Why Business Cards Don't Work As Marketing Tools

When you’re getting your name out there to your potential clients, you have a variety of options. If you choose to do newspaper advertising then make sure the people you want to become your clients actually read that newspaper. If they don’t, I strongly advise advertising in another avenue.

So what about business cards? Do they get clients? Yes and no. To clarify this, business cards only work when someone has already made the decision to have a massage and is looking for someone to massage them.

However, business cards are, sad to say, ineffective as a marketing tool. You see there is a difference between someone genuinely wanting to take up your massage service and someone who just needs that gentle push to make the decision.

Think back to the last time someone handed you a business card. How long was it before you tossed it in the trash? A couple of days perhaps? Or maybe even as soon as the person who handed it to you looked the other way? When you go into a coffee shop and see all those bulletin boards that have dozens of business cards pinned to them, do you even glance at them? Even if you are looking for the services offered, most people have come to see business cards as miniature junk mail. Advertising your massage this way is not a strong vantage point.

There are two purposes that business cards actually serve quite well -

Returning Client Reference

If you’ve already worked with a certain client and they’d like an easy way to remember your phone number, a business card is quite handy. These days, they’ll probably just punch it into their cell phone address book, but sticking a card to the fridge with a magnet works, too.

Random Lotteries

Some restaurants will have a fish bowl on the counter where you can drop your card. Once a week, they’ll draw a card at random and give the winner a free meal. Business cards are largely useless as a marketing tool, but you might get a free turkey sandwich out of the deal, so proceed at your own risk.

One of the reasons business cards just don’t really work to get a flourish of new and eager clients is that they really can’t give people a very good impression of your massage business. When marketing, you need to have something that will tell potential clients precisely what you’re offering. IIN other words you need to explain the benefits of having massage with you. Plus, it’s best if what you offer is a little something more than what the next business offers!
There are plenty of massage therapists out there, and by handing out cards with your name and number on them, you’re basically saying “I’m just another massage therapist”.

Although…

It may be wise to keep a few cards and hand them out when requested. But don’t rely on business cards as your primary means of making contacts or gaining exposure as a massage therapist. You’ll have a lot more fun and if you know about internet marketing, then a website might be a better idea.

Amy Roberts
www.MassageTherapySuccess.com