How to Sell Products in Your Massage Business Without Being Pushy

One of the things I learned early in my massage career was that I wasn't particularly comfortable selling products to my clients. I didn't want anyone to feel like they were coming in for a massage and leaving with a sales pitch.

But a colleague helped me look at product sales differently. My clients were already buying products somewhere else. If I could offer them something they genuinely enjoyed, why couldn't my business be one of those places?

That conversation changed how I thought about retail sales, and eventually, I started experimenting with a few products inside my massage practice.

What I Thought Would Sell Wasn't What Actually Sold

I started small with essential oils and candles. I was convinced essential oils would be the more successful product because they were something I could incorporate into my massage sessions.

And while clients purchased essential oils, something interesting happened. Once they had the oils they wanted, they didn't need to come back and purchase more nearly as often as I had anticipated.

The candles were a different story.

I hadn't realized how many of my clients regularly purchased candles for their homes. Once I offered them in my office, many simply started buying their candles from me instead.

That experience taught me something about business that I've continued to use throughout my career.

It's not enough to know whether someone will purchase a product. You also need to understand how often they'll need or want to purchase it again.

Those are two very different things when you're trying to develop a dependable source of additional income.

Selling Products Is Still Running a Business

Another thing I learned was that adding retail products isn't quite as simple as putting a few items on a shelf.

There's inventory to purchase, money to track, sales tax to account for, and the decision of how much time and money you're willing to invest.

You also have to understand your profit. Selling $500 worth of products doesn't mean you've earned $500.

I approached retail sales the same way I encourage massage therapists to approach other business opportunities: understand the numbers, develop a plan, and test whether the idea actually works before putting too much money into it.

And perhaps most importantly, pay attention to what your clients are telling you through their purchasing decisions.

Read My Original MASSAGE Magazine Column

I originally shared this experience in my October 27, 2023, Advanced Business Strategies column for MASSAGE Magazine.

In the full article, I explain how I selected my first products, what happened when I started selling them, how I managed inventory and sales tax, and what I learned about creating another income stream within my massage business.

Read the complete article in MASSAGE Magazine → Advanced Business Strategies: How to Sell Products (Yes, You Should Sell Products)

Want to Make Better Financial Decisions in Your Massage Business?

Whether you're considering retail products, adding services, or finding ways to increase your income without adding more appointments, the first thing you need to understand is how those decisions affect your business financially.

My Maximize Your Massage Business class helps massage therapists understand their numbers, fill their schedules, and identify opportunities to increase income.

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Amy Bradley Radford is a massage therapist, educator, and business mentor who helps massage therapists build sustainable, profitable businesses.