Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/142672
brand to build your business Pretend you're one Expanding our practices to become more profitable can be done in a number of ways, such as hiring employees. However, many of these options require a great deal of investment money. Branding yourself successfully allows you to capitalize on those secondary revenue opportunities without having to tie up a lot of your own money. One of the most overlooked, yet essential, elements about branding is the role it plays in helping your clients. It's no secret that the vast majority of the public has a minimal understanding of what bodywork is, much less how to select the right massage therapist for themselves. However, if you brand yourself effectively, you'll be able to provide valuable educational outreach to your clients and potential clients. Branding can explain who you are, the type of services you offer, the role massage plays in health care, the people who could benefit from massage, and what type of experience to expect from your practice. Elements of a Brand To build an effective brand, you need to address three distinct areas: your services, your message, and your visual cues. Your services. The combination of the experience and the quality of your work makes up the service component of branding. This is the most critical element. You might not have the best business cards or be the world's best public speaker, but if you excel at the service component of branding, of your clients and take a look at your practice. What is it like to get a massage from you? you'll build a strong practice. Without this element, you could have the best marketing in the world, and your practice will still not thrive. Pretend you're one of your clients and take a look at your practice. What is it like to get a massage from you? Is the practice in a bright, well-lit place that's easy to get to? When you walk into the office, is the reception area clean, restful, and pleasant? Does anyone greet you, or do you wait in icy silence until it's time for your appointment? Are there magazines to read or is music playing? The next element in this is obviously the work. It should go without saying that your goal as a therapist is to give all of your attention and the very best of your skills to your client. Yet, during one massage I received, I was sure the therapist didn't know if I was a man, a woman, or a penguin. Obviously, I didn't go back. That particular therapist made it clear to me that his brand was, "I'd rather be anywhere else right now." Your message. Every practice should have a message, also called a tag line. This message, in a few simple words, should sum up your practice and express something about your business and your style. For example, my practice is named The Bodywork Center. My tag line is "Tune-Ups for Healthy Living," a subtle play on the confusion my business name sometimes causes. A great tag line for a massage therapist should emphasize what the client hopes to get from the experience: flexibility, improved health, strength, or whatever your target audience values the most. Your visual cues. The visual elements of your brand are actually what most people think of when they hear the word branding. These are the items you see: graphic components used to attract customers' attentions and help bring them to your practice. Visual elements include the color scheme you use, logo, sounds, symbols, tag line or message, and the typeface or fonts associated with your company. Realistically, however, most massage therapists have neither the time nor the resources to explore equally every avenue of branding. Perhaps the most important element for the independent practitioner is a company logo. Once you have a powerful, effective logo, you can use that as the cornerstone of your branding efforts. Put your logo in your advertising, next to your listing in the phone book, on customized clothing, on your signage, on your