If you’re a massage therapist trying to build your business beyond word-of-mouth, growing an email list is one of the smartest moves you can make. It’s affordable, effective, and lets you stay in touch with clients and prospects in a way that builds trust over time.
In this article, I’ll share how I’ve used a monthly newsletter and a simple giveaway to grow my list from a small pool of clients to a thriving email audience — including people I’ve never met in person (yet!). I’ll also walk you through why I recommend KingSumo as the tool that makes it all possible.
Why Email Still Matters for Massage Therapists
People don’t always book right away, but that doesn’t mean they’re not interested. Repeated contact through email is a great way to stay top of mind with potential clients until they’re ready to schedule.
My own monthly newsletter creates a small surge in bookings every time I send it out. It’s a gentle reminder that I’m here and available — and often, that’s all people need to finally book their next session.
I keep the newsletter simple:
A quick announcement of last month’s giveaway winner
A short article about massage therapy or something new in my practice
A health-related post tied to my OPTAVIA coaching
And a “readers-only” special, like a discount or bonus
The Challenge: Growing Beyond Your Current Client Base
In the beginning, my email list was mostly just current clients and a few sign-ups from events like street fairs. That worked okay, but I needed to reach more people than I could meet in person — especially folks who were interested in massage but hadn’t booked yet.
I tried the usual incentives: discounts on gift certificates, flash sales, seasonal promotions. They helped a bit, but none of them consistently brought in new names.
That’s when I realized:
People love entering contests. Especially when they’re free, easy, and the prize is something desirable like a massage.
Running a Monthly Giveaway That Works
Now I run a giveaway every month for a free 60-minute massage — and it works. It’s the same prize every time, and that simplicity makes it easy for people to understand and share.
Promotion Strategies
I promote each giveaway in several places:
A post on my Facebook business page, shared to local community and advertising groups
An update on my Google Business Profile
A listing in a local events calendar
A sign-up link on several pages of my website
A QR code for public events to drive foot traffic to the giveaway page
The contest runs all month long. On the first of the next month, I award a winner and launch the new round.
Here’s the link to my monthly drawing, in case you want to see what it looks like: rockingoodhealth.com/massage-giveaway
Steady, Organic Growth
Some months I only get a few new subscribers. Other months — especially when I’ve been out in the community — I see bigger growth. But every month, my list grows. And over time, that slow-and-steady increase has added up to thousands of people who want to hear from me. Many have never booked (yet), but each newsletter gives them another reason to.
Converting Entrants to Clients
This is the best part: Almost every winner becomes a client. I just have to get them in the door once, and the massage takes care of the rest.
Even better, I’ve seen people who entered and didn’t win eventually book an appointment — or purchase a gift certificate when I offer a sale.
I don’t send a lot of follow-up beyond the monthly newsletter. That’s intentional. I want to stay visible without overwhelming their inbox. The “readers-only” specials help sweeten the deal while keeping the email focused on wellness, not just sales.
Why I Chose KingSumo for My Giveaways
When I was researching contest platforms, I chose KingSumo because of their smart approach to viral marketing. They made it incredibly easy to get started — just a short form to set up the prize, dates, and a description.
You can:
Host the contest on KingSumo’s website
Or, embed it on your own website using a simple code snippet
I use the embed option so I keep my own branding throughout. When a participant shares their unique referral link, anyone who clicks and signs up gets tracked back to them — but they’re still landing on my website. That’s a win for visibility and credibility.
Why Viral Sharing Works
KingSumo encourages contestants to share their personalized link via social media or email for extra entries into the giveaway. It’s simple, powerful, and turns every entrant into a potential promoter.
Want to Try KingSumo? Here's My Link
If you want to try this strategy for your massage practice (or any small business), I highly recommend checking out KingSumo. There’s a free version, and you can run a full contest with that. There’s also a paid version, with a few more options for data collection and branding. It’s a one-time purchase through AppSumo, and it’s paid for itself many times over in new leads for my practice.
👉 Here’s my affiliate link to KingSumo. (If you decide to buy, I earn a small credit — at no cost to you.)
Final Thoughts
Building an email list isn’t flashy, but it’s one of the best long-term marketing strategies out there. And when you pair it with a simple, monthly giveaway, you get consistent list growth — and more chances to build real relationships with future clients.
Keep it simple, keep it consistent, and keep showing up in their inbox.
Eventually, they’ll book.
And when they do? You’re ready.
