Without having to look too hard, we all know at least one person in our close entourage that has never had a massage.
For some of these neophytes the opportunity just never presented itself, meanwhile others say that they do not feel the need. From the onset, many argue passionately that massage is just not their thing! In fact, there might be as many different reasons as there are uninitiated people.
Obviously, we can not force someone to spend a nice relaxing day at the spa, including discussing the pleasure of our massage experience. This is all the more regrettable if this person is our spouse or a close friend. And to top it of, we might know that this person could benefit immensely from a massage, considering his/her physical and / or psychological fatigue. In any case, their stand point must be respected. There is no point in trying to change this persons mind, since only he/she knows the reason for the refusal to start with it.
Indeed, it could be that those “stubborn” to the touch may have been exposed to medical touches at birth or in childhood that were unpleasant if not painful. These distant memories can still be very active today although they are burried in our subconscious. Another justification that we certainly can not forget, are negative experiences from abuse of any kind. From being bullied at school to having difficulties accepting our body as it is, we all have our personal experiences to being touched. Not wanting to “risk” to remember those painful memories, they prefer not to be massaged.
It is very understandable, even though it is very much a pity. We should be able to consider each new experience as a chance to live something better than what we went through in the past. The human being has this great opportunity to learn and to “reprogramm the brain”.
We should consider receiving a massage the same way we eat food, because being touched IS food, food for our soul. As mentioned in one of my previous texts on massages for children, touch is emotional food. It is a tool to communicate . Certainly, touch is not the only way to communicate but if we compare it to food again, you can eat just because you need to eat, or you can eat to nourrish your body. Why not try to enjoy a massage as a form of physical communication, just like you would enjoy a nice meal full of flavor, delicious smells and that is beautiful to look at. And don’t forget to which point it can change the life of a couple.
So how do you convince somebody to try their first massage? Above all, no pressure please! Respect and … psychology. The best sales strategy is the anti-sale. The customer goes through the purchase process, it is not the salesman who tries to convince the potential buyer. Knowing all the benefits of massage therapy (and there are many) you can ask us the right questions. For this, we need to know the values and priorities of the targeted person. His/her health, “productivity” at work, creativity, budget, personal development, family, sport performance, etc.? For each of those points, we can and should ask new and more specific questions. Questions that will allow the massage novice to make the link between the benefits of massage and the achievement of these values and priorities. For example a person for whom the massage is a big expense. We could ask that person how far of a trip one could make today with $ 100? Not very far away you might say, with good reason! Yet, with this amount, it is possible to make one of the best trips ever, to our innermost center. Far from being poetic, it is not the idea to make this person addicted to massages but to allow him/her to live this new experience. Once they have received their first massage, it allows them to see their vision and their relationship to the touch. From there, anything is possible.
In my twenty years of experience, I’ve seen all sorts of reasons to “help” somebody experience their first massage. And in many cases, these people became “very” regular customers. Of course, pain – psychological or physical – is definitely on top of the list as a motivation to get a massage. It is not for nothing that when we feel pain we often put our hands on the painful area. For the person who is suffering, we open our arms for a big hug. It is even a reflex. In our world of increased individualism, where more and more people are living alone, massages can fill a certain part of our need for touch. And I just want to quickly make you aware of the impact of stress from our contemporary life that is far from a life of …contemplation !
Modesty is also an obstacle for many, know that the shiatsu massage is given with the clothes on. The same for a chair massage, which can be offered for a shorter time, for example for 15 or 30 minutes. Chair massage therapists can also offer massages on massage tables where one is able to keep the clothes on. Only the position changes. Furthermore, a 30-minute massage will also be a better fit for somebody with a tight budget. And staying with the modesty issue, it is always possible to choose a female or male massage therapist.
In short, the art of asking good questions is just that … an art. We have to ask loads of questions to allow the person to get ahead of himself/herself through their own thoughts.
At Strøm Spa we want to help you in your approach. First and foremost, we believe that a world where everyone could get a massage would be a much better world. That’s why we created the new Ini-massage gift certificate . In the event that the person receiving this gift certificate does not want to take advantage of the gift you got them, the total amount of the expired certificate will be returned to you in the form of a spa credit for your next visit at Strøm.
Hoping to contribute to the well-being of your loved ones, we remain available to answer all your questions. Have a great massage!
– Pierre Blais, massage therapist at Strøm spa Nuns’ Island
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