Having basic marketing skills is essential to expanding any massage therapy practice. Succinctly delivering an “elevator pitch” is a key practice for gaining new clients. An elevator pitch is a compelling introduction that is short enough to deliver while ascending or descending floors in an elevator. The idea here is to create a polished, interesting statement that draws in listeners. Then, you can hand each listener a card and mention your new client special before the elevator doors open to the destination floor. Of course, there are many occasions outside of elevators where this pitch will come in handy—networking events, dinner parties, volunteer events—basically any time you need to make a good impression for your business.
Included in this post are some dos and dont’s for a successful pitch. Also included are some simple formulas for crafting an elevator speech with minimal effort.
Massage Therapist Career Tips: Creating an Elevator Pitch
1.) Avoid jargon and internal language.
In any profession it is easy to start using an “internal language.” With our colleagues we naturally use terminology or concepts of the profession. Perhaps we learned these in our massage certification program or picked them up around the clinic. Keep this internal language out of your elevator speech! Practice your pitch with someone who knows little to nothing about your massage license and ask them if what you said made sense. Similarly, avoid jargon or buzzwords in general. These words such as “streamline,” “synergy,” or “paradigm shift” can make you seem pretentious, or can cause your listener to preemptively tune you out.
2.) Keep it concise and to the point.
It can be very challenging to sum up your professional practice in a few sentences. It’s what you live and breathe every day! Here are a few formulaic suggestions that you can alter as needed to suit your style:
“I support” I support ______ in their desire to ______ by means of ____________. Example: I support athletes in their desires to stay on top of their game and heal injury by means of regular maintenance massage and rehabilitation.
3.) “You know how”
You know how name a problem of your target market ? I tell them about your simple, fast, effective solution to that problem.
Example: You know how everyone seems to have tense, painful shoulders from working at a desk all day? I help people relax and enjoy life through regular massage therapy.
“People tell me” People tell me that I list the benefits that you provide or the problems that you solve.
Example: People tell me that I listen to their needs about their body and healing massage therapy to resolve their aches and pain.
4.) Try utilizing a question.
When someone asks about what you do, it is often helpful to ask them a question to gauge their interest and to engage their attention. For example, you may ask them something like, “Have you ever received regular massage?” and proceed to tell them about the benefits your clients enjoy from weekly massages. You can tailor your answer to match the listeners’ interests or prior knowledge.
5.) Know your “product.”
Along with a snazzy elevator speech, it is important to be ready with broad knowledge of your profession and be able to answer questions from your “audience.” Try to anticipate questions and diversify your knowledge of the massage field. Your ability to answer complex questions will draw new referrals to you.
Though it might seem silly, practice your elevator pitch in the mirror and with friends. Take the time to create a clear, engaging, and concise elevator pitch. Next time you are asked about what you do, your carefully crafted pitch will fluidly roll off your tongue and impact your audience, and your practice, for the better.
