Massage Science - advertising

Each year, when the latest version of the telephone directory arrives, I peruse it to see that the publishers have entered my details correctly; I have another motive for this perusal. There is a general section, listing my name,address, and phone numbers, and a second section, where, if you have paid the extra premium, your details are published in a trade directory - in Australia, this trade section is called the Yellow Pages.

So, you could open the general directory - The White Pages, and find the name Bernard Scully listed, with address and phone number; alternately, you could consult the trade directory - the Yellow Pages , search under "Massage Therapists", and find the same Bernard Scully listed, along with many others.

Ask any advertising or marketing advisor with local experience in Australia, and he/she will tell you " no business could expect to exceed or survive, without a noticeable entry in the Yellow Pages directory. (YP)

There are, of course, many other directories published who want to compete with the firmly established YP, another two were launched just this week, but for the present YP has the upper hand.

Wherever you are when you read this, you can probably nominate the directory of choice, and relate to what I'm talking about. Now, I can at last get to the point I want to discuss with you : why does a person consult you for manual therapy treatment, and not your competitor ?

I have kept statistics for over twenty years on this matter, and here are my findings;

60% say : I saw your ad in the YP,

15% say: I have seen your ad in the YP for many years, and figured you are here to stay,

10% say: a friend recommended you to me,

5% say: my medical practitioner recommended you, and

10% say: I've wanted to have a manual therapy treatment for some time now, but didn't know where to go, because I was uncertain, and suspicious of many of the therapists I heard about, and the advertisements they publish.

This final 10% group intrigues me - you could be well-trained, and capable therapist, and an all-round model citizen, but if you are a member of a group therapists, or if you associate with therapists who continue to condone, and approve, wierd and unscientific methods, you run the risk of alienating yourself from a significant portion of the community.