If you’ve been massaging for a while, this might sound familiar to you:

“December’s busy. I should feel great… but January is always so quiet!”

December in the massage world can be super busy – but would you agree- it’s a strange kind of busy?

You sell a ton of gift vouchers. You’re booked full of one-off pamper clients. Everyone is trying to get in a “quick massage” before Christmas kicks off properly.

On paper it looks great and you’re happy the money’s coming in… but deep down you know that this kind of busy isn’t going to last.

 Because then January comes.

And with it … the dreaded Silence.

Clients disappear.

And the bookings you do have are often the gift voucher people coming for sessions you were paid for weeks ago.

So you’re working… but not earning. Worst of both worlds!

I see this pattern all the time with the therapists I mentor. They’re super busy on the run-up to Christmas…and then super quiet in January.

Many therapists mistakenly think people don’t book massages in January, because no one has any money after Christmas. But that’s only part of the story.

What‘s actually going on is this: Therapists aren’t doing enough marketing in December.

I totally get it – December is pretty exhausting. You’re rushing from one client to the next and from one Christmas-do to the next, and the last thing you’re thinking about is doing marketing. No time for that!

But the thing is, marketing isn’t just for filling up your bookings. It’s also for staying in touch and connecting with your clients and your audience.

When you disappear completely, people don’t stop liking you,  but they do stop thinking about you. And the impact of that shows up a few weeks later- usually in early January, exactly when you’re hoping things will pick up again!

It’s so important to keep your marketing going at this time of year!

It doesn’t need to be hard or complicated (You’ve got enough going on). But it is important to keep getting your name and face out as much as you can.

So here are 9 things you can do this December to help you stay on people’s radar come January.

(and if you’re not busy this December, don’t worry – everything I’m about to share will help you set yourself up for a much stronger start in the new year.)

9 easy ways to keep marketing in December

1. Schedule a few posts now – so you can forget about them later

Future-you will thank you for this one!

Take an hour this week to schedule a few quick posts to go out over the next few weeks. Don’t worry about making them long or super-glossy. Just create something that keeps you visible while you’re busy doing other things.

A few ideas for you:

• A post about your opening hours or last available appointments before Christmas
• A friendly “see you in the new year” post for when you stop working
• A photo of your treatment room looking inviting (A warm blanket, fairy lights, or something seasonal.) People connect with the atmosphere!
• Your post-work ritual (a cuppa, a walk or even a tidy up!)
• Your treatment table set up for the last client of the year
• A short caption about how it feels to help people through the stress of this time of year.

These type of posts remind people there’s a real person behind your business. And when clients feel connected to you, they’re more likely to come back. They’ll remember you not just because of your awesome massage, but because they like and trust you as a person.

It doesn’t need to be perfect – it just needs to exist!  Even one post a week is enough to remind people you’re still around and thinking of them.

2. Send a “thank you” gift voucher for January

If you want something practical to do in December that can lead to January bookings, this is a good one.

Go through your client list and pick out people you haven’t seen for a while. These are clients who already know you and your work, but just haven’t been back recently.

Send them a message to say you appreciated them coming to see you this year, and as here’s little thank you they can use in January to start the new year well.

Include a small voucher – you’re not discounting your work here. This is a thank you and a reason to get booked in.

3. Send a thank-you message to current clients

December’s the perfect time to give out some “thank-yous”

You could write a short post or email saying how much you appreciate your clients – the people who’ve supported you, referred friends, and kept your little business going.

Just write from your heart. You can even tie it into your marketing by adding something like, “I’ll be back open from 3rd January – if you want to start the year well, you can book in now.”

This is just for you to create connection (not sell). Connection then builds loyalty – which is worth far more than a hard sell!

4. The 3 point email/text

Don’t want to do a “Thank You” email? Send this 3 pointer instead:

1.  acknowledge they’re frazzled
2.  let them know you’ve got a couple of January appointments open now
3.  invite them to book today so they’ve already got it in the diary for when the Christmas weirdry is over.  (Add your own touch here depending on what your work is good at… easing tension, clearing foggy heads, helping people reset after the frivolities etc)

That’s it! One paragraph is enough.

5. Collect marketing ideas while you’re busy

While you’re working, keep your eyes and ears open for useful insights from your clients.

What are they complaining about right now?
What are they worried about?
What are they looking forward to once Christmas is done?
How do they wish they could feel?

Those little comments are clues for your marketing in the new year. They show you exactly what people need from you and how to talk about it.

You could even jot a few notes after each client –  things like “too much rushing around, feeling frazzled”. That’s language you can use later in posts, on your website, or in your emails.

It’s basically research disguised as conversation.

And while you’re at it, if someone gives you a lovely comment about your work, ask if you can turn it into a testimonial. You don’t have to post it straight away – you can save it in your content bank for January when you might be scrabbling around for ideas.

6. Get clients rebooking for January

You don’t have to do a big “new year offer” to fill January. Instead get your clients rebooking now for the new year.

When clients say, “I’ll get back to you after Christmas,” offer to book them in now before they forget. You can frame it as being helpful:

“If you want, I can pop you in for early January now so it’s already sorted. It saves you having to remember once everything gets busy again.”

Again you’re not being pushy, you’re doing them a favour. They’ll be glad they got their appointment in and don’t have to remember it later!

7. Repurpose old content

If your brain’s fried and you can’t face writing anything new, just reuse old posts!

Scroll back through what you shared earlier in the year ( or this time last year) – you’ll almost definitely find something still relevant. Update the wording, swap the image, and post it again.

Hardly anyone remembers what you posted six months ago!

You can also make simple tweaks for the time of year. For example, a post about tension can become:

“If your shoulders are feeling like concrete after all that wrapping, cooking, and organising, you can get some down-time booked in now, for January.”

8. Check in with people who regularly send you clients

This might be a Personal trainer, hairdresser, yoga teacher, physio, or anyone who thinks of you when their clients need help.

Christmas is the perfect opportunity to check in with them. Send them a little card or a text message to say you’re thinking of them. Something light and friendly is fine.

It reminds them you appreciate them, and it keeps you in their thoughts without it feeling transactional.

9. Remember: momentum beats motivation!

Most therapists wait until they feel ready to start marketing again – which usually means waiting until things are quiet and motivation is high.

Let’s be honest, it’s going to be a long time after the Christmas fog that motivation gets high again! You haven’t got time to wait for that. And also, marketing works best when it never completely stops. Even a trickle keeps the flow going.

So – a few short posts, a quick thank-you message, and a little reminder about January bookings are more than enough to keep the momentum going.

And finally – don’t pressure yourself to do everything perfectly.

Marketing during busy times is about doing something, not everything.

So if all you manage is one short post before Christmas and one after, that’s still something. It’s still connection, it still helps your visibility, and it’ll still make a difference after Christmas!

I say this every year, but it’s true: the therapists who keep showing up ( even a little ) are the ones whose diaries will stay full all year round.

So don’t overcomplicate it. When January comes, you’ll already be miles ahead. While everyone else is scrambling to get going again, you’ll be easily getting the clients in.  

Happy Christmas!

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Pssst! While you’re here – you might also want to read this Guide for ideas about more ways to get the word out about your work.

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