Are you planning to start a massage therapy business? You’re not the only one. With increasing awareness of wellness, stress relief, and holistic health, massage therapy has been one of the most sought-after personal care services today.
Increasing numbers of individuals seek natural methods of stress relief, pain management, and overall wellness. That’s where massage therapy enters the picture. From office professionals and athletes to seniors and new mothers, your potential clients are all around you.
In this guide, we’ll take you through everything you need to know to open and build a successful massage therapy business, from training and licensing to marketing, pricing, and client retention. If you enjoy helping others feel better, this may be the ideal business for you.
Is Massage Therapy Business Profitable?
Before you start any business, it’s smart to understand the market. The good news? The massage therapy business is booming, and it’s not slowing down anytime soon.
In the United States alone, the massage therapy industry is worth over $18 billion and continues to grow each year. People are now more health-conscious than ever. Many are turning to massage not just for relaxation, but as a regular part of their healthcare routine. Doctors, chiropractors, and even insurance companies now recommend massage therapy for stress, pain relief, and injury recovery.
This growing demand creates a big opportunity for new massage therapists, especially if you focus on a specific niche like sports massage, prenatal massage, or elderly care. You don’t have to compete with big spas either; mobile massage, home visits, and boutique services are trending right now.
Types of Massage Therapy Services
One of the best things about starting a massage therapy business is the variety of services you can offer. Choosing the right type of massage service helps you stand out and attract specific clients. Let’s go over the most popular options:
● Swedish Massage
This is the most common and beginner-friendly massage. It uses long, smooth strokes to help clients relax, reduce stress, and improve circulation. It’s perfect for clients who want a gentle, full-body massage.
● Deep Tissue Massage
This technique targets deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue. It’s ideal for people with chronic pain, muscle tension, or recovering from injuries. It requires more skill and pressure but is often in high demand.
● Sports Massage
Designed for athletes and active individuals, this massage helps prevent injuries, improve flexibility, and speed up recovery. You can offer this service to local sports clubs or fitness centers.
● Prenatal Massage
Expecting mothers often seek relief from back pain and stress. Prenatal massage is a growing niche that focuses on safety and comfort for pregnant clients.
● Trigger Point Therapy
This targets specific muscle knots that cause pain in other body areas. It’s especially useful for clients with repetitive strain or posture-related issues.
● Chair Massage
Offered in corporate offices, malls, or events, chair massage is a quick, 10–20 minute massage that focuses on the back, shoulders, and neck. It’s a great mobile business option.
● Hot Stone or Aromatherapy Massage
These spa-style massages use heated stones or essential oils for a luxurious experience. They’re perfect if you plan to create a relaxing atmosphere and charge premium rates.
10 Steps to Start a Massage Therapy Business
1. Get Trained
Completing a training program at a massage therapy school is a must. It will legally enable you to practice commercially. There are different forms of massage therapy. It may be acupressure, hot stone massage, deep-tissue massage, aromatherapy massage, reflexology, or Swedish massage. etc. The minimum hours for obtaining a massage therapy license may vary from state to state. However, it generally ranges from a minimum of 300 to a maximum of 1,000 hours.
You can visit online platforms like the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and get enrolled in certification programs.
Before starting your own massage therapy business, it is hugely beneficial to work under a reputable massage therapy clinic. It not only gives you practical experience but also an understanding of customers’ needs and behavior.
2. Do Some Market Research
As with any other business, gathering information about the local market is critical for success in the business of massage therapy. Conduct extensive market research and gather as much information as possible regarding local competitors, their offers and pricing strategy, market size, gaps, etc.
3. Name Your Massage Therapy Business
It may sound not that important, but if you observe a little deeper, most successful massage therapy parlors have a name that relates to their business practice. Take some time and choose a relevant and catchy business name so that customers can easily relate to your services and products. Check this guide on how to successfully name a business.
Furthermore, one must find a similar website domain name, as creating a site is essential. Check our domain availability guide to learn more.
4. Write a Massage Therapy Business Plan
You can write your business plan at any point in your business. Many successful massage therapists write their business plans after a few years of experience in the trade. However, if you are looking for investors, writing a business plan is a must. If you are new to business plan writing, take help from online business plan generators if you want.
Creating an in-depth and effective massage therapy business plan is necessary if one is planning to launch on a large scale. More so if you are looking for funds from investors.
The essential elements that must be included in your message therapy plan document are the following:
- Executive summary
- Company description
- Industry Analysis
- Target Market
- Competitive Analysis
- Products/ Services Offered
- Manpower Plan
- Operational Plan
- Marketing Plan
- Financial Projection
5. Register your Business
Running a legally compliant business is always advised. Based on your resources, decide on the business structure under which you are going to run your massage therapy business. Every state and county offers different sent of company formation structures like proprietorship, partnership, etc.
If you want to have your assets not associated with the company assets, choosing an LLC is a better option.
6. Get Licenses & Permits
Check with the local appropriate authorities for required licenses and permits to operate a massage therapy business. You will need a set of licenses. One is the massage therapist license, and the other is for operating a massage parlor business. It is best to contact a local attorney and understand the licensing requirements.
While fees vary from state to state, you need to pay some fees of around $350 to $500 to get a state license for a massage establishment in Florida.
Any business having an establishment should go for business insurance. Talk to local insurance vendors and go for the most suited business liability insurance for your business to save you from any unforeseen calamity.
7. Choose the Right Location & Set Up
If you are starting from your home or providing service at the customer’s doorstep, no need to waste time choosing a location. But if you are opening a parlor establishment, selecting a convenient location goes a long way toward the success of the business. The location must be easily reachable from your target customers. Ensure the interior is comfortable for clients.
8. Hire Professionals
Having skilled massage therapists is the key to long-term success in this business. Contact the local recruitment agency or post a job advertisement mentioning the requirements in the local newspapers or online job portals.
9. Cost of Starting a Massage Therapy Business
The cost of starting a massage therapy business includes both a one-time initial investment as well as regular operating expenses. Your one-time initial investment includes office furniture, massage equipment like massage tables, stools, heating pads, computers, interior decoration, accounting software, etc.
Recurring costs include rent of premises, general office supplies, and massage supplies. If all expenses, including marketing, are taken into account, one can start a massage therapy parlor with an initial investment of around $6000. A massage therapist in the United States earns in the range of $18 to $35 per hour per therapy session.
10. Promote Your Massage Therapy Clinic
All said and done, reaching the right people is the critical factor for the profitability of any business. Sending postcards to as many people in your locality who work for massage parlors.
Create a website and allow customers to book appointments online. Explore social media and send your business activities as regularly as possible. Benefits like customer loyalty programs and offering package deals must be included in your marketing plan.
Editorial Team at 99BusinessIdeas is a team of experts led by Rupak Chakrabarty with over 25 years of experience in starting and running small businesses. Started in 2010, 99BusinessIdeas is now one of the largest free small business resources in the industry.