If you want more prenatal and postnatal massage clients, here is a surprising piece of advice: do not run paid ads for them. It sounds backwards coming from a marketing company, but the math is clear once you understand what happens the moment someone becomes pregnant. There is a far better, nearly free strategy — and it produces a steadier stream of exactly the clients you want.
Why paid ads are the wrong tool for pregnant clients
The second someone becomes pregnant, the entire advertising world figures it out — from a social media announcement, a few comments, the signals the ad systems pick up — and a flood of advertisers descends. Life insurance. SUVs. Matching mom-and-baby shirts. Strollers, daycares, doctors, midwives, doulas. Having a baby is a massive life event, and big companies desperately want to hook that customer for years to come. You become the target.
All of that competition drives the ad cost through the roof. Worse, the window is tiny. Someone with back pain might be a candidate for massage for 40 years — you can take your time reaching them. Someone who is pregnant is only in that stage briefly, so you are paying premium prices to compete for a small audience during a very short window. It is the most expensive, least efficient way to reach these clients.
The better strategy: five centers of influence
Instead of buying ads, go build five centers of influence. A center of influence is someone who already has the clientele you want — just from a different angle. For prenatal and postnatal work, that means:
- Midwives
- Doulas
- Lactation consultants
- Birthing doctors and OBs
- Birthing centers
- Chiropractors (many handle things like tongue ties)
Here is why this works: when someone becomes pregnant, their first call is not a massage therapist — it is about how they are going to deliver this baby. Midwives, doulas and doctors get contacted naturally; they do not have to advertise much because people come to them. Your job is to ride the momentum they already have by building real relationships with them.
How to actually reach out
Start with an email or a phone call, and simply explain what you do. Most people are reasonable and open to it. Ask a little about their services so you are informed. Then — and this is the key move — give a referral first. When it comes to referrals, you give to get. Make the opening move: find someone you can send their way (they do not even have to become a client — just someone who calls and says, “I heard about you from my massage therapist”). That starts the referral train.
Nurture the relationship — consistently
The strategy only works if you stay in regular contact. That can be anything from a coffee every couple of months, to periodic emails, to a Christmas card. One massage therapist we know bakes lactation cookies and drops them off with the local midwives every couple of months in little bags the midwives can hand to their clients — each with information about her massage service tucked in. It is easy to fire off a batch of emails and never follow up; the therapists who win are the ones who nurture these relationships in a genuine, warm, consistent way. Do that, and you will find a steady, stable stream of new prenatal and postnatal clients — without paying a cent in ad costs.
Frequently asked questions
Should I run Facebook or Google ads for prenatal massage?
Generally no. The moment someone becomes pregnant, advertisers flood their feeds, driving ad costs up, and the prenatal window is short. Referral relationships are far more cost-effective for this niche.
What is a center of influence?
Someone who already serves the clients you want, from a different angle. For prenatal work that includes midwives, doulas, lactation consultants, OBs, birthing centers and chiropractors.
How do I get midwives and doulas to refer clients to me?
Reach out by email or phone, learn about their services, and give a referral first. Referrals work on a give-to-get basis, so make the opening move, then stay in regular, genuine contact.
How many centers of influence should I build?
Aim for five. Nurtured consistently, a handful of strong referral relationships can produce a steady, predictable stream of prenatal and postnatal clients.
Want a niche strategy built for your practice?
Prenatal is one niche where relationships beat ads — but every practice is different, and knowing which lever to pull is half the battle. As the only massage marketing agency built solely for massage businesses in the United States and Canada, we build the right strategy for your goals. Schedule a free discovery call or get your free growth assessment.
