Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/142672
on investment, assuming you follow the advice you receive. I attend them myself, even though I've authored a book on the subject. I like to hear ideas from other therapists who are entrepreneurs, and my personal attitude is that the day I think I know it all is the day I need to quit. Many times, massage schools only teach a few hours of business to their entry-level students—not nearly enough to prepare them for the real word. This fact alone is probably why many therapists investment. Don't overlook the power of the press release, or social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, for getting out the word about your new offerings. Be sure to post the news on all your social networking sites, and send your local media outlets a short blurb about what you've learned. If you've been thinking about learning a new modality, you may want to gauge the competition in your area to see what's already being offered and what seems to be lacking. For example, if you An Attitude Adjustment If you're one of those folks who dreads continuing education (CE), think of it as an opportunity, not an obligation. Liz Berry, author of The China Garden (HarperTeen, 1999), said, "Education isn't for getting a job. It's about developing yourself as a human being." Once you decide to think of it in the context that gaining knowledge is never a waste of time, you begin to appreciate it more. There are CE opportunities out there that will increase your business and enable you to work smarter instead of harder. Resolve to relish that instead of resenting it. It's all about the attitude! exit the field after only a couple of years. Attending business classes can be the difference in making it or breaking it, especially if you're self-employed. CE on bookkeeping, creating databases, market research, taxes, writing business plans, and many other subjects that may have been lacking when you were in massage school are available. New Tools, More Clients Learning new modalities or techniques—and then spreading the word that you've done so—is another way to get a return on your live in a small town and there are already six practitioners offering lymphatic drainage, you might want to go in a different direction for your CE. If you plan to specialize in a certain modality, look around first and see what isn't available. How will you know you're recouping the money you spend for CE? Track the return on your investment. Currently, the four courses required to become certified in the Vodder Techniques of Manual Lymph Drainage and Combined Decongestive Therapy, for example, total approximately $4,000. If we add on another $2,000 for travel to the course site, lodging, and meals, that's $6,000. At my facility, a lymph drainage session is $90, meaning it takes 67 sessions to recoup that cost. With an average of three sessions a day, five days a week, that money can be earned back in slightly more than a month. As mentioned earlier, money may not be the only return on your investment, although it's certainly a good one. Learning to do your own taxes, creating your own graphic designs, or building your own website can save you hundreds of dollars in professional fees. Time is something most people wish they had more of, so learning how to save time by streamlining office duties is a great thing—and time, ultimately, is money. SPH Laura Allen is the author of A Massage Therapist's Guide to Business, Plain & Simple Guide to Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork Examinations, and One Year to a Successful Massage Therapy Practice. Allen is the owner of THERASSAGE, a continuing education facility and alternative wellness clinic with more than a dozen practitioners.