into action.
Angel Light Therapeutic Massage 