College Trends
A Blog reader comments:
I've been a
massage therapist for 20 years and am 52. Need a fresh name for my business and
now would be a great time as the move is to another town and it is a college
town. Would you be willing to give me some potential ideas of what is trendy
with the younger generation in this area?
My response:
A business name is like a key to a door, but before we go there, which door do you want to open?
A trendy name is probably less important than a name chosen to speak to your niche market.
Are college students your market? Or, is the college township your market?
Some things to consider . . .
At a glance there are several trends among college students that could create in-roads for massage practitioners.
From a health perspective, mental stress and exhaustion are two of the top four health complaints amongst college students nationwide. This certainly implies a need, the question is, is there a market for massage? We’ll discuss this more in a moment.
Another factor to consider is that college students today are more aware of health issues like obesity and transmittable disease so they tend to be more health conscious than previous generations.
When you consider technology, this age of student will have the highest level of tech savvy ever! Perhaps this reveals a clue to the most effective way to reach them as an audience, yet challenging one to connect in a way that translates to massage dollars.
Due to the accessibility of information through technology, these young adults are also more likely to make educated decisions through multiple resources at the speed of a text message or smart phone. So you’ll have to appeal to them with concrete information and believability.
That said, there’s much to consider. Is there a market?
Do you come at them from a youthful attitude and sell “chill” session that end with a cold organic drink? Or do you catch them at sports events with your massage chair in tow? Do you reach them with a brown bag lunch education, or work with the college entrance program to promote the health advantages of implementing a stress management plan?
The thing that is most likely to snag your efforts is that excess cash is not a common commodity with this age group so you may have to approach, educate and sell their parents emphasizing the health dangers of this age, and getting them on-board with strategies to bring their child through with well balanced life skills.
On the other hand, you may want to reach the service market around the college and simply offer a student discount to fill in your slow hours.
As far as business names go, it may be more effective to choose a name that ties into your web presence, domain name or search terms that trigger search engine spiders. It's actually less important what you call your business, than how you get your name in front of your market. On that note, know that getting customers to find you the first time is not as difficult as making it easy to find you the second, third and fourth times. (I have an upcoming article on domain names that might be worth reading so watch for it.)
This would have me researching what they read, where they hang out, where they shop, and even where they go online.
These are just a few ideas. I’d like to thank you for your comments and questions, and for the opportunity for a new look at the changing market of massage.
If you'd like to brainstorm further contact me at rebelmassage@yahoo.com
