Felicia's Blog

What Makes Someone an Entrepreneur?

Felicia Brown LMBT — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:10:00 GMT

Were you born to be in business for yourself? Did you grow up inventing new things or finding ingenious ways to make summer cash? Do you have an unwavering level of confidence in things you tried even when other people said you couldn't do something?
If so, you may be hard-wired for success in owning your own business.

In the article Nature vs Nurture and Entrepreneurship, Fred Wilson, author of A VC Blog suggests these five traits are a part of all entrepreneurs.

1) A stubborn belief in one's self

2) A confidence bordering on arrogance

3) A desire to accept risk and ambiguity, and the ability to live with them

4) An ability to construct a vision and sell it to many others

5) A magnet for talent

Whether these characteristics are built in or learned, who knows. But as I have written in the last three columns, it is so important to find out if you are the kind of person who wants to build, manage, grow and sustain a business through the long haul BEFORE you sink everything you have into a venture. I hope you'll take these questions and ideas to heart before starting up your own spa, massage or wellness business. And call me if you need some help when you are ready to take the plunge!

Twenty More Things to Ask Before Starting a Business

Felicia Brown LMBT — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:24:00 GMT

If you read my last post (Twenty Things to Ask Yourself Before Starting A Business) you should have taken a quick test to see if you have the traits of a business owner. How'd you do? When I took it I got almost all yes answers. Seems like entrepreneurship is pretty logical for me or anyone else who got similar results, huh?

Well...maybe. Before you decide if owning a business is for you, I'd like to offer you another twenty point quiz that was so thoughtfully posted on SecondCityCEO by Seth Kravitz in Is It Worth It? These insightful questions speak not so much to the knowledge base or past life experience of a budding entrepreneur, but rather to the temperament, tolerance level and inner steel of them.

Take a moment and see how you answer these:

I am willing to lose everything.
I embrace failure.
I am always willing to do tedious work.
I can handle watching my dreams fall apart.
Even if I am puking my guts out with the flu and my mother passed away last week, there is nothing that will keep me from being ready to work.

Click here to see the rest of Seth's list and article.

Seth's list is so spot on! I have honestly lived through the bulk of this list over the last sixteen years and am still self-employed. And in the in-between moments of successes small and large I have forgotten all the bad stuff and basked in the glory – until I had to go put out another fire.

Like Seth, I have tried to share “the dark side” of what it is to own a business with my colleagues and clients who want to become entrepreneurs so that they know a little about what they are getting into from the beginning. But even with those words of warning, I can’t help but feel a whirring excitement about the possibilities when someone shares their dream with me. It reignites my passion all over again – and makes me want to stay on this roller coaster called entrepreneurship forever.

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Want to "pick my brain" about your business questions? Schedule a Laser Consulting Session today! These focused phone appointments are one hour and are designed to help spa, massage and wellness professionals move beyond their business, marketing and employee challenges quickly and effectively. There's no long-term commitment - just expert advice and immediate solutions to solve your biggest problems fast.

Twenty Things to Ask Yourself Before Starting A Business

Felicia Brown LMBT — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:44:00 GMT

As a consultant I am often approached by people who have a dream of starting their own business. They have a vision of creating this incredible healing center, wellness retreat or day spa that will be beautiful inside and out, filled with only the most hard-working, ethical staff members, that will be affordable for the masses yet profitable for them. It will be amazing.

And though I consider myself an extreme optimist who can find the positive in any situation, I usually play devil's advocate with these emerging business owners and point out as many of the possible pitfalls of business as I can.

Why? Because I have been just like them- the one with the beautiful dreams and vision - and have lived the whole experience of what it means to be a business owner. I want to make sure they are prepared for the reality that comes along with the rose-colored fantasy of what being an entrepreneur is really like.

That's why I just have to share this list of twenty questions from the post Should You Be An Entrepreneur? by Dan Isenberg, a guest columnist to the Harvard Business Review. Here's a few things you should be able to answer "YES!" to if you are thinking about opening your own business:

I don't like being told what to do by people who are less capable than I am.
I like challenging myself.
I like to win.
I like being my own boss.
I always look for new and better ways to do things

Click here to read the rest of the list and article

The bottom line is that there are MANY issues to consider before striking out on your own or investing your time, energy and tears into the business of your day dreams. Take the time to ask yourself if you are the kind of person that wants to move beyond opening their own business into someone who actually manages, grows and sustains one. And if you decide that you are ready to move forward, you have my blessings!

Is it Good or Bad to Be Focused?

Felicia Brown LMBT — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:08:00 GMT

Does being focused help you achieve your goals? Watch the video below and see what you think?

Some people would say that it is imperative to "keep your eye on the ball" no matter what. Others would say that you need to be able to "see the big picture." The truth is that both are important. However only looking at things one way all the time can cause you to make errors in judgment or assumptions about what is going on in your business.

Need an outside eye to look at your business? Email me at Felicia@spalutions.com to schedule a free initial consultation and find out how we can work together to find and create the vision you have for your business.

Worth Repeating: Volunteering to Grow Your Business and Yourself

Felicia Brown LMBT — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:47:00 GMT

Cause related marketing is both a hot trend and a huge help to charities and organizations that do good in the world and industry. Getting your spa, staff or yourself involved with causes and you care about provides a number of opportunities besides just doing something good.

1) It gives your staff with a way to have fun and grow together as individuals and a team.

2) It can provide your clients an avenue to contribute while taking care of themselves and feeling good about your business and their purchases with you.

3) It can bring your spa a lot of local (and sometimes state-wide or national) goodwill and publicity.

In my own previous spas we donated gift certificates to many area charities, events and civic groups. We also delivered Mobile Meals as a group or with a partner, collected relief supplies for those affected by Hurricane Katrina, and participated in various Christmas "Adopt an Angel" programs to name a few. And we regularly participated in fundraisers for causes such as the Red Cross and Breast Cancer Research.

But in my experience, the joy and gift of volunteering doesn’t end with charities. Getting involved in professional organizations and trade associations can provide a whole different set of benefits to you personally and professionally. Groups like the Day Spa Association and the American Massage Therapy Association depend heavily on their volunteers to bring life and ideas to their efforts.

Whether volunteers help to create mentoring programs for new members, stuff gift bags for tradeshow fundraisers or simply review articles for upcoming publications, there are ample opportunities to get involved. All move towards helping the collective membership in one form or another and supporting the profession from within the profession.

At the upcoming Day Spa Expo, there are a number of volunteer openings available for DSA members and non-members alike. I’ve found that volunteering at events like this can be a great way to meet new people, really learn about the organization and show, and chance to go home with something more than a bag full of product samples and brochures. I’d like to invite you to really be a part of the show by giving a few hours of your time in one or more of these areas:

· Day Spa Association Booth Set-Up (Saturday March 13 - various times available)

· Day Spa Association Booth Volunteer (Sunday and Monday March 14 and 15 – various times available)

· Day Spa Association Booth Tear-Down (Monday March 15 – after the trade show floor closes)

· Lunch and Learn (Sunday and Monday March 14 and 15 11:30 – 1:30 )

· Meet and Greet Party Set-Up+ (Sunday March 14 5:30 – 7:30)

· Meet and Greet Party Clean-Up+ (Sunday March 14 7:30 – 9:30)

And if you aren’t headed to the DSE but are interested in getting involved in the Day Spa Association, there are numerous opportunities available in all areas including Membership, Social Media, Research and others. I encourage you and all spa professionals, be it vendors, consultants, spa owners or individual practitioners to get involved and do something. Be a part of this wave of "conscious capitalism" and you'll do a lot of good for those in need, the industry, yourself and your business.

Interested in volunteering at the Day Spa Expo or for the Day Spa Association? Contact Membership Chairman Felicia Brown at Felicia@spalutions.com with questions or to discuss your area(s) of interest.

Scam Alert for Texas Cosmetologists, Perhaps Others

Felicia Brown LMBT — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:36:00 GMT

Saundra Brown of Dermascope Magazine just posted the following information to her Facebook Page:

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is warning all cosmetology licensees that mailed notices which appear to be from the National Cosmetology Association or Professional Certification Service regarding the expiration of a “professional certification” are a scheme. Upon examination of the notice you will see that it refers to a “certification renewal” and NOT your license renewal.

Scary stuff. This is something all licensed massage, skin, nail and hair professionals need to be on the lookout for, not just in Texas but in all states. As a massage therapist, I have personally received a number of scammer emails that requested multiple appointments for an out of town visitor - an actress or other celebrity - and promised a high dollar fee for my services. It wasn't real - just some criminal's idea of how to get money from an unsuspecting service provider.

The lesson here is to read the fine print and to be wary of offers that seem to good to be true. Unfortunately in an unstable economy such as the one we're in right now, there are some who will go to any lengths to make a buck. Listen to your instincts and think before you blindly believe anything you receive in the mail or by email.

If you have any other scams to report or have a question about something you get in your mailbox, feel free to email me at Felicia@spalutions.com. In the meantime, please share the information above with others in your area so that they too may be protected from falling prey to a scam like this. Thanks!

Meet MassageMag.com's Newest Blogger

Felicia Brown LMBT — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:35:00 GMT

I am so excited! Massage Magazine has asked me to be their newest expert blogger on www.MassageMag.com! (Blogs are found under the heading Expert Insights.) I'll be doing Q&A on business and marketing issues faced by MTs in a similar way that I've done them on this blog over the last few years.

I'd really love to get some good ideas for the first few columns, so please submit your massage business and marketing questions to me ASAP. I am ready to get this puppy started

One thing I want to reinforce here is the idea of getting opportunities like this by asking for them. A few months ago I was on either www.MassageMag.com or the Massage Magazine group on www.LinkedIn.com when I saw a post by one of their editors looking for contributors for the online magazine and site. Although I already talk with a couple of the folks at the publication regularly, I didn't know this editor and decided to take a stab at getting her attention. After a few emails back and forth about the ideas I had for the site and a review of my current blogs by the editor, I was offered the chance to write a blog for them. Pretty cool, huh?

But the point is, I saw the opportunity to speak up and get noticed. I didn't wait for them to call me but rather let them know I had something to say that might be of value to their readers. And I proved myself by having examples of what I wanted to do for them at the ready.

You can do this too - for local publications, radio/tv shows, civic group newsletters and websites or even trade magazines. The key is to know the publication or media outlet AND to understand what their readers, listeners or viewers want to see, hear or read. Look for opportunities that fit your level of expertise or business. Then be willing to blow your own horn or at least reach out to let these organizations know how you can help them help their audience.

In turn your own business will most likely benefit whether from other media opportunities, increased visibility and reach or more sales. You'll gain credibility, respect and knowledge as well as another feather in your marketing and PR cap.

To get started, catch up on your reading. Check out your local newspaper and other various publications for articles and topics that can be related to your business (hospitality, business incentives, the effect on the cost of gas, back to school, sun damage, etc). Then take a few minutes to write a short letter to the editor stating your views or thoughts. Be as positive as possible and mention your views in a way that can tie the editorial back to your business. For example, "As a spa owner, I find that many of my clients are able to make time for themselves more often when their kids go back to school..."

Remember, no controversial or derogatory remarks or language and no sales pitches. Sign your name, business title, and company name and include all of your contact information and a business card with your letter. This can be done with print and online national and trade publications as well and can often bring much credibility and visibility to your business. You'll be surprised how many of your clients notice this type of thing and how can give them one more reason to feel good about choosing your business.

If you need some direction on how to improve your marketing and/or get PR opportunities for your business, email me at Felicia@spalutions.com.

Gitomer Says It Best - Customer Service Sells

Felicia Brown LMBT — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:45:00 GMT

One of the corner stones in both of my former spas as well (as my current massage practice) was providing personable, friendly caring customer service to everyone who walked through the doors from the wealthiest clients to the postman. I think it was one of the biggest reasons people came back to us again and again. They knew we appreciated their company and business and would take care of them while they were in the spa.

Some simple little things we did:

Remembered their names when they came in
Thanked them for calling or coming in
Asked them how their services were
Started their appointments on time
Took the time to visit with them and have enjoyable conversations
Did whatever feasibly possible to satisfy their concerns and problems

Today I got a GREAT reminder of this from one of my favorite sales and service trainers, Gitomer. I've just gotta share it with you!

Here's a bit from the article:

Service leads to sales, if you know how to act and how to ask. Every time a customer calls it’s an opportunity. The only question is: how are you taking advantage of it? Answer HELLO! Not a thank you for the call, telling me how important it is while you put me on hold for the next available agent, or to “serve me better” ask me to select from among the following eight options.

Selecting from among the following eight options is not one of MY options – and I have the money – and you want the money – and you need the money – so wise up...

Click here to read the rest of the article

See what you think and come back here to share ideas about how you give great service to your clients. I'd love to hear it!

PS - Social Media Update...I am unexpectedly doing a webinar Thursday night 2/4 with the folks at DaySpaOwner.com. The webinar is on 7 Reasons to Use Social Media for you Spa, Salon or Massage Business and will kick off at 4PM PST/5PM MST/6PM CST 7 PM EST.

In addition to the valuable information about how to add social media to your current marketing efforts, there will be some cool bonuses for people who attend this first preview for my upcoming Social Media Boot Camp. Please spread the word and attend if you can!

Click here to register!

Is Selling Retail Products Unethical?

Felicia Brown LMBT — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:14:00 GMT

As some of you may know I am a massage therapist turned spa owner turned business/marketing coach and consultant. Lately I've been confronted with this question on a number of levels and wanted to share my own thoughts.

To me selling a product that is going to help the client meet their needs or improve the issue(s) they came to me about is perfectly natural. In fact, it is no different than making a referral to another practitioner, showing some self-care techniques (stretching, how to stand in alignment, etc.) or suggesting they to rebook with me. For most estheticians, selling is an understood part of the client treatment and experience.

But unfortunately some massage schools, instructors and even licensing boards insinuate that selling retail is somehow detrimental to the client. That by suggesting a product that can help the client achieve their goals of wellness or relaxation or lengthen the relaxation experience, we are somehow in conflict with the client's main interest of getting massage. And that selling retail (as massage therapists) is unethical.

I think this assertion is way off base for anyone selling products meant to enhance the client's results or wellness unless it is something so off purpose or that the is out of the therapist's scope of practice or knowledge base. (For example, selling dietary or weight loss supplements without adequate training or knowledge of nutrition.) But it does give some idea as to where the idea "selling is bad" that many therapists seem to hold comes from. The seed was planted by various authorities and experts.

Now I am trying to plant a new seed that encourages selling as a part of the client/spa experience and gives therapists/estheticians confidence, tools and understanding when it comes to successful retailing. A discussion I've been having recently on LinkedIn is really helping me flesh out what needs to be in the course(s) I am working on. But I'd love to hear from others - especially my readers, clients and students - about how they've been successful at retailing.

So I ask you: What is your most successful technique or tool for selling retail? Or...if you aren't to confident or successful in this area, tell me where your fear or issues lie so I can better understand the challenges people face. Please add your comments right here on the blog if you are comfortable doing so. And if not, feel free to email them to me at Felicia@spalutions.com.

Ready to simplify your spa's marketing and get better results from it? Check out www.smartspamarketing.com for a road map on how to do both.

Want to Learn About Using Social Media?

Felicia Brown LMBT — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:45:00 GMT

Social media is the topic of the decade. It is becoming SO popular with consumers and businesses - any business that fails to get on board with it is probably going to fall behind the rest of the pack.

That's probably why I am teaching on it so much these days. I'll giving two classes at the AMTA Schools Summit in St. Pete Beach, FL on February 18-19, 2010 (Effective Uses of Social Media in the Classroom and Marketing Your School with Social Media).

Then in March I'm off to Las Vegas and the Day Spa Expo (March 13 -15, 2010) where I'll be speaking on SMART Spa Marketing with Social Media. And in June I'll be headed to the World Massage Festival in Berea, Kentucky (June 17 -23) where I'll be teaching SMART Massage Marketing with Social Media.

Do you see a trend?

Here's a quick preview of what I'll be discussing at the AMTA Schools Summit next month. (I'd appreciate it if you'd rate the video so it will move up higher in the rankings and get some good exposure for the conference

With all of this interest in the topic, I've decided to offer a Social Media Bootcamp for Massage & Spa Professionals. The details are all still coming together but I wanted to give you a SAVE THE DATE heads up for it so that you don't miss out.

This 4 week class will be jam packed with information on how you can grow your business, make more money, increase your professional network and market yourself effectively and more affordably with social media. And those of you who are massage therapists will be able to get CE 4 hours of credit for being a part of the bootcamp.

Over 4 weeks, we'll learn how to get set up on the most popular and effective social media tools and sites, work together on creating your Social Media Marketing Plan, discuss effective ways for drawing traffic to your website through social media, building relationships and engaging your clients and potential clients, tracking social media's impact on your business and lots more.

All the classes will be available for MP3 downloads after the class so you can save and review them at a later time. (This is great in case you miss a class or are running late!) You'll also get handouts and a workbook for the bootcamp and a variety or templates that you can put to immediate use in your business.

The Social Media Bootcamp for Massage & Spa Professionals is scheduled to start on Monday, March 22nd and running for a total of 4 weeks. It will be held at 11AM PST/12 PM MST/1PM CST/2PM EST. Space is limited but if this class fills up, I will offer a second class on Tuesdays beginning March 23rd. It will likely start 2 PM PST/3 PM MST/4PM CST/5PM EST or if demand dictates, later in the day.

A free preview call is scheduled for Wednesday March 10th at 10AM PST/11 AM MST/12 PM CST/1 PM EST. Be on the lookout for the link and sign-up information in the coming weeks. You'll definitely want to be a part of that FREE call and take advantage of some additional offers that will only be available to people who attend the call. I look forward to seeing you there!

Interested in saving your spot? Pre-register now by sending an email to bootcamp@spalutions.com. No payment is required now but anyone who pre-registers by February 15th will save $50 off the regular tuition of $199.

What Are Your Top 3 Business Concerns?

Felicia Brown LMBT — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:26:00 GMT

I just stumbled across a new feature on LinkedIn.com that I really like. It allows users to post a question to a wide variety of users and connections without going through a group discussion forum. The question that I saw today was about the issues most discussed or important to business owners. Here are some of the answers:

Balancing increased volumes with their reduced staff
Recruitment and not being impulsive when it comes to staffing back up
The Economy is still not righted and can slip back at any time.
Marketing
Sales Volume
Cash flow and Reserves to ride out down-turn
Tax rate uncertainty
Inflation/Deflation
Unemployment
Access to capital / credit (See my last post on Where to Get Financing for more on this).
Retain and attract clients
Staying in business
Increased competition
Break-Even Probability
Health Care for Employees
Continuing to create/provide real value for customers

So what are your top three business concerns? Which issue is taking the most of your time? What are you doing to address it or find ways to deal with the issue? I'd love to see if the spa and healing arts world is feeling the same way as the general business culture of our country.

And hey, if you're on LinkedIn and want to connect, click here to visit my profile and get linked!

Where Can I Get Financing?

Felicia Brown LMBT — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:13:00 GMT

I recently got this question from a LinkedIn contact and wanted to share it here as well since financing is such a big issue these days. I'd love to hear what financing solutions and creative capitalization ideas you've come up with in your business.

Dear Felicia -

We are in an older strip mall that really does not feed us, though the inside of our facility is gorgeous. (we put our own $$ into the initial build out) Our clients seek us out...We are contemplating moving to a renovated mall down the street but with the current state of our finances in the down turned economy, aren't making a huge profit, so banks are not interested in loaning us $$ for a build out in the potentially new location. Any ideas on how we might obtain funding? (We've heard that the new location owner doesn't have much $$ flow as a result of the remodel) We have been in our city for 19 years and our current location for ten.

Thank you!

Under Capitalized

Dear UC -

My first suggestion is to see if you can work with a company to lease back some of your equipment (microderm, IPL, etc). A bank might work with you on that but there are some spa related leasing companies that might be a better bet.

Other than that, I think it makes sense to look at the situation as a whole and determine if a move is really what makes the most sense to help your company profit. Other solutions could be things like changing or improving your marketing tools, compensation plan or services offered.

One thing to remember in all of this is something you said in your original inquiry. Our clients seek us out. This is something to keep in mind before moving. If they are already finding you where you are, is there really a benefit in moving?

If you do decide a move is in your best interest, I'd also suggest you find out directly from the landlord what they are willing or able to do to help you with buildout rather than working off the rumors you've heard. There are many ways a landlord can help with upfitting a space including reducing rent to offset your costs. You never know if you don't ask!

All in all, I think this question probably deserves a bit more exploration that I can do by email. Let's talk and see how things are now!

Felicia

Do you have a business question for Felicia? Send it to Felicia@spalutions.com or request an appointment for a free initial consultation.

How Much Should Our Clients Know About Us?

Felicia Brown LMBT — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:34:00 GMT

Felicia,

I have a situation that I need your guidance on. A massage client of mine over heard me talking about the vacation place that my husband and I go to twice a year. This client now wants information about the house we stay in, but I feel awkward giving her this information. This house has sort of become our "retreat" and is like our second home. Knowing that one of my clients will be staying in it as well leaves me with an uneasy feeling. I am not sure how to handle this.

Am I just over reacting to this? Am I making a bigger deal out of it? Should I just give her the info and try to get over my awkwardness? Can you help me or guide me with this?

I would greatly appreciate your thoughts on this.

Concerned About My Vacations

Dear Concerned -

First of all I think I understand your feeling - perhaps that it is not enough separation from you and your client from your perspective...that it would seem creepy to be sleeping "in the same bed" as she would on vacation even though you wouldn't be there together.

When I owned my first spa, I had a really hard time escaping from work and would go out of my way to avoid clients in my down time. I think this was because I was really burned out so that may be something to consider. I'm curious though, would you feel this way if she asked you for the name of a restaurant you really liked or a store where you enjoyed shopping and then went there too? It's a little different, but theoretically you could be sitting at the same table, eating the same entrées, etc. on your separate visits. If so, then perhaps it is something else.

OK...so to the question about should you tell her or not. Can you be a little vague and just give her the name of the rental company you use but not remember the exact property? Chances are good that she won't actually go there anyway, but this way you can follow through on her request without seeming like it is a burden to give her the details. Or you could just avoid the topic until she stops asking although this might make you seem less professional and could change the relationship between you in her eyes. It's possible too that it's already slipped her mind and it will never come up again. Let's hope so

On a different note, I think this whole thing illustrates the need for some better separation between your work and personal lives at least for your own sake. To me the biggest step you can take to avoid this type of situation is to keep personal phone calls limited to time when clients are not present or within earshot. If you keep your sessions (and conversations within them) client focused as well, this type of situation is much less likely to occur.

I encourage you to do some soul searching about what boundaries you want and need to add in your practice to make it more comfortable, safe and satisfying for you. If you need any kind of worksheet or exercise to help with this, let me know.

Felicia

Do you have a business or ethics question that you can't find an answer to? Email me at Felicia@spalutions.com for a free answer and your chance to see it posted on the blog here where others can also learn from your experience.

Will Advertising Really Bring in New Business?

Felicia Brown LMBT — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 01:24:00 GMT

Do you really need to spend money on advertising to bring in new business?

It would be easier if it was a simple "yes" or "no," but as in life, things are not always so black and white. However, I will say that there are many examples of successful spas, solo estheticians, salons and massage therapists out there that have never run a print ad and are happily booked up.

What's their secret? Well for one, success isn't a secret...but it there is no one magic answer either. But success does require some planning -- we've all heard this before. A business plan. A personnel plan. A marketing plan. And so on.

Very often the marketing plan does not get finished ... or even started ... prior to opening the doors on that first day. This is not uncommon, but it could also be a costly mistake. Without a marketing plan, spending and activities related to marketing are reactive and are not as effective as when operating from a well thought out plan.

I know it can be overwhelming to know where to start...and sometimes this prevents us from starting at all. But trust me when I say that having a month-by-month marketing plan will save you money and bring in more clients than not having one.

To get past that stage of not knowing where to start, my friend and colleague, Heather Gallegos, created a four-hour course on creating your annual marketing plan called Smart Spa Marketing. Spread over three to four weeks, this self-paced course will take you step-by-step in the creating a marketing plan for the next twelve months. And then you can simply make small updates for the next year, and the next.

I recently purchased Heather's consulting business along with the course. As I am going along in blending her business and products with mine, I'd really love to get some feedback on how I can make Smart Spa Marketing even better. That's where I need your help...

I've decided to offer the Smart Spa Marketing course for just $79, but only to the next 15 people that respond to this special offer. That's almost 40% off the regular price of $129. So what's the catch for giving such a huge discount? Not a thing. All I ask is that upon completion of the course you complete a quick evaluation of the course, tell me what you like least and most about it, and provide suggestions on what would make this class more valuable to you and others. The discount is simply my thank you for your time and help.

What's more, by implementing even just one of the helpful tools in the course, I am positive you will make back your entire purchase price and so much more. If you don't I'll refund your entire purchase price.

To learn more about Smart Spa Marketing, just click here. When you are ready to make your purchase, type in the coupon code SMARTSPA to get your discount.

Don't put off making this incredibly affordable investment in yourself and your spa or practice. This is a one time offer and one that will not be repeated. Get started with Smart Spa Marketing today and make 2010 the best year ever for your business!

Thanks in advance for your help, support, and feedback . Stay SMART!

Felicia

Can I Take a Home Office Tax Deduction?

Felicia Brown LMBT — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:16:00 GMT

Hi Ms. Brown!

I found your article on the massagetherapy.com website and have a question that no one around seems to be able to answer for me. I work at a friend's massage therapy office that she owns, but I help with supply expenses and do billing for clients from my home. I am considered an independent contractor so I am not sure if I can deduct the home office expense since I do not actually have a business license in my name. I hope that makes sense, but I am wanting to know if it is legal for me to take the home office expense deduction come tax time for 2009. I completely appreciate any advice you can offer me and am grateful for your time.

Thank you very, very much!

Tax Concious Therapist

Dear TCT -

Thanks so much for your email and question. Let me begin by saying that I am neither an attorney nor an accountant so I do not presume to give legal or accounting advice. That being said, based on my years as a consultant and business owner, I would say the answer is maybe.

From my best understanding of the tax code, the possible home-office deduction is based on you having a dedicated space in your home which is used for a large percentage of your business activities. In my case for example, I have a room in my house (plus a lot of storage space) that I use only for my business. I spend about 50% of my working hours in my home office space and really don't use it for other purposes. However, my business (which is a corporation) actually rents the space from me so it gets the write-off/deduction rather than me personally.

Depending on your set-up, this might be feasible for you to do as well or to take the home office deduction if you cannot rent the space to your business. But if you are simply sitting at your dining room table every so often to do light paperwork for your business, my guess is that the deduction would not really be suitable for you to take. Whether or not you have a business license in your city/state has little to do with this - by working as an independent contractor, you are self-employed and are allowed certain federal and state tax deductions related to operating your business.

To get a complete and accurate answer based on current tax laws, you need to talk to a CPA. I suggest you call your accountant (or find one), explain your exact set-up, how you use the space (and how often), and let him or her determine the best course of action for you to take. If you do qualify for the deduction and are truly an independent contractor/self-employed, you may be able to take some mileage deductions for travel from that office as well.

I hope that helps! Please let me know if you need any clarification or if I can be of additional help to you in the future

Felicia Brown, LMBT
Trainer & Consultant ~ Spalutions!
NCBTMB Approved Provider
Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach
336.508.0790 ~ Direct
www.Spalutions.com
http://blog.spalutions.com/

Do you have a business or marketing question that relates to your skin care, spa or massage business? Email it to QandA@spalutions.com along with your contact information and you may see it and the answer in a future blog post. Free 30 minute consultations are also available for new clients.

Social Media Survey for Massage Schools and Educators

Felicia Brown LMBT — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:52:00 GMT

If you are a massage therapy educator or administrator of a massage school, please take a few minutes to share your thoughts about how you use social media in your school or classroom by taking this quick survey. The results will be used at the 2010 Schools Summit on February 18-19 in St Pete Beach, FL to help educate fellow instructors and improve teaching methods used with massage therapy students.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2nfx1frg2w3tis3/start

Thanks so much for your time and help!

Felicia Brown, LMBT
Trainer & Consultant ~ Spalutions!
NCBTMB Approved Provider
Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach
336.508.0790 ~ Direct
www.Spalutions.com
http://blog.spalutions.com/

Start the New Year Off Right - Assess Your Business

Felicia Brown LMBT — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:19:00 GMT

One of the best things about a new year is the opportunity to start over. I personally also like the chance to reflect on the past year and determine what has been working well in promoting my business (and what hasn't.) I'd like to offer you a chance to do the same.

Below is a list of ten questions I have every prospective coaching client fill out before we begin working on improving their marketing and operations. I thought it would be a good thing to post it here so that you too could get the benefit of exploring the answers.

See what you come up with and feel free to share any of "ahas" or bits of inspiration that come from doing this exercise right here on the blog. And if you decide that you want some help in improving the results for next year's "examination," email your answers along with your contact information to newyears@spalutions.com. I'll get back in touch ASAP to set up your free initial consultation.

To download the questions in a word document, click here.

1) What are the biggest strengths of your business or practice? What makes it unique or sets you apart from others in your field or area?

2) What are the biggest weaknesses or challenges of your business? What things are your competitors doing better than you?

3) How would you like to see your business change in the next six months?

4) What challenges might prevent you from getting these results?

5) How do new clients and prospects find out about you? Is this being tracked and if so how?

6) How do you follow up with prospective clients?

7) How do you follow up with new clients?

8) How do you follow up with past or inactive clients?

9) What do you love the most about your business and how are these facets represented in your business?

10) What marketing strategies are you using right now? (not just ads that you have purchased but also things like sending birthday cards, offering a welcome gift to new clients…things that are more internal in nature.)

Happy New Year from Felicia & Spalutions!

Felicia Brown LMBT — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:46:00 GMT

Happy New Year! Enjoy 2009 'til the very end!

~ Felicia

Amazing Customer Service...Can You Top This?

Felicia Brown LMBT — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:08:00 GMT

In the crazy days of holiday shopping and end of year sales frenzies, I wanted to share this cute but powerful video of how amazing customer service can really make your business stand out from the crowd.

Remember that customer service is actually a FREE but incredibly effective marketing tool. Bet this airline knows that already! I'd love to hear some customer service success stories from your business or that you've personally experienced. Share them right here on the blog or email them to me at Felicia@spalutions.com and I'll share the best ones in a future post.

Holiday Wishes from Felicia and Spalutions!

Felicia Brown LMBT — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:21:00 GMT