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I’ve Blown A Lot Of Money Over The Years!
Massage shops are a lot like restaurants. You can find some really good hole in the wall types, or you can find complete rip offs that leave you walking out with a sour taste. When it comes to massages in particular, I’ve racked up quite a bit of experience over the years. My travels have allowed me to experience massage in different parts of the world: Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and my hometown Canada to name a few.
I have splurged on massage many a time, but doing so has taught me some valuable lessons. And from these lessons come 7 tips to help you find the best massage wherever you are in the world!
Follow These 7 Tips To Avoid Disappointment!
Think of these 7 tips as homework on your part; read through and carefully consider each one. It’s amazing how a little bit of research and effort can go a long way!
Tip #1 In Google We Trust!
Tip #1 is so easy, even grandma and grandpa can do it. Do a quick google search for massage parlors in your area, and narrow the results down to the closest 5. Make note of the 5 parlors; I recommend writing it down on a sticky. Next you wanna search each one separately on google again, but this time you will be specifically looking at the “google reviews”. In particular check out the establishments’ rating, and spend some time reading actual reviews.
Going through reviews can be pretty useful, as people usually disclose important information. If you go through enough, you’ll be able to notice a trend:
What type of service people are most satisfied with?
Therapists people love most?
Therapists people avoid?
Rinse and repeat for the remaining 4 establishments, and eliminate the 2 lowest rated establishments, so you’re left with 3. Don’t stop here! Check out reviews for the remaining 3 establishments on social media, and see what people have to say.
Tip #2 Have A Clear Idea Of What You Want!
Walking into a massage parlor clueless of what you want is similar to requesting your tattoo artist to draw up anything that comes to mind.
You might be pleasantly surprised, or utterly disappointed!
Have a clear idea of what you would like the therapist to focus on. If you’re having issues with your neck and back, then advise accordingly. The only time this doesn’t apply is if you don’t have specific issues. In this case asking for a full body massage is probably fine.
Tip #3 Do Your Part!
Whenever someone asks me “how to find the best massage”, I quickly respond by asking “how do you prepare before one?”. 9 times out of 10 they look back at me perplexed. Here’s the truth:
Properly preparing for a massage not only makes it more effective, but a heck of a lot more enjoyable!
So what is “proper preparation” anyways? It’s a bunch of things you should do before your appointment such as staying hydrated, well rested, avoiding heavy meals etc. Here’s a post I wrote that talks about 5 things you should and shouldn’t do before a massage. I highly recommend you give it a read!
Tip #4 Don’t Be A Cheapskate!
If you’re out to get a $20 massage, guess what? You’re getting a massage worth $20 dollars my friend!
When it comes to massage, most of the time you usually get what you pay for!
Now this doesn’t mean you should overindulge by spending $80-100 every week. The key here is routine. Set yourself a massage routine that doesn’t burn a hole in your wallet. What do I do? I see my therapist once a month, and for the rest of the month I use an automated massager. Figure out your routine and stick to it!
Tip #5 Try Out Each Of The Establishments!
As lame as it sounds, change is actually good. You never know what’s out there until you try, and even when you do…there’s likely something better you just haven’t discovered yet.
Pro tip: never stick to one place, always switch it up!
Next time you feel like a coffee, head over to the new start-up that just opened across the street. Next time you wanna get a haircut, go check out the place that gives a sick fade instead of the boring barbershops that spam you with 2 for 1 coupons because they have no other way of getting you in (you know who you are!). And next time you wanna get a massage, try out a place you’ve never been to before…..because you might just end up loving it!
That being said, try out the 3 massage parlors that you narrowed down to in tip #1. What did you think? Do you have a favorite?
Tip #6 Evaluate, Evaluate, Evaluate!
Have you actioned the 5 previously discussed tips? If you have, high five! The last thing you need to do is evaluate.
What went well? What didn’t go well?
Some things you may wish to ponder:
How would you rate your overall experience?
As far as massage is concerned, were your expectations satisfied?
Was the shop clean and hygienic? How was the overall ambiance?
How about customer service? Rude and impolite, or kind and respectful?
Were the therapists licensed? Did they respond to your requests to focus on specific areas?
Evaluating in this way makes it much easier for you to decide. Using this 5 step approach, evaluate all 3 massage shops and eliminate the 2 that don’t meet your expectations.
Tip #7 Don’t Forget To Post A Review!
You rely on reviews, I rely on reviews, we all rely on reviews! And it’s not just for massage, reviews are important for everything.
Reviews that are honest and unbiased help both consumers and businesses!
And helping people is fun, so don’t be lazy, get up off that couch and post a review online about your experience. Do it the same day, so your memory about the whole thing is still fresh!
Now Your Turn!
What’s your take on “how to find the best massage”? Do you have any tips you’d like to share? Leave a comment below and let’s get a discussion going!
