Outcall Pricing

[Kernow Lady]

Greetings,

An issue concerning outcall pricing keeps coming to the surface and I must now try and develop a consistant marketing strategy and hope to gather some useful insights from other professionals to implement reasonable rates for the client yet fair rates for the therapist.

Aside from working out of a therapeautic office and corparate facility 1-2 days a week, the outcall service is now gaining some attention mostly obtained from the corporate account by clients who wish to book appointments within their home as well as offering GCs to their family members and/or for special events.

I generally charge $85 for a 1 hour outcall session within a 15 mile radious. But after driving to the site, lugging my table up flights of steps, adding other family members to the session, I am now coming to a point of reconsidering my rates, and that's just locally, not considering long distances.

Does anyone have a solid, consistant and reliable system for pricing their outcalls?

some questions:

How do you price for mileage - gas now becoming a major consideration.

Do you charge for table set-up and takedown?

If other people are interested in going in for a session, how do you factor them in?

Do you charge one fee for outcall and then each person separately?

What to charge for outcall couples vs charging for one- anything? or just x2 the single price?

What do you charge for a half hour outcall session?

What do you charge if the client lives almost an hour away?

How do you price for massage parties of say 4-6 clients? ...(please give hourly rates as well as half hour rates)

I am almost inclined to charge $100 just for a regular local outcall visit considering all that is involved but I am a bit concerned of pricing myself too high and loosing potential clientel. People are generally cool with the $85...but then it gets more complicated when they live farther away and/or have another person who would like to recieve services. I recently charged $200 for 2 people who lived almost an hours distance but felt a bit cheated given the time and effort (upstairs city dwelling.)

I have one woman who lives a half hours distance who asked for a one hour session w/ her CP daughter and then 1/2 hr for herself and also wishes to include one of her neighbors for another half hour...how to price for this? Any suggestions?

Also, a woman from the corporate center wanted to book a massage for her bridesmaid, herself and 1/2 hr for her sister (in a wheelchair and over 300 lbs) She wants me to come to the hotel where they will be staying (1/2 hr away) the day before the wedding. She said that the other attendees might also wish to book a massage but that she was just going to pay for the 3 mentioned, the others was on them should they wish. I was bold in charging and said $100 each and $50 for the half hour...but then caved and offered a complimentary session for the bride...which at this point will only be $150 for the 3 but am hoping that others will also want one. What do you think?

I tend to shoot from the hip and generally hate talking money but it is a necessity that I must be consistant with and not keep sliding the fee for this and that because I'm begining to feel like I am selling myself short.

Any practical insights into any of the above would be greatly appreciated.

thanks
Tracey

 

[That Blonde B*tch]

Great questions. I currently add a flat rate "travel fee" of $30 to any outcall making a one hour appointment $95.00. I haven't actually had any outcalls at this point, so I don't know if this will turn out to be the "right" price. Your post has made me wonder what the best way to determine outcall rates should be. Some will be more challenging than others, so maybe it ends up being a wash.

My $30.00 is per location though, so if there were several people at one location wanting table massage (like the situation you mentioned) that would end up making several outcall massages about the price of an incall. I wonder how others do this? Is a flat rate the best way to go, or is there some sort of scale where you charge per massage if there is more than one client at a location?

I just kind of went with the idea that the $30 would cover/compensate me for gas, transit time and set up/tear down. Maybe I'm wrong!? I guess it depends on the area you are in and how far you are traveling.

 

[bread]

Outcall Pricing

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[Kevin W]

I can only say "ditto" to Macalla's excellent advice, especially regarding not starting too high and not creating resentment situations.

My outcall fee is $110 first hour, $90 every additional hour (regardless of number of people, max of 4 hours). No set-up fee; that's built into the price. Originally my rate was $85/hour and after a few years I raised it because I had less time available for outcalls. But now almost half my week is booked with outcalls within 3 miles of my home, the same distance as my office. So go figure!

If it takes more than a half hour to get there, I won't go; that's my radius perimeter. For the Dallas metro area, that generally means 25 miles. You have to decide how far you want to go before you'll feel resentful...and take into account traffic, not just distance, if you live in a congested area.

 

[Curt J]

Gonna just throw in some simple numbers for you, as you've already gotten a load of excellent advice.

I do outcall (onsite in room) work out of two hotels frequently (another 4 intermittently). Of course, this is different than going to someones home, but it will give you a little more to bounce around.

Here's the hotel charge though... so you know where you are in the numbers game. $145 / hour at two hotels and the others are $125/hr. (The hotel does get some of this. PM me if you need specifics on that part.) Tips almost always occur.

I don't do house calls. But, somewhere I have a post or two about someone I knew who only did house calls if the client purchased their own table and provided the sheets. It kept everything relatively simple for her and she felt good about the sessions. (You should be able to search Texas-gal and house call and table or something like that).

Sam's has a rather inexpensive table you can recommend to these clients for around $225. It could be a way to keep "their cost" down, if you worded it right.

If I were to do a housecall, I'd add a $20 per hour I was there (trip/time out of office charge), I believe.

 

[Billy G]

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[The Jazz Computer Guy]

Keep it Simple

Charge one price - no breakdowns, add ons, etc.

Why? Your clients will know of other therapists that price "all inclusive" and will compare it to you. They will feel nickeld and dimed if you charge for every mile, setting up and breaking down, etc....Even if the total is the same, people like simple.

Also, if you charge for mileage, consumers will ultimately go for whomever is cheapest, cheapest = closest. Some clients you will travel more than average, some less than, but it should all even out.

All that being said, charge AT LEAST as much as a nice spa in your area charges, which means $90 - $100. Be sure to provide some of those touches like aroma candles, music and your own sheets.

An outcall takes about twice as long as an office visit. Back of the envelope pricing is about 2x office rate - the 2x the per-appointment rent you are not paying to have an office

We charge $110 for a house call any where in our service area - which is about 10 - 15 miles from our major cities.

 

[Darius Alaric O]

Keep it Simple

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[musicseawater]

I'm with Macalla again on this one. I would NEVER require clients to have their own tables or sheets! Why not just have them do the massage themselves as well?

Outcalls take more time from your schedule. That's why they cost more! Even after you find the best way for you to transport your supplies, it's still a bit of a hassle some days. If you don't want to put up with these things, then don't accept outcalls. I like the variety, but I need to limit them in order to have time for office regulars.

It doesn't matter if your focus is serious therapy. The more you do for clients to make them feel pampered and truly special, the more likely you will have repeat business. In my book that means top-quality sheets, the best equipment I can afford, noticing details and preferences, being punctual and thoughtful of their individual needs. That's in addition to providing the very best customized massage I possibly can.

Even with clients with their own equipment or supplies, I still bring all the extras, including sheets, just in case. In fact, I prefer to use my own stuff because often it's easier to work with. I just gifted a set of luxury-weight flannels to a regular who has me use an older, shrunken set that some long-past therapist slopped with oil. She was thrilled and felt "absolutely spoiled", but it was really a win-win, because no more sheets constantly popping off as I work! :

 

[future.mrs.mangum<3]

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[Blood Python Fanatic]

he he he. I guess that's a win-win-WIN!

 

[Cyphier]

i give respect to any therapist that makes house calls. i hate them. i quit doing them because they make me crabby. :x i don't know how you guys do it. lugging all that crap around, breaking things down, setting things up, breaking them down again and then setting them up AGAIN, getting stuck in traffic, stuffing the ridiculous sized table into the vehicle, trying to remember everything, putting up with too much noise, breaking stuff, oh man i could go on & on. i love my office. so predictable aaaahhhhhh.

 

[Russell B]

Definitely have one price, and don't go out of a 30 minute radius. If the appointment is over an hour away it ends up eating up your whole day just for 1 massage!!! I also do not do 1/2 hour outcalls... and this includes if multiple people... minumum session 1 hour. I had a mother daughter that I expected to do an hour on each, it ended up they wanted an hour combined... and I gave them my friends and family rate because it was the mother and sister of an old friend of mine... I ended up making only $10 an hour after I was done... no thank you. I can't wait till I get my office up and running!!! Even then I don't want to do 1/2 hours... to much work, too high expectations, not enough time...

 

[Elliot]

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[rain]

I like the variety, too. And playing with client's pets and meeting other members of their family, seeing how the personalities mesh. Sessions in different rooms: even in the familiar there is something new to notice and always something fresh to learn with each visit.

One client has an enormous geode in a room where we often work. It is about five feet high by about three feet wide, kind of an undulating triangle, and the face is sheared off to expose the beautiful faceted amethyst interior. It just feels good to work around it. I don't know how anyone knew something so lovely could be inside because the exterior is ugly gray rock. It reminds me, too, that the value of people is what is within, not what we see.

Much as I like the complete control I have over everything in my office, I truly love the peace that comes from working in front of The Magnificent Purple (my secret name for it). If I didn't do housecalls, I'd miss this experience.

 

[lovelystephanie]

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[foureveryung]

I want to thank everyone who took the time to respond to my questions. There definately were some excellent points given and I truly do appreciate all of your insights.

I absolutely love doing bodywork and often get frustrated when money becomes an issue. It has always been an evolving process for me to take a true passion of mine, working with people on this level, and then turn it into a subsitive way of life/business. I feel like I should be doing this for free for all that I recieve from it but then one does have to live the practical side of life from time to time and pay the bills.

I can see how important it is to set a general guidline for traveling and/ or being properly compensated should a few occasions arise that require more time and distance. I do not ever like putting myself in a "resentful" situation but sometimes do when I have not set the proper balance for fair compensation between therapist and client.

I like the idea of keeping outcalls to within a half hour radious, as was previously mentioned, it can indeed eat up an entire day as it did when I traveled into the city one time.

I also agree that it is good to base one's fee on the market value of the area along with confidence in one's work. I have been in the business now for a little over 3 years and flying solo. Every step has been an eye opener and continues to expand in what I percieve as the value of this work through constant feedback and practical experience.

I appreciate hearing what others are charging as that gives a legitimate range for solid consideration.

I too, like the variety of working in different places..it keeps things interesting.

There is so much more that I wish to respond to...but the letter is getting long and the night is getting late....corporate gig tomorrow.

Definately have some good things to work with - thanks so much everyone!

goodnight
Tracey

 

[Trekinsinia]

Just my 2 cents that no one mentioned.... Outcalls are like Circle K's
People are willing to and EXPECT to pay for convience! Milk is atleast a dollar more at the gas station than the grocery store due to convience. The bargain shoppers that won't dare buy bread in a pinch at the gas station are those people who will come to your office and may ask for a special rate. The outcall client is one who knows that time is money and appreciates the convience of having you bring all your stuff to work on them in their home where they don't have to go out in the heat, traffic, and noise before or after a great relaxing session. Have no problems asking them to pay for the convience, and especially having them pay for your talents, time, and honed skill (I know, easier said than done, I struggle with it too..... )

 

[Missy H]

Convenience of outcalls

People are willing to and EXPECT to pay for convience! Milk is atleast a dollar more at the gas station than the grocery store due to convience.

Hey, that's my line!

At least as it applies to chair massage too!

Don't forget the economics of bulk vs. individual servings - yet 4 x 15 minutes of chair massage keeps getting priced less than hour long table sessions!