However, despite my work to raise the standards and stature of this profession, I have what many would consider a distasteful and objectionable obsession. I'm wildly passionate about...
...back rubs!
That's right! Back rubs in those specially designed massage chairs. My peers shake their heads in disbelief and wonder...
Why on earth does Eric like chair massage so much?
I love chair massage because I truly believe that it can help take massage to the mainstream market.
A survey from the Ontario government discloses that only two and a half percent of the public has taken a massage in the past year.
It's hard to believe. You see massage in the media non-stop. You'd think that everyone gets massage.
If you squeeze a friend's neck and shoulders how likely are they to say, "Stop! Stop! I really don't like when you massage me. It feels horrible." They'll never say that because if they are a normal human being they love getting massage.
We definitely must have touch for our nervous systems to function normally. That's why touch is related to the pleasure centers in our brain. Survival functions are highly associated to those pleasure centers in our brains - just like sex and eating. Our bodies are wired to make sure that we get what we need.
If we need touch so badly why don't people get massage every day?
To find the answer you need to look at Swedish massage Put yourself in the customer's place and think about your massage as if you're completely new to it all:
In order to get a massage treatment you must go into a teeny room behind closed doors, take off all your clothes and get onto a massage table while someone you don't know rubs greasy oil all over you. And as if that's not enough, you need to fork over a lot of money for the privilege.
It bothersome for massage professionals to think of massage therapy from this viewpoint, but for the most part, that's how the public perceives massage. When seen from that viewpoint, it looks as if the massage profession is intentionally trying to deter people from using massage.
You have to be aware of the psychological stumbling blocks that actually stop people from using massage as we know it. In marketing terms, these are what business people usually label as objections.
I've surveyed consumers and massage therapists to answer the question: Why don't people use massage therapy? In other words, what are the psychological barriers? And I have some answers.
Uncover what some of these objections are and how to manage them get access to the free 5-part mini-ecourse available at BodyworkBiz. Sign up free at: http://bodyworkbiz.com/eclasses.php#chair
I've done surveys of both the public and massage professionals to answer the question: Why aren't more people using massage regularly? That is to say, what are the barriers? I have some answers. And you'll be amazed to know that chair massage may well be the answer to these obstacles.