The “Refer-a-Friend” Scheme That Actually Works For Massage Therapists

Most massage therapists have tried a “refer a friend” scheme at some point. You pop a banner on your website or hand a few cards to your clients at the end of a treatment, saying “Give this to a friend and you’ll both get 10% off.”

It sounds like a great idea. – YOU get more clients; your clients get cheaper treatments. Win-win all round!

But after over 25 years as a massage therapist, I’ve found there’s a better way. It’s a method I’ve used for years in my own business and one that I teach to the therapists I mentor because it consistently brings in lovely new clients who are much more likely to become regulars.

I call it “Recommend a Friend”rather than “Refer a Friend” because although the difference sounds small, the way you do it changes everything.

Why most refer-a-friend schemes don’t work

I actually believe that the traditional referral scheme can cause two big problems:

1. You attract people who want a discount

You're likely to get someone who books because they wants a cheaper treatment, not because they wanted a treatment from you. Not all clients are created equal - the ones who come because of a discount are more likely to stop coming when the price goes back up. That's not the sort of client you want to build your massage therapy business around!

2. It can cheapen your treatments

When you give a discount, you're telling people (unintentionally) that your prices are negotiable. And that's the last impression you want to give! You've worked hard to build your skills, your experience, and your reputation as a massage therapist. The moment you discount, you're just slightly undermining all of that.

So, what to do instead? Let me introduce my Recommend a Friend Method.

For this strategy, you're not printing a pile of cards and handing one to every client. You're having a short conversation with just a handful of carefully chosen clients - the ones you most love working with.

Instead of casting a wide net and hoping for the best, you're intentionally attracting more clients just like the ones you already love treating. It's more personal, it feels more natural, and in my experience, it brings in far better clients for your massage practice.

Let me show you exactly how to do it. There are 5 steps:

Step One: Choose your ideal clients

Start by thinking about your ideal client.

That is:

- Someone who has the type of problem you love helping.

- Who gets great results from your treatments,

- Who values what you do.

Don't do this with a brand-new client. Wait until you've built a good relationship and they've experienced the difference yourmassage treatments make.

You can try this with just one ideal client, or if you have more – do this with all of them!

Step Two: Tell them why you love treating them

When they come in for their next appointment, wait until the very end of the treatment, when they’re nice and relaxed. They’ve paid and rebooked – and now you have a short conversation:

Start with telling them that you really enjoy working with them. Most therapists never tell clients they’re one of their favourites. But why not?

You could just say something like:

"I always love seeing you because you respond to massage so well. It's great seeing how much better you feel afterwards."

Then explain why you particularly enjoy treating people like them. This is where you name your favourite thing to work on - but it has to be the specific issue they came in with. Maybe that's neck and shoulder pain, helping runners recover from injuries, or supporting people managing stress and anxiety. Whatever it is, if it matches their reason for being there, tell them.

You might say:

“Actually, neck and shoulder problems are one of my favourite things to work on. I really enjoy helping people with exactly this kind of issue.”

Telling them this makes your client really feel appreciated. And it also reminds them exactly what you’re good at. That’s important because it’s about to help them think of someone who could benefit from seeing you for massage therapy.

Step Three: Ask them to think of one specific person

In the usual "Refer a Friend" scheme, therapists print a stack of cards and hand them out to all their clients saying “pass these to everyone you know.” The trouble is, “everyone” usually becomes… no one, or worse…the wrong ones!

So instead, I ask them if they know ONE person who would really benefit from a treatment with me. That one small change makes a huge difference! You're getting them to picture a real person they know who has a real problem.

You could say something like:

“You’ve actually just made me think… do you know someone who’s struggling with neck and shoulder pain who would appreciate this sort of massage?”

Notice you're not asking if they know "anyone". You're asking them to picture someone.

You'll often watch them light up here - they’ll remember someone from their knitting group who has shoulder pain, or their mate in the running club who talks about their knee pain, or a colleague who complains about their stress levels. Now you have a real person who you can help, rather than some random stranger who’s just after a discount!

Step Four: Turn it into a personal gift

Once you've got a name, this is where you bring out your gift voucher. I recommend using printed gift vouchers rather than sending something digitally if you can. There's something much more personal about physically handing somebody a card than forwarding them a link.

Now here's the important bit: Write the person's name on the voucher there and then.

If your client says, "My friend Sarah would love this," write Sarah in the "To" section of the voucher. Then write your client's name in the "From" section.

Just doing this means that immediately this isn’t just a generic referral voucher that could be handed to anyone - it's a GIFT for one particular person.

Now you’re going to write:

"This voucher entitles the bearer to £10 towards a massage treatment."

Notice the wording: Don't write “£10 off”or “10% discount”.

I always write £10 towards a treatment because, to me, it's a gift. It's something valuable that my client is giving to someone they know. It might sound like a tiny wording change, but it completely changes how this feels.

(Of course, you don't have to use £10. Choose an amount that feels right for your pricing.)

Then hand it over and say something like, "There you go - a little gift from you to Sarah."

Only give one or two vouchers at the most. If you hand someone ten, it stops feeling special and starts feeling like a marketing promotion, which is not what we want!

Now, you might be thinking - isn't “£10 towards a treatment” still a discount?” I don’t think so. A discount is available to everyone - It’s on your website and sent in your emails. This is a gift, handpicked for one specific person, with their name on it.

Step Five: Put an expiry date on it

Just before you hand it over, make sure there’s an expiry date on the voucher. I usually give people a month or two. People are busy and without some time pressure to use it, it’ll get left in a handbag or a kitchen drawer and be forgotten about.

An expiry date is just a little nudge to make sure the voucher is passed on and that it’s actually used.

Why this method works so well

Think about someone who books because they saw a discount online. Their first thought is usually: "Great, I can save some money!" Now, imagine someone arriving with one of these personalised gift vouchers – they’re thinking something completely different:

"My friend thought of me because they know I've been struggling, and they've told me this therapist might be able to help."

That's a much better place to start building the therapeutic relationship!

Your job from there is simple - give them a brilliant experience, help them feel better - and you’ve got a great chance of them becoming a regular massage therapy client.

One of my favourite things about this method is that the whole thing just feels lovely. It doesn’t feel pushy or awkward - it feels generous!

You're handpicking clients you love working with and telling them so. They get to feel like they're giving something thoughtful to a friend. And that friend receives a little gift towards a treatment. There's a really nice energy and vibe to the whole exchange.

Best of all, it gets you clients you'll actually enjoy treating and helps you grow your massage business with the right kind of clients.

So, if you've been relying on the usual refer-a-friend scheme, I'd encourage you to try my “Recommend A Friend” instead.

You might be surprised by how well such a simple, personal approach works. Let us know how you get on with it!

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.