You are the Star!

Good Day Everyone!

If you are thinking of starting your own business or want to expand, it is probably because you have a desire to share your gifts, your knowledge and most of all your passion!

I have been teaching business to massage therapists for over 20 years. I always encourage my students to look at the things you excel at , believe in and bring you joy.


Have you ever watched a commercial, seen an ad or website that claims to do it all? Well, that makes me scratch my head personally.

When I look for a service, I look for someone with experience in their skill. Someone who may specialize in a service or concept. I want to make sure they've been around for a while and have proven themselves. I want to know their product or service is worthy  of my purchase and a good investment.

With so much on the internet these days it is easy to get confused!  I advise everyone to use caution when making choices. Ask your colleagues what books, classes or products they like. How has it supported them in their business?

What do you really need to become a Star?

What do you want to project to your potential clients? How do you stand out from your colleagues? What are your gifts?

1. What is your passion?

• Think about this clearly for moment. How would you answer the question?
• It's important to know your passion and your purpose. What is your life's work?

2. How will you manage your business? Staff? Clients?

• You must support your clients and your staff well
• What is your vision?
• Think of your employees as your partners
• Set goals together
• Encourage mutual success
• Listen to their ideas
• Empower your staff
• Think of your clients like family or close friends.
• Think how you want to be treated?
• What service do you expect?

3.  Seek to work from your highest place of wisdom!

• Integrity 
• Respect
• Value

4. Personal Mission Statement

• Every successful business has a mission statement
• What will drive you?
• Be honest about what you will provide
• What expectations are you creating for yourself and your potential clientele?

5. Responsibility

• Be responsible for your words and actions
• Your actions speak louder than your words
• How will you deliver your service, your management?
• What products do you believe in and endorse? Why?
• What are  you really trained in sufficiently? 
• Be truthful in your representation
• Set an example. You might be a role model for someone someday.

6. Shine your Light

• If you live with honor and dignity you will shine
• Respect and honor your spirit within as well as others
• Trust your intuition!
• Be the star you are meant to be! You have it all inside yourself.
• Believe in yourself!

Artwork and logos by Candy Thomen

These are just a few tidbits to help encourage you to gain your confidence,  tap into your resources, manage your business with integrity and be a shining Star!

A book that can help you manage with great customer service:

Managing with Aloha by Rosa Say

I also recommend Business Mastery, by Cherie Sohnen-Moe for your personal business guidance.

Seek your power within. Shine your light and you will always be bright ~ Gloria

Business for Success

I have been working on a conversion of my Live class to Online for months.

Coming soon!

Gloria Coppola, LMT, educator, author, massage therapist grandmother and inspirational workshop facilitator. She is passionate about Massage! Gloria has been in the healing arts for over 25+ years and a previous business manager for a successful neurology practice. Her gift is to encourage, enlighten and inspire!

Why write a blog for your business?

What prevents you from writing a blog? You say you can't write??? Surely you can express your views?

Writing a blog is like taking the words from your head and typing your thoughts on paper. It's like saying things to your friends or colleagues and putting them down here to share with others when you feel it's valuable.

I'm no expert in blogging, however, I have a few I share. One is for inspiration which really makes me happy to write about and share valuable quotes, resources and information. This one, obviously is to share my knowledge in business with those seeking some simple answers to promote themselves.

I use blogger from google because it's easy for me. There are many others out there you can find if you are savvy too. It's Free and if I have the time I can do it easily!

Why use a blog for business?

It's a way to get information out to people, especially people you don't know.
Yesterday, when I started my first blog on this topic 600 people viewed it!  Wow! There is obviously a need and interest for information. Easy stuff to do!

Getting Started

Set up your account with blogger or any other blog site you want to use.
Take a moment to think what is most important and valuable for you to share?
Let the words flow ~~~ you can always go back and edit.
Inspire others when you can. Provide educational information, photos, links etc.

Using a service to blog for you? Sure there are services and they will charge a fee. If you choose to use one, make sure they know 'your message and your market". You want it to feel personal, like it's coming from you.  Look at some of the blogs they write for others before you sign up.

If you are using your blog for business, tell people about yourself and include your photo and website.
A short bio is all you need to introduce yourself.

For example:
I am Gloria Coppola. I have been in the healing arts for almost 30 years and prior to that a business manager for a neurologist. I grew up in New York City and I owned a holistic health center and massage school in New Jersey. I love to travel, enjoy time with my 4 grandkids and recently wrote a book on my healing journey called Both Ends of the Rainbow. I teach classes for massage therapists across the U.S. If you'd like more information please visit my website at www.MassageproCE.com

If people want to know more about you they can get details on your website. Remember to link your website to the blog. You can typically find a link in the toolbar to connect and highlight your sight.
Depending on the type of blog you create your information will suit the venue you create!

Most of all enjoy doing your blog. You don't have to do it daily.
It does not have to be long.

Include Information:

People love to learn in my experience. They love resources to help them in life and in business.

If I was writing about cooking, I would make sure I had photos and recipes and suggested books.

• Look at your toolbar. You will see a place to upload photos and add links or videos

If I was writing about massage, I would make sure I told my audience about benefits of massage, types of massage, inspiring stories of people recouping from symptoms because of massage etc.

Now, give it a try! Post it on your FaceBook page, link it to your website and share away. You never know who is reading and what business may come of it for you.

Last note: Remember to preview it first, check any typos, did you forget anything? Got all your contact information. Enjoy sharing your knowledge!


Have an inspiring day!
~ Gloria Coppola~
www.GloriaCoppola.com

Common business sense for massage therapists

Hello Fellow Colleagues!

The massage profession is growing leaps and bounds in the last 10 years! Wow, I can't believe my eyes and would never have thought 25 years ago we would have made the progress we did.

However, the one area I see a latent amount of progress in our field is educating our massage therapists about common business sense marketing and promotion.

My favorite all time book is Business Mastery by Cherie Sohnen Moe. Cherie has always been a wonderful resource for me.  When I owned my massage school I utilized many of her wonderful ideas, forms etc. She even took the time to email me when I had questions.

Today, I hear less and less emphasis is being placed on teaching massage therapists about business. They rush them in and out of 6 month programs often, barely providing them with the hands on skills necessary to be successful.

Many try to set up their own businesses and get frustrated. Others, take employment and get frustrated when their clientele isn't building.

Let's look at a few common sense things to approach your new or expanding business (these apply for any situation)

1. Customer Service!  How do you like to be treated in any business you frequent? Would you go back if someone was rude, didn't return your message or provided a bad service?

• Always serve with a smile
• Be Prompt. Never keep a client waiting.
• Be attentive to the clients needs
• The customer is expecting 'service' - remember they are paying your salary.

2. Network !

• Meet and greet people and tell them about your services
• Go to business networking meetings
• Take business cards with you all the time and hand them out
• Offer a free 30 minute massage to another local successful business owner that might refer to you
• Set up Free talks at other organizations and make it fun. People love to learn about new concepts, ideas, services and products
• Create a local support group of massage therapist. Why you say? Because it is fun, it provides encouragement, share ideas , you might need help one day and you get to know what other people offer if you need to refer out or they need to refer to you.

3. Consultants

• There are so many free services available with the internet, use them.
• Go to your local chamber of commerce. Often they have free classes or successful retired individuals very willing to share their knowledge of success
• Read books on manifesting and growing successful
• Beware of individuals claiming to help you do it all. It's easy to get enticed with the golden nugget. Buyer beware of services and products being offered. All too often individuals can easily get 'taken' by something that appeared to be enticing when it was just seduction to build their own business.
• ABMP and AMTA have websites, search them for free webinars too

4. Cheerleaders

• Everyone needs a cheerleader, especially for motivation! Friends, family and colleagues are here for this!
• Find someone or several that always encourage you - ask for more when you are feeling frustrated.
• Massage therapists in your local region are great cheerleaders too! They can share the ups and downs and support you on your way.

5. Visibility

• Got a website? There are many you can create that are easy enough and are free or minimal cost. If you are a member of an organization like ABMP, they offer a free website for their members.
• If you don't know how find a reputable person who designs and creates websites, ask someone who is pleased with their website. 
• Check references of people claiming to build websites and ask to see other websites they created.
• Make it clear, attractive and user friendly
• List your services 
• Location and hours of operation
• Place pictures that show what you do or how your customer will feel
• Have your pic and bio too. People want to know who you are!
• Social Media? This can be good if you know how to use it. Remember everything you put out there personally and professionally will be seen by clients. Use caution what you say, post and how you act on social media. Create a Professional Fan Page on FaceBook, use Twitter for specials, LinkedIn for professional/career connections . Please remember anyone could be watching you on these sites.
• Social media requires 'quick' simple posts so people can read something on the run
• Make it entertaining at times, informative at other times
• Don't bombard people with posts. They will eventually disconnect from you
• Articles? Start writing. Write about what you love. Write about a great class and what you learned. Write and submit to magazines and local newspapers. The more your name is out in the public eye, people will notice. It doesn't cost anything either. Advertising can be very expensive
• Local newspapers will even put a press release out for your new business.
• Write a little blurb about your new practice, where you went to school, what you offer and your location
• Blog - simple and easy to create through Blogger. Just start talking and writing about what you love about massage! Post at least weekly and share with your media links. Most websites have the ability to place a blog too.
• Public Speaking? YES! Although this is one of the biggest fears for people you can actually make it FUN!  If you truly LOVE what you do, then make it a 'discussion'. Let people ask you questions and respond from your place of passion. Soon, you will see how easy this is. Have your appointment book with you to set up those Introductory Specials.
• Senior Citizen Events
• Elks club etc.
• Hospitals and community centers
• Health Fairs, etc?  Any opportunity for people to meet you is a great opportunity. You never know who you will meet and what doorway might open. Take a chance.
• Set up chair massage
• Hand out business cards or brochures
• Have a raffle for a free massage and collect a mailing list

These are just some of the common sense things you should do to get your business going. It's important for the community to get to know you and Respect you.

Continue your education. The more you study, the more you can offer your clients that have a variety of symptoms.

STAY MOTIVATED! Don't give up. A career in  massage therapy is rewarding and at times frustrating. Clients come and go, whether you are employed or self employed. 

Ask a 'seasoned' and well respected massage therapist to evaluate your massage. You might be surprised at all the wonderful information and tips they will provide for you to grow. Ask them to come visit your space and provide you with feedback. Ask them to review your brochure and website and get feedback. I've done this for my colleagues all my professional career. We can exchange/barter a service and help each other!

Taking these suggestions will save you money and unnecessary expenses when getting started.

Best of luck to you! Much Success!

Gloria Coppola, LMT, Educator, Massage Therapist, Author and grandmother. I love to travel, paint and write. My Recent book is "Both Ends of the Rainbow, a healing journey" released in spring 2013. I'm passionate about massage and love inspiring new therapists.

Massage Pro C.E.