Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Go to a local store in your area that sells to women, it could be a clothing store, beauty salon, fitness etc. The idea is to partner with a company that sells to the same market you do.

Talk to the owner and tell them you'd like to help them increase their store traffic by offering a free 5 minute massage to their customers. The store owners benefit by getting more people in their stores, this is why they will help you, not because they are interested in your massages.

You are helping them to increase store traffic and creating awareness of your business as well. When you approach the store owner, give them a free massage. They could turn out to be a great advocate for you through the positive word of mouth they will spread based on your service.

Bring enough flyers or other marketing materials so women can pass around to their friends. Consider starting a friends and family promotion for women. Get other women to be your advocate to their friends through the power of word of mouth. See my blog: www.wordofmouthguru.wordpress.com for some ideas on word of mouth marketing. Good luck.

Right off the bat, the word Massage is a loaded word. Especially when placed in context of a local weekly and Craigslist.

What I mean is, Craigslist and the local weeklies in my city at least, are chock-o-block full of ads for escort agencies that sell their services under the guise of a "Massage".

As a result I don't know how many women look there for a therapeutic massage. No wonder you are getting a lot of male interest.

I don't know anything about the weekly you're advertising in, so this is purely speculation on my part, but take a close look at the area your ad is placed (in the back classified?) and the competing ads that surround it.

To reach your audience, advertise your services in vehicles your target audience reads.

Posting an ad on Craigslist if your audience doesn't read Craigslist is like a butcher shop taking out an ad in a vegetarian magazine -- the intended audience isn't going to be reached. The butcher would want to take out an ad in a meat-lovin' magazine.

Best of luck!

Advertise in mothers' club, PTA newsletters, and local women's networking groups.

"Just a good massage" doesn't specify the benefit you're providing. If you're a woman masseuse (your member profile isn't filled in), then something like "Massage For Soccer Moms (By A Woman)" might be more on-target.