Back to School? - How to Choose your Next Massage Therapy Training Course

It's September, holidays are over and it’s back to work.

For many massage therapists, it’s back to school too!

At this time of year you might be thinking about your next CPD course (Continued Professional Development). There’s so many possibilities out there! What are you going to learn next?

Every September, I see comments in massage therapist groups and forums, all wondering what training to take next. The questions are always the same: “What treatments are popular right now?” “Which new modalities should I learn to get more clients?"

The thing is, these are the wrong questions to be asking! That’s because these questions can lead to two common traps that can waste your time, money, and energy, and pull you away from the trainings that WOULD really help your massage business grow.

If you’ve been wondering which CPD training to do next, read on for more about these traps - so you can spot them when you’re signing up for your next training and learn the RIGHT questions to ask so you can choose training that will help, rather than hinder, your business success.

Trap no. 1 “The Fad”

Remember seeing those red circular marks on athletes at the Olympics? You probably know they were caused by cupping therapy. This treatment has became popular since being used at the games. In the last few weeks I’ve heard many therapist say their clients have been asking about it – should they learn it?!

It’s tempting to jump on the bandwagon when a treatment suddenly becomes popular, but not all trends will last for the long haul. I learned this the hard way when I was working at a spa in the early 2000s…

The Chocolate Facial Story

In 2007 chocolate facials were all the rage. These were incredibly popular (well who wouldn’t love a chocolate facial?! You had your face smeared and massaged with chocolate smelling products and then at the end got a hot chocolate drink too!)

The spa owners decided chocolate facials were a great investment. They sent all the staff on the training and spent a lot of money on all the chocolate facial products. The training was intensive, the materials expensive, and for six months, the facials were super popular.

…but then suddenly, the craze fizzled out. Now, everyone wanted an OXYGEN facial! We were left with a cupboard full of chocolate moisturiser and the owners were left out of pocket.

This taught me a very good lesson: Beware of fads! Following the latest fad is never a good idea. The excitement could well be over in a few months and you’ll be left high and dry with skills that you rarely get to use.

Before you decide to learn any new modality just because it's popular, ask yourself – has this got staying power? And if so, will it actually be useful for your clients and the kind of work you do?

Trap no. 2 “The Jack of All Trades”

When you’re starting out, it’s tempting to learn as many different techniques as possible, expecting this to attract more clients. Yes, It’s important to add to your skill set and to learn and grow as a therapist, but offering too many modalities can make you a “jack of all trades and a master of none”.

Imagine walking into a takeaway that has a menu pages long, offering everything from Dim Sum to burgers and chips. You might think that having so many options is a good thing, but it can actually make customers ask - “If they make so many different things, is anything actually good quality?”

Now think of an exclusive restaurant where they have a tiny menu. The smaller menu instantly gives you the idea that you’re getting the best of the best, made by experts.

It’s the same with your treatment menu. You don’t want it to read like a Takeaway menu with loads of options. It can make your practice look very generic, less professional and…well…cheap!

A smaller menu makes it easier for clients to understand what you offer and how you can help them. And strangely, it can actually make you look MORE qualified, because people will assume that because you focus on just a few things, you must be better at them!

In fact, one of the first things I do with therapists in my Business Mentoring programme, is help them streamline their treatment menu. We take out anything that doesn’t align with their core strengths or their ideal clients. We want their menu to look clearer and more focused, so that it’s easier for clients to understand their expertise.

How to choose your CPD

So, you’re not going to follow the fads or become a Jack or all trades – but you DO want to do more training! How do you make the right choice for your next CPD course? The key is to think strategically about how you’re building your massage business. Here are the questions you should be asking yourself.

1. What’s My Specialism?
What are you good at? Think about what problems you tend to solve for clients and what you enjoy doing. What do your clients rave about? For instance, if your clients often praise your ability to help them out of back pain, this might be a good area to do more training in.

2. What Solutions do I Offer?
Clients come to you because they have specific problems they want solved. Whether it’s chronic pain, stress relief, or recovery from an injury, they’re not looking for MODALITIES, they’re looking for SOLUTIONS.

Instead of focusing on what's trending, think about who your ideal clients are and what THEY need. Are they athletes looking for targeted treatments? Busy professionals needing stress relief? Or maybe they're people dealing with chronic pain?

Choose CPD courses that help you get better at helping your specific clients. This way, you stop just adding skills and instead you start to build an INTENTIONAL business that’s aligned with the people you most want to help.

Being known for solving specific problems really well is far more effective than offering a wide range of treatments.

3. How Can I Go Deeper, Not Wider?
Once you’ve found your niche, focus on mastering it. Take CPD courses that help you become an expert in that specific area. For example, if you often work with pregnant women, look for advanced courses that teach new techniques for prenatal and postpartum work. Focus on going deeper into one area of expertise rather than spreading yourself too thin.

4. How can I align my training to my clients needs?
Pay attention to the common issues your clients face. What additional tools or techniques could help you better solve their problems? Listen to your clients. What do they need from you? These questions can help you identify areas for more training. Ask yourself , “How can I get EVEN better at…” You want to make sure that your professional development directly adds to the growth of your massage business.

5. Is This A Fad?
It’s important to stay updated on industry trends, but be cautious of jumping on every new fad. Look for treatments and techniques with proven benefits that will stand the test of time. Choose courses that align with your long-term goals. If you want to specialise in chronic pain, for example, look for advanced courses that take you deeper into that area.

6. What would help me grow my business?
It’s a sad truth that being great at massage and having many massage skills under your belt, doesn’t automatically bring you more clients. Having a thriving massage business means you’ll need to learn other skills too. So instead of always thinking about learning new modalities or massage techniques, don’t forget to look for courses or training that help you with business/marketing/admin/finance skills too. These are all as vital as massage to do well, if you want a successful business.

7. What do YOU need?
Finally, it doesn’t all have to be about building your business or helping your clients. Sometimes we want to learn things that simply bring enjoyment or longevity to our massage practice. Ask yourself what that would be for you. See this post for some ideas!

About the Author

Business mentor for massage therapists, Nikki Wolf has over 20 years in the industry; including teaching, owning a massage school, and managing spas. Nikki is on a mission to demystify marketing for therapists and empower them to build their own thriving businesses. When she isn't massaging or mentoring, she’ll be walking on the beach with her dog, Storm. Find out more about mentoring at Orchid Massage Academy.