How to Choose a Portable Massage Chair

I mentioned that a portable massage chair can be a great promotional tool for your massage business before. One of the great things about a massage chair is that it allows you to give a fast effective massage to a client while they are fully clothed. This makes it ideal to use at a variety of events.

You can give chair massages at festivals, farmer's markets, conferences, stores, in offices, and a variety of other places. Where you can give a chair massage is only limited to your creativity and imagination. Simply get permission to give massages at a specific location.

I remember seeing a news report once about a woman who was giving chair massage in the waiting room at her local dentist's office. Who doesn't need a massage more than someone waiting to get a root canal?

One of my teachers told me that he would give seated massages to customers at his local health food store once a week. He'd arranged it with the manager. Every week on the same day at the same time he'd set up his chair in the health and beauty section of the store and charge for massages. Next to his chair he had a little table with his business cards and brochures for people to take. Even people who didn't get a massage would take a brochure.

Don't be afraid to approach business owners about giving massages in their business. Write up a proposal and prepare a little package with information about the benefits of massage in it to give to them. You'll be surprised by the response you get. You can make arrangements for the business owner to pay you for your time or charge the clients directly. Usually people charge about a dollar a minute for a seated massage.

On the day that you're going to be giving massages get all your promotional materials together. Make sure you have business cards and brochures. Your brochures should clearly list your services rates. Both your business cards should have your contact information clearly displayed. It may seem obvious but I've seen people who have neglected these important details. Having a little sign that says the name of your business to display next to your chair can be helpful too. Make sure you also have a sign that clearly displays the cost for a chair massage so customers don't have to ask you.

When you first set up clients might not just come to you. You may have to circulate around the area letting people know that you're offering massage and where you're set up. Once you get your first couple clients though word will spread and others will come.

I've done chair massages at conferences, health fairs and business events. I always end up being very busy. You can earn quite a bit of money at these events while promoting your business.

You don't have to just use chair massage as a way to promote a standard massage business. You can make chair massage the heart and soul of your massage business. Some therapists make their livings giving massages in offices and at various events. If you love chair massage this is a great option for you.

You don't have to just go to clients to give them seated massages. Clients can even come to you to get a seated massage. You can own your own massage client that specializes in seated massage. It is a great solution for people who want to stop in for a quick massage during their lunch break.

Chair massage is also great for people who for some reason can't lay down on a massage table or people who feel uncomfortable with traditional massage. If you don't want to make seated massage your entire business you can add it as an option to an existing massage practice.

Here are some basic things you should look for in a good quality portable massage chair.

Quality - The chair should be strong and durable. Make sure you know what working weight the chair can hold.

Adjustability - It should be fast and easy to adjust. It should also adjust to fit a wide range of people. Whether tall or short, most people should be able to comfortably sit on your chair.

Ease of Set Up - Is the chair easy to take down and set up?

Weight - You'll be moving your chair around. You want a chair that is easy carry.

Warranty - Look for something with at least a 3 year warranty. Some chairs even come with lifetime warranties.

Now that you know how to use a portable massage chair in your business, let's look at how to choose the best chair for you.

Budget

Knowing how much you're able to spend is important. Your chair is a business investment. If you use it enough it will more than pay for itself, but if you don't end up using it at all it won't be worth it. Try to determine how often you think you'll use it before you make the purchase. That will help you decide how much to spend.

Research

You need something that is sturdy, reliable and easy to use. Look into the different chairs and their features. Many chairs come in packages that include a carrying case. Some may even include an instructional DVD to show you how to use the chair correctly and give you a basic massage routine you can start out with. Other chair packages may even include disposable face cradle covers or even essential oils.

I bought an Earthlite Avila massage chair package and at the time it came with 100 disposable face cradle covers, an instructional video (I'm old school), a carrying case, and a vial of peppermint essential oil.

Talk to different therapists and find out what type of chairs they have. Find out what they like or don't like about them.

If you can borrow or rent a chair before you buy that would be helpful. I rented an Oakworks chair from my school and didn't like it very much. That's part of what helped me to make the decision to buy the chair that I did.

Read reviews about different chairs. These massage chair reviews will help you get a better idea about the pros and cons of each chair.

You'll need a chair that is easy to set up and take down, light weight, easily adjustable and comfortable for both you and your client.

Shop Around

Once you find a chair that you want shop around for the best deal. You can find great deals on portable massage chairs from auction sites like eBay. When buying from one of these sites make sure you buy from a reputable vendor. Check the sellers history on the site and make sure they have a good rating from past customers.

You can also find good deals on chairs from large online retailers like Amazon and massage stores. These stores often have sales and offer free shipping for large purchases.

If you want to try to save even more money consider getting a used chair. When people sell used massage chairs they usually have only been used a few times. You can get a chair for half the price like this. Look for used chairs on Craig's List or on bulletin boards at massage schools.