Two businesses that only look alike
A massage studio and a counseling practice both sell an hour with a trained person in a quiet room. That is where the similarity ends. A massage client is buying a routine: a good therapist, a convenient time, a fair price, the same slot next month. A therapy client is making a harder decision: someone to trust with personal problems, who is licensed for their concern, whom they can afford, and who will actually call back.
This article is part of our guide on how to get more clients. Because the two markets are so different, it handles them separately and then gives one 30-day plan with two tracks.
Massage: price, times and the rebook
How massage clients search. “Massage near me,” “deep tissue massage,” “sports massage,” “prenatal massage,” “couples massage,” often with a neighborhood. They compare a short list on Google Maps and booking apps.
What they check.
- Price for each session length (60, 90 minutes), and whether gratuity is expected.
- Open times this week, bookable online.
- The therapists and their styles. Some clients want firm pressure, some want a specific technique, some want a therapist of a particular gender. Short therapist bios answer this before the client has to ask.
- Your cancellation and late policy, in one plain sentence.
Where the money is. A massage practice grows on repeat visits. Three tools carry it:
- Rebook at checkout. “Same time in four weeks?” as the last step of every session. Track the rebook rate per therapist.
- Memberships or packages. A monthly session at a set price fills your calendar in advance. Keep the cancellation terms simple and in writing.
- Gift cards. Holidays, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day sell gift cards, and gift card recipients are new clients. Make gift cards buyable online, and greet recipients with a rebooking offer on their first visit.
Referral partners. Gyms, yoga and pilates studios, running clubs, chiropractors and physical therapists see the people with sore backs and tight hips. Send each one a short note with your services, prices and how to book.
Therapy: directories, specialty pages and the first reply
How therapy clients search. “Therapist near me,” “anxiety therapist,” “couples counseling,” “therapist who takes” a plan name, “self-pay therapist,” “online therapy” plus a state. Many start in therapist directories such as Psychology Today, or in their insurer’s provider list.
What they check.
- Fit for their concern. Specialties, approaches, and the people you work with (adults, teens, couples). Only list concerns you are licensed and trained to treat.
- Payment. In network or out of network, your fee, sliding scale if any, and whether you give a superbill.
- Logistics. In-person, telehealth, or both; evening times; how soon you have an opening.
- Your license and the states you can practice in.
The first reply decides most inquiries. People looking for a therapist often contact several at once. Reply within one business day, even if the answer is “I have no openings until March, here are two colleagues.” Offer a short fit call that covers fees, scheduling and whether your specialty matches, without starting treatment.
Crisis line. Say on your site that you do not monitor messages for emergencies, and list the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which people can call or text at 988 or reach by chat, 24 hours a day.
Referral partners. Other clinicians who do not treat a given concern or population, primary care doctors, school counselors and employee assistance programs. Keep a short list of colleagues you refer to when you are full, and ask them to do the same for you.
Pages a client recognizes themselves in
Both markets respond to pages written in the client’s words, not the clinician’s.
A therapy specialty page might open: “Feeling anxious at work and lying awake at night? I work with adults who want practical tools for anxiety.” Then: who you work with, your approach in two or three plain sentences, what the first session looks like, the fee, insurance or superbill, in-person or telehealth, and how to schedule a fit call. Leave out diagnosis lists the client has to decode.
A massage service page should answer what a first-timer worries about: what to wear, how pressure is agreed, what happens if they want the therapist to stop or change, how long the session really is, and whether gratuity is expected. Add the price for each length and a booking button.
Our service page template lists the facts each page should carry, for both people and AI assistants.
Confidentiality and reviews
A health care provider that sends health information electronically for standard transactions, such as health plan claims, is a HIPAA covered entity under 45 CFR 160.103. If that is you, a client’s name tied to an appointment request is protected health information. Use booking, intake and texting tools whose vendor signs a business associate agreement, and keep the reason for the visit out of every reminder. Practices that do not bill insurance may not be covered entities, but your license’s confidentiality rules still apply.
Reviews need special care in counseling. Do not ask current therapy clients for public reviews in a way that pressures them, never reply with details, and never confirm that a reviewer was a client. Your profession’s ethics code may restrict testimonials; check it before you ask. For massage, ask every client the same way, with no discount or gift; Google’s review policy bars incentives and asking only happy clients.
Claims to leave off your site
Massage: no “cures sciatica” or “lowers blood pressure.” Therapy: no promise that treatment will work, by a date or in a number of sessions. Describe what a session includes, your training and your approach. This is not legal advice.
Your 30-day plan, two tracks
| Days | Massage track | Therapy track |
|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | Publish prices by session length, therapist bios and the cancellation policy | Update every directory profile: specialties, fees, insurance, openings |
| 6-10 | Turn on online booking with real times; add the checkout rebook question | Write one page per main concern you treat, with your approach and fees |
| 11-15 | Launch a membership or package with written terms | Set a one-business-day reply rule and a fit-call script |
| 16-20 | Put gift cards online ahead of the next gift holiday | Send a short note to five clinicians and two primary care offices |
| 21-25 | Set up one reminder and one “time to rebook” message for consenting clients | Set up reminders under the confidentiality rules above |
| 26-30 | Ask every client for a review the same way; count new clients by source | Count inquiries, fit calls and first sessions by source |
What it costs with us
- A website: from $3,500 for 5-8 pages, or from $1,200 for one landing page
- Booking setup: from $600
- Reminder and rebooking texts: setup from $500, then from $99/month
Domain and hosting, new photography, third-party software subscriptions (billed at cost), SMS carrier registration and message fees are not included. For a counseling practice site, see therapist and counselor website design; massage studios usually fit salon and spa website design. To see how clients find you today, request a free demo.
Published . Updated .