Okay, so here are the tools I use for my websites, blog and massage business.
Some of the links below are affiliate links. That means I get a commission if you purchase something through one of these links.
You don’t pay more because it’s an affiliate link. And if you do go through one of my links, I want to give you a huge thank you for supporting me so that I can continue to keep this DIY massage website cranking.
Here’s what I use for my businesses.
Books
This is the best massage book set I ever bought: Janet Travell’s Trigger Point Manual. The two set volume is pricey. However, for me, it has more than paid for itself within the 1st year I had the books. There is nothing more impactful and more impressive than showing a client the muscle that was hurting on her. And the drawings in Travell’s manuals are big and clear. The trigger points, stippled in red, jump off the page and are easy for the client to identify as areas where they are experiencing pain. Showing a picture of a muscle on your phone is not nearly as profound and effective. I have done both.
The last thing I will say about the books outweighing a picture on your phone is literally the weight of the book. To get to the picture you want to show your client in the book, you have to turn through pages of drawings and vast amounts of medical information. From a visual experience, the picture you show your client in the book is literally backed by pages of research that you are turning through. On a phone, the muscle “magically” appears from the ether with no hint of research or source behind it. Like I said, the books are pricey, but convincing and one of the best investments in a massage aid that I have ever made. We have three sets. A set lives in our Berwyn office and another set lives in our Phoenixville office. Our last is in our travel case for on-site massage.
Online Schedulers
I use Vagaro. I had been using Massagebook. Even though I liked Massagebook for the most part, it was a bit clunky and glitchy, especially the phone app.
The big reason why I switched to Vagaro was that it allowed me to set the “time in between each client” different for each therapist. For instance, in Massagebook there was only a global setting for “time in between clients”. So that meant that all massage therapists had to have the “same time in between clients”, 15 minutes or 30 minutes, etc. In Vagaro, one therapist could have 15 minutes in between clients and another could have 30 minutes in between clients.
Overall, I found Vagaro to be less glitchy and easier to use than Massagebook, but you really have to assess your needs and pick the online scheduler that best meets your needs and fits your budget. I wrote this article for Massage Magazine that will help you decide which online scheduler is best for you: 12 Questions That Will Help You Choose The Best Online Scheduler.
Websites
I recommend two web hosts for building a website: Dreamhost and BlueHost. They are cheaper than using Weebly or Wix, and if you are building more than one website, they will save you a lot of money. You can read more about the comparison between my two favorite here.
Here’s my how to build a website guide.
Blog
This blog/website is a WordPress website hosted by BlueHost. I recommend Dreamhost, too. If you are trying to go with the most inexpensive option, go with Dreamhost.
Here’s my guide if you want to start a blog: Do-It-Yourself Blog Guide
Email Marketing
Mailchimp is my email marketing service. I find Mailchimp to be decent. However, the mobile Mailchimp is challenging to work on. For that reason, I will be switching to AWeber.
Massage Equipment
I love massage tools because they save my hands and body. I use both wooden and plastic tools.
Wooden Massage Tools
For wooden tools I go to Matt Johnson. He makes each wooden massage tool he sells.
So, if your hand is petite or large, he can customize the handle size and stem length.
Awesome sauce!
He’s extremely reasonable for what he is offering. His prices range from $15 to $30 minus shipping.
Just email me if you want a custom massage tool from him and I’ll put you in touch with him.
Plastic Massage Tools
Merrill Lund has created some fantastic massage tools that are especially good if you’re working attachments and hard-to-get-to-spots.
Though the tools may look intimidating because some have no handles and some have multiple stems, they are very user-friendly.
This is his website.
My favorite (for now…lol) is the Effleurage T-bar (pictured above).
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This way back to the blog.