Shiatsu Society News and Marketing
July 3rd, 2008The Shiatsu Society has its own publication called the Shiatsu Society News. It is distributed to everyone who is a paid-up member of the society, and according to the publication itself, it has a circulation of about 2000. I’m not sure if you can buy it anywhere - I doubt it, and I’ve never seen it on sale. I don’t expect the Shiatsu Society News would be of any interest to anyone outside of the shiatsu world anyway.
It is a nice, glossy magazine that comes out quarterly and usually features some articles on shiatsu and related topics, a Letters section, a bit of advertising…..the usual sort of thing. My wife had a book review published in it a while ago that I published ages ago on my old blog. I’ll repost it here soon.
The most recent issue has an article called “Attracting Clients: What Really Works?”, which obviously caught my eye. Marketing is not really my strong point. My wife is better in this department and a while ago, sent out a questionnaire to some of her clients to find out why some clients who really enjoyed their shiatsu never rebooked a shiatsu treatment. She followed up and noted that one client “just put shiatsu on the backburner for a while”. Finally, she noted the results from the feedback she got.
Back to the Shiatsu Society News article - which interviewed several shiatsu practitioners and asked them what marketing and promotion techniques worked best for them and what didn’t work.
The Best List includes general networking and word-of-mouth, taster sessions, having a good flier or postcard that describes what shiatsu is. The Worst List includes paid adverts, listings in directories (because people don’t really look up “shiatsu” per se) and the piece de resistance: referrals from The Shiatsu Society - of the four practitioners interviewed, only one practitioner had had a referral from the Society…..in 10 years of membership! That’s pretty sad. I myself have never had a client referred to me from the Shiatsu Society; and I begin to wonder what the role of the Society is……
Any Shiatsu practitioners out there have a “best of” and “worst of” marketing list? Any other practitioners have better results from referrals from the Shiatsu Society? Any clients feel like commenting on what they found most effective and least effective? I would love to hear about it; drop me a comment.
Tags:Marketing, Shiatsu, shiatsu society
July 8th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Hi Bevan, thank you very much for your post. I read the article on the last Shiatsu Society News regarding marketing and advertising. It is not the first time that I hear from other shiatsu practictioner that although they have been members with the Shiatsu Society for years and years, they did not get a single referral from them.
At this point I am wondering what I am paying a membership for? Is it to get a quarterly pubblication? In that case I think it is too an expensive one!!! It is funny that on the opening page the Shiatsu Society defines itself as non profit organization!!!!
It would be great if together with could challange its role, which I believe it should be reaching a wider audience and making the benefits of Shiatsu known. I will contact them and keep you updated. take care
July 9th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Hi Giuliana - yep…my wife and I have the same thought about membership fees. Renewals are coming up and I’m not sure I’m continuing my membership just for the glossy publication. I would far prefer the shiatsu society news just be an on-line pdf and the money spent on printing it be used on more effective marketing…..o and a better website!
Let us know how you get on when you contact them.