What is marketing?
People often confuse the term "marketing" with "advertising". They are not the same thing though. Knowing the difference between these two terms helps a businessperson to become more successful.
Simplistically, marketing includes four components: price, product, place and promotion.
Advertising really falls under the marketing term "promotion". You advertise, to promote your product. There are lots of ways to advertise and promote, which will be discussed in a separate article. There are still 3 other P's in a marketing solution or strategy.
The art of being successful in your practice will be dependent on your ability to secure a successful mix of the four marketing "P". It is crucial that you create, maintain and continue to evaluate your marketing mix.
Lets look at what Price, Product, Place and Promotion actually mean:
Price is the fee you charge for the goods and services you provide. Competitive pricing is essential to the success of your business. If your price is too low, your profitability will suffer on a number of fronts. Your clients may feel your services or products are under priced and therefore inferior. It is important to note that a superior Product, Place and Promotion together, can justify a higher price which clients are willing to pay for.
Product refers to your offerings for sale. You may offer various massage modalities and services including retail products for sale. Not all massage therapists offer the same massage modalities. Each modality can be viewed as a separate product requiring separate promotional activities. For example, if you are trained in sports massage, you have a unique offering for specific clients, compared to another therapist who does not offer this service. The sports massage target market is also different than the target market for relaxation massage. Interestingly, in the world of massage therapy, the therapist themselves, are considered part of the product offering. Your expertise, training, etiquette, friendliness, demeanor, appearance, after service, communication skills, and the all-important client experience, are all part of the product mix. After all, you are selling yourself first, as the purveyor of the final product.
Place does not actually refer to your place of business. Your place of business may be a studio, in your home, a spa or elsewhere. In the marketing mix however, place refers to having your goods in the right place at the right time. For example, if SonyTM wishes to sell a new model of digital camera for the Christmas season, but cannot distribute the product to stores in time, they will have failed to execute the place portion of their marketing mix. Similarly, if a Massage Therapist is not available on a regular schedule, cannot be reached in a timely manner or cancels client appointments too often, then the client will eventually take their business elsewhere. Likewise, if the therapist does not have access to client information quickly and efficiently, they likewise fail to have the required knowledge of their client (part of product) in the right place at the right time.
Promotion includes the term advertising. How should you promote your Massage Therapy practice? You can purchase paid advertising such as your Massage manEdger website1, radio, television, flyers, business cards, posters, advertising directories and similar advertising products. You can also carry out non-paid promotion. Examples would include; participation in a community radio, television, or a relevant Internet venue that is about massage therapy. The practice of Target Marketing will provide you with numerous ideas about how to promote your practice to various massage therapy users.
Note: Marketing 101 for massage therapists is intended to get you thinking about your marketing strategy. Your Massage manEdger website contains many business tools to allow you to market your practice effectively and profitably.
1 Your Massage manEdger website is a promotional vehicle that includes an advertising function. However, Massage manEdger, includes all four P's of marketing in its functionality and value. For example, the price you can charge for your goods and services may be slightly higher than a competitor because you have appointment booking online, confirmation emails online, and information about your modalities, specialties and products online. Clients are willing to pay for convenience. The product you offer clients includes all of the conveniences and the information you choose to include on your website. Therefore, Massage manEdger becomes an important part of your product offering. Place is a part of your Massage manEdger function because you offer your clients convenient bookings and relevant information 24/7/365 days a year. Your Massage manEdger website makes your appointment booking and information services available (place) when the client needs it. Promotion is part of your Massage manEdger function because it advertises your services, hours of operation, expertise, location, and prices. Additionally, you may advertise promotions via your sites branded e-mails. Massage manEdger provides another very important door to your practice for the general public and your client.
In short, Massage manedger is a lot more than a website. It is a complete marketing and business tool for the systematic planning, implementation and control of your practice.
